Market and Technology

Assessment

U .S. Department of Energy Workshop on

Standards for Distribution Transformers

November 1 . 2000

Lance N . McCold

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY UT-BATTELLE

1

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
Market and Technology Assessment

Provides Data in Support of the

Standards Setting Process

• Develop a detailed understanding of the

- Design

- Manufacture

- Distribution

- Application

of distribution transformers

• Provide background information for future

analyses

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
The Market and Technology

Assessment Provides Input To:

• Screening analysis

• Engineering analysis

• Life-cycle cost analysis

• National energy savings

• Manufacturer impact analysis

• Utility impacts analysis

• Net national employment impacts

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
We Have Three Issues of Special

Concern Related to the M &TA

Identification of Product Classes

• Selection of Baseline Models

• Determination of cost-price relationship

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
The Types and Uses of Distribution

Transformers May Require Defining

Several Product Classes

• Distribution transformers may be

separated into product classes if capacity

or other performance-related features

inherently affect efficiency and warrant a

separate standard

• Because product features may affect the

cost vs. efficiency relationship , separate

efficiency standards will be considered for

product classes

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
The Department Desires to Use the

Fewest Product Classes Possible

• NEMA TP1 uses 73 product classifications

• Each product class requires separate

analysis

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
Several Distribution Transformer

Product Classifications Are in Use

Capacity (kVA)

Insulation system (liquid vs. dry)

Number of phases (single vs. three)

Voltage level (low vs. medium)

Temperature-rise categories

Pole-mount vs. pad-mount

Encapsulated vs. ventilated

Harmonics (K-factor) types

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
Transformer Usage May Also Give

Rise to Product Classifications

• Different types or capacities may be

loaded differently, e.g .:

- Large vs. small capacity

- Three-phase units usually serve motor loads

• Outdoor applications and high primary

voltages require higher insulation levels

• Harsh environments ...

• Other?

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
There Are Many Questions That

Relate to Product Class

Should encapsulated and

ventilated be required to meet

the same efficiency levels?

In what applications are

liquid- and dry-type

transformers

interchangeable?

Should medium voltage

transformers be divided into

two or more classes by

primary voltage?

Under what conditions can

scaling rules such as the 0.75

power rule for losses, costs,

etc. be applied?

Should pad-mount and polemount transformers meet the

same efficiency standards?

Do "K-factor" transformers

warrant a product class of

their own?

Do differences in loading of

large and small transformers

affect whether product

classes should be created

based on capacity?

How much does high BIL

increase transformer losses?

9

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
Decisions on Product Class Have a

Specific Logic

• Does a transformer characteristic or

feature inherently affect efficiency?

• What utility does the feature provide?

Why is the feature valuable or important?

• Can a scaling or correction factor be used

to adjust efficiency for the presence of the

feature?

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
A Basel ine Model Is Needed for

Each Product Class

• The baseline is the model against which

efficiency levels will be compared

• The baseline model is a typical, low

efficiency model in the marketplace

• The baseline model is used as a point of

comparison in the life-cycle cost and

payback analyses -benefits and costs

are estimated by comparison with the

baseline model

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
The Department Seeks Comment on

the Baseline Models

For low-voltage transformers , 150-degree

rise units may be the baseline models

For medium-voltage transformers , lowcost (i ,.e., unevaluated) models may be

used

Are there better choices?

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
Prices, Costs, and Markups are

Used in Several Analyses

• The engineering analysis examines the

costs of improved transformer efficiency

• The price-cost relationship relates the

costs of efficiency improvements to price

paid by owner

• Transformer price is used in the life-cycle

cost and national impacts analyses

• Transformer cost and price is used in the

manufacturer impacts analyses

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
Neither Price nor Marku p Are Clear

for Distribution Transformers

• The actual transformer price paid is often

much less than catalog price

• Distributor markups affect price

• The contractor who installs a transformer

may add a markup

• The price of the transformer may be

bundled with other parts of the electrical

system

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
The Department May Use Several

Approaches to Determine Markups

• For commodity-like transformers we

anticipate contacting distributors

• For utility transformers we anticipate

relying on information from manufacturers

• For other non-utility transformers we

anticipate collecting information from

manufacturers, distributors, and electrical

contractors/designers/consultants

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD
The Department Seeks Comments

on Transformer Markup

• Suggestions on how to collect markup

information

• Manufacturers , distributors, contactors ,

utilities who can provide markup

information

Other approaches to collect price and cost

information

 EE-RM/STD-00-550 COMMENT 02DD