New Power Composites building in India nearing completion

The groundbreaking ceremony took place in the middle of February to kick off construction of the factory where hollow composite insulators will be manufactured. Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, we are still on schedule and the factory will be completed at the end of 2020.

ees-Award for GRIDCON® PCS

At this year's ees Awards in Munich, the jury honored the GRIDCON® PCS 4W from Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen (MR) as the "Swiss Army Knife of Inverters". The GRIDCON® PCS 4W was awarded this prize for its holistic approach to optimizing load flow and voltage, which sets this solution for energy storage systems apart from most competitor products. Andreas Lamert and Holger Kretzschmar from the Power Quality business unit accepted the coveted industry award. MR Managing Director Wilfried Breuer emphasized: "This award is a fine confirmation of our decision to also offer practical solutions in the field of integrating renewable energies".

Storage at all network levels

As soon as the industry, transport and heating sectors are decarbonized, the power grids will have to transport huge amounts of additional energy. One of the key questions is: How can the volatile generation of solar and wind power be matched locally and temporally with current demand? The answer: Battery storage can help master the challenge of the energy transition at all grid levels - from the extra-high voltage grid to the local grid.

Five theses on the future of power grids

Everyone knows that the demands on energy networks are changing faster than ever before. In five theses, futurologist Lars Thomsen shows where the trend is heading and what opportunities are emerging.

"Reinhausen is ready to deliver!"

There are too few containers, cargo ships are jammed in front of crowded ports, truck drivers are lacking – on top of that there is a shortage of raw materials such as copper, iron, magnesium, wood, and especially electronic components. What does this mean for Reinhausen's ability to deliver? And what comes after the crisis? Managing Director Holger Michalka explains how Reinhausen is responding to the current challenges and what will change in the long term.

The MSCDN plant – the new "power plant generator" for stable grids

Due to the shutdown of fossil and nuclear power plants and the volatile feed-in of renewable energy, grid operation is becoming more susceptible to disruptions. One solution comes from Reinhausen Power Quality and Omexom transformer stations GmbH: MSCDN systems. Particularly at the extra-high and high-voltage levels, transmission system operators are losing an important tool for keeping the voltage in the transmission lines stable: reactive power. It is usually regulated by the generators of large power plants. If these cease to exist, replacements are urgently needed.

Direct current at all grid levels

On the one hand, there are more and more renewable producers that generate direct current. On the other hand, there is a growing number of consumers such as electric cars that need it. Are DC grids therefore the future?

The most powerful transformers in the world for a 1,100 kV HVDC line in China

China's economy is growing rapidly, as is the corresponding demand for more and more electricity to sustain its glistening megacities. To help the metropolises become cleaner, even more renewable energy will be used in the future. But the favorable conditions needed to generate it are found far away from the urban areas in the east. Instead, they are found in the sparsely populated western part of the country, such as Xinjiang province. There, it is very windy and there are many hours of sunshine, as well as numerous rivers to generate hydropower. The challenge is to transport the energy over great distances to the east while keeping losses at a minimum.

"We are in a growth market with the VRDT"

SBG was one of the pioneers in the field of regulated distribution grid transformers. Since as early as 2012, the transformer manufacturer has produced VRDTs with the ECOTAP® VPD® on-load tap-changer from Reinhausen. Managing Director Erwin Birbacher and Head of Sales Michael Bühnert report on their experiences.

Clean power grid with high-frequency filters

A soft breeze is wafting across the fields of the Palatine municipality of Offenbach an der Queich. It sets the huge rotor blades of the six wind turbines operated by regional energy supplier EnergieSüdpfalz GmbH & Co KG into motion. Each year, they produce a total of 40 million kilowatt-hours for 13,800 households. The wind farm has a total output of 15.8 megawatts. A small concrete structure turns it into something special: The little building contains the first high-frequency filter system from MR, which ensures disruption-free grids at frequencies up to 9 kHz.

