00crashtest
Senior Member
- Location
- California
- Occupation
- electrician trainee
I was having a private conservation with fellow user tortuga, who has the slogan Code Historian. I could not find any solid information online on how Japan's distribution transformers are arranged besides that they use split phase for residential just like in the USA and Canada, but at 100/200 volts instead of 120/240. However, the conversation made me figure out definitively what the topology of the standard three-phase transformer in Japan is like. As a result, I've decided to make this conversation public for the purposes of recorded history for public knowledge, so that the general public can definitively easily find out once and for all what the topologies of typical distribution transformers in Japan supplying regular service lines are, so far, by simplying looking it up using the keywords Japan three phase transformer configuration.
tortuga on 2023-10-29 19:21 UTC-7
I believe the Japan voltage standard in the 60hz region is actually 105/210V and 200Y/115V but you would know better than me?
I am very currious as to the history of this in Japan if you have any info as to why they picked such an odd system please let my know?
00crashtest on 2023-10-30 13:04 UTC-7
According to the BSI World Electricity Supplies via Cummins Generator Technologies AGN 203 ISSUE B/1/5, you are right that 105/210 V is used in the 60 Hz region of Japan. However, that source suggests you are wrong that it is the standard, because 100/200 V is also used in the same region. This means that 105/210 V is only one (added now: of) the standards used in West Japan. On the other hand, East Japan uses only 100/200 V 50 Hz for single-phase services. I found the source below by using the key phrase Japan three phase voltage in a search engine.
On that same document, ISSUE B/4/5 also says that both three phase line voltages and single-phase line voltages [in Japan nationwide] must be within 10% of their respective nominal values. Since 115 V is 15% above 100 V, it exceeds the 10% upper tolerance allowed for 100V, which means that 200Y/115.47 V is definitely not used anywhere in Japan for installations compliant to the current codes. Perhaps it may still be in use from legacy installations, but I could not find anything about it, even when using the key phrases of 200Y/115 volts Japan, "200Y/115" volts Japan, 200/115 volts Japan, "200/115 volts" Japan, 200Y/115.47 volts Japan, "200Y/115.47" volts Japan, 200/115.47 volts Japan, and "200/115.47" volts Japan. On that same page, the only examples of code-compliant new distribution-to-service transformer installations using a wye secondary provide 187.06Y/108, 190.53Y/110, and 190Y/109.70 volts respectively.
However, given that commercial and industrial properties that use three phase power do so because they require a lot of power (and consequently current), it would be incredibly stupid to lower the three-phase line voltage (and consequently increasing the current) when their purpose of using three phase is to be able to overall reduce conductor size (and consequently saving material and associated costs) and reduce line losses from I^2*R heating. So, the only way to be able to supply measured 200 V three phase, while also not exceeding the upper respective tolerance levels for 200 V split phase and 100 V single phase, from a single bank of transformers would be to use a high-leg delta or a corner-grounded delta with an ungrounded centre tap. However, I have never heard of the latter, so Japan probably uses only high-leg delta. Either the less efficient open delta or the recommended more efficient closed delta would suffice because both provide the same set of voltages. So, for three phase services, East Japan almost certainly uses only 100/200 V 50 Hz delta, while West Japan uses both 100/200 V 60 Hz delta and 105/210 V 60 Hz delta depending on the site.
00crashtest on 2023-10-30 13:07 UTC-7
Furthermore, split-phase 200V in Japan is line to line, not line to ground, so that rules out a corner grounded delta transformer with one winding having an ungrounded centre tap entirely.
tortuga on 2023-10-30 16:04 UTC-7
Thats a great document, it has a hand drawn schematic showing how they pull 77% taps to get 100V instead of 115V, they just keep the 3 phases isolated so they are all fully current carrying and there is no 'neutral'. You should look into Scott-T transformers I believe there was one that could output two split phase 120/240 with a shared neutral and a 240 or 208 three phase tap.
Cheers
00crashtest on 2023-10-30 21:42 UTC-7
No, they are just showing the circuit diagram for the alternator. Also note that it says that the specially designed Winding 77 was used in the past and is now obsolete, so it has been discontinued. For the utility transformer supplying the service, there is a true neutral.