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Why is Silicon Steel Used as Core Material in Transformers?

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Why is Silicon Steel Used as Core Material in Transformers?

2023.03.27

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Transformers are an essential component of the electrical power system, and they operate on the principle of electromagnetic induction. The efficiency and performance of a transformer depend on the quality of the core material used. The core material is responsible for transferring the magnetic flux from the primary winding to the secondary winding, and vice versa. One of the most commonly used core materials in transformers is silicon steel.

Silicon steel, also known as electrical steel, is a special type of steel that has a low carbon content and is alloyed with silicon. The addition of silicon increases the resistivity of the steel, which reduces the eddy current losses in the core material. The reduction in eddy current losses leads to a decrease in the power loss and an increase in the efficiency of the transformer.

Another reason for using silicon steel as core material is its high magnetic permeability. Magnetic permeability is the ability of a material to conduct magnetic flux. Silicon steel has a high magnetic permeability, which allows it to store more magnetic flux for a given amount of current. This property makes it an ideal material for use in transformers.

Moreover, silicon steel is also known for its high saturation flux density. Saturation flux density is the maximum amount of magnetic flux that a material can hold before it becomes saturated. Silicon steel can hold a high amount of magnetic flux, which allows for the design of transformers with a smaller core size for a given power rating.

In conclusion, silicon steel is an ideal material for transformer cores due to its low carbon content, high magnetic permeability, and high saturation flux density. The use of silicon steel in transformers results in improved efficiency, reduced power loss, and smaller core size.

Silicon steel is the most commonly used material for transformer cores due to its high magnetic permeability and low core loss. The core is the main component of a transformer, and its function is to transfer the magnetic flux from the primary winding to the secondary winding with minimum loss.

The use of silicon steel in transformer cores can reduce the hysteresis and eddy current losses that occur during the transformer's operation. Hysteresis loss occurs when the magnetic domains in the core are reversed, and eddy current loss occurs when the magnetic field induces circulating currents in the core material. These losses can lead to the generation of heat in the core, which can decrease the efficiency of the transformer and shorten its lifespan.

Silicon steel has a unique crystal structure that allows it to have a low coercivity and high magnetic permeability. The low coercivity ensures that the core material can be easily magnetized and demagnetized, while the high magnetic permeability allows for the magnetic flux to flow through the core with minimum loss.

Another advantage of using silicon steel is that it has a low thermal expansion coefficient. This means that the core material will not expand or contract significantly due to temperature changes, which can prevent the core from becoming deformed and affecting the transformer's performance.

In conclusion, the use of silicon steel as a transformer core material offers many advantages, including low core loss, high magnetic permeability, and low thermal expansion coefficient. These characteristics make silicon steel a suitable material for use in transformers, and it has become the standard material used in transformer cores

LuShan, est. 1975,  is a Chinese professional manufacturer specializing in power transformers and reactors for 48 years. Leading products are single-phase transformer, three-phase transformers, DC inductors, AC reactors, filtering reactor, expoxy resin high-voltage transformer and intermediate, high-frequency products. Our transformers and reactors are widely used in 10 application areas: rapid transit, construction machinery, renewable energy, intelligent manufacturing, medical equipment, coal mine explosion prevention , excitation system, vacuum sintering, central air conditioning.

Know more about power transformer :https://www.lstransformer.com/Transformers