Transformers

SPECIAL EDITION: BUSHINGS NOVEMBER 2017 MAGAZINE

TECHNICAL ARTICLES: INTERVIEW:

Fundamentals of condenser Oliver Haerdi
bushings
Pluggable bushings COLUMN:
RIF® bushings Bushings market
Explosion prevention
Condenser bushings condition
monitoring
Effective bushing monitoring
Monitoring sensors
Advanced diagnostic methods
Bushing insulation diagnostics
Bushing oil analysis
Oil leaks

ISSN 1849-7268 (Digital)

▪ CEDASPE - Bushings and accessories ▪ Adaptive Response Technology ▪ YASH bushing innovations ▪
▪ H-J epoxy resin portfolio ▪ Transport monitoring ▪ Hubbell bushing technologies ▪
▪ Double-Reference Monitoring Method ▪ Higher monitoring accuracy ▪ Value of on-line monitoring ▪
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10
INTERVIEW: OLIVER HAERDI
CEO OF MOSER GLASER
Moser Glaser, a member of PFIFFNER Group, is an inde-
pendent producer of instrument transformers, transformer
bush­ings and busbars. Having invented the RIP technology,
we now continue the progress in RIS technology, which is ex-
pected to replace older bushing technologies, and we are
ready for the future of bushings with paper-free insulation.
20
26
30
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
CONTENT
14
COLUMN: TRANSFORMER BUSHINGS MARKET TRENDS
Steve AUBERTIN
The market for transformer bushings comprises two elements:
new products supplied for new transformers, and replacement
bushings. The market for new bushings in any given country
is dependent on the transformer manufacturing base in that
country, whereas the replacement market is dependent on the
transformer market in that country.
POWER TRANSFORMER BUSHINGS – MARKET
20 TRENDS
Saqib SAEED
Bushings market can behave completely differently from
the transformer market due to different replacement rates
and lead times. Globally, replacements of old infrastructure
in developed markets and addition of new substations
are driving the bushings market. The affinity for online
monitoring systems is expected to grow in some markets
and for some applications.
NATURAL EVOLUTION
26 Hubbell offers one of the most extensive bushing
product portfolios, with bushings available in three
technologies: Paper-Oil-Capacitor, Paper-Resin-Capacitor
and Solid-Dielectric-Capacitor, while providing customers
with world-class service. PCORE is the world-only bushing
manufacturer to offer a 500 kV oil-filled porcelain bushings
certified to the seismic standard.
FUNDAMENTALS OF CONDENSER BUSHINGS
30 K.K. MURTY
This article focuses on the concept of condenser bushings –
both oil-impregnated paper bushings and resin-impregnated
paper bushings – for extra-high voltage transformers.
Following a description of the dielectric loss, the article
describes their selection, testing, transportation, storage,
and installation.
3
CONTENT

CEDASPE – BUSHINGS AND ACCESSORIES FOR

38 DISTRIBUTION AND POWER TRANSFORMERS
CEDASPE, today a member of the REINHAUSEN Group, has
grown into an international company, with three plants in Italy
and an expansive product range that includes transformer
bushings, which make the core business of the company,
instruments and protection devices, and tank accessories.
38 This year CEDASPE celebrates its 50th anniversary.

PLUGGABLE BUSHINGS: MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR

42 EXISTING AND NEW GRID FACILITIES
Carmen MERTENS, Thomas FRIEDEL, Markus SULZBERGER
Facing the energy transition, dry pluggable bushings offer
much more flexibility for the future use of transformers than
conventional bushings. And with the same performance
characteristics, they are much easier to handle. Their
installation time is reduced by up to 75 percent when a
42 transformer is first installed.

THE H-J FAMILY OF COMPANIES AND EPOXY

50 RESIN PORTFOLIO
The H-J Family of Companies is a global leader in the
manufacture and supply of components to the transformer
and switchgear OEM and utility markets, utilizing state-of-
the-art product development services, employing state-
of-the-art manufacturing technology, and continually
expanding the use of epoxy resin systems as a base insulation
50 in the components.

