Three-dimensional Finite Element Analysis of Electric Fields at Winding Ends

of Dry-Type Transformer
Jin Hong1, 2, Lin Heyun1, Xu Zihong3
1

Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, P. R. China

Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, P. R. China
3
Zhongdian Electricity Group, Yangzhong 212200, P. R. China
2

AbstractThis
paper
established
a
model
for
three-dimensional finite element analysis of the electric
fields at winding ends of dry-type transformer according to
its insulation characteristics. Based on the model, the electric
field at winding ends of SG10 dry-type transformer is
calculated by ANSYS. The distributions of electric field in
some planes are shown, and several top maximum electric
intensity values and their positions are given. Some
important conclusions have been obtained by discussing the
computational results, especially the electric fields in
insulated solids.

I. INTRODUCTION
Relative to conventional oil- immersed transformer,
dry-type power transformer has outstanding advantages:
fireproofing, innocuity and non-maintenance etc. Hence
it is more and more broadly applied in various sites
where security is seriously required. Since the electric
field distribution directly influences transformers
security, it should be accurately predicted in the isolation
design of transformer. Because of the complexion of the
transformers structure, numerical method, such as
charge simulation method and finite element method
(FEM), has to be used to model the electric field. In fact,
FEM has been successfully applied in the analysis of
common oil-immersed transformers electric fields [1,2].
The work on the two-dimensional (2D) finite element
analysis of the electric fields at winding ends of dry-type
transformer has also been reported [3]. In order to obtain
more accurate electric field distribution, the authors uses
three-dimensional (3D) FEM to model the electric fields
at winding ends of dry type transformer.
In this paper, the electric fields at winding ends of
10kV SG10 dry-type transformer is analyzed by 3D FEM
using the popular commercial FEM software ANSYS.
The electric field distributions in different regions are
shown, and both the value and position of the maximum
electric intensity are given. The research work of this
paper has engineering value to the insulation system
design of dry-type transformers.

Therefore, the electric fields at winding ends of

transformer are of 3D, and should be numerically
analyzed.
Air is the main insulation medium of dry-type
transformer, the relative dielectric constant of which is
equal to 1.0. The solid insulation medium of the exterior
and ends of high voltage winding is epoxy resin; the
relative dielectric constant of which is equal to or less
than 5.5. The solid insulation medium of end low voltage
(LV) winding is NOMEX; the relative dielectric constant
of which is between 1.5 and 2.5. Because electric
intensity and dielectric constant of insulation medium is
in inverse ratio electric intensity in air medium is lager
than that in solid insulate mediums. So long as the electric
field intensity exceeds that the insulation medium can
endure, the breakdown or partial discharge phenomena
will appear [3].
III. FEM ANALYSIS END MODEL OF DRY TYPE
TRANSFORMER
According to the characteristics of dry-type
transformers insulation system, the analyzed field region
is taken as shown in Fig. 1. The HV and LV winding ends
of the middle phase, part of core, clamps and solid
insulations and air are included in the calculation region.

Fig. 1. Analyzed field region

II. END ELECTRIC FIELD AND INSULATION

CHARACTERISTIC OF DRY-TYPE TRANSFORMER
The electric fields at winding ends of transformer
mean the electric fields of high voltage (HV) winding to
low voltage, core and other grounded components
respectively. The electric fields at winding ends of
transformer are very non-uniform, which are of two types:
point to point, point to plane. Moreover, the electric field
between the two winding ends is generally asymmetrical.

The electric field problem can be analyzed in terms

of electric scalar potential. The associated partial
differential equation can be derived from Maxwells
equations subject to the following assumptions:
(a) The electric field is stationary;
(b) Material characteristic is isotropic;
(c) Temperature effects on dielectric constant is
ignored;
(d) The electric potential of LV winding is
potential zero;
(e) The influences of small components of clamps
and down-leads bring to electric field is also
ignored.
With the above assumptions, the electric scalar
potential can be used to describe electric field intensity

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E =
From Maxwells equations, the differential equation
boundary and interface conditions are as follows:
( x, y, z)
( ) = 0,

( x, y, z) s1'
= 0,

( x, y, z) s1''
= V0 ,

( x, y, z) s2'
/ n = 0,
( / n) = ( / n)+ ,
( x, y, z ) s2''

where is the dielectric constant, s1' and s1'' is

surfaces of core and HV winding, s

'
2

(1)
and

(2)

the

is the symmetric

''
2

plane and s donates the interfaces of different

mediums.
The solution to the above boundary value problem
can be best obtained by first formulating the associated
partial differential equation in variational terms by means
of the following energy functional
1
T

J [ ] = 2 [ ] [ ] dxdydz

(3)
=
0,
(
, y, z ) s1'

"
= V0 , ( x, y, z ) s1

The functional is then extremized by setting its first

derivative with respect to each of the nodal potentials to
zero. This process yields a system of linear algebraic
equations of nodal potentials, which when solved,
provides the required solution to the field problem.
The winding end and solid insulation models of
10kV SG10 dry-type transformer are established by
ANSYS as shown in Fig.2.

