Powerstar - Power Transformers

The efficiency of a power transformer can vary considerably based on factors such as age, size, design, and usage. Modern large transformers can achieve impressive energy efficiencies of up to 99.75%. However, smaller or ageing models may experience lower efficiencies, ranging from 90% down to 85%. These efficiency variations become significant and costly, especially when operating transformers at high loads.

The extensive age of much of the UK’s power transformer fleet means that in many cases, there is ample potential for aging hardware to be replaced by newer, more advanced, energy-efficient models. This brings with it a range of benefits, including greater reliability, lower maintenance requirements and significantly reduced losses.

Similarly, our high-efficiency, low-loss transformers can significantly reduce overall power consumption, helping to reduce both energy costs and carbon footprint. Voltage management & optimisation technologies incorporated into some modern transformers offers further improvements in energy efficiency and lower costs.

An upgrade to an aging transformer fleet offers enhanced power resilience, lower costs and greater energy efficiency. As well as significantly reducing the risk of your transformer becoming a point of failure, it also offers the ability to protect sensitive equipment and machinery from fluctuations in grid power.

Powerstar offers a wide range of distribution transformers, as well as custom pieces to fit your exact specifications. Amorphous Core technology has been widely researched and findings show that Amorphous Core transformers provide a super low core loss alternative to conventional cold rolled grain orientated steel (CRGO) transformers. This newer technology provides higher efficiencies, longevity and low magnetizing current. Due to the atomic structure and thickness of the

Amorphous Core metal material, up to 80% of the losses experienced by conventional transformers are avoided. It is the random pattern of the amorphous atom that allows for lower resistance to magnetization cycles and delivers lower core losses. This high level of efficiency delivers substantial savings in operating costs and thousands of kg of savings in CO2 annually.

Whilst conventional transformers are initially cheaper than Amorphous Core transformers, they consume their initial purchase cost in wasted energy approximately every 9 months (based on the industry standard of 5% losses). Therefore, over a period of 15 years, traditional transformers will consume 20 times their purchase price in energy losses and emit in excess of 73,000kg of CO2.

In contrast each of Powerstar’s Amorphous Core transformers will only consume between £200 and £300 of energy per year as their losses are less than 1%, taking more than 20 years to consume their initial cost in energy, and saving more than 78,000kg CO2 in this period. (Figures for a 90 kVA system, assuming an average load of 40 kW/h)