Transformer-rectifiers equipment

The critical path items on the project schedule will normally be the delivery of the automated equipment, delivery of the transformer/rectifier equipment and the construction of the electrolysis cells. 

The units and ancillary equipment must be protected from mechanical damage and the effects of weather to ensure the reliable operation of an impressed current station. This is achieved by installing it in a weatherproof plastic housing (see Fig. 8-2). Sufficient ventilation must be provided to disperse heat. The ventilation holes should be protected with brass gauze to keep out animals. Transformer-rectifier units must be connected to a circuit that is continuously energized, especially if they are in a building where the current is turned off at night, e.g., gas stations that are not open for 24 h. 

Impressed Current Equipment and Transformer-Rectifiers 239 Table 8-2 Troubleshooting at cathodic protection stations... 

Manually Controlled System A manually controlled system comprises one or more transformer-rectifiers each with its associated control panels which supply the d.c. to the various anodes installed in the water box spaces. Each transformer-rectifier is provided with its own control panel where each anode is provided with a fuse, shunt and variable resistor. These enable the current to each anode to be adjusted as required. Reference cells should be provided in order to monitor the cathodic protection system. In the case of a major power station, one transformer-rectifier and associated control panel should be provided for separate protection of screens, circulating water pumps and for each main condenser and associated equipment. 

Power Supply Electrical precipitators are generally energized by rectified alternating current of commercial frequency. The voltage is stepped up to the required value by means of a transformer and then rectified. The rectifying equipment has undergone an evolution which began with the synchronous mechanical rectifier in 1904 and was... 

The electrical supply equipment is the second biggest equipment package after the mechanical equipment. The package includes the transformer/rectifier (T/R) sets and bus bars for providing DC power to the cells, the associated power factor correction equipment and harmonics filtration equipment, and the service transformers and circuitry. This equipment will typically comprise about 15 - 25 % of the cellhouse cost. The cost is heavily influenced by whether or not an electrical substation is included, and by the redundancy requirements for the T/R sets. A plant can choose to have no spare T/R capacity, partial redundancy, or full redundancy. Such cost savings must be weighed against the cost of lost production when a T/R set fails. 

Electrical equipment includes equipment used to generate, provide, transmit, transform, rectify, convert, conduct, distribute, control, store, measure or use electrical energy. The reach of the Regulations is therefore very wide and all-embracing. 

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