IV. ANSYS SOFTWARE APPLICATION

ANSYS software is a kind of large-scale and
universal CAE software, which can be used to analyze
problems stemming from mechanical, calorific,
electromagnetic fields, etc. It owns lots of functions and
application tools, such as geometry modeling, automatic
meshing, solving, post processing, optimal designing, etc
[4]. In this paper, a general parametric model is
established with ANSYS, which can be used in the 3D
finite element analysis of the electric fields at winding
ends of similar dry-type transformers.
A. Modeling
In the model as shown in Fig.2, the point of
intersection of the axes of both the top and middle cores
is defined as the models origin. The extents of the model
in three-axis directions are chosen as follows. X-axis:
from the middle point of A&B phase windings to that of
A&C phase windings; Y-axis: the length of model in
Y-axis direction is taken as that in X-axis direction;
Z-axis: from the top of the top core to the connection
point of the HV winding end and the pectinated spacers.
At the same time, because the electric field intensities
inside the cores and clamps are equal to zero, they are not
included in the model. The cylinders shown in Fig.2 (a)
are both the HV and LV windings. Their axes are
intercepted at the fourth tooth of spacer.
To obverse the structure of the solid insulation
system clear, its model is specially shown in Fig.2 (b). It
is composed of the yoke insulation between clamp and
winding, orbicular NOMEX insulation at the end of the
LV winding, as well as insulated sheath and pectinated
spacers which provide the support, immobility and
insulation for the HV winding.
B. Meshing
After the above 3D modeling for the analyzed region,
tetrahedral elements are used to discrete the model
automatically. The density of the mesh can be changed
according to the requirement. Fig.3 (a) (b) shows the 3D
meshes of the winding end model and end solid insulation
model respectively. The total numbers of nodes and
elements are 214955 and 153087.
C. Loading and solving

(a) Winding end model

In the finite element analysis of 10KV SG10 dry-type

transformer, core, clamp and LV winding all are set
potential zero; and HV winding is set 10kV potential. The
wave front method is used to solve the linear equation
system. It takes about ten minutes to yield the
computational results on a personal computer with
Pentium IV550.
D. Post processing

(b) End solid insulation model

Fig.2. Winding end and end solid insulation models

Some commands for post processing, such as

PLNSOL, PLVECT, *GRET etc, are applied to get the
corresponding graphics and data of the selected regions,
which visually show the electric field distributions with
vector arrows or nephograms.

2137

It is also important to know the maximum electric

field intensities in solid insulations. They are listed and
expounded in Table II. The electric field intensity vectors
are shown in Fig. 5. It is shown that the maximum electric
field intensity locates in pectinated spacers; and the
minimum in yoke insulation. The ratio of maximum and
minimum values in the yoke insulation is greater than that
in the inner surface of the insulated sheath. By analyzing
the calculation results, it is basically sure that the worst
electric field distribution appears in the pectinated spacers.
Nevertheless, the electric field intensities in all solid
insulations are much less than their breakdown intensities.
This means that the insulation system of the transformer
is safety.

(a) 3D mesh of winding end model

TABLE I
PREDEING THREE MAXIMUM ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY
VALUE AND THEIR POSITIONS
E (MV/m)
0.581
0.578
0.574
X (m)
0.223
0
0
Y (m)
0
-0.223
0.223
Z (m)
0.205
0.205
0.205
Near x and y axes in the top of HV
Position explanation
winding facet

(b) 3D mesh of solid insulated components

Fig.3. 3D finite element meshes with tetrahedral elements

V. CALCULATION RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

The stronger electric field intensity, more easily
local discharge appears. Therefore, more attention should
be paid to the maximum value and position of electric
field intensity. According to the calculation results, the
maximum electric field intensity locates in z=0.205m
planethat is, the interface between the HV winding and
the end solid insulation. Considering the symmetry of
transformer to the Y-axis, two points have the same
maximum electric field intensity in z=0.205m plane. The
preceding three top maximum electric field intensity
values and their positions are listed in Table I. Besides,
the electric field intensity vectors in the plane are also
shown in Fig.3 to obverse their distribution. From Table I
and Fig.3, it can be found that the maximum electric field
intensity tend to appear on the interface between the solid
medium and the electrode. This is coincident to the
related theoretic analysis.

(a) Front view

(b) Platform
Fig.4. Electric field intensity in Z=0.205m plane

TABLE II
MAX AND MIN ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY VALUES IN SOLID INSULATIONS

Max electric field intensity

Breakdown electric field
intensity
Ratio of max and min intensities
Electric field
distribution

Max
Min

Yoke insulation

Inner surface of insulated sheath

Pectinated spacer

0.077 MV/m

0.172 MV/m

0.581 MV/m

Insulation of LV winding
end
0.147 MV/m

16.9 MV/m

18 MV/m

18 MV/m

19.6 MV/m

100
Close to
winding
Interface with
clamp

8
Far from end section

22
Interface with HV
winding
Near interface with
yoke insulation

Outer surface of winding

Interface with yoke insulation,

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13

Inner surface of windings

(a) Yoke insulation

(b) Inner surface of insulated sheath

(c) Pectinated spacers

(d) Insulation of LV winding end

Fig.5. Electric field intensity vectors in solid insulations

VI.

CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES

Three-dimensional finite element method has been

successfully applied to analyze the electric fields at the
winding ends of dry-type transformer in this paper. The
electric field distributions in all components are visually
shown. The maximum electric field intensity and its
position of every solid insulated component are given.
The characteristics of electric field distributions are
analyzed by means of the visual computational results.
The obtained conclusions are of reference value to the
insulation design of dry-type transformer.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

This work was supported in part by The Chinese

Electrical Equipment, P. R. China

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