Data centres face specific challenges in countries where the voltage of electricity supply is unstable. This is part two of a two-part series.
Trafo Power Solutions designed its transformers to include an automatic on-load tap changer (OLTC). Supplied by Trafo Power Solutions
Included in the project scope was also the control and protection of both the transformer and tap changer – as well as an automatic voltage regulator – making up a complete solution for the customer. The transformer supplied by Trafo Power Solutions is a 2 000kVA unit which will step down the incoming voltage from 11kV to 400V. The company is also responsible for commissioning the solution on site.
“Cooling will be achieved in an air natural (AN) configuration, but fans have been included on the transformers to allow them to carry a 25% higher load, if necessary,” says Claassen. “The cooling aspect of the design is important in this context, as the higher harmonics can also lead to raised temperatures in the transformer.”
Trafo Power Solutions includes an electrostatic shield between the primary and secondary windings in this type of design to arrest any stray current that could be caused by the harmonic distortion. He highlights that there is no room for downtime in the data centre industry, so transformer design must be exact and the manufacturing must be to the highest industry standards.
“A critical measure of any data centre is its level of uptime, so the customer needs stable voltage to underpin the reliability of all its infrastructure,” he says.
Claassen adds the company also offers modular solutions for data centres, an approach with particular benefits as customers can build up their medium voltage infrastructure gradually as their business grows. This facilitates a smooth and cost-effective ramp up of operations, with the modular approach allowing the addition of new capacity without disruption.
Source: Trafo Power Solutions
