scholarly journals A VR-Enabled Chatbot Supporting Design and Manufacturing of Large and Complex Power Transformers

Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Amy J. C. Trappey ◽  
Charles V. Trappey ◽  
Min-Hua Chao ◽  
Nan-Jun Hong ◽  
Chun-Ting Wu

Virtual reality (VR) immersive technology allows users to experience enhanced reality using human–computer interfaces (HCI). Many systems have implemented VR with improved HCI to provide strategic market advantages for industry and engineering applications. An intelligent chatbot is a conversational system capable of natural language communication allowing users to ask questions and receive answers online to enhance customer services. This research develops and implements a system framework for a VR-enabled large industrial power transformer mass-customization chatbot. The research collected 1272 frequently asked questions (FAQs) from a power transformer manufacturers’ knowledge base that is used for question matching and answer retrieval. More than 1.2 million Wikipedia engineering pages were used to train a word-embedding model for natural language understanding of question intent. The complex engineering questions and answers are integrated with an immersive VR computer human interface. The system enables users to ask questions and receive explicit and detailed answers combined with 3D immersive images of industrial sized power transformer assemblies. The user interfaces can be projected into the VR headwear or computer screen and manipulated with a controller. The unique immersive VR consultation chatbot system is to support real-time design consultation for the design and manufacturing of complex power transformers.

Author(s):  
Finch C.-T. Wu ◽  
Oscar N.-J. Hong ◽  
Amy J.C. Trappey ◽  
Charles V. Trappey

Chatbot is a conversational question answering (Q&A) system capable of natural language communication between a computer system and a person. The use of chatbots for 24-hour customer service provides quick responses that solve problems online. This approach is quickly becoming a convenient way for companies to enhance their customer services without location or knowledgeable staff limitations. This research proposes a system framework and develops a prototype virtual reality (VR) enabled transformer mass-customization consultation chatbot. The chatbot technique is a retrieval-based intelligent system. First, thousands of transformer specific frequently asked questions (FAQs) are collected as a Q&A dataset for technical supports retrieval. More than 1.2 million engineering Wikipedia pages and engineering technical papers are used to train a word embedding model used for natural language processing and question-answer retrieval. The chatbot is integrated into a virtual reality (VR) immersive user interface (UI) environment enabling users to make transformer design changes while querying the system about specifications and standards while interacting with 3D models from the company’s knowledge base archive. The system provides two unique UIs for personal computer (PC) and a helmet-based immersive interface. The system supports real-time consultation of mass-customized transformers and their bills of materials (BOM) for design review, analysis and cost estimation.


Author(s):  
J. H. Garrett ◽  
A. Jain

The design of electronic power transformers is an activity that requires the application of well-established algorithms from electromagnetic theory and heuristic, judgmental techniques derived from experience in the design and manufacturing of these devices. This paper describes an object-oriented knowledge-based system, Encore, that was developed at Houston Downhole Sensors (a division of Schlumberger Well Services). Encore combines object-oriented, rule-based, and procedural programming techniques to design 60 Hz power transformers. The system uses a heuristic search strategy to generate design alternatives, and then selects the “best” design based on size and efficiency considerations The heuristics are represented and applied as rules; the electromagnetic components are modelled as frame-like objects. The object-oriented nature of this system facilitated enhancements; by specializing some of the objects comprising a power transformer, a power inductor model was quickly developed. Encore reduces design time from a couple of days to less than an hour; it is being used to design the transformers and inductors of power supplies in new Schlumberger well-logging tools. The system was implemented on a Xerox interlisp Workstation using an object-oriented environment called STROBE.


Vestnik MEI ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 82-90
Author(s):  
Dmitriy I. Panfilov ◽  
◽  
Mikhail G. Astashev ◽  
Aleksandr V. Gorchakov ◽  
◽  
...  

The specific features relating to voltage control of power transformers at distribution network transformer substations are considered. An approach to implementing high-speed on-load voltage control of serially produced 10/0.4 kV power transformers by using a solid-state on-load tap changer (SOLTC) is presented. An example of the SOLTC circuit solution on the basis of thyristor switches is given. On-load voltage control algorithms for power transformers equipped with SOLTC that ensure high reliability and high-speed operation are proposed. The SOLTC performance and the operability of the suggested voltage control algorithms were studied by simulation in the Matlab/Simulink environment and by experiments on the SOLTC physical model. The structure and peculiarities of the used simulation Matlab model are described. The SOLTC physical model design and its parameters are presented. The results obtained from the simulating the SOLTC operation on the Matlab model and from the experiments on the SOLTS physical model jointly with a power transformer under different loads and with using different control algorithms are given. An analysis of the experimental study results has shown the soundness of the adopted technical solutions. It has been demonstrated that the use of an SOLTC ensures high-speed voltage control, high efficiency and reliability of its operation, and arcless switching of the power transformer regulating taps without load voltage and current interruption. By using the SOLTC operation algorithms it is possible to perform individual phase voltage regulation in a three-phase 0.4 kV distribution network. The possibility of integrating SOLTC control and diagnostic facilities into the structure of modern digital substations based on the digital interface according to the IEC 61850 standard is noted.


