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AN ASSESSMENT OF TRANSFORMER INSULATION DIELECTRIC STRENGTH

UNDER FAST HV TRANSIENTS GENERATED BY SF6 BREAKERS BASED ON
MEASUREMENT OF THE WINDING TRANSFER- FUNCTION

R. MALEWSKI* R. C. DEGENEFF E. TROYAN

Instytut Elektrotechniki Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Zaporozhtransformator
Poland United States Ukraine

Introduction operates. A substantial part of energy of such transients

The transfer function of the conventional disc winding
exhibits a series of natural resonant frequencies that
start at approximately 10 kHz and disappear in vicinity
of 250 kHz. These resonances can be excited by the
standard lightning impulse (1.2/50 μs), since its spectral winding terminal.
harmonics extend to approximately 100 kHz.
In an interleaved disc winding these natural resonant
frequencies are damped and shifted to the lower
frequency range. This resonance damping was achieved
by a very high series capacitance of the interleaved
double-discs. The high series capacitance results from
an interleaving of the turns between the upper and lower
disc. In terms of circuit theory, the natural resonance
damping and shifting is obtained by „pole by zero
cancellation” [1].
The interleaved winding is often referred to as a „non-
oscillating winding”, since it does not oscillate when
excited by the standard lightning impulse.
However, a dominant resonance is observed in such
winding at a higher frequency, between 0.5 MHz and
1.5 MHz, depending of the interleaving style such as
invented by Chadwick/Stearn [2] and VanNuys [3,4].
Very steep-front transients overvoltages are generated
by an SF6 insulated substation when a disconnect switch
______________________________________________________________________________________________
* Prof. Dr-Ing. Ryszard Malewski, Łowicka 53 m 12, 02 535 Warszawa, Poland, E-mail: malewski@ieee.org
is carried by their high-frequency spectral harmonics
that stretch up to 1 MHz. An interleaved winding with
its dominant resonance located below 1 MHz may be
excited to oscillate when such impulse is applied to the
The interleaved winding dominant resonance is of
concern, in the case of a transformer directly connected
to SF6 busbar. A well controlled distribution of
dielectric stress in the winding at this resonant
frequency is of practical importance, since several
transformer failures have been reported due to the fast-
front transient overvoltages generated by SF6 insulated
substations. Some of these failures were identified as
the turn-to-turn insulation breakdown in the first coils
from the HV winding terminal [5,6]. This type of
internal breakdown is usually caused by an excessive
dielectric stress on the winding series insulation that is
induced by a steep-front overvoltage.
An origin of this main resonance has not yet been
identified, and no specific guidance has been provided
to HV transformer designers how to shift this resonance
to a higher frequency. It can be stated that low-
frequency resonances have been effectively damped and
do not present a serious threat to the interleaved
winding insulation, but the dominant high frequency
resonance is of concern.
Measurements taken on large, HV power
transformer with interleaved windings.
HV winding
To determine the origin and nature of this resonance an
investigation was launched both by measurement on
large, HV power transformers and by the winding-
simulation study.
A transient voltage distribution has been measured
along the HV winding of a large 800 kV class power
transformer excited by a steep-front, low-voltage pulse.
The transient voltage at every double-disc of the
untanked winding has been recorded using a high-
resolution digital oscilloscope [7,8]. The winding
transfer function was derived from these records at
every double-disc, as shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 Transfer function of an interleaved winding
measured at subsequent double-discs of the
untanked transformer. The lower frequency poles
that stretch up to ~200 kHz in a disc winding, have
been damped and shifted to a lower frequency
range (<50 kHz), but a prominent resonant pole has
showed up at ~1.15 MHz.
Fig. 2. An interleaved-winding transfer function plotted
at every double-disc in the higher frequency range
from 1.MHz to 1.5 MHz. The dominant pole shows
up at ~1.15 MHz, and this voltage-harmonic is
spread over the upper-part of the winding.
The curves presented in Fig.1 have been plotted as a
three-dimensional graph to reveal the voltage
distribution at this resonant frequency along the winding
coils. The three-dimension graph is presented in Fig. 2,
and shows that this dominant resonance is spread along
the winding upper-part.
