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New kVA rating with fan cooling (400 kVA)

Short answer

From heat run 24°C (1h) and 34°C (2h): τ=1.14h (68.5min), θm=41.14°C. Max eff at 80% → Pi=0.64Pc, losses 1.64Pc. Improved cooling by 15%: same rise → losses ratio 1.15×1.64 → x=1.1162, rating 446.5kVA; 50°C rise → 1.15×50/41.14×1.64 → x=1.2853, rating 514.1kVA. Final rise 41.1°C; ratings 446kVA and 514kVA.

A 400 kVA transformer has its maximum efficiency at 80% of full load. During a short full load heat run, the temperature rise after one hour and two hours is observed to be 24°C and 34°C respectively. Find the thermal time constant and final steady temperature rise of the transformer. If, by use of a fan, the cooling is improved so that the rate of heat dissipation per unit area per degree rise in temperature is increased by 15%, find the new kVA rating possible (i) For the same final temperature rise as before (ii) If allowable temperature rise is taken as 50°C

Given

  • Rating SS = 400 kVA; maximum efficiency at 80 % of full load
  • Heat run at full load: θ1=24\theta_1 = 24 °C after 1 h, θ2=34\theta_2 = 34 °C after 2 h
  • Fan cooling raises heat dissipation per unit area per °C (λ\lambda) by 15 %

Step 1: time constant and final temperature rise

With a=e−1/τa = e^{-1/\tau}, θ1=θm(1−a)\theta_1 = \theta_m(1-a) and θ2=θm(1−a2)\theta_2 = \theta_m(1-a^2):

1+a=3424=1.4167  ⇒  a=0.4167τ=1ln⁡(1/0.4167)=1ln⁡2.4=1.142 h≈68.5 minθm=241−0.4167=41.14 ∘C\begin{aligned} 1 + a &= \frac{34}{24} = 1.4167 \;\Rightarrow\; a = 0.4167 \\ \tau &= \frac{1}{\ln(1/0.4167)} = \frac{1}{\ln 2.4} = 1.142\ \text{h} \approx 68.5\ \text{min} \\ \theta_m &= \frac{24}{1 - 0.4167} = 41.14\ ^\circ\text{C} \end{aligned}

Step 2: losses in terms of full-load copper loss PcP_c

At maximum efficiency, copper loss = iron loss:

Pi=(0.80)2Pc=0.6400 PcFull-load losses=Pi+Pc=1.6400 Pc\begin{aligned} P_i &= (0.80)^2 P_c = 0.6400\,P_c \\ \text{Full-load losses} &= P_i + P_c = 1.6400\,P_c \end{aligned}

The final rise is θm=lossesSλ\theta_m = \dfrac{\text{losses}}{S\lambda}, so the losses allowed ∝λ θm\propto \lambda\,\theta_m. At a new load of xx times full load, the losses are Pi+x2PcP_i + x^2 P_c (iron loss is constant).

(i) Same final temperature rise (41.1441.14 °C)

Losses allowed rise by 15 %:

0.6400+x2=1.15×1.6400=1.8860x2=1.2460  ⇒  x=1.1162New rating=1.1162×400=446.5 kVA\begin{aligned} 0.6400 + x^2 &= 1.15 \times 1.6400 = 1.8860 \\ x^2 &= 1.2460 \;\Rightarrow\; x = 1.1162 \\ \text{New rating} &= 1.1162 \times 400 = 446.5\ \text{kVA} \end{aligned}

(ii) Allowable temperature rise 50 °C

Losses allowed are now in the ratio 1.15×5041.141.15 \times \dfrac{50}{41.14}:

0.6400+x2=1.15×5041.14×1.6400=2.2920x2=1.6520  ⇒  x=1.2853New rating=1.2853×400=514.1 kVA\begin{aligned} 0.6400 + x^2 &= 1.15 \times \frac{50}{41.14} \times 1.6400 = 2.2920 \\ x^2 &= 1.6520 \;\Rightarrow\; x = 1.2853 \\ \text{New rating} &= 1.2853 \times 400 = 514.1\ \text{kVA} \end{aligned}

Answer: time constant ≈ 1.14 h (68.5 min); final rise ≈ 41.1 °C; new rating (i) ≈ 446 kVA, (ii) ≈ 514 kVA.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5

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