31 October 2013

Oil Analysis An Important Tool for Transformer Diagnosis

Conference on Electrical Power Equipment Diagnostics
Bali, Indonesia

Thomas Prevost
Oil Analysis
Study and test the oil to determine
the condition of overall insulation
system

1. Dissolved Gas Analysis DGA
2. Oil Quality
3. Furans
Page 2 OMICRON
OMICRON
Page 3
3
Oil Diagnostics


DGA
Oil Quality
Source of Gas Byproducts of Faults
Oil
Hydrogen
Hydrocarbons
Cellulose
Carbon Oxides
Water

Page 4 OMICRON
OMICRON
Page 5
C C
H
H
H
H
C
H
H
H
H
C
H
H
H
C
H
H
H
C
C C
C
C
H H H
H
H
HH H H
H
C C H H H H
Acetylene
Ethylene
Methane
Ethane
Hydrogen
Heating
Heating
Arcing Corona
Heating
Oil - Byproducts
OMICRON
Page 6
Degradation of cellulose
O
H
O
H
O
H
OH
OH
O
H
H
CH
2
O
CH
2
OH
H
O
H
H
O
OH
H
Heating
Heating
C O
O C O
O
H H
Carbon Monoxide Carbon Dioxide
Water
Section of
Cellulose
Molecule
DGA Analysis
1. Fault Gas Levels
2. Rate of Gas Generation (Trend)
3. Ratio of Gas Levels

Page 7 OMICRON
OMICRON
Page 8
Gases reported:
Fault Gases

Methane CH
4
Ethane C
2
H
6

Ethylene C
2
H
4
Acetylene C
2
H
2

Carbon Monoxide CO
Carbon Dioxide CO
2




Atmospheric Gases

Nitrogen N
2

Oxygen O
2


OMICRON
Page 9
Thermal Faults:

Normal Operating Temperature:
Carbon Monoxide CO
Carbon Dioxide CO
2

150 C 500 C:
150-250 C : Relatively large quantities of low molecular
weight hydrocarbons
Hydrogen H
2
Methane CH
4

250-350 C : Increasing hydrogen relative to methane
Ethane C
2
H
6

350-500 C : Still increasing hydrogen and ethylene
Ethylene C
2
H
4


Sources of Fault Gases in Transformers
OMICRON
Page 10
Electrical Faults:

Partial Discharges:

Oil: Hydrogen
Cellulose: Hydrogen, Carbon Monoxide

Arcing:

Oil: Acetylene, Hydrogen
Sources of Fault Gases in Transformers
OMICRON
Page 11
Gas Generation (Not to Scale)
Approximate Oil Decomposition
Temperature above 150
o
C

IEEE and IEC Codes to Interpret Incipient Faults in Transformers, Using Gas in Oil Analysis,
by R.R. Rogers C.E.G.B, Transmission Division, Guilford, England. Circa 1978.
Partial Discharge (Not Temperature Dependent)
Range of Normal Operation
Hot Spots
(Of increasing temperature)
Arcing Conditions
6
5
o

1
5
0
o

2
0
0
o

3
0
0
o

8
0
0
o

7
0
0
o

5
0
0
o

3
5
0
o

2
5
0
o

Hydrogen (H
2
)
Methane
(CH
4
)
Ethane (C
2
H
6
)
Ethylene (C
2
H
4
)
Acetylene (C
2
H
2
)
CH
4
>H
2

C
2
H
6
>CH
4

C
2
H
4
>C
2
H
6

C
2
H
2
>10% of C
2
H
4

Trace
Combustible Gas Generation vs.
Approximate Oil Decomposition Temperature
DGA Diagnostic Methodology
1. Determine if DGA results are Normal
1. Single sample compare results to C57.104-2008 Table 1
2. If greater than condition 1 then retest sample within two months
1. Verifies results from first test
2. Establishes gas generation rate
3. Greater than one sample
1. Calculate gas generation rate
2. Compare rate to values in C57.104-2008 Table 3
1. Sampling interval
2. Action
2. If DGA results are abnormal then follow various methodologies to
determine fault type and possible cause.
1. Key gas
2. Gas ratios

Page 12 OMICRON
OMICRON
Page 13
Dissolved Key Gas Concentration Limits (L/L
(ppm))
Status
H
2

