Design Method for High Power Medium Frequency Transformers

Project description

Solid-state transformer (SST) is proposed to replace distribution power transformers to deal with the challenges brought by increasing distributed energy sources and more dc loads. Medium frequency transformers (MFTs) are key components, which fulfill the voltage adaption, isolation requirement and have an important impact on the converters’ power density and efficiency. The intuitive advantage of MFTs is reduced volume and weight due to much higher operating frequency (in range of kilohertz). For a conventional 50 Hz transformer, rated from 750-2200kVA, its power density is only 0.45-0.53 kVA/kg, which is 10 times smaller than that of MFTs.

In order to design optimal high-power density dry-type medium frequency power transformers, it’s important to systematically analyze the HPMFTs. Thermal management and insulation performance under medium frequency non-sinusoidal stress are two challenges, which are also the main focus of the PhD project. Besides the functionality of HPMFTs, the method of design also need attention. During a design process, all related parameters need to be determined before building prototype, therefore, models for required parameters are necessary in this process. To have an efficient design method, models need to balance the accuracy and time consumption. It’s worth to investigate the design method of dry-type HPMFTs, which would help to move HPMFTs towards market maturity.

PhD Candidate:
Tianming Luo: T.Luo-1@tudelft.nl


Supervisor:
Dr.ir. Mohamad Ghaffarian Niasar: M.GhaffarianNiasar@tudelft.nl 


Promotors:
Prof. Ir. Peter Vaessen: P.T.M.Vaessen@tudelft.nl 
Prof. Dr. Ir. Pavol Bauer: P.Bauer@tudelft.nl 

Tianming Luo