NaREC LV AVC feasibility Study

Apr 2013

Electricity Distribution

Reference:

Status: Live

Start Date: Apr 2013

End Date: Unknown

Funding Licencee(s): Northern Powergrid

Contact: Chris Goodhand, Innovation Manager (01977 605641)

Funding Mechanism Innovation Funding Incentive

Research Area: None

Core Technology(ies): LV & 11kV Networks

Estimated Expenditure: £21,800.00

Introduction: A feasibility study into novel on-load tap-changers for distribution transformers.

Objectives: To assess likely technologies to provide on-load tap-changers for distribution (20kV, 11 kV or 6.6 kV to 400V) transformers, to inform future research work. Issues to be considered include:

Safety case
Ease of accommodation within standard buildings
Ease of retro-fit to existing units
Reliability
Energy loss in the unit and on the wider system
Reduced automatic tapping range (i.e. are there benefits in switching over something other than the ±5% range in 2.5% steps of conventional off-load tap-changers, either using larger steps or fewer of them)
Installation/maintenance cost
The potential impact of HD 472 (voltage harmonisation)
Control philosophies and implementation.