Hitachi Metals India

22.11.2017

AMORPHOUS METALS DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS

1) Amorphous Core Distribution Transformers are the Next Generation Distribution Transformers which
contribute to enormous energy savings to the Utilities and the Nation. These transformers have
almost 60-70% less No Load Losses compared to that of equivalent grade of CRGO Distribution
Transformers.

2) Since Distribution Transformers are designed to operate at a maximum efficiency at about 50-60% of
the full load, based on the average all day efficiency, the resultant savings by usage of AMDT’s save
enormous amount in terms of losses in the distribution transformers.

3) No Load Losses occur since the moment the DTRs are energized and keep occurring 24 x 7 in the
system throughout the life of the distribution transformer and any savings in No Load Losses has an
immense economic benefit to the utility.

4) It may be noted that Amorphous Core Transformers are being manufactured in India since 1995 and
it is now two decades that these transformers are being used in India by Various State Utilities.

5) As on date as per the current scenario of procurements about Ten (10) States & 20 DiSCOMs are
regularly buying Amorphous Core Distribution Transformers in India. Following is the list of Utilities
which are presently buying Amorphous Core Distribution Transformers in India:-

• APSPDCL, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

• APEPDCL, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
• TSSPDCL, Hyderabad, Telangana
• TSNPDCL, Warangal, Telangana
• TANGEDCO, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• BESCOM, Bangalore, Karnataka
• MSEDCL, Mumbai, Maharastra
• BEST, Mumbai, Maharastra
• PGVCL, Rajkot, Gujarat
• MGVCL, Vadodara, Gujarat
• DGVCL, Surat, Gujarat
• UGVCL, Mehsana, Gujarat
• DHBVN, Hisar, Haryana
• UHBVN, Panchkula, Haryana
• JVVNL, Jaipur, Rajasthan
• JdVVNL, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
• AVVNL, Ajmer, Rajasthan
• CSPDCL, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
• Madhya Pradesh Utilities

Unit saved is equal to unit generated

 Hitachi Metals India

6) As on date it is worthwhile to mention that about 1.4 Million Nos. of Amorphous Core Distribution
Transformers have already been manufactured by several Indian Manufacturers .All the AMDT’s are
in successful operation and usage across various Utilities in India.

7) There are about 16 Direct Manufacturers of Amorphous Core Distribution Transformer in India and
the Number is growing fast, due to the growing need of Indian and Overseas Utilities to use this
energy efficient product. List of known manufacturers of AMDT’s is as under:-

1 Trinity Transformers – Telangana

2 Shiridi Sai Electricals, Kadappa
3 Toshiba Transmission & Distribution India Ltd
4 Vijai Electricals Haridwar
5 UGET Bangalore
6 Kotsons Alwar
7 Nucon Punjab
8 PME Noida
9 Star Delta Transformers
10 Alfa Transformers- Odisha
11 Bhawani Trafo – MH
12 Mutual Inductors – Odisha
13 PK Transformers –MH
14 IndoTech Transformers
15 Mangal Electricals – RJ
16 Ramakrishna Electricals- MH

8) Besides the above manufacturers there are several more manufacturers in the country who make
these energy efficient Amorphous Core DTR’s by buying Formed Amorphous Cores from Amorphous
Core Makers in India. One such facility is available in Bangalore and another in Rajasthan. The
number of Amorphous Core Distribution Transformer Manufacturers is increasing rapidly in India, as
now Formed Amorphous Core is readily available, for any Distribution Transformer manufacturer to
buy.

9) India needs energy efficiency and this is the right way to embrace the latest state of the art
technologies in India. Wider acceptance and usage will reduce the issues in respect of repairs and
maintenance as well. We cannot close our eyes to upcoming and better technologies which save us
in terms of Generating Capacity which is just being used to feed the Losses in the system. This is a
sheer waste of National Resources.

10) Amorphous Transformers save lot of energy and hence in turn save Fossil Fuels thereby leading to a
greener tomorrow by reducing the carbon footprints in the Globe. Utilities should work on designing a
program for taking Carbon Credits which itself will be a huge saving beside the initial savings in
Energy.

11) Amorphous Core Distribution Transformers would save much more than initial 60-70% in No Load
Loss, especially under harmonic Loading conditions. Tests have been done in ERADA in this aspect

Unit saved is equal to unit generated

 Hitachi Metals India
and the result of savings under harmonic loading condition is spectacular. AMDT can save above
more than 200% as compared to equivalent CRGO Distribution Transformers. Copy of ERADA
Report is attached for ready reference. This test was conducted way back in 1999.

12) Total Owning Cost to the Customer would be less, thereby beneficial to the Utilities.

13) Core being wound Core and Coils being progressively wound the capability to withstand Short
Circuits is very high.

14) The specification for DTR’s should be technologically neutral and should give equal opportunity to
both CRGO as well as Amorphous Core, as both are proven technologies for manufacturing
distribution transformers.

15) IS1180 (revised) provides equal opportunity for both Amorphous as well as CRGO core distribution
transformers and is technology neutral as far as core for distribution transformers are concerned
(Clause 9.1).

16) It can be observed that the prices of CRGO have been highly erratic and fluctuating in India over the
past few years. Both CRGO as well as Amorphous Metal are being imported in India for
manufacturing Distribution Transformers. The price trend for CRGO is on the rise whereas the price
trend for Amorphous remains consistent since past two decades.

17) If only CRGO DTR are only allowed in the DTR specifications then the cost of distribution
transformers would go on increasing with no competition from Amorphous Core. This would be not
only against the law of competition but not good for the Utilities or the Nation on the whole.

18) In Amorphous Core Distribution Transformers, only PRIME Grade Core is available in the market.
There is absolutely no possibility of use of Seconds/Used Core as these are not available in the
market at all. Amorphous Metal which is generated as scrap is also taken back by the supplier for
melting and reprocessing as a raw material. This is not the case with CRGO material. There are a lot
of companies in India who import Cut to Size Laminations (Not Coils) which are retrieved from Old
Decommissioned Power Transformers. These laminations are directly used in manufacturing of
Cores for Distribution Transformers by some unscrupulous manufacturers.

19) Usage of Used/Seconds Core material increases the failure rate of the DTR’s as the core gets
saturated early and the transformers do not serve its entire life of operation. This is one of the main
reasons for increased failure rates in the Utilities. It shall be our endeavor to completely stop this
malpractice in the Industry to provide level playing field to all manufacturers.

20) The mandate from CEA as well as IS11180 (Revised) is to provide equal opportunity to both
Amorphous as well as CRGO Transformers.

21) The Utilities should provide a level playing field for both CRGO as well as Amorphous Core
Distribution Transformers for fairly compete in the market place.

22) The Manufacturers should have the option to offer the best material available at the most optimum
cost to the Utilities and whichever option works out to be the lowest based on the Total Owning Cost
(TOC) should be procured by the Utilities. This make more economic sense if the utilities.

23) Lowest First Cost is a misnomer and the Utilities end up paying much more in terms of savings that
they could have made using a more efficient DTR, even with marginal increase in first cost.

Unit saved is equal to unit generated