PRESENTED BY:

ADARSH B
REG NO:17030134

DETARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

INTRODUCTION
With the growing consciousness on the unkind effects of
noise pollution, many users are specifying lower noise
levels for transformers. The primary source of acoustic
noise generation in a transformer is the periodic
mechanical deformation of the transformer core and
the winding coils. A lower value of the operating flux
density also results in higher material cost and size of
the transformer. Hence, other cost-effective noise
reduction methods are commonly used which are now
described. There are different ways, by which the
noise can be reduced.
TRANSFORMER NOISE
 Due to the influence of fluctuating electromagnetic
flux associated with transformer core and the winding
coils.

 The propagation of noise from the core and windings

through the oil medium is spread to external
environment .
 The material of a transformer core exhibits
magnetostrictive properties. The vibration of the core
is due to its magnetostrictive strain varying at twice
the frequency of the alternating magnetic flux.

 When there are residual gaps between laminations of

the core, the periodic magneto-motive force may
cause the core laminations to strike against each other
and produce noise.
Acoustic Energy Flow in an Oil
Cooled Transformer:
Load-controlled Noise
 This noise is emitted by a loaded transformer in addition
to its no-load noise.

 It is caused by electromagnetic forces between the

windings resulting from the leakage fields and is
proportional to the square of the load current.

 These forces cause the winding vibrations and acoustic

radiations having frequency of 100 or 120 Hz that is twice
the power frequency.
The other sources of noise are the vibrations of tank
walls and the magnetic shunts placed on them.

If the magnetic shunts are rigidly anchored to the tank

wall, the noise due to their vibrations is usually low.

The vibration amplitudes produced by a given axial

compressive force corresponding to a load current
flowing in a winding, depend on the winding
properties, like mass, modulus of elasticity and
damping.
Pressboard and other insulating materials play an
important role in deciding the winding response.

 The winding noise can be kept as low as possible by

using a pressboard material with a high damping
coefficient and applying a proper value of pre-stress to
the winding.
NOISE DUE TO COOLING EQUIPMENT
 Cooling is one of the most essential process for the effective
operation of the transformers in the field.

 For dry type, large distribution and power transformers cooling

method selection is vital as it contributes significant levels of
noise. Fan noise is a result of vortex flows in the vicinity of its
blades.

 The noise is a function of air delivery, blade size and speed.

While the noise due to core produces frequencies in the range of
100 to 600 Hz.

 The load noise due to cooling equipment like fans and pumps
are usually below or above core frequency range in the sound
spectrum.
Frequency Spectrum of Noise
 As the speed is lowered, air delivery also reduces
necessitating an increase in number of fans.

 Many times, the noise level specified is so low that it may

not be possible to get such a low noise fan. Therefore,
ONAN cooling should be specified and used in place of
mixed ONAN/ONAF cooling for small and medium rating
power transformers, even if it results in increase number of
radiators.

 A radiator noise is caused by the tank vibration transmitted

through cooler pipes connecting the tank and radiator.
 Noise Level Reduction
 Methods like stiffening the bracing or supporting parts and
adding cushions between parts of a transformer have long
been known and used for reducing vibrations and noise.
 Barrier walls and total sound-proof enclosures have also
been commonly used.
 An easy but expensive way would be to put the
transformer in a closed room whose walls and floor are
massive.
 The noise reduces as it tries to pass through a massive wall.
 The noise can also be reduced by building a free-standing
enclosure of concrete and steel plates around the transformer.

 Use of sound insulation panels is another way of getting

reduced noise levels without any additional space requirement.

 The assembly consists of a resilient steel sheet, a steel plate

and weights. The steel sheet connects the steel plate to the
stiffeners.
 The noise level reduction of 14 dB is reported by the use
of these insulation panels.

 A substantial reduction of noise of the order of 15 dB can

also be obtained by using a double tank design.

 Both the tanks are suitably insulated from each other to

reduce the structure borne sound

 . Glass wool is placed in the space between the two tanks

for the effective noise reduction.
 Reduction in core flux density: This gives noise reduction
of 3 to 5 dB for a reduction in flux density by 10% or
approximately 2 dB per flux density reduction of 0.1 T.

 Hi-B grade and scribed core materials give 2 to 3 dB

reduction as compared to non Hi-B grades.

 Increased core damping: By application of suitable

viscoelastic or adhesive coating to the core laminations, the
noise level can be reduced.
 Use of sound insulation panels between tank stiffeners can
give 5 to 15 dB reduction.

 An increased tank wall mass, by use of sand in hollow

braces on the wall, can give appreciable noise level
reduction.

 Use of double tank design: Inner and outer tanks are

suitably insulated from each other to eliminate structure
borne vibrations.
 Suitable sound absorbent wool is placed between the two
tanks. The noise reduction is about 15 dB.
 The reflecting surfaces should not coincide with half the
wavelength of frequencies of noise emitted by the transformer
to avoid standing waves and reverberations or echoes.

 Fire walls are sometimes placed adjacent to the transformer

 Dry type distribution transformers are mostly located in a room

inside a building.

 With the walls of the room having a low sound absorption

coefficient, the sound emitted by the transformer reflects back
and forth between the walls.