To complete the examined winding characteristic, the
low-frequency resonant poles are presented in Fig. 3 in
the same format. The frequency axis scale has been
reversed to expose the second, third and higher
resonances.
Fig. 3. Low frequency resonances of the interleaved
winding. It can be observed that these resonances
are effectively damped and compressed to the
frequency range below ~50 kHz.
An effect of the transformer LV winding on the
measured transfer function can be seen in the frequency
range between ~0.4 MHz and 1 MHz, in Fig.1. Both
terminals of the LV winding were grounded during the
measurements, but internal resonances of the LV
winding were reflected to the HV side and show up
mainly in its lower part.
Regulation winding
A steep-front impulse applied to the HV winding
terminal travels down the interleaved double-discs with
little attenuation. Then this impulse hits the regulation
winding that usually represents higher impedance.
Designers try to reduce the regulation winding
impedance for the steep-front impulses, to avoid the
traveling wave reflection at such discontinuity.
Different winding styles have been tried to increase
capacitance of the regulation winding and to reduce its
inductance.
To evaluate performance of the regulation winding its
natural resonance frequency should be compared to the
respective frequency of HV winding. Such comparison
is of particular importance in vicinity of the main
resonance of HV winding. The transfer function
measured on the regulation winding taps is shown in
Fig. 4, and can be compared to the HV winding transfer
function presented in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. Transfer function measured at all taps of the
regulation winding. Two high-frequency resonances
at 0.85 MHz and 1.1 MHz are situated in vicinity of
the HV winding resonance that appears at 1.15
MHz, as it can be seen in Fig. 1.
Both, the HV and the regulation winding transfer
function was measured in the same way, i.e. the low-
voltage impulse was applied to the winding terminal and
the voltage on subsequent discs (or winding taps) was
recorded.
At the resonance frequency, the winding represents high
impedance, and a considerable voltage drop appears
across the HV winding double-discs, or the regulation
winding sections. Then the voltage is distributed
between these two windings in proportion to their
respective impedance, at the resonance frequency.
A computer model developed to simulate the
voltage distribution along the winding
A relatively simple model of the HV winding was
composed of 16 sections [9]. Each section includes a
branch that represents the high series-capacitance of
interleaved discs and their residual inductance as well as
the damping resistance. The dominant resonance
frequency of the interleaved winding is determined by
these inductance and capacitance.
Fig. 5. Computer model of the examined HV winding. The actual model was composed of 16 sections, but only 8-
section circuit is shown here. An inner, LV winding was not accounted for. Mutual inductance of five neighbor
sections of the HV winding was included in the calculation. The transfer function was calculated for each section.
A voltage distribution calculated along 16 winding sections corresponds to the transfer function, since a constant
voltage, variable frequency source was assumed.
The equivalent circuit employed for simulation of the
interleaved winding is shown in Fig. 5, and the transfer
function of 16 winding sections of the model is
presented in Fig. 6 and Fig.7. For sake of legibility only
8 sections of the equivalent circuit are shown in Fig. 5;
the actual model was two times longer.
It has been suggested by Satish [1] that the dominant
resonance shown at 1.15 MHz in Fig. 1 may be caused
by an interaction between the primary and secondary
winding. This explanation is contested since a simple
model of the interleaved winding indicates that the
dominant resonance at 1.15 MHz is determined by the
high capacitance and residual inductance of interleaved
double-discs. This model does not account for the effect
of secondary winding, and cannot reproduce the
resonances observed between 0.5 MHz and 1 MHz on
the measured transfer function shown in Fig. 1.
A closer look at Fig. 1 reveals that the influence of LV
winding is most pronounced at the central part of HV
winding. This is caused by the fundamental resonance
harmonic distribution along the LV winding. This
distribution reaches a maximum at the winding center
and decreases to zero at both grounded terminals of the
LV winding. A more detailed model that includes
capacitive and magnetic coupling to the LV winding
may provide an additional proof of this explanation.
