Power Transformers Cooling Design: A Comprehensive Review
Efficient cooling technologies for power transformers are critical to modern power systems, ensuring reliability, performance, and AN extended lifespan. This review systematically analyses advancements, challenges, and opportunities in cooling systems for power transformers. Oil-immersed transformer...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1051 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850030375180435456 |
|---|---|
| author | Sandra Sorte André Ferreira Monteiro Diogo Ventura Alexandre Salgado Mónica S. A. Oliveira Nelson Martins |
| author_facet | Sandra Sorte André Ferreira Monteiro Diogo Ventura Alexandre Salgado Mónica S. A. Oliveira Nelson Martins |
| author_sort | Sandra Sorte |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Efficient cooling technologies for power transformers are critical to modern power systems, ensuring reliability, performance, and AN extended lifespan. This review systematically analyses advancements, challenges, and opportunities in cooling systems for power transformers. Oil-immersed transformers, widely used due to their superior insulation and effective cooling, require efficient thermal management to prevent overheating and ensure operational stability. This review evaluates key cooling strategies across oil-natural air-natural (ONAN), oil-natural air-forced (ONAF), oil-directed air-forced (ODAF), and oil-forced air-forced (OFAF) systems. It highlights innovations in radiator design, such as top-mounted radiators and chimney caps, and explores sustainable alternatives, including biodegradable esters, nanofluids, and hybrid ventilation methods. Advanced computational tools like Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and artificial intelligence (AI), particularly neural networks, are identified as transformative for optimising cooling performance, predicting thermal behaviour, and enabling real-time monitoring. Despite progresses, challenges persist in radiator optimisation, airflow dynamics, and scalability of innovative cooling methods. By offering a comprehensive review and identifying critical areas for improvement, this study provides a foundation for developing cost-effective, reliable, and environmentally sustainable cooling systems, aligning with the growing demand for efficient energy infrastructure. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d9a817641a0e4ea5add892238d5c0743 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-d9a817641a0e4ea5add892238d5c07432025-08-20T02:59:14ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-02-01185105110.3390/en18051051Power Transformers Cooling Design: A Comprehensive ReviewSandra Sorte0André Ferreira Monteiro1Diogo Ventura2Alexandre Salgado3Mónica S. A. Oliveira4Nelson Martins5TEMA-Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro (UA), Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalTEMA-Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro (UA), Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalTEMA-Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro (UA), Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalTEMA-Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro (UA), Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalTEMA-Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro (UA), Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalTEMA-Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro (UA), Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalEfficient cooling technologies for power transformers are critical to modern power systems, ensuring reliability, performance, and AN extended lifespan. This review systematically analyses advancements, challenges, and opportunities in cooling systems for power transformers. Oil-immersed transformers, widely used due to their superior insulation and effective cooling, require efficient thermal management to prevent overheating and ensure operational stability. This review evaluates key cooling strategies across oil-natural air-natural (ONAN), oil-natural air-forced (ONAF), oil-directed air-forced (ODAF), and oil-forced air-forced (OFAF) systems. It highlights innovations in radiator design, such as top-mounted radiators and chimney caps, and explores sustainable alternatives, including biodegradable esters, nanofluids, and hybrid ventilation methods. Advanced computational tools like Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and artificial intelligence (AI), particularly neural networks, are identified as transformative for optimising cooling performance, predicting thermal behaviour, and enabling real-time monitoring. Despite progresses, challenges persist in radiator optimisation, airflow dynamics, and scalability of innovative cooling methods. By offering a comprehensive review and identifying critical areas for improvement, this study provides a foundation for developing cost-effective, reliable, and environmentally sustainable cooling systems, aligning with the growing demand for efficient energy infrastructure.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1051thermal modellingbiodegradable fluidspower transformersradiator optimizationCFD simulationheat management |
| spellingShingle | Sandra Sorte André Ferreira Monteiro Diogo Ventura Alexandre Salgado Mónica S. A. Oliveira Nelson Martins Power Transformers Cooling Design: A Comprehensive Review Energies thermal modelling biodegradable fluids power transformers radiator optimization CFD simulation heat management |
| title | Power Transformers Cooling Design: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_full | Power Transformers Cooling Design: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_fullStr | Power Transformers Cooling Design: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Power Transformers Cooling Design: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_short | Power Transformers Cooling Design: A Comprehensive Review |
| title_sort | power transformers cooling design a comprehensive review |
| topic | thermal modelling biodegradable fluids power transformers radiator optimization CFD simulation heat management |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1051 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandrasorte powertransformerscoolingdesignacomprehensivereview AT andreferreiramonteiro powertransformerscoolingdesignacomprehensivereview AT diogoventura powertransformerscoolingdesignacomprehensivereview AT alexandresalgado powertransformerscoolingdesignacomprehensivereview AT monicasaoliveira powertransformerscoolingdesignacomprehensivereview AT nelsonmartins powertransformerscoolingdesignacomprehensivereview |