Multi-Phase Autotransformer

• US 20160276099A1
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kanning, Ernest H., Huang, Jian, Bernier, Alan T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,049,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 30/02 Auto-transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 30/12 Two-phase, three-phase or polyphase transformers

Abstract

A transformer comprising a core and a plurality of conductor lines. Each conductor line in the plurality of conductor lines comprises at least three windings wound around the core such that a phase voltage at an output connection point associated with a corresponding conductor line of the plurality of conductor lines is substantially a selected percentage of a line voltage for the corresponding conductor line and such that harmonic currents are reduced to within selected tolerances.

Claims

1. A transformer comprising:

a core; and

a plurality of conductor lines in which each conductor line in the plurality of conductor lines comprises at least three windings wound around the core such that a phase voltage at an output connection point associated with a corresponding conductor line of the plurality of conductor lines is substantially a selected percentage of a line voltage for the corresponding conductor line and such that harmonic currents are reduced to within selected tolerances.

2. The transformer of claim 1, wherein the selected percentage is within a range between about 1 percent and about 99 percent.

3. The transformer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductor lines comprises:

a first conductor line comprising a first plurality of windings;

a second conductor line comprising a second plurality of windings; and

a third conductor line comprising a third plurality of windings.

4. The transformer of claim 3, wherein the first plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings, and the third plurality of windings each include five windings of at least two different phases that are consistent with a delta line configuration.

5. The transformer of claim 3, wherein the first plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings, and the third plurality of windings each include six windings of at least two different phases that are consistent with a delta line configuration.

6. The transformer of claim 3, wherein each winding of the first plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings, and the third plurality of windings has a number of turns selected based on a desired ratio of the line voltage to the phase voltage.

7. The transformer of claim 3, wherein harmonic mitigation increases as a number of windings included in each of the first plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings, and the third plurality of windings increases.

8. The transformer of claim 3, wherein the first plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings, and the third plurality of windings each include four windings of at least two different phases that are consistent with a wye line configuration.

9. The transformer of claim 3, wherein the first plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings, and the third plurality of windings each include six windings of at least two different phases that are consistent with a wye line configuration.

10. The transformer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductor lines are connected to each other at a neutral point.

11. The transformer of claim 1, wherein the core comprises:

a plurality of limbs, wherein the at least three windings of the corresponding conductor line are wound around at least two of the plurality of limbs.

12. A transformer comprising:

a core;

a first conductor line comprising a first plurality of windings that includes at least two windings of at least two phases between a neutral point and a first output connection point associated with the first conductor line;

a second conductor line comprising a second plurality of windings that includes at least two windings of at least two phases between the neutral point and a second output connection point associated with the second conductor line; and

a third conductor line comprising a third plurality of windings that includes at least two windings of at least two phases between the neutral point and the second output connection point associated with the third conductor line.

13. The transformer of claim 12, wherein the first conductor line, the second conductor line, and the third conductor line are connected to each other at the neutral point.

14. The transformer of claim 12, wherein each winding of the first conductor line, the second conductor line, and the third conductor line has a phase that is consistent with a delta line configuration.

15. The transformer of claim 12, wherein the transformer is a multi-phase autotransformer.

16. A transformer comprising:

a core;

a first conductor line comprising a first plurality of windings that includes at least three windings;

a second conductor line comprising a second plurality of windings that includes at least three windings; and

a third conductor line comprising a third plurality of windings that includes at least three windings,

wherein the first plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings, and the third plurality of windings are wound around the core such that a phase of each winding of the first conductor line, the second conductor line, and the third conductor line is consistent with a wye line configuration.

17. The transformer of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings, and the third plurality of windings are wound around the core such that harmonic currents are reduced to within selected tolerances.

18. The transformer of claim 16, wherein a first output connection point, a second output connection point, and a third output connection point are out of phase by about 120 degrees.

19. The transformer of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of windings form the first conductor line, the second plurality of windings form the second conductor line, and the third plurality of windings form the third conductor line in which the first conductor line, the second conductor line, and the third conductor line are connected to each other at a neutral point.

20. The transformer of claim 16, wherein the transformer is a multi-phase autotransformer.