Power Transformer Diagnostics:

Novel Techniques and their Application

Charles Sweetser
Technical Service Manager

Transformers

Topics of Discussion

Introduction to Power Transformers

Life Expectancy

Failure Modes

Diagnostic Characteristics

Diagnostic Measurements

Standard Measurements

Advanced Measurements

SFRA - Sweep Frequency Response Analysis

DFR - Dielectric Frequency Response

Transformer Considerations

Transformer Types and Classifications

Transformer Configurations

Vector Groups

Oil Preservation Systems

Insulating Materials and Fluids

Construction Forms

Core Steel

Ratings

Cooling Schemes

Tap Changers (OLTC, DETC)

Bushings

Surge Arresters

Transformer Types and Classifications

Distribution

Power

Rectifier

Arc-Furnace

Network

Regulating (Voltage Regulators)

Phase Shifting

Reactors*

Vector Groups

Winding Types

1. Disk Winding
2. Pancake Winding
3. Helical Winding
4. Cylindrical or Layer Winding

Courtesy of Delta Star, San Carlos, CA

Courtesy of Delta Star, San Carlos, CA

Construction Forms
Core Form

Shell Form

Concentric

Interleaved

Less Iron

More Iron

More CU

Less CU

Core Form

Shell Form

Life Expectancy
180,000 hrs or 20.55 years
110 C Hottest Spot for 65 C Temp Rise insulation
Degree of Polymerization (200 -1200 DP)
1200 DP - New Paper

200 DP at 150,000 hrs (end of life)

Heat
Moisture
Oxygen

Failure Modes

Failure Modes

Core Failure Modes

Over-Heating

Lamination Gaps

Bulk Movement

Shorted Laminations

Multiple Core Grounding

Ungrounded Core

Oil Analysis DGA and Oil Screen

Hydrogen (H2)

Rate of Gas Generation

Methane (CH4)

Partial Discharge

Ethane (C2H6)

Arcing

Ethylene (C2H4)

Electrical Heating

Acetylene (C2H2)

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Metal Heating

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Decomposition of Paper

Oxygen (O2)

Nitrogen (N2)

Oil Analysis DGA and Oil Screen

Dielectric Breakdown
IFT
Color
Acidity
Power Factor
Moisture
Specific Gravity
Viscosity

Degree of Polymerization DP (Paper)

Furans (Oil)

Transformer Tests
Dielectric

Thermal

Mechanical

DGA

DGA

SFRA

Oil Screen

Oil Screen

Leakage Reactance

PF/TD CAP

IR

PF/TD CAP

Exciting Ima

DC Winding RES

Exciting Ima

Turns Ratio Tests

DFR
Insulation Resistance

DC Winding RES

Transformer Test Protocol

1.

Overall Power Factor and Capacitance (Tip-Up, Variable Freq)

2.

Bushings (C1, C2, Energized Collar) (Tip-Up, Variable Freq)

3.

Exciting Current

4.

Surge Arresters

5.

Insulating Fluids

6.

Leakage Reactance (Frequency Response of Stray Losses)

7.

Turns Ratio Test

8.

DC Winding Resistance (Slope, Ripple)

9.

Insulation Resistance

Overall PF and Capacitance

Bushings

Test Taps kV < 72 kV (C1 and C2)

Potential Taps kV > 72 kV (C1 and C2)

No Tap Use Energized Collar at 10 kV

Bushings

Surge Arresters

Analyzed on the basis of Watts

Advanced Diagnostics
1. Advanced Power Factor
Tip-Up: Voids in Insulation
Variable Frequency (15 Hz to 400 Hz): Moisture and Aging

2. Advanced DC Winding Resistance

Ripple and Slope

3. Advanced Leakage Reactance

FRSL (Frequency Response Stray Losses)

4. SFRA - Sweep Frequency Response Analysis

5. DFR - Dielectric Frequency Response

Variable Frequency Losses

2.50E-03

Serial
Parallel
Sum

2.00E-03
1.50E-03

1.00E-03
5.00E-04
0.00E+00
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Normal Power Factor

Power Factor Influenced by Moisture

Slope and Ripple

Slope

Ripple

Advanced DC Resistance - Slope

Slope

0.0A/s
-0.1A/s
A UP
A DOWN
B UP
B DOWN
C UP
C DOWN

-0.2A/s

-0.3A/s
-0.4A/s
-0.5A/s
-0.6A/s
000

005

010

015

020

025

030 Taps

Advanced DC Resistance - Slope

Slope

0.0A/s
0

10

12

-0.2A/s
A UP
A DOWN
B UP
B DOWN
C UP
C DOWN

-0.4A/s
-0.6A/s
-0.8A/s
-1.0A/s
-1.2A/s
Taps

Advanced DC Resistance - Ripple

Ripple

50.0%
45.0%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%

A UP
A DOWN
B UP
B DOWN
C UP
C DOWN

6
Taps

10

12

FRSL - Good

R(f)
4.5 Ohm
4.0 Ohm
3.5 Ohm
3.0 Ohm
2.5 Ohm
2.0 Ohm
1.5 Ohm
1.0 Ohm
0.5 Ohm
0.0 Ohm