TRANSFORMER BUSHINGS – PERFORMANCE

54 POWERED BY INNOVATION
YASH has emerged as a one-stop shop for OIP, RIP, high cur-
rent bushings, retrofit bushings and for FRP cylinders. With a
vast experience brought on board by our technology experts,
and state-of-the-art design tools and software, we are pre-
pared to comply with stringent customer specifications. Our

54 bushings have been proven at reputed labs such as KEMA.

RIF® BUSHINGS
58 Eric EUVRARD, Robert L. MIDDLETON
This article discusses the evolution of the resin-impregnat­
ed fibre bushing and the technology of producing dry-type
paperless bushings since the early 2000s. The resin-im­
pregnated fiberglass technology with its large safety margins
and simpler manufacturing processes enables producing a
bushing that is ultra-reliable, explosion-resistant and main-
58 tenance-free.

STUDY OF TRANSFORMER EXPLOSION

64 PREVENTION WITH BUSHING TURRET PROTECTION
Anne GOJ, Ashwin Padmanaban IYER, Omar AHMED
When flammable liquid insulation in power transformers
breaks down, there is a high risk of tank rupture and fire,
endangering the environment, plant assets and personnel.
We use numerical simulations to model a transformer
equipped with fast depressurization system protections
64 localized in the bushing turrets, to ensure that the tank is
robust to internal arcs.

4 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

 CONTENT

CONDENSER BUSHINGS CONDITION

70 MONITORING
K.K. MURTY
Bushing monitoring is of prime importance since about
17 % of transformer failures are attributed to bushing faults,
which can result in fire and explosion of the transformer with
colossal consequences. With the online monitoring, the tan
70 δ of the bushing is being monitored at the system voltage
level and at actual temperature, i.e. at real conditions.

82 ADAPTIVE RESPONSE TECHNOLOGY

The majority of the grid’s critical assets were not
designed to withstand the stressful dynamic loading
patterns imposed by greater energy demands. Combining
Sensei’s intelligent software and thermal imaging cameras,
impending equipment failures can be detected earlier and
more economically, with greater reliability than has been
82 possible before.

EFFECTIVE BUSHING MONITORING

88 Tony MCGRAIL
Bushings play an important background role in the smooth
operation of the power grid and when they fail, the residual
consequences could be catastrophic. This paper outlines
the key contributors to bushing failure and the steps teams
should take to avoid deterioration and make sure their

88
condition monitoring practices are up to par.

94 A NEW METHOD FOR ONLINE CONDITION

MONITORING OF HIGH VOLTAGE BUSHINGS
Dr.-Ing. Junliang WU, M.Sc. Tobias GRUBER
A new concept of a monitoring system for three-phase
bushings, which takes into account signals from the
voltage transformer as well as neighbouring bushings,
nearly compensates the influence of temperature; the
results are distributed in a smaller range and correspond
94 well to a normal distribution, so that failures can be better
identified.

102 BUSHING SENSORS AND THEIR ROLE IN RELIABLE

ON-LINE BUSHING MONITORING
Mark TOSTRUD
The safety and reliability of an on-line bushing monitor­
ing program is only as good as the quality of the bushing
sensor design and the installation procedure. Overlooking
these important elements can be the difference between
102 successful use of this technology and false alarms. This ar-
ticle discusses proper selection and installation of bushing
sensors.

TRANSFORMER BUSHING MONITORING

108 The cost of bushing failures could be several hundred
times higher than the price of a bushing. Monitoring power
factor and partial discharge enables uncovering most of the
incipient failures. Monitoring systems with higher acquisition
accuracy and a better faults detection, achievable when
108 using reference signals, are recommended.

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 5
CONTENT

THE VALUE OF ON-LINE BUSHING MONITORING

116 Until recently, bushing testing has been limited to
a capacitance and power factor measurement off-line.
However, off-line testing under static conditions is not
likely to detect incipient faults evident under operational
conditions. On-line monitoring provides accurate and early
indication of bushing condition continuously and under all

116 conditions.

