Electrical steel, also known as silicon steel, is a crucial material in the manufacturing of electrical components and equipment. Known for its magnetic properties and high electrical resistivity, electrical steel is vital in the efficiency and performance of electrical transformers, motors, and generators. This specialized steel is designed to minimize energy loss during the conversion and transmission of electrical power, making it a key material in energy-efficient electrical systems.
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Electrical steel is a type of steel alloy that contains silicon, which enhances its magnetic properties and electrical resistivity. These characteristics allow electrical steel to reduce energy loss during the transmission of electricity, making it an ideal material for manufacturing transformers, generators, and electric motors. The addition of silicon to the steel improves its permeability, allowing it to conduct magnetic fields more efficiently while minimizing hysteresis and eddy current losses. Electrical steel is commonly produced in two types: grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) and non-grain-oriented electrical steel (NGOES), each with specific applications in the electrical industry.
Electrical steel exhibits high magnetic permeability, which means it can efficiently carry magnetic fields. This property is essential in reducing energy loss during the operation of transformers and electric motors.
One of the most important properties of electrical steel is its low core loss. This refers to the amount of energy lost as heat when the steel is subjected to alternating magnetic fields. Electrical steel is specifically designed to minimize these losses, improving the overall energy efficiency of electrical systems.
Silicon increases the electrical resistivity of the steel, which helps reduce the formation of eddy currents that can cause energy loss in the form of heat. High resistivity ensures that electrical steel can operate efficiently in transformers and motors without significant energy waste.
Electrical steel has a high magnetic saturation point, meaning it can carry a high level of magnetic flux without saturating. This property is critical for applications that require strong magnetic fields, such as large transformers and industrial motors.
Electrical steel is often produced in thin sheets, or laminations, to further reduce energy losses. These laminations are used in the cores of transformers and motors to improve energy efficiency and performance.
Electrical steel is engineered to minimize energy losses during electrical power generation, transmission, and conversion. Its high electrical resistivity and low core loss properties make it essential for energy-efficient transformers, motors, and generators.
The magnetic properties of electrical steel enable transformers and electric motors to operate more efficiently and with greater performance. By reducing energy loss and improving magnetic flux, electrical steel enhances the functionality of key electrical devices.
By minimizing eddy currents and hysteresis losses, electrical steel reduces the amount of heat generated in electrical components. This helps prevent overheating, prolongs the life of equipment, and ensures safer operation in high-voltage applications.
The use of electrical steel in energy-efficient devices helps reduce overall energy consumption, lowering operational costs and contributing to sustainability efforts. Electrical steel also extends the lifespan of transformers and motors, reducing the need for frequent replacements and repairs.
Electrical steel is used in a wide range of electrical devices, from small household appliances to large industrial transformers. Its versatility makes it a critical material for both consumer and industrial electrical applications.
GOES is specifically engineered for use in transformers. It has high magnetic permeability in one direction, making it ideal for reducing energy losses in large electrical transformers. GOES is primarily used in power generation and electrical transmission industries.
NGOES is used in applications where magnetic fields are present in multiple directions, such as electric motors and generators. It is commonly found in industrial motors, appliances, and automotive components. NGOES offers good magnetic properties and is widely used in the manufacturing of rotating machinery.
Electrical steel is essential for the production of transformer cores. Its ability to carry magnetic fields with minimal energy loss makes it ideal for both power and distribution transformers. The use of GOES in transformer cores helps reduce energy losses during the transmission of electricity over long distances.
Electric motors rely on electrical steel to convert electrical energy into mechanical motion. NGOES is commonly used in the production of motor cores, where its magnetic properties allow for efficient energy conversion. Electrical steel is also used in electric vehicle (EV) motors, where energy efficiency is crucial for maximizing range and performance.
Electrical steel plays a key role in the construction of generator cores, where its high magnetic permeability and low core loss help generate electricity efficiently. Generators used in power plants, wind turbines, and industrial applications rely on electrical steel to minimize energy loss and enhance output.
Electrical steel is used in the production of household appliances, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines. Its energy-efficient properties help reduce electricity consumption in these devices, making them more environmentally friendly.
In the automotive industry, electrical steel is used in electric and hybrid vehicle motors. Its ability to reduce energy losses and improve performance makes it essential for developing energy-efficient automotive technologies. NGOES is commonly used in the production of electric motor cores for automotive applications.
The demand for electrical steel is increasing globally as industries focus on energy efficiency and sustainability. The need for high-quality electrical steel is growing with the rise of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, and energy-efficient appliances. Governments and industries worldwide are investing in energy-efficient technologies, driving the adoption of electrical steel in transformers, motors, and generators.
