Analyzing method efficiency for power transformers insulation design

Insulation dimensioning requires accurate calculation of dielectric stress levels. These need to be conducted for various critical electrode configurations inside a transformer under different voltage test levels. Advanced computational tools are being used to estimate stress levels, which can then be compared to standard withstand levels. Available commercial tools for electric field calculation mostly use one of the two calculation methods; Finite Element Method (FEM) or Boundary Element Method (BEM). The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of these methods, describing their advantages through real case simulations.