Industrial Power Transformers -- Operation and

maintenance [part 1]
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1. DESIGN AND LAYOUT OF TRANSFORMER INSTALLATIONS

Outdoor substations

In planning a transformer layout there are a number of requirements to be considered.

All power transformers containing BS 148 or IEC 60296 oil are considered to represent a potential fire hazar
this must be a primary consideration when designing a transformer substation. They should be located in suc
a transformer initiate a fire, this will be limited to the transformer itself and its immediate ancillary equipment
other unit or equipment, cabling or services associated with any other unit.

This requirement is particularly important if two or more transformers are to be installed in the same substatio
other.

Fire hazard imposed by mineral-oil-filled transformers

In having regard to the above recommendations it should be recognized that mineral oil is less of a fire haza
thought to be the case. The closed flash point is specified as not lower than 140ºC, that is, it shall not be pos
sufficient vapor in an enclosed space to be ignited upon exposure to a flame or other source of ignition at tem
figure. In non-enclosed spaces the temperature will be proportionally higher. It is generally considered that m
wick in order for it to produce sufficient vapor to enable it to burn freely. The incidence of fires involving trans
continues to confirm work done some time ago when a review of UK electricity supply industry statistics carri
Central Electricity General Board (CEGB) (and unpublished) suggested that the likelihood of a fire resulting f
involving a transformer below 132 kV is very low. This is probably because at the lower system voltages, fau
protection operating times are such that it is not possible to input sufficient energy in a fault to raise bulk oil te
level necessary to support combustion. Provided the sensible precautions identified below are taken, therefo
transformers of 33 kV high voltage HV voltage and below can be installed within reasonable proximity of buil
without the need to resort to the use of fire-resistant fluids, dry-type or cast resin-insulated transformers. Suc
become necessary when transformers are installed inside buildings and indoor installations will be discussed

Where fires have been initiated in the past, it has usually been the case that a fault has occurred which has s
in very rapid loss of the oil. If the site of the fault, at which, almost by definition, a high temperature will exist,
exposed to the atmosphere ignition will occur and the transformer insulation will then serve as the wick to su
Again this emphasizes that where the fault energy is not so high as to cause rupture of the tank, the fire risk
Rapid fault clearance times will, of course, also reduce the energy input into the fault and adequate provision
devices, that is, more than one on a large tank, will reduce the risk of tank rupture. Consideration may be giv
operation of the pressure relief device trips the transformer, but any resultant risk of spurious tripping will nee
against a possible gain in respect of reduced fire risk.

Any potential low-energy ignition mechanism must also be guarded against.

Typically this can occur where a fault causes a gradual drip or seepage of oil onto a heated surface. Such a
when an overheating external bushing connection overheats due to a high contact resistance. If this reaches
which the thermal movement cracks a porcelain insulator so that oil leaks onto the overheated joint, this can
continuing slow feed of oil can turn the area into a blowtorch. One of the dangers of incidents of this type is t
protection is not initiated and the fault can remain undetected until the fire has reached a very serious level.

Minimizing the fire hazard

The conventional practice for many years has been to provide a surface of chippings in substations containin
transformers and switchgear with a drainage sump so that any oil spilled will quickly be taken off the surface
from feeding any fire resulting from a major fault. However, as a result of the UK Central Electricity Generatin
investigations in the 1960s into a number of serious generator transformer fires, it became clear that chipping
oily over the years and had acquired a coating of grime, tended to provide the wick which, when a fire had be
this more difficult to extinguish.

Of course, in the case of isolated substations it is not always possible to pro vide an arrangement better than
CEGB, following the above investigations, developed a system which proved very effective in preventing maj
type of incidents which had on earlier occasions given rise to them. This involves providing each transformer
spray fire protection installation. It consists of a system of spray nozzles located around the transformer and
which provide a total deluge when initiated, usually by the bursting of any one of a series of glass detector bu
in an air-filled detector pipe placed around and above the transformer. The whole installation is normally emp
a detector bulb initiates, the resultant air pressure drop releases a water control valve allowing water into the
and thence to the spray nozzles. As the water is normally maintained at a pressure of 8.5 bar it immediately
fire and back up fire pumps are started to maintain the water supply pressure. An important part of the strate
extinguishing of a fire is the rapid removal of any spilled oil from the surface of the plinth.

