Hot Spot Temperature Calculation of a 10kV Oil-immersed Transformer with 3-D coupled-field method

Transformer winding hot-spot temperature (HST) is one of the important factors affecting transformer oil–paper insulation deterioration. This study presents a three-dimensional coupled electromagnetic-fluid-thermal analysis method for HST calculation in a 10 kV oil-immersed distribution transformer, the influence of the transformer internal metal structure parts on the HST of the winding is considered in the simulation. Combining electromagnetic-field calculation with no-load test and load test of the transformer provides a more accurate method to determine internal losses of the transformer. Taking those power losses as heat sources, the transformer fluid-thermal field analysis is conducted with the finite volume method. The variation of physical parameters of transformer oil with temperature is considered in the simulation. On the basis of the equivalent thermal resistance theory, the equivalent thermal conductivities of transformer windings are obtained. The simulation results deduced from the proposed method agree well with the experimental ones, which are obtained with fibre optic temperature sensors during the transformer temperature rise test, the maximum temperature difference is <3°C. The results validated the validity and accuracy of the proposed transformer HST calculation method.