This simple model has confirmed the initial assumption
on the origin of the dominant resonance. It has been
demonstrated that a change of series capacitance and
inductance results in a change of the dominant
resonance frequency. From this statement an important
conclusion can be drawn for transformer designers: the
dominant resonance frequency can be set in the range
from 0.5 MHz to 1.5 MHz, and sometimes even higher
by a proper choice of the interleaved winding style. A
transformer that is exposed to steep-front transient
overvoltages should be designed in such a way to keep
the dominant resonance as high a practical, and
certainly above 1 MHz.

Fig. 6. Transfer function of the simulated winding
calculated at 16 sections. This simple model
reveals the low-frequency resonances and the
dominant 1.14 MHz resonance.
Fig. 7. Voltage distribution along 16 sections of the
winding model plotted in vicinity of the dominant
resonance frequency 1.14 MHz.
Input impedance of the HV winding calculated
in the high and low-frequency range using a
detailed computer-model
A more detailed simulation of a typical continuous-disc
as well as interleaved-disc winding was carried out to
identify the origin of high-frequency resonance in the
interleaved-disc windings. A typical power transformer
with a disc type HV winding and layer type LV winding
was modeled to explore the effect of various disc-
winding styles. The modeled HV winding was
composed of 96 discs each containing 20 turns. Discs
were wound with 12.7 mm by 5.08 mm wire insulated
with paper wrap of 1.83 mm thickness. The LV winding
had 100 turns.
The HV winding was composed of 48 discrete sections
each of them represents one double-discs. Initially, they
were wound as continuous double-discs, and then as
interleaved according to Chadwick/Stearns [2]. The LV
layer winding was represented with 10 equal sections.
The simulation program converts the winding geometry
and material characteristics into series and shunt (or
parallel) capacitances, and into self and mutual
inductances. The double-disc series capacitance is
determined using an equivalent energy method [10], and
the shunt capacitance between segments determined
with Farr’s method [11]. The self and mutual inductance
is computed with White’s method for iron-core systems,
and closed-form expressions from Grover [12] for air-
core coils.
Fig. 8. Input impedance of the winding model composed
of 48 discrete sections. Each section simulates one
double-disc as a lumped circuit.
The program accuracy has been verified several times
by comparison to measured winding responses. It
should be noted that the continuous-disc winding model
contains 58 nodes (48 in the HV and 10 within the LV
winding), and a reasonably accurate representation of
the poles and zeros can be expected up to the 20th
resonance that shows up at approximately 250 kHz.
Poles and zeroes plotted above this frequency should be
viewed with skepticism
It can be seen in Fig. 8 that the continuous-disc winding
poles and zeroes occurring up to ~200 kHz are shifted to
a lower-frequency range (>20 kHz) in the interleaved-
disc winding, owing to its greater series capacitance.
At the second approximation, an individual double-disc
of the continuous, as well as Chadwick/Stearns and Van
Nuys interleaved-disc winding was modeled on a turn-
to-turn basis. The simulation program converted the
double-disc physical parameters into series and shunt
capacitances, as well as self and mutual inductances.
The double-disc impedance was calculated and plotted
against frequency up to 5 MHz, as shown in Fig. 9.
In this case, the model contains 40 nodes. The poles and
zeroes are accurately represented up to the 15th
resonance, i.e. in excess of 5 MHz.
As expected, the double-disc modeled on a turn-to-turn
basis has revealed internal resonances at much higher
frequency. Moreover, the interleaved double-disc has a
closer pole-zero pattern than the continuous double-
disc. It should also be noted that both the
Chadwick/Stearns and the Van Nuys interleaved
winding style have similar series capacitance, but their
impedance differs considerably at high-frequency. The
model did not account for more effective damping of
internal double-disc resonances that occur at higher-
frequency. In reality, skin and proximity effect increase
the wire resistance and contribute to an increased
damping of resonances above approximately 1 MHz.
b At this stage, it is believed that the winding performance
Fig. 9. Input impedance of one double-disc modeled on
the turn-to-turn basis. The continuous-disc, as well
as the Chadwick/Stearns and Van Nuys
interleaved-disc was modeled.
