I think i have devised a new type of "super_transformer" for the Electricity grid?

[cupoftea]

Hi,
Whilst designing a simple inverter for low power camping useage, I discovered what I think may be a breakthrough in
National grid power distribution networks...

Imagine you have a grid phase where there is much harmonics distortions etc. And also where the voltage is unfortunately going up and down suddenly.
So then you put in a 1:1 50Hz transformer, and in addition to that , you add an inverter to its input, so that you literally
control the output of that transformer to be a sinusoidal current.
You basically put field sensors in the core of the transformer, and you switch the inverter transistors such that the
field in the core has a sinusoidal profile....then the output of this transformer will be a sinusoidal
current. Thus you have solved the problem of having too many harmonics in the mains supply system.
(by having lots of these super_transformers in the grid phases.)

What do you think?

I think this is sorely needed in todays world where electric car chargers are being suddenly turned on and off in their thousands at a time...and solar inverters are
suddenly shoving power onto the grid in their thousands at a time....this sudden switching ON/OFF of these devices puts hideous harmonic distortion in the mains supply system, even though the inverters are putting out sinusoidal current when in their steady state....and the car chargers are drawing sinusoidal current in their steady state....its the constant switching ON/OFF of huge numbers of these things in the mains which causes massive mains harmonic distortion....this is why my "super transformer" is needed.

Do you believe i am onto something here?

In fact, one version of this device will not suffer from mains transients because the semiconductors will not be in the mains supply system...they will be on separate coils which are wound onto the transformer, and effect the field in the transformer in that way....making its output current sinusoidal in spite of all disturbances.

What actually will end up happening is that the output current of this "super transformer" will be sinusoidal but its voltage will not be a true sinusoid during those times where it is "correcting" mains harmonic current distortions. The one problem where people go wrong is that they expect a mains transformer to give a pure sinusoidal voltage output...whereas its the current that really needs to be sinusoidal..

..so my invention will correct the mains current...making it sinusoidal, or "more sinusoidal than it was"....but the voltage may end up with some harmonics in it....but that is less of a concern....as long as the dv/dt is not too high at any given time. Basically we are sensing the flux in the core, and then pulsing extra coils on the core to add the "anti-flux" so as to cancel the mains harmonics....or rather, reduce them.....its kind of like those aeroplane noise cancellation devices...but doing it with core flux instead of sound waves. The device will simply work as a normal 1:1 mains transformer when the "harmonics correction electronics" are switched off.

Do you know of agencies that may be willing to assist with funding a prototype?

 

[austinmariam]

Your idea is interesting, kind of like active noise cancellation but for grid harmonics. There are already devices like active power filters (APFs) and STATCOMs that help with power quality, but your "super transformer" concept could be a unique approach.

For funding, you might want to check with energy research grants, power electronics companies, or university labs working on grid stability. Also, crowdfunding or pitching to clean energy startups could be worth a shot!

 

[std_match]

1. Your "super_transformer" can only maintain sinusoidal current up to the first branch of the connected grid.
2. I don't think forcing/regulating the current is a good idea.
A predictable voltage is more important, even if it has some harmonics. The harmonics should be eliminated or tolerated at the loads.
3. If the harmonics are generated in one end of a cable, how can you correct it at the other end?
That will only work for very low frequencies (depends on the cable length).

 

[cupoftea]

If the harmonics are generated in one end of a cable, how can you correct it at the other end?

Thanks its more a case of improving it than correcting it.
All you do is make the driving source behave a bit more like a current source than like a pure voltage source...then the load(s) will be forced to draw current with less harmonic distortion.

I don't think forcing/regulating the current is a good idea.

What happens is that you impact on the flux in the core by switching current in a "harmonic correction coil" which is wound round the transformer core, along with the normal pri and sec coils.

Your "super_transformer" can only maintain sinusoidal current up to the first branch of the connected grid.

Thanks, yes but thats a fantastic improvement.....there will be lots of these "super transformers" and they will do a great job....making losses in the overall grid go down significantly.....this is necessary where in the near future there will be an explosion in numbers of connected solar inverters , battery chargers and EV chargers on the grid.....in short, without my invention, the grid will be toast!

 

[D.A.(Tony)Stewart]

GTI's already do this but cost more per MW than traditional magnetics.
Do you have any specs for efficiency, voltage rating and Zo for load regulation?

 

[cupoftea]

GTI's already do this but cost more per MW than traditional magnetics.

Thanks but this isnt like a GTi....they are just power semiconductor bridges....this is an actual 50Hz iron transformer, with an auxiliary control coil wound round it. The current in that coil is switched by power semiconductors.
A GTi with its delicate semiconductor switchs is not useful........the device we have invented just acts like a standard 50Hz transformer if all the semiconductors fail. -And so it must be....mains transients would otherwise kill it quick, and disable the grid.

Do you have any specs for efficiency, voltage rating and Zo for load regulation?

We already have calcs which show that in the future where the grid is a mish mash of high power EV chargers and solar inverters and wind turbine generators all over the place, all of which switching in/out of the grid like nobodys business....our device deffo makes the grid losses far far less.

...When all these things switch in/out of the grid they are not immediately in steady state...and so this switching puts hideous harmonic distortion in the mains.....our product will be needed to save the grid from burning up!