Test systems for the energy revolution

A climate-neutral future is only feasible if wind and solar plants function reliably, power grids are greatly expanded and, last but not least, the equipment in primary substations remains in good condition. To ensure that the power supply also stays reliable with clean energy, suitable test systems are therefore becoming increasingly important. They help new plants join the grid without faults and ensure that existing equipment is serviced or replaced in good time.

"Transitioning to a solution provider presents a major opportunity for transformer manufacturers!"

When the concept of power grids was developed in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the energy universe was less complex. Power consumption was volatile, but generation in combination with a control reserve was predictable. Today, thanks to renewable power supply, generators are also prone to fluctuations. In addition, due to the electrification of other branches of industry – most notably mobility – future grids will have to transport many more times this at the high end. Since grids cannot simply be expanded as desired, new approaches to grid management and intelligent equipment are needed. This transition is already in full swing, and also places high demands on transformer manufacturers.

Asian industry uses VRDTs in the fight against fluctuating grids

Voltage fluctuations are a global phenomenon – above all in weaker grids of developing and emerging countries. Unlike fancy grids in industrialized nations, which mainly suffer from the growing volatility of renewable energies, the problem there is usually weak infrastructure. What both grids have in common is that suppliers only regulate on the medium-voltage level. However, fluctuations on the low-voltage level often go unnoticed, as there is no systematic monitoring.

Power Quality in shipping: Cleaner grids

To reduce CO2 and keep the air at ports clean, more and more shipyards are using electric drive systems. More electronics are also being installed on board at the same time. Therefore, problems familiar to experts from industrial companies are occurring more and more: harmonics interfering with plant grids. The technology on ships is even more prone to failure, since the on-board power supplies are microgrids. Compared to shore grids, they have a significantly lower short-circuit capacity. And the shore power supply for ships at anchor also has its flaws, since the grid frequency on board is different than it is on land. Technology from Reinhausen can help overcome the challenges in shipping. Two examples:

Weatherproof cable testing for offshore wind parks

The performance ability of wind power generators is generally on the rise. That is why the operating voltage of the connection cables from the wind turbines to the collection and connecting platforms is now being increased to 66 kilovolts everywhere. The design of these cables corresponds more to a high-voltage than a medium-voltage cable, which is why the experts at the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) decided to permit – in addition to the SOAK test (a 24-hour test at nominal voltage) – only resonance testing for operating voltages greater than 36 kilovolts in the new standard IEC 63026.

"Digitalization of the power grids will only work with comprehensive security measures"

Physicist Dr. Stephan Beirer is an expert in information security for process control and automation systems. He specifically advises medium and large industrial and utility companies, professional associations and manufacturers.

Why are you digitizing your transformers? Three questions for Rúnar Svavar Svavarsson.

Icelandic grid operator Veitur supplies the capital of Reykjavik and the southwest of the island – and therefore around 56 percent of the country's population – with electricity. As Technical Manager, Rúnar Svavar Svavarsson is responsible for keeping the 23 transformers of the power grid in operation. For monitoring, the service technicians have had to stand by in primary substations to read off the important condition indicators, such as gases in the oil or the winding temperature. Since this is very time-consuming, Svavarsson wants to gradually digitize the transformer fleet with ETOS®.

Six challenges, six solutions – Intelligent sensors for safe transformers

The service life of a transformer is vitally dependent on the transformer's operating conditions and its environment. Loads are significantly higher in an industrial application than they are in normal grid operation. One way or another, it is important to be aware of and specifically monitor the weak spots of the transformer to prevent damage and disruptions at an early stage. We highlight six of the greatest risks for transformers and six solutions Reinhausen provides to minimize them.

Oversized de-energized tap-changers

Canadian transformer manufacturer PSI Transformers received the order to replace a transformer for a hydropower station. The new transformer had to be able to switch between one transmission line at 250 kV and another at 143 kV. The test voltage required was a massive 1,000 kV. "To build a tap-changer for such extreme requirements, from our point of view, there was only one supplier we wanted to work with – and that was Reinhausen," states George Partyka Jr., Vice President of PTI Transformers.