Hydrogen
CH
4

Methane
C
2
H
2

Acetylene
C
2
H
4

Ethylene
C
2
H
6

Ethane
CO
Carbon
Monoxide
CO
2

Carbon
Dioxide TDCG
b

Condition 1 100 120 1 50 65 350 2500 720
Condition 2 101-700 121-400 2-9 51-100 66-100 351-570 2500-4000 721-1920
Condition 3 701-1800 401-1000 10-35 101-200 101-150 571-1400 4001-
10000
1921-
4630
Condition 4 >1800 >1000 >35 >200 >150 >1400 >10000 >4630
IEEE C57.104-2008 Table 1
OMICRON
Page 14
TDCG
Levels
(L/L)
TDCG Rate
(L/L
/day)
Sampling Intervals and Operating Procedures for Gas
Generation Rates
Sampling
Interval Operating Procedures
Condition 4 >4630 >30 Daily Consider removal from service.
Advise manufacturer
10-30 Daily
<10 Weekly Exercise extreme caution.
Analyze for individual gases.
Plan outage.
Advise Manufacturer
Condition 3 19214630 >30 Weekly Exercise extreme caution.
Analyze for individual gases.
Plan outage.
Advise manufacturer.
10-30 Weekly
<10 Monthly
Condition 2 7211920 >30 Monthly Exercise caution.
Analyze for individual gases.
Determine load dependence.
10-30 Monthly
<10 Quarterly
Condition 1 720 >30 Monthly Exercise caution.
Analyze for individual gases.
Determine load dependence.
10-30 Quarterly Continue normal operation.
<10 Annual
IEEE C57.104 2008 Table 3 Gas Generation Rates
15
Factors influencing the interpretation of results:
Type of faults:

-PD: partial discharges of the corona-type.
-D1: discharges of low energy.
-D2: discharges of high energy.
-T1: thermal fault (T < 300C).
-T2: thermal fault (300 C < T < 700C).
-T3: thermal fault (T > 700C).
-DT: mixtures of discharges and thermal faults.

-S: stray gassing of oil (T < 200 C), catalytic reactions (not
related to faults).
16










Typical faults in the equipment:

-PD: corona partial discharges in voids or gas bubbles
(poor drying, impregnation).
-D1: partial discharges of the sparking type, tracking in
paper, small arcing, arc breaking in LTC oil.
-D2: short circuits with power follow-through, flashovers,
tripping, gas alarms; extensive damage, metal fusion.

17










Typical faults in the equipment:

-T3: large circulating currents, shorts in laminations,
carbon particles in oil.
-T2: circulating currents, defective contacts,
carbonization of paper.
-T1: overloading, insufficient cooling.
-S: stray gassing , catalytic reactions on wet metal
surfaces.

18










Mixtures of faults

-mixtures of faults sometimes occur rather than pure
faults and may be more difficult to identify with certainty.
-for instance, mixtures of faults D1 and T3 may appear
as faults D2 in terms of gas formation.

19
Energy/ temperature required to produce gases:

-Low energy/temperature: H
2
, CH
4
, C
2
H
6
, CO, CO
2
.
-High temperature: C
2
H
4
.
-Very high temperature/energy: C
2
H
2
.

-In practice, always mixtures of gases are formed.
20
Fault identification methods
-Key gas
-Rogers
-Duval Triangle

-CO and CO
2
(paper involvement in faults)
-O
2
/N
2
(hot spots, membrane leaks)
-C
2
H
2
/H
2
(OLTC leaks)

OMICRON
Page 21
Oil
Cellulose
Hydrogen
Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide
Parti al Di scharge
Oil Low Temperature Hydrogen, Methane, Ethane
High Temperature Hydrogen, Ethylene, Methane, Ethane
Cellulose Low Temperature Carbon Dioxide
High Temperature Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide
Pyrol ysi s
(Acetylene is most significant)
Hydrogen, Acetylene, Methane, Ethane, Ethane, Ethylene
Arci ng
IEEE C57.104-2008 Key Fault Gases
Possible Faults
Possible Reasons
Rogers Ratio
DGA Diagnosis (Duval)
OMICRON
Page 26
Oil Quality Tests
Tests the condition of the insulating fluid.

Use results for maintenance action No action
Recondition
Reclaim
Replace
Use the results to access the condition of the
Insulation System
Dielectric Strength
Power Factor
Moisture
Acid
Furans


OMICRON
Page 27
Oil Quality Tests
Several standards are referenced for oil quality tests
and result interpretation:

IEC 60422 Mineral Insulating Oil in Electrical Equipment
Supervision and Maintenance Guide


IEEE Guides
C57.106-2006 Guide for Acceptance and Maintenance of
Insulating Oil in Equipment
C57.152 IEEE Guide for Diagnostic Field Testing of Fluid
Filled Power Transformers, Regulators, and Reactors



