Urban Construction

As the core equipment of the power system, transformers undertake the key tasks of voltage conversion, power distribution and grid stability in urban construction. With the acceleration of urbanization, the surge in power demand, land shortage, and increased environmental protection requirements have put forward higher requirements for the application of transformers. The following is a systematic solution for the application of transformers in urban construction:

Ⅰ.The core challenges of transformers in urban construction

1. High load density

The power demand in the city center is concentrated, and the transformer needs to withstand instantaneous high loads. Traditional equipment is prone to overload.

2. Space constraints

Land resources are scarce, and it is difficult to select a site for a large substation. Ground equipment may affect the city appearance.

3. Environmental protection and safety

Noise, electromagnetic radiation, and fire risks must be strictly controlled to meet urban environmental protection standards.

4. Grid intelligence needs

It needs to support real-time monitoring and remote control to adapt to the development of smart grids.

Ⅱ.Solutions for transformers in urban construction

1. Optimize site selection and layout design

- Distributed power supply mode

Use small and modular transformers for decentralized layout to reduce single-point load pressure.

- Underground and three-dimensional

Build underground substations, or use the basement of buildings and the space under viaducts for deployment.

- Integration with urban landscape

Use concealed design to reduce visual pollution.

2. Technology upgrade and equipment selection

- High-efficiency energy-saving transformers

Promote SCB13/14 dry-type transformers or amorphous alloy transformers to reduce no-load losses by 30%-70%.

- Compact design

Use gas-insulated transformers or fully sealed oil-immersed transformers to reduce floor space.

- Redundant configuration and dynamic capacity expansion

Deploy redundant systems and combine intelligent voltage regulation technology to cope with load fluctuations.

3. Intelligent and digital management

- IoT integration

Install temperature, humidity and vibration sensors to monitor the operating status in real time.

- Digital twin technology

Build a three-dimensional model of the transformer, simulate overload and fault scenarios, and optimize operation and maintenance strategies.

- Demand response support

Adjust reactive power compensation through smart terminals and participate in the peak-valley balance of the power grid.

4. Environmental protection and safety guarantee

- Low noise design

Use noise reduction box and shock-absorbing bracket to meet the noise standards of residential areas.

- Fire and explosion-proof technology

Use flame-retardant epoxy resin to cast dry transformers, or install pressure relief channels and automatic fire extinguishing systems.

- Electromagnetic shielding

Use double-layer metal shielding or underground laying to control the electromagnetic field strength below the limit.

5. New energy access support

- Flexible transformer technology

Supports plug-and-play of distributed energy such as photovoltaics and energy storage.

- DC transformer application

Provides efficient conversion solutions for DC load scenarios such as data centers and rail transit.

6. Full life cycle management

- Condition inspection

Predictive maintenance based on oil chromatography and infrared imaging.

- Modular replacement

Old urban areas use "plug and play" module replacement to avoid long power outages.

- Decommissioning recycling system

Establish a closed-loop recycling network for transformer oil and copper materials, with a resource reuse rate of more than 90%.

Ⅲ.Typical Case References

1. Marina Bay, Singapore

Underground substation + rooftop photovoltaic + intelligent monitoring system, power supply reliability reaches 99.999%.

2. Shibuya, Tokyo

Building embedded transformers with energy storage systems reduce peak load by 20%.

3. Shenzhen Qianhai Cooperation Zone

“Petal-shaped” ring network power supply + 5G smart terminal, fault isolation time <300ms.

IV. Future Trends

1. Superconducting transformers

Liquid nitrogen cooling technology achieves zero resistance and increases capacity by more than 3 times.

2. Digital grid integration

Blockchain technology realizes transformer asset traceability and sharing economy model.

3. Material innovation

Nanocrystalline alloys and biodegradable insulating oils promote environmental breakthroughs.

V. Implementation Suggestions

- Planning stage: Incorporate transformer layout into urban planning.

- Policy support: Subsidize high-efficiency transformers and formulate city-level electromagnetic environment standards.

- Public participation: Display the internal structure of substations through VR to eliminate the "NIMBY effect".

Through the above solutions, transformers can not only meet the high-density electricity demand in cities, but also become key nodes of smart city energy Internet, promoting the realization of green and low-carbon goals.