Shunt reactors are used where it is necessary to keep the voltage at a stable level in power networks with long transmissions, both above and below ground. Typical applications are wind farms, subways, urban distribution systems, industrial areas, etc. Shunt reactors are available in dry, cast resin and oil-insulated variants.
GBE manufactures and recommends all of these. However, the oil-insulated design is the most versatile, especially for high voltage. The reactor is supplied with or without magnetic core and winding or ring cores of aluminum or copper. The inside of the core is provided with air gaps to achieve the desired inductance value. The special design is not only adapted to mechanical influences during normal operation, but is also dimensioned to withstand possible mains faults.
Shunt reactors can be connected directly to the power grid or to a tertiary winding in a 3-winding power or distribution transformer. This provides extensive application possibilities.
Over the past five years, power companies in the industrialized world have invested significant resources in modernizing their power grids to improve the efficiency of power supply. This is to meet the demand for stable, uninterruptible electricity, despite ageing power grids and the development of new power generation systems (especially renewables). These investments in electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure herald a marked increase in demand for shunt reactors.