„Green oils“ – insulating liquids for a reduced carbon footprint

The sustainable reduction of greenhouse gases and the phase-out of fossil fuels are among the most urgent tasks of our time. This applies in particular to the energy sector, where renewable energies and ecologically safe materials are being increasingly used. This applies not only to energy generation itself, but also to the systems and components used for energy transmission. More and more energy suppliers and transformer manufacturers are using alternative insulating liquids in place of mineral oils in transformers and tap-changers.

Green hydrogen: using H2 against CO2

One of the largest plants in Germany for CO2-neutral production of hydrogen is currently being built in Wunsiedel, a small Bavarian town of 10,000 people. Only renewable energy from photovoltaics and wind power is used for production. The special aspect of the innovative electrolysis plant: It will be integrated into the local grid infrastructure with existing battery storage and neighboring industrial operations. From mid-2022, up to 1,350 tons of hydrogen will be produced annually for use in transportation and industry. This will enable up to 13,500 tons of CO2 per to be avoided in the future.

Image copyright: Siemens AG

Four reasons why regulated distribution grids are the future

When it comes to the topic of energy transition, it is usually the big projects that get caught up in our heads: huge offshore wind farms on the high seas, solar farms several hectares in size in the desert or hundreds, even thousands, of kilometer-long transmission lines that bring environmentally friendly electricity to the urban centers. It is true: such mega-projects are necessary when conventional large-scale power plants are taken off the grid. However, an important part of the energy transition takes place at the lowest voltage level – the local grids.

VACUTAP® VM® – A Worthy Successor for the OILTAP® M

MR has successfully manufactured and sold VACUTAP®-brand vacuum tap changers, which offer countless advantages over oil-based technology, for many years. For this reason, many clients have fully switched to vacuum technology from MR.

In light of this, we have removed the OILTAP® M on-load tap-changer from our product range and stopped series production as of 31 December 2020. Then Project Manager Albert Schmidbauer discusses the advantages of the VACUTAP® series.

Fight against the coronavirus in Italy - Reinhausen Group donates 100,000 Euros

Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen, a German world market leader in the control of power transformers for a secure power supply, is donating 100,000 euros via its subsidiary Reinhausen Italia (Milan) to support medical personnel and auxiliary staff in the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto, which are most severely affected by the corona virus. Reinhausen Group has also two further subsidiaries, C.A.P.T S.r.I in Veneto and Cedaspe S.r.I in Lombardia, with one manufacturing unit in Codogno.

Retrofit solution: Replacing Third-Party OLTC with VACUTAP® VM®

Since more than 10 years transformer manufacturer HITACHI (Japan) is relying on MR’s vacuum technology for the regulation of generation, transmission and large distribution transformers. VACUTAP® VR®, VM® and VV® are a kind of standard for new HITACHI transformers in the meantime.

MR among Germany's best Employers

“Germany's 500 best employers” is the title of a study lunched by the magazine “stern”, Hamburg. The aim was to identify - from an employee's point of view - the most attractive German companies by an independent survey of 45,000 employees in Germany. Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen (MR) reached the leading group in the category of Mechanical and Plant Engineering.

Smallest high-speed resistor-type tap-changer in the Gulf of Mexico

There is little space on oil platforms. This is also the case on an offshore gas and oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. For this reason, transformer manufacturer DEEMSA (Diseño y Equipos Eléctricos de México SA de CV), which manufactured two transformers (8,000 kVA, 33/4.16 kV) for the platform, opted for our ECOTAP® VPD®. Thanks to its compactness, it was the perfect and most economical solution for ensuring stable voltage conditions.

Taking a Breath

Conventional dehydrating breathers require regular maintenance. In order to eliminate this extra work, energy supplier VSE Verteilnetz GmbH uses the maintenance-free solution from MESSKO in all of its transformers – saving both time and money.

Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen and Grasim will form JVC Aditya Birla Power Composites Limited

Grasim Industries Limited (“Grasim”) signed a definitive agreement to form a Joint Venture Company (JVC) in India with Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH (“MR”) of Germany for the manufacturing and sale of Composite Hollow Core Insulators (“CHCI”) to serve the Power Transmission and Distribution industry globally. The JVC, Aditya Birla Power Composites Limited (“ABPCL”), will set up a state-of-the-art CHCI manufacturing plant at Halol, Gujarat, India.

New generation of MTRAB® 2.5 dehydrating breathers

Protect, secure and extend the service life of your equipment with the maintenance-free dehydrating breather from MESSKO®.

Since the initial market launch of the MESSKO® dehydrating breather more than 15 years ago, we have gained global practical experience with the DB100, DB200, DB200D and DB200G product versions at the facilities of more than 6,500 customers throughout the world. Based on this experience, our proven technology, and continually growing operator expectations and requirements, we are now launching the new generation MTRAB® 2.5.

Just like its predecessors, the maintenance-free MTRAB® 2.5 dehydrating breather eliminates the ingress of moisture into the insulating fluid of transformers, tap changers, and other electrical equipment filled with insulating fluids. Its functionality helps our customers to significantly reduce the life-cycle costs of their equipment and overcome the challenges of steadily increasing requirements – ever-longer operating times coupled with continually increasing current densities.

KEPCO Energy Solutions promotes Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based energy efficiency

The CEO of Crocus Energy Korea Co. Ltd. Mr Ji-hoon Hwang, together with Konrad Osswald, the Sales Director of MR Germany, joined executives from affiliated companies at a signing ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel (Busan) for the conclusion of an Energy Conservation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote a new, energy efficient business model.

Next generation flow indicator

A high level of importance is placed on the operational reliability of transformers in the field of energy distribution. A functioning cooling system is vital when it comes to ensuring this reliability and in extending the transformer's service life.

Intelligent Transformer Drying

Alongside increased winding and oil temperatures, the moisture content in the oil is one of the most critical factors that can massively shorten the service life of a transformer, since both temperature and moisture can damage the paper insulation and therefore also have a negative effect on the thermal insulating properties. A Chinese steel works experienced this first hand at the end of 2018, when moisture levels triggered early warnings. Thanks to the MR EXPIOTECH MMS Moisture Management System, they were able to reduce the moisture content and prevent their transformers from failing prematurely.

MRcademy® 2018 in Suzhou

On 27 October, MR China (MRT) hosted an MRcademy® in Suzhou for a special occasion: the 150th anniversary of Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen.

The attendees gained extensive insight into the company. In addition to a wide array of MR products, MRT also presented technical solutions.

Three new scholarship holders at the Scheubeck-Jansen Foundation

The Scheubeck-Jansen Foundation (SJS)ia fampous in the region by promoting science and research with numerous projects. One impressive sponsorship project is the "Talente aus der Praxis" scholarship program, which for the past eleven years has specifically supported the academic further education of trainees who wish to pursue technical studies.

HIGHVOLT invites you

From May 9-10, representatives from science, research and industry will meet in Dresden to exchange information on current new developments in the field of high-voltage test and measurement technology at the 8th HIGHVOLT COLLOQUIUM.

10 x 10 Years + 1 x 25 Years MESSKO

Oberursel. For the second time, MESSKO honored its long-service anniversaries at the end of October 2018 at a joint dinner at the power plant in Oberursel. For the Messkoians, the location also has a connection to the history of the company, which in its early days was located on this very street on Zimmersmühlenweg in Oberursel.

Two scholarship holders of the Scheubeck Jansen Foundation go their way

For ten years now, the Scheubeck-Jansen Foundation (SJS) has been promoting the academic further education of trainees who want to embark on technical studies with its "Talents from the Practice" scholarship program. This was also the case for Albert Pfeffer and Michael Überrigler, who received the SJS scholarship during their studies and have now successfully completed the sponsored studies.