A
B
C

100

200

300

Frequency (Hz)

400

500

FRSL Poor Result

Short-Circuit Between Parallel Strands

R(f)
300
250
A
B
C

200
150
100
50
0

50

100

150

200

250

Frequency [Hz]

300

350

400

Dielectric Frequency Response (DFR)

Power Factor in Frequency Domain

Volt age source

Current m et er
HV- winding
LV- winding

Power Factor

10

0,1

Guard

0,01

Main insulat ion

Tank

0,001
0,0001 0,001 0,01 0,1

10 100 1000
Frequency (Hz)

Moisture in Transformers

1. Reduces Dielectric Strength

2. Promotes the Formation of Bubble

3. Ages Insulation with Heat and Oxygen

Moisture Terminology Paper, Pressboard, and Oil

1. Water Content

Pressboard & Paper (percentage of total mass)

Oil (PPM)

2. Moisture Saturation P,P,O (Relative, Humidity)

Moisture Fact in Transformers

1. If mass of oil equals paper-pressboard,

then at equilibrium the water content is
(2000:1)
2. In transformers there is 10X more oil
mass than paper and pressboard, so
the water content is (200:1)

Oil Ratio to Paper : Pressboard

Mass of the oil:
100,000 kg = 220,000 Lbs
Water content at 60 C:
40 ppm

Mass of the solid insulation:

13,000 kg = 20,000 Lbs

Water content at 60 C:
4%

Mass of the water, dissolved in the oil:

Mass of the water contained in the

paper:

4 kg = 8.8 Lbs

520 kg = 1200 Lbs

.DUO )LVFKHU 7LWUDWLRQ DQG (TXLOLEULXP &XUYHV

Curves are only valid

for new oil and new
paper, for aged
oil/paper different
curves are necessary

Balance between water

content in the paper
and in oil needs
constant temperatures
over a long period

Only average
measurement

11

20 C

[%]

30 C

40 C

Water Content in the Paper

50 C

8
7

low

60 C

Temperature

80 C

high

3
2

100C

1
0
0

10

20

30
40
50
60
Water Content in the Oil

70

[ppm]

90

Water Content Recommendations

Category Moisture content in %

Dry below

2.2

Moderately wet

2.2-3.7

Wet

3.7-4.8

Extremely wet above

4.8

Measurement Characteristics

I ( ) = j C 0 ( ) + ( )

j 0 + ( ) U ( )
0

Dissipation factor

0
+ ( )
C ( ) ( ) 0
tan ( ) =
=
=
C ( ) ( ) ( ) + ( )
10

moisture of
cellulose,
aging
high
high
low

0.1

insulation
geometry

moisture of
cellulose
and aging

0.01

low

0.001
0.0001 0.001 0.01

high

oil
conductivity
0.1

Current in wide frequency

range,
e.g. 1 mHz 1 kHz
Display as dissipation
factor or complex
capacitance or complex
permittivity

Interpretation

Slope - oil conductivity

Hump - insulation geometry
Low frequencies
- moisture and aging

low

10
100 1000
Frequency (Hz)

- long test duration

Measurement Examples
60Hz

5.0
2.0
1.0
0.5
0.2

0.12

0.1

Moderate

New

0.05

Aged

0.02
0.01

0.0036

0.005

0.0024
0.0001

0.001

0.010

0.10

1.0

10.0

Freq/Hz 1000

New, dry, cold: 1kHz - 0.1 mHz

Moderate: 1kHz - 1 mHz
Very aged: 1kHz - 10 mHz

3.1 % at 9 qC Oil Sample Yielded 5.0%

What is SFRA?

