In the vast world of electricity, the electrical transformer is undoubtedly a vital "invisible guardian". It stands quietly in power stations, substations and every corner of our daily life, silently taking on the heavy task of voltage conversion to ensure the efficient and safe transmission of electric energy.

An electrical transformer is an electrical device that uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to change AC voltage and current. It consists of two or more windings (primary windings and secondary windings) that are coupled to each other through an iron core (magnetic circuit). When AC power is applied to the primary winding, an alternating magnetic flux is generated in the iron core, which in turn induces an electromotive force in the secondary winding, thereby increasing or decreasing the voltage. This process is simple and efficient, and is the core of the work of electrical transformers.

Electrical transformers play multiple roles in power systems. It can achieve voltage conversion, reduce the high-voltage electric energy generated by the power plant to low-voltage electric energy suitable for home, industry and other occasions, or increase the low-voltage electric energy to high-voltage electric energy suitable for long-distance transmission. This function is of great significance for improving power transmission efficiency and reducing energy loss.

Electrical transformers also have the function of electrical isolation. Since the primary winding and the secondary winding are coupled through a magnetic circuit, there is no direct electrical connection between them, so the high-voltage circuit and the low-voltage circuit can be effectively isolated to protect users from high voltage damage.

Electrical transformers can also change the phase of the current for specific synchronous motor control and other applications. At the same time, it can also stabilize the output voltage to a certain extent and improve the power supply quality. These diverse functions make electrical transformers play an irreplaceable role in the process of power transmission, distribution and use.

There are many types of electrical transformers, which can be divided into power transformers, distribution transformers, special transformers, etc. according to their uses; they can be divided into oil-immersed transformers, dry-type transformers, etc. according to their structures. Among them, oil-immersed transformers are widely used in power systems due to their good heat dissipation and convenient maintenance.

Regardless of the type of transformer, its basic structure includes iron core, winding, oil tank, cooling system and other parts. The iron core is the magnetic circuit part of the transformer, which is stacked or rolled by silicon steel sheets to reduce eddy current and hysteresis losses. The winding is the circuit part of the transformer, which is wound by insulated copper wire or aluminum wire. The oil tank is used to hold insulating oil, which not only plays an insulating role but also helps to dissipate heat. The cooling system selects a suitable cooling method according to the capacity and operating conditions of the transformer, such as natural cooling, air cooling, water cooling, etc.

With the continuous advancement of science and technology and the growing demand for electricity, electrical transformer technology is also constantly innovating and developing. On the one hand, people improve the efficiency and performance of transformers by optimizing iron core materials, winding structures, etc.; on the other hand, with the rapid development of smart grids, new energy and other fields, higher requirements are also put forward for transformers.

In smart grids, transformers need to have a higher level of intelligence and be able to realize functions such as remote monitoring, fault diagnosis and automatic adjustment. In the field of new energy, such as wind power generation and solar power generation, due to the intermittent and unstable characteristics of these new energy sources, transformers are required to have better adaptability and adjustment capabilities.