Re:Researchers identify largest ever solar storm in 14,300-y...
by foobarian on Friday October 20, 2023 @10:13AM
(#37956321)
Thanks for the detail, this is very neat. I wonder if transformers like this are in an "uncanny valley" of manufacturing where there is barely not enough demand to bootstrap mass production like for example turbines. Turbines have very exact tolerances as well, but it seems that with higher unit counts orgs like GE managed to churn them out.
Perhaps the liquid piece is also making things more difficult; I'm sure a dry object is a lot easier to warehouse until needed.
Re:Researchers identify largest ever solar storm in 14,300-y...
by s1artibartfast on Friday October 20, 2023 @01:03PM
(#37958669)
I thought turbines had lead times on the order of years
Re:Researchers identify largest ever solar storm in 14,300-y...
by foobarian on Friday October 20, 2023 @01:34PM
(#37959076)
12GW at 1100kVDC. [1] That's bonkers! I wonder what the spare part plan is for this beast.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pGH1B863oI&ab_channel=Engin...
Re:Researchers identify largest ever solar storm in 14,300-y...
by namibj on Saturday October 21, 2023 @03:47AM
(#37964905)
They are dry until delivered, because they already max out the transport vehicle's capability (often highly specialized transformer carrier train cars with like 16 axles at each end to spread the weight).
Transformers are the sort of think that are not rocket science to build, but every single detail is very very important. It requires a team of people to design, construct, and validate and all these people need to have the skills from doing it many times before. These people and facilities simply don't exist in large enough numbers because they are very expensive.
There are also supply chain issues to consider - the steel used in transformer magnetic circuits for example is a very specific metallurgy and construction. During COVID it was quite difficult to find. Poor steel means poor efficiency which at the scale of these machines can mean millions of wasted mwh of power over time.