REDUCE COSTS WITH SMART TRANSPORT MONI-

122 TORING!
The Cargolog® is an independent tool which helps to detect
damage during transportation and determine who is liable
for it, but also, as a quality tool, to identify best transport
methods, routes, packaging and storage alternatives. GPS
positions provide information on expected delays and
deviations from the transport plan.
122 DISPERSING THE CLOUDS: GAIN CLEAR INSIGHT
126 INTO YOUR BUSHINGS USING ADVANCED
DIAGNOSTIC METHODS
Martin ANGLHUBER, Juan VELÁSQUEZ
Bushings are prone to different problems, depending on
their insulation type. The combination of conventional and
advanced diagnostic methods allows a comprehensive
condition assessment and helps to avoid outages and loss
of assets.
126
OIL-IMPREGNATED PAPER BUSHING INSULATION
134 DIAGNOSTICS
Diego M. ROBALINO, Ismail GÜNER, Peter WERELIUS
High voltage and extra-high voltage bushings for power
transformers, shunt reactors and circuit breakers are one
of the most sensitive components in the system, whose
failure may evolve into a catastrophic event. In this article,
authors describe the use of Dielectric Frequency Response

134 techniques to identify potential risk of failure of OIP bushings.

DIAGNOSTICS OF HV BUSHINGS THROUGH OIL

142 SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
Riccardo ACTIS, Riccardo MAINA, Vander TUMIATTI
Bushings are highly stressed parts of power transformers
and their failures can lead to a transformer breakdown. The
diagnostics and predictive surveillance of bushings is es-
sential for uninterrupted operation. This paper gives a short
overview of bushing types and related applications, inclu-
142 ding procedures for in-field inspection and oil sampling.

TRANSFORMER BUSHINGS AND OIL LEAKS

148 Steven H. WICKMANN
This article presents a cost-effective method to repair oil
leaks in large power transformers and bushings, outlining
the techniques that can be used on leaks in the main tank
and components. Many repairs can often be made with the
transformer in service, which is illustrated on the example
148 of a company that has been fixing leaks in electric utility
substations since 1988.

