A New Level of Power

The new VACUTAP® VR is now avail­able. It is even more powerful than its prede­cessor and is virtu­ally main­te­nance free.

The life of a tap changer involves a lot of extremes: over­loads and over­volt­ages, fluc­tu­a­tions in the network, and many thou­sands of switching oper­a­tions are all par for the course. The demands on the tap changer are huge, partic­u­larly in indus­trial appli­ca­tions such as elec­tric arc trans­formers, but also in shunt reac­tors, phase shifters, HVDC trans­formers, and even in classic network oper­a­tion. With its vacuum tech­nology, the VACUTAP® VR is specif­i­cally designed for extreme oper­ating condi­tions such as these.

Silke Schwarzwälder is the Port­folio Manager for tap changers at Maschi­nen­fabrik Rein­hausen in Regens­burg. (© Maschi­nen­fabrik Rein­hausen)

“We have increased the power for the new gener­a­tion. With a step capacity of 6,000 kVA, the VACUTAP® VR is the most powerful vacuum on-load tap-changer around and is there­fore suit­able for appli­ca­tions in the extra-high-voltage range,” says Port­folio Manager Silke Schwarzwälder. The engi­neers have thought about the future in other ways as well: By completely redesigning the selector range, they have been able to increase the tap-changing capacity of the change-over selector signif­i­cantly and provide higher oper­ating and testing volt­ages. “We have designed the modular poten­tial connec­tion concept so as to provide trans­former manu­fac­turers with plan­ning certainty when designing and constructing the tanks—regardless of whether or not this func­tion is required,” explains Schwarzwälder. The VACUTAP® VR is also suit­able for alter­na­tive insu­la­tion fluids.

“All of our exper­tise has gone into the new gener­a­tion.” Silke Schwarzwälder

Cost-effec­tive­ness was also a top priority for the new gener­a­tion: 300,000 tap-change oper­a­tions can be carried out without main­te­nance and the diverter switch insert only needs to be replaced after 1.2 million oper­a­tions. For appli­ca­tions with high numbers of tap-change oper­a­tions, the Inter­rupter Exchange Module reduces produc­tion breaks due to main­te­nance. “All of the exper­tise that we’ve accu­mu­lated over the last 25 years in the field of vacuum tech­nology has gone into the new gener­a­tion,” says Schwarzwälder.

6.000 kVA

With a step capacity of 6,000 kVA, the VACUTAP® VR is the most powerful vacuum on-load tap-changer around and is there­fore suit­able for appli­ca­tions in the extra-high-voltage range.

FIT FOR THE FUTURE

The VACUTAP® VR is FIT FOR THE FUTURE. The completely redesigned selector range increases the tap-changing capacity of the change-over selector signif­i­cantly and enables higher oper­ating and testing volt­ages. Further­more, the tap changer is also designed for alter­na­tive insu­la­tion liquids.

MAXIMUM OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY

The reli­able quenching of the switching arc and protec­tion against over­volt­ages provided by the VACUTAP® Advanced Arc Control System and VACUTAP® Step Protec­tion System® ensure MAXIMUM OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY.

COST-EFFECTIVE AND DURABLE

With 300,000 tap-change oper­a­tions without main­te­nance, it is extremely COST-EFFECTIVE AND DURABLE. The diverter switch insert can be used for 1.2 million tap changes before needing replace­ment.

Find out more about the VACUTAP ® VR
s.schwarzwaelder@reinhausen.com