When stone covered sumps were provided this often resulted in any oil which had collected with time, being
the surface due to the spray water displacing it. To avoid this, instead of chippings, the surface must be smoo
drainage trenches are provided and these must have an adequate fall to a transformer oil collection and con
Another important consideration in designing any system of fixed waterspray fire protection is to ensure that
vulnerable to serious damage by the initiating incident. This means that the routing of the fire supply main, in
very carefully examined to ensure that it cannot be disrupted by an explosion in any of the transformers that
protect.

Clearly large quantities of oil and water cannot be allowed to enter the normal stormwater drainage system, s
trenches are taken to interceptor chambers which allow settlement and separation of the oil before allowing t
admitted to the normal stormwater drainage system.

A typical arrangement is shown in Fig. 1. Although the plinths are designed to drain rapidly, it is important to
which might be contaminated with oil is not allowed to flood into neighboring areas, so each plinth must be c
bund wall which will hold, as a minimum, the total contents of the transformer tank, plus 5 minute operation o
and this after heavy rain has fallen onto the area.

The system is costly in terms of civil works and it requires the availability of the copious quantity of water nec
waterspray fire protection system, so it cannot normally be considered for other than transformers in power s
transformers in major transmission substations where such resource can be made available, but in these typ
clearly the most effective method of dealing with the fire risk. Good house keeping in transformer compounds
considerable benefit.
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FIG. 1 Arrangement of water and oil drains for transformer plinth

Oil containment
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Even where the more traditional system of chippings and sump is used as a base for the transformer compo
need to be given to the possibility of loss of all the oil from the transformer tank and its cooler.

Suitable provision must be made to ensure that this will not enter drains or watercourses. Such provision will
means of a bund wall surrounding the transformer and its cooler which together with any sump must be capa
total oil quantity in addition to the maximum likely rainfall over the area. Since the bunded area will under nor
conditions need provision for stormwater drainage, then suitable oil interception arrangements must be made
holding any oil released.

Segregation and separation

Where it is not economic to consider the type of elaborate measures described above, then other design fea
incorporated to allow for the possibility of fire. Such features involve segregation or separation of equipment.

Separation involves locating the transformer at a safe distance from its standby, where one is provided, or an
equipment which must be protected from the fire hazard. Ten meters is usually considered to be sufficient dis
that not only must the transformer be a minimum of 10m from its standby, but also all connections and auxilia
services must be separated by at least this distance.

On most sites such an arrangement will be considered too demanding of space, so this leads alternatively to
of segregation, which relies on the use of fire-resistant barriers between duty and standby plant and all their
The integrity of the barrier must be maintained regardless of how severe the fire on one transformer or of how
persists. In addition the barrier must not be breached by an explosion in one of the transformers, so it will no
to construct it from reinforced concrete and of such an extent that flying debris from one transformer cannot
equipment, including bushings, cables, cooler and cooler pipework or switchgear associated with its standby
reasons transformers should be at least 1m from any wall but this space may need to be increased to allow f
described below.

Other considerations for substation layout

In addition to the requirements to preserve the integrity of standby from duty plant and vice versa as outlined
consideration when arranging the layout of a transformer substation is that of ensuring correct phase relation
these to be correct to enable transformers to be paralleled is discussed further in Section 6.4. Every site sho
system phasing diagram prepared showing incoming circuits and plant within the site. Although the principles
errors are found during commissioning with surprising regularity. It greatly helps the avoidance of such errors
to a convention when arranging the layout of a transformer. Low-voltage (LV) cables between transformer an
transposed to enable these to appear in the correct sequence at the switchboard, but it is not always easy to
overhead connections or metal clad phase-isolated busbars, so the transformer should always be positioned
allow these to run in the correct sequence and connect directly to its terminals without any requirement for in
In the UK, the convention is that the phase sequence when viewed from the HV side of the transformer is A,
means that viewed from the LV side the phase sequence will run c, b, a left to right or a, b, c right to left. If th
or LV, or both, these may be at either end but they must be shown on the transformer nameplate in their corr
the line terminals. Phasor relationships are referred to the HV side of the transformer with A phase taken as
position.

