Need for circular economy
The active part of a transformer can be defined as the magnetic core, the windings, and the solid insulation in and around the windings.
byI. Güner, D. Gosselin
Refurbishment of large power transformers
The active part of a transformer can be defined as the magnetic core, the windings, and the solid insulation in and around the windings, and it represents about 70 % of the total cost of the transformer. For utility substation applications, the life expectancy of an active part can vary between 70 to 80 years and maybe more. However, historically, the replacement of a power transformer is often performed way before the end of life of its active part due to severe degradation of its critical components, such as bushings and tap changers and its accessories, even if they represent only approximately 30 % of the total cost of a new transformer. And if the transformer is not replaced or refurbished when these critical components and accessories are getting to their end of life, the total lifetime maintenance cost and offline duration will increase significantly, and the transformer reliability will decrease substantially.
Many industrialised countries have built their main infrastructures from the mid-fifties to the mid-seventies. In the following 40 to 50 years, their utilities had an easy life to maintain the condition and reliability of their power transformers. But now, those days are over, and the maintenance of a good proportion of their transformer fleet is more and more difficult. Utilities that believe that the old transformers should simply be replaced by new ones are facing supply chain and investment budget limitation issues.
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