BIOTEMP® transformer technology for innovative compact substation

The industrialization of region, building new industrial parks and growing populations required continuous increase in energy demand. The networks are today more loaded, new in-feeds as wind power are added, load flows are changing, network components are ageing and network operation conditions have changed. As a result, transformers will operate in more severe conditions today than before. On the other hand, all these requirements might reduce the spare capacity, which could eventually affect the reliability of power supplies or alternatively, existing networks can be upgraded by replacement with new one of higher capacity or refurbishment of some unit by building-in an extra capacity. Nowadays the modern substation is required to meet high level of reliability, to reduce risk of power outage , to meet severe load condition, to be safe in case of fire hazard, to be compact and to have low environmental impact. To fulfil the above demands and to place transformer in very limited available space, a case study is presented for a Transformer Substation in the Beni Suef Cement factory (owned by TITAN Group) in Egypt, using a new transformer technology with hybrid insulation system, a combination of cellulose and aramid materials in transformer active part and new transformer liquid BIOTEMP^®. Within ABB, BIOTEMP^® was developed in the 90´s, in order to provide the market with a biodegradable high fire point dielectric fluid made from renewable sources. Starting from distribution transformer business, the use of BIOTEMP^® was introduced also in Power transformers. The application of the new vegetable liquid in power transformers provides significant benefit compared to conventional mineral oil. Nevertheless, the different chemical and physical characteristics require speci