6 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE
ISSN 1849-3319 (Print) ISSN 1849-7268 (Digital)
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Mladen Banovic, PhD, Merit Services Int., Croatia
mladen.banovic@transformers-magazine.com
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Jean Sanchez, PhD, Utility, France
GUEST EDITORS
Antun Mikulecky, PhD, KONČAR - Electrical
Engineering Institute, Inc., Croatia
Raka Levi, PhD, DV-Power, Sweden
Pedro Henrique Aquino Barra, MSc,
EESC/USP - University of São Paulo, Brazil
Glenn George, MSEE, P.E., LEED AP, Baltimore
Gas and Electric and Exelon Company, USA
Art Director: Momir Blazek
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Cover image by Moser Glaser Ltd.
Language Editor: Marina C. Williams
ADVERTISING AND SUBSCRIPTION
Marin A. Dugandzic
+44 20 373 474 69
marin.dugandzic@merit-media.com
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE
Transformers Magazine is published quarterly
by Merit Media Int. d.o.o., Setaliste 150. brigade
10, 10 090 Zagreb, Croatia. Published art­
icles don‘t represent official position of Merit
Media Int. d.o.o. Merit Media Int. d.o.o. is not
responsible for the content. The responsibil­
ity for articles rests upon the authors, and the
re­sponsibility for ads rests upon advertisers.
Man­uscripts, photos and other submitted
docu­ments are not returned.
Subscription rates:
Print edition: $96 (1 year, 4 issues)
Digital edition: $54 (1 year, 4 issues)
Online edition - full access: $19 (1 year, 4 issues)
Online edition - free access: free of charge for
r­egistered users
www.transformers-magazine.com
REPRINT
Libraries are permitted to photocopy for the
private use of patrons. Abstracting is permited
with credit to the source. A per-copy fee must
be paid to the Publisher, contact Subscription.
For other copying or republication permis­sions,
contact Subscription. All rights reserved.
Publisher: Merit Media Int. d.o.o.
Setaliste 150. brigade 10,
10 090 Zagreb, Croatia
Contact: +385 1 7899 507
Contact: +44 20 373 474 69 UK
VAT number: HR09122628912
www.transformers-magazine.com
Bank name: Zagrebacka banka
Bank identifier code: ZABAHR2X
Bank IBAN: HR8023600001102375121
Director: Ana Jelcic
EDITORIAL MESSAGE
Dear Readers,
I
t is my pleasure to present you with er bushings for a certain voltage level,
the special edition of Transformers it wouldn‘t be possible to build a grid of
Magazine dedicated to bushings. that voltage level, despite the fact that
these bushings probably have the same
Following the collection and prepara­ or very similar functionalities as well as
tion of the materials for this edition, handling, maintenance and other pro­
I set fourth to create a summary that cedures as the transformer bushings of
would highlight in brief the most im­ a lower voltage level. New materials can
portant points on the subject of bush­ simplify the usage of a product, requir­
ings. While doing so, I spoke to a ing less maintenance, while new moni­
number of experts, among them an toring and diagnostic methods can
experienced transformer designer from s­ignificantly enhance failure prevention
a well-known transformer company, and help improve asset management.
who attracted my attention with an in­
teresting claim that in the past few de­
cades we haven‘t seen a single significant In relation to the trans-
leap in the bushings technology. And by former, the bushing is
the leap he didn‘t only refer to natural
movements in the evolution of such a a relatively simple and
product, such as the advancement in cheap component,
the material technology wher­e better
xisting but its impact on the
materials would replace the e­
ones, or expanding the voltage level of trans­ former life and
the product, but he also referred to a
more comprehensive, quantum leap in reliability is enormous,
the bushings technology. which calls for a great-
Nevertheless, I still find it impressive er emphasis on the de-
to see bushings for 1100 kV and 1200
kV voltage levels. If we think about the
velopment of the tech-
scale of the impact of the development nology
of such advanced products on the
industry as a whole, it is probably true Still, if I had to single out one solution
to say that only a small number of us that I expect to have the greatest impact
will ever come to encounter and work on the industry, I wouldn‘t choose any
of the mentioned ones. In my humble
with these solutions, either directly
or indirectly, so the real impact of opinion, among the developments we
this development may be expected to have recently witnessed in the realm
remain quite limited. of bushings, the “pluggable bushing“
concept is most potent to influence
We have, however, seen significant not only the future of the bushings, but
advancements in the RIP and RIS also the future of the transformer and
technologies, and particularly in the the way it is used. Our regular editions
fields of monitoring and diagnostics, have dealt quite extensively with this
and these advances are more likely to concept, and beside everything that has
have a wider impact on the industry. been published about it, I still think that
there are more benefits of this concept
Regardless of their scale of impact, all yet to be identified.
these advancements are important and
worthy of attention. Without transform­ Just the fact that a bushing can now
7
 EDITORIAL MESSAGE
be replaced without needing to open
the transformer‘s active part is enough
to excite interest of any inquisitive or
innovative mind.
I would like to point to one more issue
that has been raised by almost every
author in this edition, each from his or
her own perspective – a high share of
transformer failures that are caused by
bushing faults, especially those ending in
explosions and fire. The mere fact that a
relatively simple and cheap component in
relation to the complexity and price of the
transformer can have such an enormous
