Reducing Size and Weight for Critical Applications

The miniaturization of electrical machines is important for building a sustainable energy distribution technology for the decades ahead. The transportation of large transformers can present a number of issues, including increased transportation costs, logistical and installation challenges, potential machine damage, and disruption to loads. The large size of the transformer also impacts the life of the vehicles, and there are weight restrictions imposed on the transformer size in many cases. Additionally, isolation transformers, often used in naval and aerial defense applications, require small, light, and efficient machines. Incumbent technology such as grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) M6 provides a reasonably efficient solution. However, the system tends to be heavy and bulky, incurring transportation problems and premature vehicle failure due to load.