Power transformers for the 21st century

Abstract

Transformer technology is a mature technology. A characteristic of such technologies is that most advances tend to be incremental. Improvements also are often related to the demands of the 20th century manufacturing techniques rather than to the fundamental physics governing the concept. Returning to basic physics and for example reconsidering Maxwell's equations opens new possibilities for efficient design. Additionally, safety and environmental issues, much more relevant now than in the early 1900s, can be addressed in a new way. The new technology that is presented in this work describes the resulting revolutionary changes for both manufacturer and user. High voltage dry power transformers replace conventional power transformer technology based on oil/cellulosic insulation. The marriage of the well-proven high voltage power cable technology with transformer technology sets a new standard in reaching the environmental goals of the 21st century.