From these observations it can be inferred that an
impulse voltage distribution along the interleaved-disc
winding is much more uniform in the lower-frequency
range than the respective distribution along the
continuous-disc winding. However, an inverse
statement is true in the higher-frequency range, where
the continuous-disc winding takes advantage of a more
uniformly distributed voltage than the interleaved-disc
winding. In consequence, the interleaved-disc winding
will perform betted under the HV test that involves an
application of the full and chopped standard lightning
impulse. On another hand, the interleaved-disc winding
may be more vulnerable to very fast-front impulses,
such as generated by operation of an SF6 switch.
Fig. 10. Input impedance of the whole winding, with the
first double-discs from the input terminal were
modeled on the turn-to-turn basis and the
remainding ones as lumped circuits.
To complete the investigation, the entire winding was
simulated again, but with the double-discs near the
energized terminal modeled on a turn-to-turn basis, and
the rest of the winding approximated by lumped
sections. Each such section represents one double-disc.
The winding impedance was calculated and plotted
against frequency, as shown in Fig. 10.
It is clearly observed that the low-frequency
characteristic in Fig. 10 is similar to that of Fig. 8. This
supports the statement that the low-frequency
characteristic depends on the application of interleaved
or continuous-disc winding. At the high-frequency, the
whole winding impedance is strongly influenced by
interleaving style of double-discs located near the
energized terminal.
A future work is planned to extend this exploration of
the interleaved and continuous-disc windings behavior.
at high-frequency the can be investigated with double-
discs modeled on the turn-to-turn basis, while ignoring
the other windings.
Discussion
Behavior of the interleaved winding subjected to a
transient over-voltage has been studied by several
workers [13 to 17], and an opinion prevails that
interleaved windings have an excellent performance.
However, from the manufacturer’s point of view, the
necessity of cutting, welding and insulating joints
between the double-discs represents a drawback, since
highly qualified, and expensive labor is required.
The partly-interleaved and shield-wire type of winding
is gaining popularity, since the expensive cutting and
joining operations can be reduced and the continuously-
transposed wire can be employed. However,
performance of these winding styles is in general
inferior as compared to the fully interleaved winding.
The partly interleaved and shield-wire type of winding
have been successfully employed to transformers
operating in conventional substations. However, a
further investigation should be extended to the
performance of such winding in transformers directly
bolted to the SF6 insulated substations.
Conclusions
1. Several in-service transformer failures have been
caused by steep-front, transient overvoltages, such
as generated by SF6 insulated disconnect switch or
breaker. Frequency spectrum of such transients
extends beyond 1 MHz, and the high spectral
harmonics carry enough energy to excite an
internal resonace of transformer winding, even if
such a winding has been interleaved and referred to
as „non-oscillating”.
2. A series of measurements taken on double-discs of
an untanked, large, HV power transformer allowed
to determine the transfer function of each double-
disc with respect to the HV input terminal. A graph
 of superimposed transfer functions reveals a
dominant resonant frequency of the interleaved
winding at approximately 1.15 MHz. The voltage
distribution along the winding at this resonant
frequency has been identified and shows that the
dielectric stress is distributed on the insulation of
the winding upper part.
3. An origin of this dominant resonant pole has been
identified at the oscillatory circuit composed of the
interleaved double-disc capacitance and
inductance. A consciencious choice of the
interleaving style results in a higher or lower
resonant frequency, in the range from 0.5 MHz to
1.5 MHz, and possibly even higher. This finding
has been confirmed by a simplified computer
model of the winding that simulates the dominant,
high frequency resonance of the interleaved
winding.
4. In the lower frequency range (below ~500 kHz) the
interleaved winding effectively suppresses the
natural resonances that are typical to the
continuous disc winding.
5. However, the natural resonamces of an interleaved
disc winding show up in the higher frequency
range (above ~500kHz). Depending on the
interleaved winding style, these resonances can be
shifted to a higher frequency.
5. A different frequency characteristic was obtained for
typical: Stearn/Chadwick and Van Nuys
interleaving styles. This observation indicates that
the first high-frequency resonance can be
positioned at a somewhat higher frequency by a
skilled design of the winding.
6. These findings may be of practical importance to
HV power transformer designers, who select the
interleaved winding style for the transformer
exposed to steep-front, transient overvoltages in
service.
References
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