 

[andre_luis]

..so my invention will correct the mains current...making it sinusoidal, or "more sinusoidal than it was"

Aren't the active harmonic filters (AHF) supposed to do that?

 

[cupoftea]

Thanks, but since they are "active" they use semiconductors and they are too sensitive for this use-age...it needs to be a mains transformer with a controlled auxiliary coil.......no other type of harmonic filter does it like this...and this is the best way because its the most resilient way.....because even if all the aux coil semiconductors fail...it then just behaves like a normal mains transformer.

 

[dick_freebird]

Seems like an "application-flip" of the "DC
transformer" work going on (HV inverters
and rectifiers for HVDC transmission).

Noise cancelling headphones for the "grid"?
Seems like equipment-level mitigation is more
appropriate than facility-level, than utility-.

Now who's going to care enough about stuff
they probably don't look at, without
somebody imposes a harmonic-content-
sniffing regulatory burden?

 

[FvM]

Active PFC filters, both parallel and series connected (your discussion refers to the latter) have been suggested in literature and practically implemented since decades.

 

[cupoftea]

Active PFC filters, both parallel and series connected (your discussion refers to the latter) have been suggested in literature and practically implemented since decades.

Thanks, yes , but the implementation has been different in the past...this now, is literally a 50Hz 1:1 transformer placed in a mains phase and with aux coil wrapped round it to achieve cancellation....or an actual low voltage grid transformer replaced with the same thing but just having extra coils round it which are actively switched by semiconductors and influence the magnetic field in the core.

The grid use-age is totally different now with all the solar and EV's and battery storage...totally totally different......horrific harmonic disaster will ensue if my invention is not implemented pronto!

 

[D.A.(Tony)Stewart]

Thanks, yes , but the implementation has been different in the past...this now, is literally a 50Hz 1:1 transformer placed in a mains phase and with aux coil wrapped round it to achieve cancellation....or an actual low voltage grid transformer replaced with the same thing but just having extra coils round it which are actively switched by semiconductors and influence the magnetic field in the core.

The grid use-age is totally different now with all the solar and EV's and battery storage...totally totally different......horrific harmonic disaster will ensue if my invention is not implemented pronto!

OK how can you justify the cost of adding to every 3 phase and 1 phase transformer or node ? What are the savings?
Your idea will be forgotten without a budget and proof.

 

[Easy peasy]

Active mains filters already exist in the semiconductor industry, up to several 100 kVA, they have a low voltage wdg in series with each phase to sensitive equipment,

fed by a six switch bridge ( higher voltage wdg on a modest sized 3 ph Tx ), powered from the mains - if the mains goes up or down or has glitches in it - the 6 sw bridge operates to nullify these ( thru the LV wdgs, bucking, boosting, etc as appropriate ) and feed clean AC to the equipment - note these are not active harmonic filters - but AVR's - active voltage regulators.

Forcing a sine wave current into the mains as you put it - does no one any favours.

 

[cupoftea]

Thanks, but i think someone is already doing our idea possibly. Someone just told me about this place...

https://www.ionate.energy/

..i dont think this is one of those AVRs or Active mains filters.

 

[Easy peasy]

Impressive - you found one of those bollocks ponzi scheme web pages - get in the suckers to buy shares and then disappear - solid state transformers have been around a while - but do not yet offer the advantages listed on that site, they are still way too fragile and have no fault ride through capability - as a conventional Tx does ( e.g. 1 MVA - 10 MVA ) also the real thing can last for 50 years - so quite the good investment - Mr Ionate wouldn't last 5 mins - it appears.

p.s. - note the " legal " button don't work on that site - bit of a giveaway

 

[cupoftea]

The "news" page shows that they have already raised millions of pounds in investment, from multiple VC agencies, and you say its a ponzi scheme?
It looks like NATO and the National Grid of UK have already weighed in and given backing....ponzi?

 

[mtwieg]

The "news" page shows that they have already raised millions of pounds in investment, from multiple VC agencies, and you say its a ponzi scheme?
It looks like NATO and the National Grid of UK have already weighed in and given backing....ponzi?

Maybe not a ponzi scheme to be exact, could be a basic pump and dump scam. In either case the first step is generally to raise money from feckless investors (including state institutions, why not?).

Many tech companies start with websites which look like that. Some are scams, others are sincere to varying degrees. One of the telltale signs is whether they've hired any experts in their field. In this case they just list three people with C-suite titles, no engineering background at all. No mention of patents or publications either. So definitely a scam.

 

[cupoftea]

solid state transformers have been around a while

Thanks i appreciate you probably dont have time to read the ionate.energy website, but they arent doing a "solid state transformer" as such.
Their transformer is an iron cored 50Hz type, with i believe(?), some solid state electronics built around that.

Solid-state transformer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also, they appear to be strongly backed by NATO.
Also, i dont know how you suggest they are fake when their website doesnt really give away enough about their method for it to be judged either fake or not_fake?

 

[Easy peasy]

The suckers believe everything they read - try and phone them and ask some searching questions - such as - can I fly over and see one in action ?

--- Updated Feb 19, 2025 ---

I like how the 3 big awards show exactly the same pic ! ( food for thought ? )

 

[D.A.(Tony)Stewart]

They claim to restore grid inertia lost by fossil fuel generators and save billions in asset losses with excellent reliability yet have no prototype.
The CEO is from AU where Tesla installed a megapack https://www.tesla.com/en_ca/megapack