impact on its reliability and life span is
a motive in itself for all stakeholders,
from utility companies through bushing
manufacturers to material producers
etc., to place a greater emphasis on the
development of the technology. The
important role of the bushings in ensuring
physical security only strengthens that
motive.
We open this special edition of the
magazine with an interview with one of
the innovators in the bushings industry,
and continue with a wide range of articles
on a number of relevant topics related
to bushings, including market reviews,
discussions on monitoring and diagnostic
methods, risk mitigation, maintenance,
technology, and more. All this should
provide a deeper insight into the current
issues in the bushings technology and the
relevance of the future developments in
this industry.
Last but not least, I would like to take this
occasion to extend my heartfelt gratitude
to our Guest Editors for their thorough
and quality peer review of a large amount
of materials in quite a limited space of
time.
Equally, my wholehearted thanks go to all
authors who recognized the importance
of taking part in this special edition, as
well as all partners for their support in the
realization of this project.
Enjoy reading this special edition of
Transformers Magazine!
Mladen Banovic, Editor-in-Chief
8
Foreward to the Special Edition
B
ushings are a very important part for a listed in standards,
great deal of HV equipment. Without so HV bushings for
bushings, actual large power transformers higher temperatures
are unthinkable. Throughout history they have should be developed.
shared their development with transformers
Bushings are among
and other representatives of HV technology.
the most frequent
Initially, bushings were a kind of solid type transformer failure
bushings often made from porcelain with an cause. According to
inserted conductor. Similar bushings are still data from various research studies and electric
frequently used in distribution networks for power utilities, they cause from 5 to 50 %
system voltages up to 52 kV due to their simplic­ of the total number of transformer failures.
ity, reliability and low price. However, for only aBushing failures are the most common cause of
slightly higher voltage they become impractical transformer fires that can lead to huge collateral
because of a very steep increase in size. Instead, and ecological damages at the switchyard.
for higher voltages a condenser bushing type Bushings are a transformer’s crucial part and one
is used today. Inside condenser type bushings, transformer can have more than 10 bushings. A
there are conductive electrodes that are used failure of any of them has a transformer failure
for radial and axial electrical field grading. One as a consequence. A bushing explosion can
of the oldest descriptions of the condenser type damage the transformer in many ways. Upper
bushing dates back to 1906. What was then de­ porcelain envelope burst launches fragments of
scribed as an “innovation” was in fact a 200 kV it at an enormous speed with destructive power.
condenser type bushing used as part of an HV The burst of the bushing’s lower part damages a
test transformer. Soon after, in 1908, the produc­ transformer in such a way that the conductive
tion of capacitive graded bushings started: first and burned debris of the condenser body
the coarse graded and afterwards fine graded pollutes its active part. Cleaning transformer’s
bushings in RBP technology. This solution was active part from bushing fragments is a difficult
limited because of a relatively high level of par­ job with doubtful results.
tial discharge (PD) generated in small air pockets,
Bushings are normally mounted on the hottest
which was inevitable for this technology.
part of the transformer and they are exposed to
both the highest and the lowest temperatures
HV bushings for higher as well as the atmospheric conditions. Animal
temperatures should attacks (rodents, birds, monkeys, etc.) to the
silicone shed can seriously affect bushing
be developed properties. This, combined with mechanical
forces, results in huge demands on the bushing
OIP bushings were introduced around 1944 to insulation and sealing system. It should also
fulfil the needs for higher voltages and lower PD be mentioned that the electrical field strength
level. Then around 1950, the first RIP bushing in the bushings HV condenser body is among
was produced. Today, OIP and RIP bushings are the highest in HV technology. HV bushings
produced up to the highest AC and DC voltages are thin and long and therefore a fragile
– approximately up to 1200 kV and 35 kA. structure, sensitive to mechanical forces due
to switchyard connection, short circuits,
Some time around 1990, a silicone rubber
earthquakes or vandalism.
on a glass fibre epoxy tube was introduced
as a bushing upper envelope with an aim to In terms of preventing bushings as well as
eliminate some disadvantages of a porcelain transformer failure, bushings are subjected to
upper envelope that had been in use until then. periodic (off-line) and continuous (on-line)
condition diagnostics. A lot of methods, tradi­
Recent bushing developments include applying
tional or recently developed, are used with var­
silicone sheds directly on the RIP body (around
ious effectiveness. Nowadays, with expansion
2005) and replacement of paper with inorganic
of bushing monitoring systems (continuous di­
material (RIS bushings, around 2012).
agnostics), new possibilities emerge to improve
Looking into the future, it should be stated that transformer service reliability and availability.
actual power transformers with solid and liquid However, new challenges appear as well, as can
high temperature materials have allowable be seen from the papers in this edition.
top oil temperature greater than the highest
temperature allowed for all HV bushing types Antun Mikulecky, PhD, Guest Editor
 GUEST EDITORS

