The US Department of Energy has proposed new energy-efficiency standards for three categories of distribution transformers to improve the resiliency of America’s power grid, lower utility bills and significantly reduce domestic carbon-dioxide emissions. DOE’s proposal represents a strategic step to advance the diversification of transformer core technology, which will conserve energy and reduce costs. Almost all transformers produced under the new standard would feature amorphous steel cores, which are significantly more energy efficient than those made of traditional grain-oriented electrical steel. If adopted within DOE’s proposed timeframe, the new rule will come into effect in 2027. DOE estimates that the proposed standards, if finalized, would reduce US CO2 emissions by 340 million metric tons over the next 30 years, an amount roughly equal to the annual emissions of 90 coal-fired power plants. DOE also expects the proposed rule to generate over 10 quads of energy savings and approximately USD 15 billion in savings to the nation from 30 years of shipments. A distribution transformer is a device used to change the voltage of electrical power. These transformers lower the voltage of electrical power before distribution to the customer. They are rated at about 50–1000 kVA and typically run 24 hours a day. Purchasers of distribution transformers are primarily electric utilities and commercial or industrial entities. Amorphous steel cores or metallic glasses cores result substantially lower energy losses than their crystalline counterparts and therefore, allow increased efficiencies of operation in transformers. Amorphous metals are made of alloys that have no atomic order. They are made by rapid cooling, million degrees per second, of molten metals that prevents crystallization and leaves a vitrified structure in the form of thin strips. Due to the lack of systematic structure, this type of metal has also been given the name The Metallic Glasses. The typical Metglas is an alloy of iron with boron, silicon, and phosphorus in the form of thin (e.g. 25 µm) foils rapidly cooled from melt. These materials have high magnetic susceptibility, very low coercivity and high electrical resistance. The high resistance and thin foils lead to low losses by eddy currents when subjected to alternating magnetic fields. On the downside amorphous alloys have a lower saturation induction and often a higher magnetostriction compared to conventional crystalline iron-silicon electrical steel. The Metallic Glasses were developed in 1970’s and there are few companies which have commercialized the technology. Incidentally, India was among the pioneer countries with IIT BHU’s Metallurgical Department had joined research initiative in 1970s and was conducting experiments to produce metallic glasses. India’s first Astronaut Mr Rakesh Shrma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme, had conducted a related experiment in space, which was unfortunately hit by furnace snag
The US Department of Energy has proposed new energy-efficiency standards for three categories of distribution transformers to improve the resiliency of America’s power grid, lower utility bills and significantly reduce domestic carbon-dioxide emissions. DOE’s proposal represents a strategic step to advance the diversification of transformer core technology, which will conserve energy and reduce costs. Almost all transformers produced under the new standard would feature amorphous steel cores, which are significantly more energy efficient than those made of traditional grain-oriented electrical steel. If adopted within DOE’s proposed timeframe, the new rule will come into effect in 2027. DOE estimates that the proposed standards, if finalized, would reduce US CO2 emissions by 340 million metric tons over the next 30 years, an amount roughly equal to the annual emissions of 90 coal-fired power plants. DOE also expects the proposed rule to generate over 10 quads of energy savings and approximately USD 15 billion in savings to the nation from 30 years of shipments. A distribution transformer is a device used to change the voltage of electrical power. These transformers lower the voltage of electrical power before distribution to the customer. They are rated at about 50–1000 kVA and typically run 24 hours a day. Purchasers of distribution transformers are primarily electric utilities and commercial or industrial entities. Amorphous steel cores or metallic glasses cores result substantially lower energy losses than their crystalline counterparts and therefore, allow increased efficiencies of operation in transformers. Amorphous metals are made of alloys that have no atomic order. They are made by rapid cooling, million degrees per second, of molten metals that prevents crystallization and leaves a vitrified structure in the form of thin strips. Due to the lack of systematic structure, this type of metal has also been given the name The Metallic Glasses. The typical Metglas is an alloy of iron with boron, silicon, and phosphorus in the form of thin (e.g. 25 µm) foils rapidly cooled from melt. These materials have high magnetic susceptibility, very low coercivity and high electrical resistance. The high resistance and thin foils lead to low losses by eddy currents when subjected to alternating magnetic fields. On the downside amorphous alloys have a lower saturation induction and often a higher magnetostriction compared to conventional crystalline iron-silicon electrical steel. The Metallic Glasses were developed in 1970’s and there are few companies which have commercialized the technology. Incidentally, India was among the pioneer countries with IIT BHU’s Metallurgical Department had joined research initiative in 1970s and was conducting experiments to produce metallic glasses. India’s first Astronaut Mr Rakesh Shrma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme, had conducted a related experiment in space, which was unfortunately hit by furnace snag
