A new concept for a solid-state on-load tap changers

• Published in: 14th International Conference and Exhibition on Electricity Distribution (CIRED 1997 - Distributing Power for the Millennium) pp. 1.7.1 - 1.7.4
• Main Author: Degeneff, R.C
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: London IEE 1997
• Subjects: Administration and management; Applied sciences; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Financial management; Miscellaneous; Transformers and reactors; Various equipment and components; power transformers; 13.8 kV; 10 MVA; system power; solid-state on-load tap changers; economic potential; economics; thyristors; transformer tap winding leads; thyristor applications; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; cost comparison; system voltage; tap changer topology; Power thyristor; On load tap changer; Static switch; Power transformer
• ISBN: 9780852966747; 0852966741
• ISSN: 0537-9989
• DOI: 10.1049/cp:19970447

This paper presents a new approach for constructing a solid-slate on-load tap changer. Through a judicious choice of the tap changer topology and a novel use of the control, the proposed solid-state on-load tap changer uses fewer thyristors of lower rating than conventional thyristor based tap changer configurations. Further, it is able to accomplish the conventional 16 5/8% laps with fewer physical transformer tap winding leads. The tap changer concept has been experimentally verified at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. This paper contains a cost comparison for a 13.8 kV 10 MVA transformer and is presented to illustrate the economic potential of this concept. Depending upon the system voltage, power, and % taps, the approach presented can be 20-60% less expensive than previous efforts to realize solid-state on-load tap changers. (4 pages)