Innovative engineering Made in

ABB’s power transformer factory in Chongqing China NaiQing Wang, Anders Lindroth

Chongqing is a modern city with an ancient history spanning more than 3,000 years. Known by many as the ‘River City’, Chongqing is where ABB produces the largest 500 kV power transformers for the domestic market in China. This ultra modern factory has been sup- porting China’s fast growing electric power in- dustry since beginning production in 1998. In addition, it has developed into one of the largest power trans- former factories in the world – in just six short years.

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he electric power industry in China der to meet the demands for these types Chongqing Transformer Company Ltd., Thas grown impressively since the of large power plant projects. it is the only joint venture for the manu- 1980’s. In particular, economic develop- facture of 500kV transformers approved ment in the area around the Pearl River As a renowned supplier of transformers, by the Chinese central government, and and Yangtze River Deltas has con- coupled with its reputation and experi- is owned by ABB and Chongqing Trans- tributed enormously to the quick expan- ence in transferring transformer technol- former Company Ltd. sion of the electric power grid. The ogy – for example to Canada and Brazil eastern and southern coastal areas con- – ABB was selected as one half of a In operation since January 1998, the tinue to consume the largest amount of partnership, or joint venture, to set up a plant utilizes the land and buildings of a electricity, while abundant energy re- 500 kV power transformer factory in the former state-owned local transformer sources are located in northern and city of Chongqing, in southwest China. factory in Chongqing. western China. It is this that is driving the construction of 500 kV power trans- Chongqing is situated on the upper Transfer of technology and mission lines between those regions. branch of the Yangtze River and is one training of employees of the most important industrial centers Perhaps the biggest factor that has con- As power transformers are key equip- in western China. In choosing tributed to the overall success of the ment in any electric power systems, the Chongqing as the location for this big company has been the successful train- demand for exceptionally good quality transformer factory, manufacturers are ing of employees and the subsequent products is naturally high to support well positioned to supply large power transfer of technology. Most of this the extension of power grids and transformers to the coastal areas via the work, together with internal support for power plants. This became especially Yangtze River as well as to hydropower this project came from ABB’s trans- evident at the start of the Three Gorges stations in southwestern China. former factory in Ludvika, Sweden. project in the Yangtze River in 1992 where large, high voltage power trans- Formation of the joint venture Training was carried out in Ludvika in formers with high reliability were ABB, with the help and support of the parallel with investments in factory up- needed. Chinese government, set up a produc- grades in Chongqing. An intensive and tion base for 500 kV power transformers effective training program, based on the In a region with huge market potential, in Chongqing to support the Three manufacturing of transformers from de- the necessity of creating an advanced Gorges project and other big power sign to final testing for Chinese cus- transformer factory in an area with river generation and transmission projects in tomers, was used as a learning tool for and sea access soon became clear in or- China 1 . Now known as ABB mangers, engineers and operators from

A high voltage test hall for 500 kV and 750 kV class 1 ABB’s power transformer factory in Chongqing, China 2 products

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ABB Chongqing. The Chinese person- A 400 ton floating crane at Chongqing harbor to support the shipment nel, under the guidance of Swedish ex- 3 perts, completed the program in a ‘100 of customer products. percent ABB atmosphere’. The exercise was known as ‘CPiL’, an abbreviation for ‘Chinese Production in Ludvika’.

