The Oil-Immersed FASTAP prototype has undergone endurance and auto-start tests at Fraunhofer Institute facilities in Freiburg, Germany.
Over two intense weeks the tap changing capabilities have been checked along the +14.4% voltage range. An endurance 50.000 tap changes under most unfavourable conditions has been successfully completed with no derangement in performance. Also, different auto-start tests have been proved satisfactory both under normal and faulty/unbalanced conditions.
The results observed imply the confirmation of a huge milestone for the project: not only control strategies, transformer and semiconductor technology perfectly integrate towards an enhanced electrical performance, but the design is as robust as expected.
The tests, together with the support of our colleagues from Fraunhofer Institute, have been closely monitored by members of both SiemensGamesa and Mondragon University.
Further down the line of validation await the short-circuit and vibration tests for which no less successful results are expected!