2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47
Author(s):  
Anatoliy I. Sopov ◽  
Aleksandr V. Vinogradov

In power transformers, energy losses in the form of heat are about 2 percent of their rated power, and in transformers of large power centers reach hundreds of kilowatts. Heat is dissipated into the environment and heats the street air. Therefore, there is a need to consume this thermal energy as a source of heat supply to nearby facilities. (Research purpose) To develop methods and means of using excess heat of power transformers with improvement of their cooling system design. (Materials and methods) The authors applied following methods: analysis, synthesis, comparison, monographic, mathematical and others. They analyzed various methods for consuming excess heat from power transformers. They identified suitable heat supply sources among power transformers and potential heat consumers. The authors studied the reasons for the formation of excess heat in power transformers and found ways to conserve this heat to increase the efficiency of its selection. (Results and discussion) The authors developed an improved power transformer cooling system design to combine the functions of voltage transformation and electric heating. They conducted experiments to verify the effectiveness of decisions made. A feasibility study was carried out on the implementation of the developed system using the example of the TMG-1000/10/0.4 power transformer. (Conclusions) The authors got a new way to use the excess heat of power transformers to heat the AIC facilities. It was determined that the improved design of the power transformer and its cooling system using the developed solutions made it possible to maximize the amount of heat taken off without quality loss of voltage transformation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 282-289
Author(s):  
I. V. Naumov ◽  
D. N. Karamov ◽  
A. N. Tretyakov ◽  
M. A. Yakupova ◽  
E. S. Fedorinovа

The purpose of this study is to study the effect of loading power transformers (PT) in their continuous use on their energy efficiency on a real-life example of existing rural electric networks. It is noted that the vast majority of PT in rural areas have a very low load factor, which leads to an increase in specific losses of electric energy when this is transmitted to various consumers. It is planned to optimize the existing synchronized power supply systems in rural areas by creating new power supply projects in such a way as to integrate existing power sources and ensure the most efficient loading of power transformers for the subsequent transfer of these systems to isolated ones that receive power from distributed generation facilities. As an example, we use data from an electric grid company on loading power transformers in one of the districts of the Irkutsk region. Issues related to the determination of electric energy losses in rural PT at different numerical values of their load factors are considered. A computing device was developed using modern programming tools in the MATLAB system, which has been used to calculate and plot the dependence of power losses in transformers of various capacities on the actual and recommended load factors, as well as the dependence of specific losses during the transit of 1 kVA of power through a power transformer at the actual, recommended and optimal load factors. The analysis of specific losses of electric energy at the actual, recommended and optimal load factors of PT is made. Based on the analysis, the intervals of optimal load factors for different rated power of PT of rural distribution electric networks are proposed. It is noted that to increase the energy efficiency of PT, it is necessary to reduce idling losses by increasing the load of these transformers, which can be achieved by reducing the number of transformers while changing the configuration of 0.38 kV distribution networks.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (21) ◽  
pp. 10334
Author(s):  
Wen-Ching Chang ◽  
Cheng-Chien Kuo

Power transformers play an indispensable component in AC transmission systems. If the operating condition of a power transformer can be accurately predicted before the equipment is operated, it will help transformer manufacturers to design optimized power transformers. In the optimal design of the power transformer, the design value of the magnetic flux density in the core is important, and it affects the efficiency, cost, and life cycle. Therefore, this paper uses the software of ANSYS Maxwell to solve the instantaneous magnetic flux density distribution, core loss distribution, and total iron loss of the iron core based on the finite element method in the time domain. . In addition, a new external excitation equation is proposed. The new external excitation equation can improve the accuracy of the simulation results and reduce the simulation time. Finally, the three-phase five-limb transformer is developed, and actually measures the local magnetic flux density and total core loss to verify the feasibility of the proposed finite element method of model and simulation parameters.


The paper investigates the feasibility of adding a liquid heater to an oil-immersed transformer. It proves that design the high efficiency of power transformers, losses due to idling and short circuits are substantial and are scattered in the environment as heat. The paper proposes a novel design that implements a liquid (coolant) heater to enable the unit not only to convert electricity, but also to generate heat. In order to analyze the feasibility of such heat recycling, the authors have developed an equivalent thermal circuit and a mathematical model thereof. Said heater can operate in two modes. In the passive mode, the coolant it contains only absorbs the heat emitted (lost) by the power transformer. In the active mode, it also receives the heat emitted due to the passage of electric current through the pipes of the heater. The paper further introduces the definition of heater efficiency. Studies have shown that up to 50 % of transformer heat losses can be recycled by heating the coolant in the heater. The paper presents the relationship between utilized heat and transformer losses, as well as heater efficiency as a function of coolant flow rate. The heater efficiency exceeds 90 % in the active mode.


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