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In the energy sector, particular attention is currently being paid to a material that has been established for a long time, but whose potential is only really coming to fruition against the backdrop of the energy turnaround: high-alloyed electrical steel. The high-tech material, which is manufactured in a complex production process, shows its strengths, among other things, in areas where rotational movements are efficiently converted into electrical energy or energy has to be transformed from one voltage to another with low losses.
"Without electrical steel, a transformation of the energy infrastructure is not feasible. It is the key material for core components of the energy transition such as wind turbines generators and transformers. Electric mobility will not work without electrical steel either, because it is needed for every electric vehicle and in every charging station," agree Angelo di Martino, CEO of thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel, and Georgios Giovanakis, Head of Sales. At thyssenkrupp Steel, they are responsible for the two electrical steel divisions: grain-oriented and non-grain-oriented.
With our high-tech powercore® electrical steels, we are helping to meet the increasing ecological demands in transformer construction.
Angelo di Martino, CEO thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel
In developing these key materials needed for the energy and mobility revolution, thyssenkrupp Steel relies on intensive customer cooperation. Giovanakis: "We are continuously researching and developing further solutions to accompany the increasing demands of the energy and mobility industry. Cooperations in the field of research and development for innovative products are a matter of course for us. In doing so, we place great value on long-term partnerships."
To see how successful practical projects emerge from such development partnerships, it is worth taking a look at Aurich. Just as Berlin is the political epicenter of Germany and Frankfurt am Main enjoys a reputation as a financial metropolis, the small northern German town, an hour and a half's drive from Bremen, is the unofficial capital of wind energy. Not only because of the stiff breeze that blows here about 30 kilometers away from the Wadden Sea and the East Frisian Islands. But above all because Enercon has its headquarters here. Germany's biggest wind turbine manufacturer has been using non-grain-oriented electrical steel from thyssenkrupp Steel for many years.
Since our beginnings, we have relied on high-quality non-grain-oriented powercore® electrical steel from thyssenkrupp Steel for our generators.
Ralf Mühlenbrock, Senior Component Head Generator at Enercon Production
For the Enercon engineers, the electrical steel from Bochum is a core component in several respects: they use the material not only to generate electricity, but also across the entire energy value chain thanks to Enercon's versatile product portfolio. Right through to the consumption of energy in electric motors and devices. Depending on the electrical steel grade used, powercore® can achieve high efficiency there. "The performance of the generators and thus the efficiency of the entire wind turbine (WT) depends to a large extent on the material properties," explains Thomas Sube, Key Account Manager for non-grain-oriented electrical steel at thyssenkrupp Steel.
Enercon, as one of the world's market leaders with over 31,600 wind turbines installed, has individual requirements for the material; for this reason, thyssenkrupp Steel adapted the properties and composition of the electrical steel especially for the wind turbine manufacturer. For example, through a special alloy that ensures better conductivity and good punchability.
These material properties are necessary because Enercon combines important manufacturing steps. For example, the company cooperates with a foundry in the district of Aurich, where rotor hubs, machinery frames and blade adapters are produced. The special feature: just under half of the material used is steel scrap from the company's own generator production. The chads from electrical steel are collected, melted down and recycled – this is only possible thanks to the tailored material from thyssenkrupp Steel.
The energy turnaround is also being driven forward in North Rhine-Westphalia. For example, by the grid operator Amprion, which is expanding its extra-high voltage grid for the current transformation of the energy system. Among other things, the company is responsible for transporting the green electricity generated by wind or solar power in northern Germany to the major consumer centers in southern and western Germany. An expansion of the electricity infrastructure is essential for this – after all, the share of renewable energies in gross electricity consumption is to rise to at least 80 percent by . At least, that's what the amendment to German Renewable Energy Act (EEG) envisages. That's why Amprion and its project partner TransnetBW are currently planning and constructing the so-called Ultranet, a 340 kilometer-long electricity highway. It stretches from Osterath in North Rhine-Westphalia to Philippsburg in Baden-Württemberg and, as things stand at present, will come on stream in . According to Amprion, the total cost of the mammoth project is around 1.7 billion euros.
Like a bypass, the new connection is intended to route the wind energy arriving from the north to the south past the grid in the Rhineland, which is already fully exploited today. And in a technically new way for Germany. To understand this, you need to know: Electric current can be transported by two different methods: as alternating current or direct current. Until now, alternating current, in which the polarity changes constantly, has been considered the European standard. Against the backdrop of the energy turnaround, however, high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission lines, which have lower losses for long-distance transport, are gaining in importance. Ultranet will soon enable more powerful use of the existing power line because an AC circuit on the mast can be operated in DC technology in the future.
Only top grades from thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel are used for the Ultranet transformers
Mike König, Siemens Energy
In order for green offshore electricity to be used by consumers in Baden-Württemberg, it must first be made ready for transport in a converter station in Meerbusch near Düsseldorf before it travels via the HVDC line. Here, at the starting point of the Ultranet, in addition to the work of switchgear and converter modules, the most important thing is the performance of the transformers. During the necessary conversion from alternating to direct current and back again, they ensure the efficient transformation to the higher or lower voltage level that is required in each case – and make it usable again at the end point for the 380-kilovolt alternating current grid of the end consumers.
