A shipboard transformer is a shore transformer with a harder life. The electrical design is broadly the same; what changes is everything around it, and most of the design decisions follow from the environment rather than from the load.
Environmental design
The starting point is a list of what the installation does to the equipment, because each item drives a different part of the design.
- Vibration and shock. Engines, propellers and hull motion load the structure continuously, and heavy seas add shock. The core and coil assembly is clamped and braced, and mounting feet are dimensioned for shipboard foundation practice.
- Salt spray and humidity. Airborne salt reaches windings, terminals, fasteners and coatings. The response is a sealed insulation system, corrosion-resistant fixings, and coatings specified for marine exposure.
- Ambient temperature. Machinery spaces run hot, and the insulation system rating has to be set against that ambient rather than against a shore standard.
- Inclination. The unit keeps working while the vessel heels and trims. Cooling paths must stay effective at the angles the vessel is surveyed for.
Mechanical design
Mechanical design carries more weight on board than it does ashore, because the loads are continuous rather than occasional.
- Core and winding construction braced so that conductor movement is prevented under short-circuit force as well as vibration.
- Flexible connections where thermal expansion and movement would otherwise load a rigid joint.
- Resilient mounts or vibration isolators where noise limits apply, particularly near accommodation spaces.
- Reinforced mounting structure with weight positioned to suit the vessel rather than the shop floor.
Electrical design
The electrical side covers the items that also appear on a shore specification, plus one that is specific to modern vessels.
- Insulation system selected for the ambient temperature and the expected service life.
- Conductor sizing that accounts for the actual duty cycle and the cooling available.
- Winding design and impedance chosen against the fault level at the point of installation.
- Insulation coordination between the transformer and the protection scheme.
- Harmonic loading from non-linear loads, particularly the variable frequency drives used for propulsion, thrusters and pumps. A supply rich in harmonics raises winding loss and heating.
Why it is worth settling early
Most of these decisions are cheap at specification stage and expensive later. Inclination limits, noise targets and harmonic content all have to be known before the design is frozen, because each one changes the core, the winding or the enclosure. Once the shipyard drawing is issued, the dimensions and termination positions are usually fixed.
Send the vessel requirements and the space available, and we will come back on configuration. See the ship transformer range, or contact us.
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Where this fits in a wider installation
Transformers rarely sit on their own. In most projects this equipment ends up inside a package that also carries the medium-voltage switching and the low-voltage distribution. That arrangement is described on our oil and gas electrical distribution, MV switchgear and compact substations pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What matters most with shipboard transformer design?
It is the specification, not the equipment. Most of what goes wrong later traces back to a voltage, fault level or site condition that was assumed rather than confirmed. The questions below cover what comes up most often.
What makes a marine transformer different from an ordinary one?
The construction around the transformer, not the electrical function. Continuous vibration, salt-laden air, confined spaces and the classification society approval route all shape the design. Vibration-resistant core clamping, corrosion protection and the documentation package matter as much as the rating.
Which classification approvals are needed?
It depends on the flag state and the class society the vessel or platform is registered under. Approval requirements are confirmed against your project before production rather than assumed, and the documentation package is assembled to the route your project follows.
Which standard applies, and is it certified?
The applicable standard and clause set are agreed against your project specification before production starts. Where a project names IEC 60076 for the transformer, we work to those clauses and the routine test report ships with the unit.
What do you need from us to quote?
The single-line diagram or a description of the application, the voltages, the load with its duty, the site conditions, and any standard the project specifies. Send what you have – if something is missing, it can be worked out together rather than delaying the enquiry.