STIM - Smart transformers as the power supply of the future for industrial mechanical engineering

The aim of the project is to investigate the possible replacement of classic 50 Hz transformers by power electronic circuits with high frequency transformers. The solution is to be built from SIC semiconductors in order to significantly increase efficiency and switching frequency. The size of the inductive winding goods and the capacitors are significantly reduced and a savings potential for copper and aluminum is realized. In addition, opportunities are created to implement innovative, hardware-related controls and smart additional services based on existing measurement data.

Transformers are important building blocks for the power supply of the production plants. A wide variety of network forms exist worldwide, such as TN, TNS, IT or grounded triangular networks. In order to be able to install and operate systems in industrial mechanical engineering worldwide, classic low-voltage isolating transformers are used today to generate a defined power supply network on the machine side. A major disadvantage of current transformers is system rigidity: a tap or a new transformer must be built for each input or output voltage. A wide-range input is still missing, so that there is a high variety of types, wiring effort and wiring errors. Any number of taps can be implemented with an electronic transformer and even rectifiers of the following inverters can be saved by tapping on the DC link voltage. By increasing the efficiency and controllability of the overall system, additional digital services based on measurement data can be integrated.