THE IMPACT OF PENETRATION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMER

Abstract

Electric vehicles will replace fossil fuel-based vehicles in the future because they are less polluting. Transportation accounts for about 23 percent of all energy-related CO2 emissions, as concerns about greenhouse gas emissions from transportation grow. The main solution to this problem is the use of electric cars. However, the high sensitivity of electric vehicles in the power grid can increase energy demand and affect the performance of electrical equipment, especially transformers. Unregulated EV charging can reduce the life of grid equipment, especially distribution transformers. Transformer life losses are a function of internal temperature, which depends on kVA load and ambient temperature, respectively. Ambient temperature changes seasonally, but transformer loads are affected by EV penetration. The aim of this research project is to determine how electric vehicle charging either regulated or irregulated, affects the thermal performance of oil-filled distribution transformers in electrical networks. A thermal mathematical model of the transformer was developed and different scenarios of EV penetration were presented and simulated. Each entry shows how a particular EV connection affects transformer life.