As transformer consulting engineer at Doble Engineering Co., Juan Luis Thierry has the opportunity to inspect transformer factories around the world. He has seen up close manufacturing of both types of core construction transformers and the different type of technologies that the manufacturers are using.
With this experience and knowledge, and an extensive background in transformer design Thierry will present Core-form vs. Shell-form Transformer Design & Constructionat Doble’s Life of a TransformerTM Seminar in February. The purpose of this presentation is to identify the main design and construction differences between core-form and shell-form transformers. The development and growth of the transformer stemmed from a basic need for low cost electric power generation and transmission, and the question has been always the same: core type or shell type? Both transformer types are suited for essentially the same application, but some design features can make the difference in the long run.
“I think that knowing the main design differences between the shell-form and core-form transformers will help the users to decide which one better suits their needs when they are looking to replace their equipment,” Thierry said. “Since I am showing the main characteristics of the design for each type of construction, they will know the advantages from each type of the transformers.”
Thierry possesses more than 30 years of experience in the power transformer industry, starting out in a plant outside Mexico City owned in part by Westinghouse Electric Corp. He worked in three departments: Quality Assurance, Manufacturing, and Design Engineering as Chief Design Engineer. He decided at that time to specialize in power transformers. At the beginning, he said, he got involved only in shell type transformers. While working on design engineering in 1989, he was sent to the Westinghouse electrical design section office in Foster Plaza, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Since then, he has been working in the design of both transformer types. He joined Doble in 2009.
Thierry most enjoys helping “customers with their transformer needs and sharing his knowledge when performing transformer design reviews, factory inspections, factory acceptance testing. Over his years working with transformers and people, he has learned that “what really defines the type of construction is the percent of impedance required,” he said.
A frequent presenter, Thierry trains students in both Spanish and English and covers topics including Transformer Repair, Remanufacturing and Replacement, Transformer Design Review, Transformer Factory Inspections and Transformer Health Review.
After working with machines, Thierry escapes through his collection of bonsai trees. He has several specimens, he said, like Japanese Maples, Chinese Elms and some Korean Pines and Cedars. “It is very relaxing to work on the trees and take care of them to keep them in small and in good shape,” he said.