As training progressed in Sweden, the old workshops in Chongqing were be- ing revamped to bring them into line with the latest ABB specifications. A 500 kV transformer assembly workshop was added to the existing factory build- ings and a high voltage test hall, with modern equipment to test 500 kV and 750 kV class products, was erected 2 . All manufacturing facilities were up- graded with state-of-the-art manufactur- ing equipment and tooling, and the workshops were equipped with air con- ditioning and humidity control. All this work was completed in 2000. In 2001, the road to Chongqing harbor was pre- pared for heavy transport and the har- bor was equipped with a 400 ton float- ing crane to support the shipment of products to the customer 3 . and the first twelve 500 kV reactors international quality level. Quality con- The final part of the CPiL program was were manufactured. Over the last six trol has therefore been of top priority completed in the upgraded facilities in years, the company has developed into during the investment and technology Chongqing. In addition to CpiL, many the largest power transformer manufac- transfer phases. In 1999, ABB other training programs, managed by turing company, counted in MVA pro- Chongqing passed a quality audit per- ABB, have helped the employees in the duction volume, within the ABB group. formed by the international auditors Det Chongqing factory adopt ABB manage- Norske Veritas, and in December of the ment principles and processes. same year the company was awarded its Table 1 ISO 9001 Quality System Certificate. From 800 to 25000 MVA annual Production Production Since then ABB Chongqing has also year 500 kV units transformer production volume MVA volume units been certified according to the environ- In December 1998, the design, manufac- 1999 842 14 - mental standard, ISO 14001, as well as ture and testing of the first 110 kV 2000 3665 50 4 to the Chinese occupational health and TrafoStar transformer in Chongqing was 2001 5540 53 9 safety standard, OHSAS 18001. completed. The following year saw the 2002 10183 70 29 delivery of the first six 220 kV trans- 2003 16807 89 56 Like all ABB power transformer facto- formers, and in 2000 the first four 500 kV 2004 25104* 105* 69* ries, ABB Chongqing is using the Six transformers were delivered. After that, Sigma methodology to measure and volumes started to rapidly increase. * According to production plan 2004. control the quality of its operations. Table 1 details the annual production Using this methodology: volumes during the short history of the The quality of the product is meas- company. Quality ured in a large number of the pro- The focus for ABB Chongqing was to duction steps. In 2003, high voltage shunt reactors establish a factory that manufactures The measured quantities are com- were added to the production program large power transformers to the highest pared against target values to deter-

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mine the given tolerances and the Zhejiang province. Development of Sigma value for ABB Chongqing and the DPMO-value (de- 4 Using this project as a refer- fects-per-million-opportuni- operations ence, ABB Chongqing has ties). received more orders for These DPMO-values can similar transformers, thus then be converted into 4,5 making it one of the major Sigma values to give an 4 suppliers of large generator 3,5 overall measure of the σ transformers in China. quality level of the product. 3 2,5 These examples show that, 4 shows the development of 2 within only six years, ABB the Sigma value for ABB’s 2000 2001 2002 2003 Chongqing is now capable of Chongqing operations from manufacturing transformers of 2000 to 2003. With an indus- the highest quality up the trial standard value of typi- highest ratings required in the cally 3.5, it can be seen that Chinese power system, using the quality level of the ABB the highest ABB quality level. Chongqing operations shows very good improvement over time and is currently well on par with other industrial leaders.

The real test of product qual- ity is of course its perform- ance during operation. To date, all power transformers manufactured at ABB’s Chongqing factory have and continue to perform very well in Chinese power plants and various substations. Producing high quality and high per- formance products means that ABB Chongqing now has an excellent by air up to 67 percent of full load and reputation within the Chinese Electric thereafter forced air-cooling by fans. Supply Bureaus and grid companies. ABB Chongqing completed this order, from the contract right through to com- Customer confidence missioning, within just one year. Transformers from the Chongqing fac- tory are installed in many key substa- Steam turbine generators produce more tions. One of these is the 500 kV sub- than three-quarters of the electricity in station in the fast growing Pudong China today. Together, 600 MW genera- economic developing zone in down- tors and 720 MVA generator step-up town Shanghai. This substation is transformers are commonly used in equipped with two 1000 MVA banks thermal power. Three phase transform- of single-phase autotransformers. The ers are preferred when transport facili- transformers are rated at 334 MVA, ties permits. ABB Chongqing was 510/230±2*2,5%/36 kV. In order to awarded a contract to deliver 4 units of NaiQing Wang meet strict environmental requirements, this type of transformer to a new power Anders Lindroth the cooling of the transformers is de- plant in the city of Jiaxing, which is situ- ABB Chongqing Transformers Co.Ltd signed as ONAN/ONAF, ie, self-cooling ated on the border between Shanghai China

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