A Procedure for Illustrating the Effect of Variation of Parameters on Optimal Transformer Design

A procedure has been developed to illustrate the effect of parameter variation on the design of transformers in order to achieve minimum cost of production. It is shown that for a specified value of reactance there is a unique value of coil height for the three phase transformer studied. With the choice of coil height established, there is also a unique value of primary turns yielding a minimum cost configuration for a specified flux density in the core leg, and a specif´ied current density in the windings. The procedure illustrates also that there are many possible designs within a very small increment of cost. Hence standard wire sizes, steel gauges and punch limitations can be accommodated. The process can be programmed on a microcomputer to illustrate the design procedure. In this form it is readily taught in a senior elective course on design of power apparatus.