Twelve high-tech transformers are doing their job in each of the three converter stations required for the Ultranet and its extension called A-North in Meerbusch, Philippsburg and Emden. Each is the size of a normal semi-detached house with three floors: twelve meters high, ten meters long, weighing 280 metric tons. The giant apparatuses are manufactured by Siemens Energy, a world leader in energy technology and one of only three global suppliers of direct current technology. Grain-oriented electrical steel plays a key role in the design process, according to commodity manager Mike König. For the central component of the machine, the transformer core, a material is needed that reduces energy losses to a minimum.
"Only top grades from thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel are used for the Ultranet transformers," says König. These are hair-thin iron-silicon alloy electrical steel strips, often no thicker than 0.23 millimeters. They are already partly made of bluemint® powercore®, a reduced-CO2 and thus more climate-friendly material that helps to noticeably reduce the ecological footprint of transformer production at Siemens Energy. Thanks to the innovative high-tech plates, the transformers used for the Ultranet achieve an efficiency of around 99 percent under full load. König: "This means that our systems not only meet the highest standards of energy efficiency, but also fulfill the recently further tightened requirements of the EU Ecodesign Directive." Marcel Hilgers, Sales Manager at thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel, knows the savings potential that can be realized through the successive modernization of transformers in Europe with the help of electrical steel: "The EU hopes the stricter requirements for transformers will save about 16 terawatt hours annually by . This is roughly equivalent to half the electricity consumption of Denmark.
The advancing energy turnaround is not only changing the energy system itself, but also the use and application fields of energy in general. A serious change can already be observed in the area of mobility: Among other things, the EU Commission is demanding that only zero-emission vehicles be sold from onwards. It fits into the picture that Germany has joined the Zero-Emission Vehicle Alliance (ZEV) as part of its adapted climate policy. This international alliance, which includes the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, among others, aims to accelerate the global switch to zero-emission vehicles. By , there should only be zero-emission passenger cars. Consequently, the automotive industry is also working at full speed on new vehicles and technologies, the operation of which should no longer be dependent on fossil fuels. Instead, manufacturers are focusing on the direct use of electricity through battery-electric drives – and are increasingly striking a chord with customers. Germany already represents the largest market for electric cars in Europe.
Steel from thyssenkrupp Steel is an indispensable part of this development. Numerous renowned brand manufacturers rely on this versatile material in every respect for the development and design of contemporary automotive solutions. For example, there are already CO2-neutral vehicle models on the market, the steel content of which, including doors and hood, is well over 90 percent.However, steel plays a very important role not only in the body, but also in the heart of the electric vehicle – the electric motor. And again, it is electrical steel products that pave the way to the future.
Non-grain oriented electrical steel powercore® and powercore® Traction are our contribution to greater energy efficiency, renewable energy generation and sustainable mobility on rail and road.
Georgios Giovanakis, Head of Sales, thyssenkrupp Steel
"Non-grain-oriented electrical steel is indispensable for electric mobility," says Frank Bosch, Key Account Manager in Sales Automotive at thyssenkrupp Steel. This is due to the special requirements placed on the drive unit in electric vehicles. Because in contrast to conventional electric motors, for example for elevators or household applications, where the operating frequency is around 50 Hz, motors for electric cars have high speeds. This results in significantly higher electrical frequencies of well over 400 Hz. Soft magnetic materials are needed to prevent high remagnetization losses at these frequencies, which would have a negative impact on the efficiency of the motor – and thus also on the range of the vehicle. Ideally thin, with homogeneous mechanical and magnetic properties. Non-grain oriented electrical steel falls into this category. "The magnetic flux density of the material, which is crucial for the torque of the motor, is additionally positively influenced by a special processing," observes Frank Bosch. The result: with non-grain-oriented powercore® Traction electrical steel, the core losses in electric motors for electric vehicles are almost 30 percent lower than those of today's standard grades.
This would not be possible without constant research and development work. Frank Bosch: "We operate our own motor test bench in our Application Technology department, where we test our powercore® Traction grades in the various motor types. This enables us to provide our customers with the best possible advice on selecting the right grade depending on the specific requirements." How well this functions is shown not least by the success with end customers. In the past year, the number of new registrations of battery-powered electric cars in the EU increased significantly compared with the previous year: from 539,000 to 878,000 vehicles. A trend that is continuing: As reported by the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA), registered all-electric vehicles accounted for just under 10 percent of total registrations in the second quarter of . This is a significant jump compared with the same period of the previous year. And who knows: perhaps some models will soon be charged with green offshore electricity from the Ultranet?