Powerful and sensitive tool to assess the

mechanical and electrical integrity of
power transformers active part
Measurement of the transfer function
over a wide frequency range

Diagnostic Category

Dielectric
Thermal
Mechanical

Use SFRA:
1. Transportation
2. Post Fault

Life Cycle
Manufacturer Workshop
Delivery Port

Quality Assuring

Truck Transport 1

Transport Checking

After Short Circuit Test

Failure Investigation
Ship Transport

Reception Port

Routine Measurement
After Transients/Overcurrents
Truck Transport 2

Failure Investigation (DGA)

Transport Checking

The SFRA Measurement Principle

3

Transformator

2
Spannung U2/U1 in V/V

Spannung U1/U1 in V/V

2
1

> 17/03/2010
0

50

100

-1
-2

0
0

50

100

-1
-2

-3

-3
Zeit t in s

Zeit t in s

Erregungssignal
Input signal
(variable Frequenz)

2
1-|TF(f1)|
^
U1

^
U2

0
0

M(f1)/2 f

50

100

Spannung U/U1 in V/V

(sine wave of
variable frequency)

OutputAntwortsignal
signal
3

-1
-2

|TF(f1)| =

-3

arc(TF(f1)) =

^
U2
^
U1

M(f1)
Zeit t in s

Betragsfunktion
|TFU2/U1(f)|Magnitude
dB

1.0

1.000e+002

1.000e+003

Phasenfunktion

Phase
arc(TFU2/U1(f))

1.000e+004

1.000e+005

150.0

100

100.0

50

0.6

0
0.4

-50

-60

-100

0.2

arc(TFU2/U1(f)) in deg

-50

|TFU2/U1(f)| in V/V|

-40

150
0.8

-20

-30

200.0

f/Hz

-10

f/Hz

50.0

1.000e+002

1.000e+003

1.000e+004

1.000e+005

0.0
-50.0
-100.0

-70

-150

-150.0

-80

0.0

-200.0

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

-90

f in MHz
NV

1.0

1.2

1.4

0.0

NV

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8
f in MHz

1.0

1.2

1.4

Theoretical Background
Cables Grounding

x (t ) = X sin t

Measurement
cable

y (t ) = Y sin( t + )

Measurement
cable

RMC12

RMC34

CMC

TF =

U 2 (s)
Rm
=
U1 ( s ) Rm + Z specimen

CMC

CMC

CMC

k = 20 log10 (U 2 / U1 )

Complex RLC Network

= tan 1 (U 2 / U1 )
50

dB

Magnitude (k)

10
0

U1

50

U2

1.000e+002

50

1.000e+003

1.000e+004

-10

1.000e+005

Phase

150
1.000e+006

f/Hz

100

-20

50

-30
-40

-50
-60

1.000e+002

-50

1.000e+003

-70
-80

-100

-90

-150

-100
-110

-200
-120

H1 H2

H2 H3

H3 H1

H1H2

H2H3

H3H1

1.000e+004

1.000e+005

1.000e+006

f/Hz

Passive Components

RLC Characteristics

0
Amplitude [dB]

Amplitude [dB]

-50
L=200 mH
L=2 mH
L=20 H

-100

-150
1
10

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

C=1uF
C=20nF
C=1pF

-150
2

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

10

100

L=200 mH
L=2 mH
L=20 H

-50

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

Phase []

Phase []

-100

-200
1
10

10

-100
1
10

-50

10

C=1uF
C=20nF
C=1pF

50

0
1
10

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

10

Typical Results
5.000e+001

1.000e+002

5.000e+002

1.000e+003

5.000e+003

1.000e+004

5.000e+004

1.000e+005

5.000e+005

1.000e+006

5.000e+001

1.000e+002

5.000e+002

1.000e+003

5.000e+003

1.000e+004

5.000e+004

1.000e+005

5.000e+005

1.000e+006

f/Hz

-20

-30

-40

-50

-60

-70

dB

150

100

-50

-100

N W sec

N V sec

NU

f/Hz

Failure Modes

Radial Hoop Buckling Deformation

Axial Winding Elongation Telescoping

Overall- Bulk & Localized Movement

Winding Turn-to-Turn Short Circuit

Open Circuited Winding

Radial Failure

Axial Failure

Pag

Conductor Tilting

Core Faults

Pag

Measurements Types
Open Circuit - Exciting Ima
Short Circuit - Leakage Reac
Interwinding - CAP

Transfer Voltage - TTR

HV and LV Open Circuit

Open Circuit Tests

Open Circuit vs. Short Circuit

Short Circuit Tests

Analysis Strategies

Baseline
Similar Unit

Phase Comparison

FRA Industry Groups

CIGRE WG A2.26 (Guide)

DL 911/2004 (Standard)

IEC 60076-18 (Draft)

IEEE WG PC57.149 (Guide) D8

Standardization in the World

WG A2.26
PC57.149/D8

IEC 6007660076-18

DL 911/2004

CHINA

Available Documents
Cigr Brochure 342

DL 911/2004

Available Documents
IEC 60076-18

IEEE PC57.149

Thank You for Your Attention