In a commercial building the substation has to fit inside the structure, run quietly, and not require the fire provisions that oil-filled equipment would. That is why cast resin dry-type transformers are the normal choice, and why the substation room is usually designed around the equipment rather than the other way round.
We supply the transformers, the MV and LV boards and the packaged units for buildings of that kind.
What Building Projects Need
- Indoor, oil-free equipment – cast resin dry-type transformers, which remove the need for an oil containment and fire separation arrangement.
- Low noise – a substation next to occupied space needs the sound level specified, not hoped for.
- Compact footprint – plant room area is lettable area lost.
- Monitoring – building management systems want load and temperature data.
- Access – equipment has to be installable through the openings available, and replaceable later.
Typical Equipment
| Equipment | Typical rating | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cast resin dry-type transformer | 100 kVA to 3,150 kVA | Indoor, no oil |
| MV switchgear | To the supply voltage | Incoming and protection |
| LV board | To the feeder schedule | To IEC 61439 where specified |
| Compact substation | Outdoor or semi-outdoor | Where no room is available |
| Monitoring | Load, temperature, alarms | To the BMS protocol |
Sizing for a Building
Building loads are dominated by HVAC, lifts and lighting, with a diversity that depends on how the space is used. We size from your load list and the diversity your consultant applies, and we will say so if we think the rating is high or low. Oversizing a transformer in a building is not free: the no-load loss runs every hour the building is energised.
Noise and Ventilation
Dry-type transformers need air, and the sound they make travels through the structure as well as through the air. Both are manageable if they are designed in. We specify the ventilation openings and the sound level in the quotation, so your mechanical and acoustic consultants have numbers to work with.
Indoor Distribution Equipment
Frequently Asked Questions
Why dry-type transformers in buildings?
Cast resin dry-type transformers contain no oil, which removes the fire separation and oil containment that a building would otherwise need. That is usually the deciding factor indoors.
How noisy is a dry-type transformer?
It depends on the rating, the core design and the enclosure. We specify the sound level in the quotation so your acoustic consultant has a number, and forced-air cooling raises it, which we will flag.
What ventilation does it need?
Air in and air out, sized to the losses at the load the transformer will actually carry. We give the opening sizes and the airflow in the quotation.
Can the substation feed a building management system?
Yes. We fit monitoring for load, temperature and alarms, and connect to the BMS over the protocol your system uses.
Can old equipment be replaced through existing openings?
Often, but it has to be checked with the dimensions of both the old and the new unit. Send us the opening sizes and the existing rating and we will tell you.
Talk to Our Engineering Team
Send us your single-line diagram, load list and site conditions. We will come back with a proposed arrangement, the applicable standard set, and a quotation. Email info@xsdfftransformer.com or call +8615867897761.