IEEE/PES TRANSFORMERS COMMITTEE

Tutorial Session:
“Novel Diagnostics for Load Tap-Changer” (LTC/OLTC)

This work was sponsored by EPRI: Barry Ward, and

BC Hydro: Mike Lau

Presenter:
Hans-Ulf Schellhase
Powertech Labs Inc.

Vancouver, B.C. Canada

April 14-18, 2002
 Copyright Information

§ © EPRI, BC Hydro, Powertech Labs Inc.

§ Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
§ This publication, in its entirety, or parts of this publication
may only be reproduced by written permission of all of the
following: EPRI, BC Hydro, Powertech Labs Inc.
 TOPICS

! INTRODUCTION
Fundamental Differences in the Oil-Chemistry:
Transformer versus Load Tap-Changer
! BACKGROUND
Simplified Description of Essential Elements of Load
Tap-Changer
! CORE PRESENTATION
Data and graphs gathered from
" Laboratory investigations
" Field case studies
" LTC database
Algorithms to assess LTC status
 TUTORIAL TEACHING OBJECTIVES

! GENERAL:
" To gain an appreciation of the diagnostic value of “Gas-in-Oil (DGA)”
for load tap-changer,
(a “No Respect” piece of sub-equipment)
! SPECIFIC:
" To provide an appreciation of the chemistry:
Load Tap-Changer vs Transformer
" To provide an overview of the commonalities and differences
between load tap-changers of different designs
" To introduce an interpretative approach to LTC - “Gas in Oil” data
(algorithms)
" To provide an explanation as to why LTCs do sludge up and
transformers (generally) do not
 LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS
An ARC (a Chemist’s View!)
CONTACT: “ELKONITE”

High pressure plasma & Melting & copper evaporation

high temperatures (sacrificial: cooling)
Gas Arcing (few m sec.)
High intensity of expansion akin to explosion
electromagnetic ~50ºC >1000ºC ~50ºC
radiation (UV)

Intense local/ mechanical shock

Melting & copper evaporation

(sacrificial: cooling)

CONTACT: “ELKONITE”

OIL HYDRO CARBON GAS

ELEMENTS

RECOMBINING
 LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS (continued)
Arc Gas Composition

C2H2 C2H4 C2H6 CH4 H2

26.8 4.9 0.16 4.0 64.1 IREQ, 19782

24.4 3.7 0.21 3.5 68.2 Kent, 1998

24.7 2.7 0.14 4.4 67.9 PLI, 1997, lab data

10-25% 1.0-2.9% - 1.5-3.5% 60.0-80.0% Myers et al

“A Guide to Transformer
Maintenance”
1981, p. 331
 LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS (continued)
Thermal Gases: Evolution vs Temperature
Polyaromatics:
(PAH)
Alkenes: Main:
Naphthalene
Butene Phenenthrene Carbon
Pentenes etc. Hydrogen
Cyclohexene Aromatics: Acetylene
Cyclopentadiene Benzene Methane
Toluene
Xylenes
(BTEX)
Ethylene
Beginning of Ethane
Slow Evolution of Methane Methane
Hydrogen Hydrogen
Ethylene
Methane Ethane Major Gas
Hydrogen Ethylene
Severe Region of
Pyrolysis Electric Arc

0º C 150º C 300º C 500º C 700º C 1000º C

550º C Thermal
Strong DPPH Appearance of
Response Acetylene
KENT SUBSTATION – FIELD CASE STUDY

Voltage Regulator 12VR53: Front View/Closed

KENT FIELD CASE STUDY (continued)
 KENT FIELD CASE STUDY (continued)
End of Phase 2: 88,400 switch operations.
Fluoropolymer implants lead to joule heating
100

Diverter switches w/o

90 fluoropolymer implants

80

70
%Sum Arc

60

50 Diverter switch with

fluoropolymer implants
40

30

20

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% Sum Thermal
 KENT FIELD CASE STUDY (continued)
Bar graph for the previous page

80

70

60
%SumArc
50

40

30 %SumTherm

20

10

0 %SumAlk
1

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25

27
 KENT FIELD CASE STUDY (continued)
Gases/Switch Operation

Av e r a g e f o r K e n t P h a s e s 1 a n d 2
2. 50 T o t a l G a s P r o d u c t i o n , in o il + h e a d s p a c e

2. 00

1. 50
ml/switch

1. 00

0. 50

0. 00
C 2 H2 C 2H4 C 2H6 C H4 H2
 KENT FIELD CASE STUDY (continued)
Contact Wear
Typical “bite” that develops over about 100,000 switch operations (Elkonite)
 KENT FIELD CASE STUDY (continued)
Gases/Switch Operation
Am ount of Com bustibles in Oil vs Headspace

