Transformer Oil Condition and Health Monitoring System

ABSTRACT

The fault free operation of transformers gives more impact on economic and
safety in power supply to utilities and industrial and domestic consumers. A sudden
breakdown/fault in a power Transformers will affect unexpected production interruption,
down time of the equipments in industries and the repair/replacement of the transformer,
it may lead to huge investment and expenses. The insulating oil in a transformer gives the
information about the actual state of transformer and its longevity. This proposed work
mainly focuses on condition monitoring of transformer oil by using PLC, SCADA with
suitable sensors for sensing parameters of oil like moisture content, temperature. By using
these parameters analysis can be done. In addition, the system incorporated with the GSM
module to alert the maintenance authority about the transformer fault condition, so that
the transformer can be saved from the huge damage.

INTRODUCTION
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Transformer Oil Condition and Health Monitoring System

Transformers are a vital part of the transmission and distribution system.

Monitoring transformers for problems before they occur can prevent faults that are costly
to repair and result in a loss of service. Transformers being the essential part of power
transmission system are expensive, and is the cost of power interruptions. Because of the
cost of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, especially at remote sites, the utility
industry has begun investing in instrumentation and monitoring of transformer.

The project objective is to develop low cost system for determining the health
condition of transformer by using the parameters of oil like moisture content, temperature
rise in the oil. These parameters are continuously monitored and are sent using GSM
technology to prevent premature failure of transformers and improving reliability of
services to the customers. An Embedded based hardware design is developed to acquire
data from electrical sensing system. It consists of a sensing system, advanced embedded
hardware for middle level computing (PLC and microcontroller), a powerful computer
network for further transmission of data to various places and SCADA to display the
parameter values and faults. A powerful GSM networking is designed to send data from a
network to other network for proper corrective action at the earliest. Any change in
parameters of transmission is sensed to protect the entire transmission and distribution.
The condition and faults occur in the transformer can be determined by knowing the
transformer oil parameters values such as, moisture content and particular temperature
rise of oil .

Basics of transformer
Transformer is a essentially a static electromagnetic device consisting of two or more
windings which link with a common magnetic field. The main purpose of power or
distribution transformer is to transfer electric power from one voltage level to another. It
works on the principle of electromagnetic induction. The main components of the
transformer are core, windings, insulation(solid or liquid) and tank. The purpose of
transformer core is to provide a low reluctance path for the magnetic flux linking the
primary and secondary windings. Transformer windings have been made from annealed
copper but aluminium is also used depending upon the rating and cost involved.

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Transformer insulation is provided mainly through mineral oil and kraft paper. This
insulation oil provides major information about the actual status of transformer and its
remaining life time.

Properties Of Transformer Oil

Insulating oil in an electrical power transformer is commonly known as Transformer
Oil. It is normally obtained by fractional distillation and subsequent treatment of crude
petroleum. hence this oil is also known as Mineral Insulating Oil. Transformer Oil serves
mainly two purposes one it is liquid insulation in electrical power transformer and two it
dissipates heat of the transformer that acts as coolant.

In addition to these, this oil serves other two purposes, it helps to preserve the core
and winding as these are fully immersed inside oil and another important purpose of this
oil is, it prevents direct contact of atmospheric oxygen with cellulose made paper
insulation of windings, which is susceptible to oxidation. Important properties of
transformer oil that determine the health of transformer are [5]-[7]:

Water Content in Transformer Oil

Moisture or Water Content in Transformer Oil is highly undesirable as it affects

adversely the dielectric properties of oil. The water content in oil also affects the paper
insulation of the core and winding of transformer. Paper is highly hygroscopic in nature.
Paper absorbs maximum amount of water from oil which affects paper insulation property
as well as reduced its life. But in loaded transformer, oil becomes hotter, hence the
solubility of water in oil increases as a result the paper releases water and increase the
water content in transformer oil. Thus the temperature of the oil at the time of taking
sample for test is very important.

