In our daily use of electricity, there's a crucial piece of equipment quietly doing its job - the Oil Immersed Distribution. Whether it's for city power supply or industrial use, it plays a key role as a "voltage converter."
GANG HENG SZ 11-M Series Three Phase Oil Immersed Distribution Transformer
So what exactly is it made of, and how does it work?
An Oil Immersed Distribution is a device that steps voltage up or down. Its defining feature is that the core components are submerged in insulating oil. This design serves two main purposes: insulation (to prevent electrical short circuits) and cooling (to carry away heat generated during operation).
Even though it looks like a simple "metal box" from the outside, its internal structure is quite sophisticated. The basic components include the core, windings, oil tank, transformer oil, and protection devices. It usually works together with switchgear systems as well.
Core: Made of laminated silicon steel sheets, it provides a path for the magnetic field, improving efficiency and reducing energy loss.
Windings: Divided into high-voltage and low-voltage windings, typically made of copper or aluminum conductors.
Oil tank: Houses all the internal components.
Transformer oil: Fills the tank, providing insulation, cooling, and protection against oxidation.
Protection devices: Gas relay (Buchholz relay) for detecting internal faults.Oil level indicator to monitor oil quantity.Thermometer to track operating temperature.
The core working principle of an Oil Immersed Distribution comes from electromagnetic induction.
Here's how it works in three simple steps:
Input current: When alternating current flows into the high-voltage winding, it creates a changing magnetic field in the core.
Magnetic transfer: This changing magnetic field travels through the core to the other winding.
Output voltage: A voltage is induced in the low-voltage winding, achieving voltage transformation.
In short, an oil-immersed power transformer uses electromagnetic induction, along with oil for insulation and cooling, to convert voltage levels.