Phasors are assumed to rotate anticlockwise in the sequence A, B, C.

In the concluding section of the previous section it was explained that movement of a large transformer on si
process. In designing the sub station layout, therefore, another important factor is that of access for the trans
transporter. Small transformers up to, say, 25 tonnes might be lifted from the transporter using a mobile cran
correct orientation directly onto their foundations. However, most will require to be maneuvered by means of
rails into their correct position.

Allowance must therefore be made for positioning of the transporter adjacent to the raft in the best position fo
operation, and appropriately located anchor points must be provided for haulage equipment. Of course, altho
extremely reliable items of plant, they do occasionally fail, so that allowance should also be made for possibl
minimum disturbance to other equipment in the event of the need for replacement.

In planning the layout of the transformer substation, except where the transformers are water-cooled, consid
given to the need for dissipation of the losses. Whether radiators are tank-mounted or in separate free-stand
be adequate space for circulation of cooling air. If the cooler is too closely confined by blast walls and/or adja
possible that a recirculation system can be set up so that the cooler is drawing in air which has already recei
from the transformer. Ideally the cooler, or the transformer and its radiators if these are tank mounted, should
sides equal to its plan dimensions.

FIG. 2 shows a typical two-transformer substation layout having consideration for the above requirements an
features identified.

FIG. 2 Typical two-transformer arrangement within 132 kV substation.

Transformers in buildings

Although all the recent experience and evidence emphasize the low fire risk associated with oil-filled power t
particularly those having an HV voltage below 33 kV and rating of less than, say, 10 MVA, where a power tra
installed within a building the fire risk is perceived to be such that the use of mineral oil is best avoided. Such
to be imposed by insurers even if design engineers or architects were to suggest that this might not be neces
The use of all types of electrical equipment in buildings is nowadays extensive and the consequent magnitud
load has meant that many office blocks and commercial buildings take an electricity supply at least at 3.3 kV
transformed down to 415V for internal distribution.

There is thus a growing market for fire-resistant transformers. There is also a great diversity of types of trans

As discussed in Section 3.5, until the non-flammable dielectrics of the type based on polychlorinated bipheny
deemed to be unacceptable in view of their adverse environmental impact, they had little competition as the
transformers installed in buildings. Possibly some manufacturers and users saw benefit in avoiding the use o
entirely and turning to dry-type transformers, but at this time, class C dry-type materials were unreliable unle
good clean dry environment and cast resin was very expensive as well as having questionable reliability.

There was therefore very little call in textbooks for sections such as this, since the choice was very simple an
operating problems of PCB transformers were few.

PCB was such an excellent dielectric that none of the possible replacements are quite able to match its elect
its fire resistance. In addition, there is now a greater awareness of the need to avoid environmental hazards,
resulting from leakage of the dielectric or faults within the transformer but also from the combustion products
transformer be engulfed in an external fire, so that for any prospective new dielectric there is a very stringent
be overcome. Nowadays the designer of an installation within a building must have satisfactory assurance o

• The dielectric must be non-toxic, biodegradable and must not present a hazard to the environment.

• The dielectric must have a fire point above 300ºC to be classified as a fire resistant fluid.

• The dielectric must not contribute to or increase the spread of an external fire nor must the products of com

• Normal operation, electrical discharges or severe arcing within the transformer must not generate fumes or
are toxic or corrosive.

The liquid dielectrics identified in Section 3 will meet all of the above requirements. The fire performance of c
dependent on the type of resin and the type and quantity of filler which is used. Cast resin encapsulated tran
most reputable manufacturers will be satisfactory on these aspects, but, if there is any doubt, the designer of
should seek assurance from the supplier of the transformer.