During oxidation acid are formed in the oil the acids give rise the solubility of
water in the oil. Acid coupled with water further decompose the oil forming more acid
and water. This rate of degradation of oil increases. The water content in oil is measured
as ppm(parts per million unit). The water content in the oil should be minimum. Water
content in oil is allowed up to 50 ppm as recommended by IS – 335(1993) [1]-[5].

Specific Resistance of Transformer Oil

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An another important property of transformer oil is its specific resistivity . This is

the measure of DC resistance between two opposite sides of one cm3 block of oil. Its unit
is taken as ohm-cm at specific temperature. With increase in temperature the resistivity of
oil decreases rapidly in turn the conductivity of oil increases (The reciprocal of resistivity
is conductivity). Just after charging a transformer after long shut down, the temperature of
the oil will be at ambient temperature and during full load the temperature will be very
high and may go up to 90 oC at over load condition. So resistivity of the insulating oil
must be high at room temperature and also it should have good value at high temperature
as well. Hence specific resistance or resistivity of transformer oil should be measured at
27oC as well as 90 oC. Minimum standard Specific Resistance of Transformer oil at 90 oC
is 35X 10 12 ohm – cm and at 27 oC it is 1500X10 12 ohm - cm [5]-[7].

Dielectric Strength of Transformer Oil or BDV

Break down voltage (BDV) or Dielectric strength of transformer oil is measured

by observing particular voltage, at which sparking strants between two electrodes
immerged in the oil, separated by specific gap. Generally the gap between the electrodes
are maintained at 2.5mm and rise of voltage is controlled at 2Kv\s. The voltage at which
Dielectric strength of oil totally breakdowns and spark generates, is the respective BDV
of oil.

Low value of BDV indicates presence of moisture content and conducting

substances in the oil. Dry and clean oil gives BDV results, better than the oil with
moisture content and other conducting impurities. Minimum BDV or Dielectric Strength
of transformer oil is considered as 30 KV. Good transformer oil should have BDV above
30KV [5]-[7].

Viscosity Of Oil

Viscosity of Transformer Oil can be said that Viscosity is the resistance to flow, at
normal condition. Obviously resistance to flow of transformer oil means obstruction of
convection circulation of oil inside the transformer. A good oil should have low viscosity
so that it offers less resistance to the convectional flow of oil thereby not affecting the
cooling of transformer. Low viscosity of transformer oil is essential, but it is equally
important that, the viscosity of oil should increase as less as possible with decrease in

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temperature. Every liquid becomes more viscous if temperature decreases. By estimating

the values of these parameters of oil the condition of transformer can be determine [7].

Transformer Faults
The faults in transformer cause malfunctioning in the system. The faults that majorly
occur in the transformer during its working are as follows [3]:

Temperature rise in oil

The temperature in the oil starts increasing as working time of transformer
increases .This faults occurs in the transformer if the temperature of oil start rising above
65 oC.

Over load fault

As load to the transformer increases that increases the temperature of the oil due
to drawn of large currents. If the temperature rises above 90 oC the over load fault may
occur.

Insulation failure in oil

The average temperature rise in the oil should not exceed above the 110 oC. If it
rises above this temperature it causes insulation failure in oil and gases starts dissipating.

Problem Statement
In power generation and distribution system monitoring the transformer health is a
major issue. Failure of transformer causes a major problem to generation and distribution
system that’s leads to shut down of power in industries and domestic life and also leads to
a huge cost of replacement and waste of time. So monitoring the transformer health
before the major failure occurs can save the cost and also the problems that may occur
due to power failure. Hence there is a need of an automated system that continuously
monitors the transformer health and alerts the concerned authority before that failure of
the transformer.

Objective of Project

The objective of the project is to develop an intelligent system which monitors the
health condition of transformer by determining the faults that occurred in transformer due

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Transformer Oil Condition and Health Monitoring System

to changes in the oil parameters and displays that through SCADA and sends the
information to the concerned authority through GSM.

