Tap Changer Controller with Master-Follower mode

[JJHorak]

Can people suggest a manufacturer of xfmr tap changer controls for large autos in high voltage applications, that supports xfmr paralleling and master-follower arrangements? I want SCADA to be able to remotely sets the tap of one xfmr, and I want the tap on the parallel xfmr to blindly follow (maybe based on minimizing circulating current, ignoring voltage regulation). (Beckwith tech support reports they do not have any means to support master follower tap changer logic, so I am looking for an alternate mfr.)
BTW, auto voltage control mode cannot be used to control taps due to generation on both sides of the xfmrs.

 

[slavag]

Hi Timesabroom.
I would recommend to you two companies.

http://www.reinhausen.com

with Tapcon240/260
and

http://www.a-eberle.de

with EG Sys.
Both of them are great devices.
Good Luck.
Slava

 

[ScottyUK]

Make sure you carefully define slave behaviour on loss of the master unit. If this is badly implemented things can get 'interesting' very quickly.

Slava has recommended the best links I could think of.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[Marmite]

Check out also

http://www.fundamentalsltd.co.uk/microtapp.html

Regards
Marmite

 

[ScottyUK]

I havn't seen these before Marmite - are they any good?


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[Marmite]

Scotty, Fundamentals designed this and Reyrolle Protection (now Siemens) manufacture it, so that should give some element of confidence. You can find it also on Reyrolle Protection's website. I've worked for 2 utilities in the UK and both were using the Supertapp and Microtapp schemes at primaries and grid supply points. The Company I work for now installs them at new substations and also has a programme to replace the old electromechanical AVE relays with Microtapp. I'm not aware of any issues to date. They seem like a good product.
Regards
Marmite

 

[ScottyUK]

Thanks for the information - they seem to have a good pedigree.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[lz5pl]

From my experience I also would recommend a.Eberle. MR are also very good devices, no question, but I prefer a.Eberle because of their excellent customer support. We had a case last year with some non-standard case and they produced specially for us (free of charge, as far as I know) modification of the firmware just to solve the problem, which has not been foreseen on design stage and consequently - not specified in the order.
Devices are very friendly, first one I set up 90% without reading the manuals.

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It may be like this in theory and practice, but in real life it is completely different.
The favourite sentence of my army sergeant

 

[JJHorak]

Just wanted to say thanks for the suggestions. I have spent time reviewing the sources that were mentioned. There are more choices than I thought there would be. It will take some study to figure out which best fits the need.

 

[cbor]

BTW, who is the tap-changer manufacturer? MR, ABB or other?

Don't forget to order the remote position indicator in the tap-changer motor drive units (usually BCD code or 4-20 mA, check it in the AVR manual). Check if you need one AVR per transformer or if you want to control several transformers with the same AVR. Check what kind of interface do you want between AVR and the SCADA system (none, RS232, ...). There are a lot of issues that you must clarify before choosing the AVR.