Study on the Electric Field Distribution Characteristics of 66 kV Dry-Type Transformer Based on Functional Graded Material (FGM) Treatment

Functional graded materials (FGMs) have been successfully applied for improving the insulation performance of insulators, yet there is currently no relevant literature on their application in dry-type transformers. Therefore, it is meaningful to study the feasibility of using FGMs to improve the insulation performance of dry-type transformers through research on electric field distribution. This paper sets FGMs in the dry-type transformer spacer only or both the spacer and winding end to change the relative permittivity values in the corresponding areas. By comparing the electric field distribution characteristics on the inner and outer surfaces of the high-voltage coil and the lower surface of the spacer of the dry-type transformer under each control method with the case without setting FGMs, the study found that when FGMs were only set on the spacer, the control methods set in this paper could not improve the electric field distribution of the transformer. When FGMs are employed at the spacers and end windings, two modulation strategies can mitigate the electric field intensity on the outer surface of the high-voltage windings. Specifically, a continuous increase in relative permittivity can reduce the electric field intensity by 34.02%, while an initial decrease followed by an increase can result in a reduction of 13.58%. This paper provides theoretical guidance for insulation design of transformers with high voltage levels of 66 kV and above, especially as transformers with high voltage levels face greater challenges in regulating surface electric fields.