Block Diagram & Description

The basis block diagram of the transformer health monitoring system is as shown
in figure 2.1. This includes the following components.

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Transformer Oil Condition and Health Monitoring System

Microcontroller MAX GSM

232

Power Controller
supply Webserver

Moisture Temperature
Sensor Sensor

Transformer oil

Figure 2.1: System Block Diagram.

Sensors
The sensors required to sense the oil parameters. The sensors are immersed in the
transformer oil to continuously determine the changes in the oil parameters. The sensors
used here include the following:

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Temperature sensor

It is used to detect the changes in the temperature of the transformer oil depending
on the transformer operation and load condition. As temperature of transformer oil
changes its properties such as viscosity, water content. The temperature sensor used here
is PT100 sensor which is a platinum resistance thermometer.

Moisture sensor
This sensor is used to detect the moisture content present in the oil. The
transformer oil has different values of moisture content at ambient and other temperature.
When the oil gets heated up the moisture content present in the oil changes this changes
will be sensed by this sensor. The moisture content sensor used here is FC28 [9].

Microcontroller

It can take multiple analog inputs and gives digital outputs. The purpose of
controller here is to take the analog inputs from the sensors and gives the automated
digital output. These output digital values are given as input to microcontroller.

The purpose of microcontroller is to send the faults through the GSM modem. On
receiving the faulted information from PLC the particular port pins of microcontroller
will be made high and that particular fault is transmitted as a message through the GSM
modem.

MAX 232

The MAX232 IC is used to convert signals from an RS232 serial port to signals
suitable to use in TTL compatible digital logic circuits. It is used to convert the RS232
logic level signals to TTL logic level signals and vice versa.

GSM System

A GSM modem is a specialized type of modem which accepts a SIM card, and
operates over a subscription to a mobile operator, just like a mobile phone. The purpose

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of GSM modem is to send the monitoring parameters values and faults of transformer to
authorized person number in control room.

Summary

Transformers are among the most generic and expensive piece of equipment of the
transmission and distribution system. Regular monitoring health condition of transformer
not only is economical also adds to increased reliability . So it is possible to take proper
solution before converting fault in to fatal situation. This type of remote observation of
health condition of transformer not only increases the life of transformer also increases
reliability and decreased cost of power system operations.

In this project monitoring of transformer is done using automated PLC system and
advanced wireless technology for sending the fault information through GSM to operator
or concerned authorized person.

REFFERENCES

[1] Prof. Dr Branislav Jeremic, ”Modern Approach to Problems of Transformer Oil

Purification” Volume 24, No. 3&4, 2002.

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Transformer Oil Condition and Health Monitoring System

[2] Shigemitsu Okabe, Shuhei Kaneko, Masanori Kohtoh, “Analysis Results for
Insulating Oil Components in Field Transformers” IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and
Electrical Insulation Vol. 17, No. 1; February 2010.

[3] Vadirajacharya.K,Ashish Kharche, Harish Kulakarni, Vivek Landage, “Transformer

Health Condition Monitoring Through GSM Technology” International Journal of
Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 3, Issue 12, December-2012.

[4] N.Nagaraju1, M.S.Kiruthika “Fault Sensing In A Remote Transformer Using GSM &
Automatic On/Off Of Street Lamps” International Journal of Advanced Research in
Electrical,Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering Vol. 2, Issue 10, October 2013.

[5] A,K Sawhney “Electrical machine design “,Dhanpatt Rao and sons, 6th Edition,2006.

[6] Mohammad Ali Mazidi and Janice Gillispie Mazidi, the 8051 Microcontroller and
Embedded systems, Pearson education, 14th Edition, 2005.

[7] http://www.electrical4u.com/transformer-insulating-oil-and-types-of-transformer-oil/.

[8]http://www.rockwellautomation.com.

[9] http://www.nskelectronics.com/moisture_sensor.html.

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