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Heating constant and 1-hour rating (40 kVA)

Short answer

Heating time constant τ = 1.5/ln 2 ≈ 2.164 h. Final steady temperature rise is 48 °C. For a 1‑hour rating the required final rise is 129.72 °C; using loss ratio (1+2k²)/3 = 129.72/48 gives k = 1.885, so rating = 75.4 kVA.

A 40 kVA, 11000/400 V, 3-phase transformer is working in an ambient temperature of 35°C on full load. Its oil temperature is recorded as follows: 59°C after 1.5 hours; 71°C after 3 hours. Its full-load copper losses are 2 times the iron losses. Calculate: i) Heating time constant ii) Final steady temperature rise iii) 1-hour rating

Temperature rise above ambient (35 °C):

  • after 1.5 h: θ1=59−35=24 ∘\theta_1 = 59 - 35 = 24\ ^\circC
  • after 3 h: θ2=71−35=36 ∘\theta_2 = 71 - 35 = 36\ ^\circC

Heating from cold: θ=θm(1−e−t/τ)\theta = \theta_m(1-e^{-t/\tau}).

i) Heating time constant

Let x=e−1.5/τx = e^{-1.5/\tau}. Since 3 h = 2 × 1.5 h:

θ2θ1=1−x21−x=1+x=3624=1.5  ⇒  x=0.5τ=1.5ln⁡2=2.164 h\begin{aligned} \frac{\theta_2}{\theta_1} &= \frac{1-x^2}{1-x} = 1 + x = \frac{36}{24} = 1.5 \;\Rightarrow\; x = 0.5\\ \tau &= \frac{1.5}{\ln 2} = 2.164\ \text{h} \end{aligned}

ii) Final steady temperature rise

θm=241−0.5=48 ∘C\theta_m = \frac{24}{1-0.5} = 48\ ^\circ\text{C}

(Final oil temperature = 35 + 48 = 83 °C.)

iii) One-hour rating

The 1-hour rating is the load that, starting cold, brings the rise to 48 °C in exactly 1 hour. Let its final rise be θm′\theta_m':

48=θm′(1−e−1/2.164)=θm′(1−0.630)=0.370 θm′θm′=129.72 ∘C\begin{aligned} 48 &= \theta_m'\left(1-e^{-1/2.164}\right) = \theta_m'(1-0.630) = 0.370\,\theta_m'\\ \theta_m' &= 129.72\ ^\circ\text{C} \end{aligned}

Final rise ∝ losses. With Pc=2PiP_c = 2P_i at full load, losses at load fraction kk are Pi(1+2k2)P_i(1+2k^2), and at full load 3Pi3P_i:

1+2k23=129.7248=2.702k2=3(2.702)−12=3.554  ⇒  k=1.885\begin{aligned} \frac{1+2k^2}{3} &= \frac{129.72}{48} = 2.702\\ k^2 &= \frac{3(2.702)-1}{2} = 3.554 \;\Rightarrow\; k = 1.885 \end{aligned}

One-hour rating =1.885×40=75.4= 1.885 \times 40 = 75.4 kVA.

Answer: τ\tau = 2.164 h, final steady rise = 48 °C, 1-hour rating ≈ 75.4 kVA (1.885 × full load).

✓ Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5

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