Dielectric, Physical and
Chemical Analysis
Dielectric measurements
Break down voltage ASTM D 877
Break down voltage ASTM D 1816 IEC 60156
Power factor ASTM D 924 IEC 60247
Physical properties
Interfacial tension ASTM D 971 EN 14210
Particle Count ASTM D 6786 IEC 60970
Sludge ASTM D 1698
Water content ASTM D 1533 IEC 60814
Visual ASTM D 1500 ISO 2049
Specic gravity ASTM D 1298 ISO 3675
Color (lab) ASTM D 1500 ISO 2049
Color (eld) ASTM D 1524
Chemical properties
Polychlorinated biphenyl ASTM D 4059 IEC 61619
Acidity ASTM D 974 IEC 62021
Dissolved gas ASTM D 3612 IEC 60599
OMICRON
Page 29
IEEE Oil Classifications
Class I This group contains oils that are in satisfactory
condition for continued use.

Class II This group contains oils that do not meet the
dielectric strength and/or water content requirement of Table 5 and
should be reconditioned by filter pressing or vacuum dehydration.

Class III This group contains oils in poor condition that should
be reclaimed using Fullers earth or an equivelent method. Oils that
do not meet the interfacial tension (IFT), dissipation factor, and
neutralization number limits provided in table 5 should be reclaimed.


OMICRON
Page 30
IEEE C57.106-2006 Suggested Limits
If limits for:
IFT
Dissipation Factor
Acidity
are exceeded the
oil should be
reclaimed
otherwise the oil
can be
reconditioned if the
limits are
exceeded.


OMICRON
Page 31
Moisture Content
Karl Fisher Titration


Requires approximately 10 mL of oil.


Results are in ppm (mg/kg)
OMICRON
Page 32
Interfacial Tension (IFT)
Measures the strength of the interface between the oil
under test and water.

Indicator of the presence of polar contaminents.
OMICRON
Page 33
Dielectric Strength
OMICRON
Page 34
Aging process : Cellulose depolymerization
CH
2
OH
O
OH
OH
O
CH
2
OH
OH
OH
O
O
CH
2
OH
OH
OH
O
CH
2
OH
O
OH
OH
O
H
CH
2
OH
OH
OH
O
O
CH
2
OH
OH
OH
O
OH
OMICRON
Page 35
CH
2
OH
O
H
H
H
OH
OH
O
H
H
O
Glucose Unit
Cellulose Degradation
OMICRON
Page 36
Degree of Polymerization
Measurement of intrinsic viscosity after dissolving the cellulose
in a specific solvent.
Gives an average measurement of the number of glucose units
per molecular chain.

DP of Insulation Components prior to processing ~1200
DP of Insulation Components following processing ~1000
DP level considered as over-processed ~800
DP level considered end of life ~200

OMICRON
Page 37
Degree of Polymerization
Effects of aging:
- darkening of color
- loss of electrical and mechanical strength; trans. failure
- shortening of cellulose chains DP lowered
- paper becomes wetter, and acidic
- by-products contaminate the oil

Source ABB Power Technologies, Inc.

Progressive aging with time
Paper Insulation Aging in Mineral Oil
DP DP DP DP DP

1000 733 549 405 309
DP
181
Brittle & dark
End of
mech str.
IEEE Transformer Committee Panel Session October 25, 2005

OMICRON
Page 38
HOH
CO HOH
HOH
CH
2
OH
OH
O
O
H
H
H
H
O
C
OH
H
O
CHO
H
H
H
WATER
WATER
WATER
FURAN
CARBON
MONOXIDE
Degradation of Cellulose
OMICRON
Page 39

Most labs determine the concentration of five furanic compounds:

1. 2-furaldehyde (2FAL)
2. 5-methyl-2-furaldehyde (5M2F)
3. 5-hydroxylmethyl-2-furaldehyde (5H2F)
4. 2-acetyl furan (2ACF)
5. 2-furfuryl alcohol (2FOL)

Note: 2FAL is stable for years while all other furanic compounds are less
stable. They tend to form and then degrade to 2FAL over a time period of
months.
Furans
OMICRON
Page 40


2- Furfural vs. DP Correlation Plots
Correlation of DP with 2-FAL
OMICRON
Page 41
Summary & Conclusions
DGA is a valuable tool to detect transformer problems
Sample can be taken while transformer is in service
Can trend fault gases
Industry Acceptance


Oil Quality Testing can detect transformer problems as well as
indicate maintenance actions
Oil can be reconditioned or reclaimed
Inceases life of insulation system
Remove moisture, acids, particles etc.

The remaining life of the insulation can be estimated with Furan
analysis
31 October 2013
Questions