Waste heat recovery from electrical substations

The transformation of voltages leads to two types of energy losses in the form of heat, namely no-load losses which are inherent to the transformer and associated with its core; and load losses, caused by the resistance of the windings, which are a direct function of the electrical loading. This paper investigates how the waste heat generated by electrical transformers could be captured and reused via district heating networks. At first, the current availability of waste heat from transformers in the UK is assessed based on data from distribution network operators (DNOs). Potential methods for recovering waste heat from transformers are then presented, and the achievable benefits are discussed based upon carbon and cost savings against conventional heating technologies.