EN
Ratec has been producing its special formwork solution for the manufacture of transformer compact substations since 2018 and is constantly advancing it. Compact substations offer many advantages as a space-saving solution for power supply. We can expect demand to increase due to the growing need from energy transition and e-mobility. The increase in demand, not only in Germany, can also be seen in the latest projects. Last year Ratec delivered a total of four new transformer station moulds in Germany and Europe.
Due to the number of projects that have already been suc-cessfully implemented, the Hockenheim-based manufacturer continues to expand its expertise in this area. Here we present some advanced developments and special features of the mould.
One of the moulds was designed to accommodate two different heights and wall thicknesses. Moreover, two different inner wall positions can be realised using an exchangeable core. Various heights are achieved by magnetically adhering attachments to the floor formwork. The inner core was made walkable at the customer‘s request, so that built-in parts can still be fastened to the core from the inside.
A new variant of shrinkable window formwork has been adapted for recesses and can be magnetically attached to the core. To ensure improved thermal insulation during heating, sandwich panels were also attached to the outer panels with a surrounding steel edging.
Another mould, which was delivered last year, is configured for a greater variety and can be used for elements with four different lengths, four heights and two wall thicknesses depending on the fire protection requirements.
All station types in this project are equipped with a floor slope for open cable entry, which can be located on different sides. On the formwork side, we solved this requirement by using various locking wedges to avoid longer conversion times for the interchangeable cores. Locking wedges are also used to create the inner walls of different heights. Floor formwork, exterior panels and window recesses are modified for the different wall thicknesses.
For the first time, a mould was also installed in Eastern Europe. In this project, the mould was implemented with a single-piece core and permanent superstructures for oil barriers, as it will only be used for one type of element for the time being. The decisive factor in favour of a Ratec mould was reduced production time and better quality of the end product. It was therefore decided to replace the customer‘s self-built mould with a specialist mould solution.
Roof moulds were also installed in all projects and adapted according to the respective station concepts. The roof mould consists of a robustly constructed base table, optionally with downwardly shaped roof slope. They are installed using vibration technology and feet with vibration isolators. Bedding for anchoring the station element can be produced circumferentially by hinged profile attachments.
The formwork solution for transformer station elements from Ratec features the smart modular system with basic formwork and individual attachments or interchangeable cores which are hydraulically braced. The mould is usually installed with equipment for HF vibration. All moulds come with floor formwork as a standard, which uses hydraulic lifting cylinders to lift the finished room body up to 10 cm, releasing it from the core before the element is lifted off.
Each mould is tailored to one type of room or for several variants and sizes, depending on the customer‘s requirements. Through the experience gained from the various projects since 2018, the modular principle was expanded and optimised so that the widest possible spectrum of variation is possible with as few components or interchangeable cores as possible.
When developing a customised solution, the focus is always on achieving the best possible balance between the variety of mould variants and the potential conversion effort. With the customer in mind, we think holistically to make handling even easier and faster.
This results in various advantages:
- Reduction of crane times, e.g. through movable outer panels
- Higher flexibility and shortening of setup times due to modular principle with interchangeable cores and magnetically fixed formwork components
- Making work easier for the factory staff
- Quality improvement
Another important factor for success: the teams for development/engineering and assembly of large formwork construction have been strengthened in recent years to enhance innovation in this area and to be able to realise various projects. Further projects in the European region are planned or are already underway.