Prospects for increasing supply voltage and design of electrical field rotating machine windings supplied from power electronics

As mentioned in a recent editorial in this magazine [1], distributed generation (renewables), automotive and, in general, transport and industrial utilization are fast changing the structure of electrical assets as well as the typologies and design of electrical apparatus. This is due mostly to the more widespread use of renewable generation and the electrification of transport, including power electronic converters and inverters, which can provide higher voltage, lower losses and make the asset more efficient and power dense. In the long run, medium voltage (MV) transformers will tend to disappear and perhaps high voltage (HV) transformers may be endangered. The future typical industrial, transport and, likely, T&D assets will be made by hybrid networks where power will be delivered in AC or DC, depending on convenience, and most of the loads (rotating machines) will be controlled by power electronics.