50
Litres in Oil
45 Litres in Headspace
Total Litres
40
35
30
Volume (L)

25
20
15
10
5
0
C2H2 C2H4 C2H6 CH4 H2 TCG
 LTC DATABASE – Algorithms
1. [C2 H 2 + H 2 ] in % [v/v]
[TCG ]
2. The three Rose-Ratios for LTCs:
[Key Gases]
i. Rose Ratio #1
[Total Gas]
[Key Gases ]
ii.
[Acetylene] Rose Ratio #2

iii. [Ethylene] Rose Ratio #3

[Acetylene]
NOTE (dissolved gases):
Key Gases = [methane + ethane + ethylene]
Total Gases = [Key Gases + acetylene]
TCG = Total Combustible Gases =
= [Total Gases + carbon monoxide + hydrogen]
 LTC DATABASE – Gas Ratios

This and next slide show 370 distinct LTC entries ordered by the
decreasing (C2H2 + H2)/TCG %. LTC entries include a wide variety of gas
concentrations (TCG between 10 and 300,000 ppm).
 LTC DATABASE – Gas Ratios (continued)

This and previous slide show 370 distinct LTC entries ordered by the
decreasing (C2H2 + H2)/TCG %. LTC entries include a wide variety of gas
concentrations (TCG between 10 and 300,000 ppm).
LTC DATABASE – Gas Composition (sorted by C2H2)
Various Manufacturers
LTC DATABASE – Gas Composition (sorted by C2H2)
One Manufacturer
 LTC DATABASE – Average Gas Ratios
Various Manufacturers (M1–M18)

Number of LTCs in Database

Averages

%
 LTC DATABASE – All LTCs
100 (C2H2+H2)/TCG vs Key Gases
% Key Gases/TG,%
(C2H2+H2)/TCG, %
80

60

40

20

0
1 21 41 61 81 101 121 141 161 181 201 221 241 261 281 301 321 341 361
Unit Number (sorted)
 LTC DATABASE – One Method to Differentiate Between Designs
Compare the (C2H2+H2)/TDCG and H/C ratios
1

0.8
(C2H2+H2)/TG

0.6

Design “Y”
0.4 Design “X”

0.2

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
H/C
LTC DATABASE – Rose Ratios
EXAMPLES OF FAULT
AND FAILURE
Design #1
Problem: Loose Bolts
EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
Design #1: Contacts
 EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
Design #1 - Analysis
COMPARISON 'GIO' ANALYSIS: FAULT UNIT vs. SISTER UNIT

CONCENTRATION:
ppm [V/V] FAULT UNIT

200000

150000

100000

50000 SISTER UNIT

0
Hydrogen Carbon Methane Acetylene Ethylene Ethane
monoxide
COMBUSTIBLE GAS ANALYSIS: ASTM 'Gas in Oil'
EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
DGA – Analysis of 10 distinct LTC units
 EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
Design #2 Problem: Geneva Gear Adjustment

Coke and
damaged
contacts
Heavy internal
coke formation

Cracks
developing
as a result of
thermal
overload
 EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
Design #2
Topics And Status:
Phase II: Field Samples/Lab Data
# FPE (1978; 130 kV; MVA)
NORMAL
Gas Composition (98-Oct-01) Failure (00-Jan-27)
C2H2: 840 C2H2: 2790
C2H4: 300 C2H4: 101841
C2H6: 33 C2H6: 28204
CH4: 38 CH4: 49327
CO: 107 CO: 1397
H2: 57 H2: 3546

TDCG: 1375 ppm [v/v] TDCG: 187106 ppm [v/v]

C2H2 + H2 = 897 ppm C2H2 + H2 = 6336 ppm

C2H2 + H2 = 65% [v/v] of “TDCG” C2H2 + H2 = 3.4% [v/v] of “TDCG”
EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
Design #3a (unit with filtration)
EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
Design #3b (sister unit without filtration)
 EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
Design #3a vs #3b
KEY GASES OF LOAD TAP-CHANGER ANALYSIS: MISSION-SUBSTATION UNIT T1: WITH
FILTRATION, UNIT T2: WITHOUT FILTRATION
7000

ARCING = ACETYLENE

THERMAL = KEY GASES ACETYLENE

6000
(with filtration)

5000
CONCENTRATION [ppm V/V]

4000

ACETYLENE (without filtration)

3000

2000 KEY GASES(without filtration)

1000 KEY GASES(with filtration)

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
TIME [days]
 EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
T3 Tapchanger Inspection, Design #4, 122641 Operations

Thick layer of carbon covering all surfaces

 EXAMPLES OF FAULT AND FAILURE
T3 Tapchanger Inspection, Design #4, 122641 Operations
Problem: Maintenance - Loose Bolts and Grounding
T3 T3 T3 T2 T2
4-July-00 25-Aug-00 6-Oct-00 4-Jul-00 25-Aug-00
C2H2 2114 1243 825 38806 37597
C2H4 174203 191135 178428 27982 35254
C2H6 74768 83155 84489 4196 5519
CH4 25857 26875 23161 8403 9364
CO 190 182 134 310 312
CO2 4942 4765 3844 2324 2422
H2 19446 18926 18279 19799 19556
H2O 28 31 21 25 29
N2 12490 14014 29433 23110 23898
O2 1749 1142 9891 1133 1251