Generally, a liquid-filled transformer will be cheaper and smaller than a resin encapsulated or other dry-type
installation must make provision for a total spillage of the dielectric, that is, a sump or a bunded catchment a
to prevent the fluid entering the building drains. If the transformer is installed at higher than ground floor leve
annexes on the roof are frequently favored by architects, then the installation must prevent leak age of the flu
The cost of these measures could outweigh the saving on the cost of the transformer and the extra space ta
enclosure could offset any saving in space resulting from the more compact transformer. Conversely, where
transformers are used, other services within the building, particularly water mains, should be located so as to
transformer and its associated switchgear are not deluged in the event of a pipe leak. Such events unfortuna
common during the finishing phase of a new building. Needless to say the area where the transformer is to b
completed and weatherproof before installation of a dry-type transformer. (Whilst manufacturers of cast resin
doubt, be keen to stress their ability to withstand onerous conditions such as condensation or dripping water
connections to the transformer are unlikely to be quite so tolerant of these adverse conditions.) A dry-type or
transformer will probably be housed in a sheet-steel cubicle integral with the switchboard with LV busbars co
the switchboard incoming circuit breaker. The cubicle and transformer will very likely be delivered and installe
although some manufacturers are now able to supply these as a single unit. The cubicle should be securely
switchroom floor and, when installed, the transformer should be positively located and fixed within the cubicle
(screed) should be smooth and level so that the transformer can easily be rolled into or out from its cubicle a
capable of withstanding the imposed loading of the complete transformer (see Table 1) at any location within
minimum spacing of 0.75 m should be allowed between the transformer cubicle and the rear of the switchroo
must be provided in front of the cubicle for maneuvering the core and windings in and out. Switchroom doors
enough to enable the transformer to enter and also to be removed at some later date should a problem arise
aspect which is often overlooked and it is not uncommon for switchroom doors to have to be hastily modified
arrives on site before it can be taken into the switchroom. FIG. 3 shows a typical arrangement of 415 V switc
11/0.415 kV transformer.

Table 1: Typical total weights of oil-filled and cast resin insulated transformers - 3 phase, 11 kV [It should be
weights are typical only for transformers having average impedance and losses. ]

Significant departures from the above values may be found in specific cases. Losses of up to 30% less are e
weights would be considerably greater in proportion.

FIG. 3: 415 V switchboard with integral 11/0.415 kV cast resin transformer (Schneider Electric)

Whilst it is desirable that the switchroom should be clean, dry and have some heating in service before the tr
the heat dissipated by the transformer must also be taken into account in the design of the heating and venti
iron loss, which could amount to 2 kW for a 1 MVA transformer, will need to be dissipated from the time that t
into service. Load loss could be up to 10 kW at full load for a 1 MVA unit, so a considerable demand is likely
H and V system. Table 1 gives typical losses for other ratings of transformers.

In order to obtain the full rated output and any overloads, indoor transformers should always be accommoda
ventilated location which at the same time provides the necessary protection against rain and dripping water

Too great a stress cannot be laid upon the necessity for providing adequate ventilation, since it is principally
which decide the life of a transformer. Badly ventilated and inadequately sized switchrooms undoubtedly sho
transformers, and hence should be avoided.

A liquid-filled transformer does not lend itself so conveniently to incorporation into the MV switchgear in the s
type, since it will be installed within a bunded area with the switchboard on the outside of this.
Although it is possible to bring out 415 connections via 'monobloc' type bushings suitable for connecting to b
has less flexibility as regards layout than 415 V cables. It is likely, therefore that a cable connection would be
FIG. 4 shows a synthetic liquid-filled 11/0.415 kV transformer suitable for indoor or outdoor installation and d
connection via 415 V cables to its MV switchboard. Such a transformer has the advantage that it is virtually m

FIG. 4 A synthetic liquid-filled 11/0.415 kV transformer suitable for indoor or outdoor installation and designe
415 V cables to its MV switchboard (Schneider Electric).
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