Antun Mikulecky
Antun Mikulecky has 37 years of power transformers research and development
experience. His fields of expertise are research and development of insulating systems
of HV and HVDC transformers, diagnostic, maintenance and failure analysis of power
transformers, including ageing and life expectance and their bushings in particular. He
is Convener of the CIGRÉ WG A2.43: Transformer bushings reliability, and a lecturer
in the Postgraduate Specialist Study – Transformers at the University of Zagreb. He has
written more than 100 research reports, various studies and technical instructions made
at request of manufacturers and buyers of transformers, and authored 50 published
papers in his fields of expertise.

Raka Levi
Raka Levi, Dr.Eng., is an application expert at DV-Power Sweden and Convener of the
AMforum association. He has 30 years of asset performance and condition assessment
experience, specializing in apparatus testing, monitoring and diagnostics. Six years ago he
started within the AMforum organization a working group on DRM test methodology
for tap changers. For 20 years he has been running committees that assemble asset
managers and operations specialists of major European utilities, organizing AMforum
conferences in Europe, TC Universities in USA, and TC Colleges in Asia. He has written
over 25 technical papers on the subject of electrical testing, transformers, OLTCs, and
breaker diagnostics and condition monitoring. His education includes a PhD in the field
of HV diagnostics for circuit breakers and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering,
both from the University of Belgrade, Serbia, and ME in electric power from the RPI,
New York.

Pedro Henrique Aquino Barra

Pedro Henrique Aquino Barra received his BSc and MSc degrees in electrical engineering
from the Federal University of Uberlândia MG, Brazil in 2015 and 2017, respectively.
Currently, he is working towards a PhD degree at the University of São Paulo, São
Carlos, SP, Brazil. His current research interests are power quality, systems protection
and transformers, in particular electromechanical stress in transformers. Pedro is
an active member of IEEE (Graduate Student Member) and Cigre, both in Brazil and
internationally. In Brazil, he participates in the transformers working group (CE-A2).

Glenn George
Glenn George has a bachelor’s degree in applied science and technology; a master’s
degree in electrical engineering; and a master’s degree in management. He has over 35
years of experience that includes: engineering, project management, operations, and
maintenance in the following industries: power utility, steel making, telecommunication,
and railroad transportation. Mr. George is a License Professional Power Engineer in
the Commonwealth of Virginia; and is currently a senior project manager at Baltimore
Gas and Electric and Exelon Company, managing the construction of transmission and
distribution systems.

9
 INTERVIEW
OLIVER HAERDI
CEO of Moser Glaser
Growing with
PFIFFNER Group
Moser Glaser is an independent producer
of transformers, wall bushings and bus­
bars. We are a Swiss-based company with
128 employees, and a part of PFIFFNER
Group, the company mainly focused on
current transformers (CTs) and voltage
transformers (VTs) with its headquarters
in Switzerland and employing 550 peopl­e
globally. PFIFFNER is also present in
B­razil, Turkey and Germany.
The PFIFFNER companies, including
Moser Glaser, share their resources in
Research and Development under a com­
mon platform to develop new products.
The group is family-owned. The owner,
who is the chairman of the group, has
more than 40 years of experience in oper­
ating business. We are entirely indepen­
dent and operate with our own financial
capital, investing back into the company.
This also gives us full power to move for­
ward in the direction that we want to go.
So, we can proudly say that both Moser
Glaser and PFIFFNER have been an ex­
ample of very successful companies, with
the entire team working together and
standing behind this success.
PFIFFNER’s major product is the instru­
ment transformer. However, today, the
bushing business is becoming more and
more important for Moser Glaser, but also
for the group. Over the past ten years or
so, we have recorded a growth of ten times
in the turnover for transformer bushings.
Moser Glaser’s experience with RIP technol-
ogy dates back to 1958, when we invented it
10
We have produced some 4000 - 5000 units
of bushings of all types, for both power
and distribution transformers, but the
power transformer market remains our
main market.
Product range
Our product line includes oil-to-air bush­
ings (with resin-impregnated paper
(RIP) and silicon housing), oil-to-oil
bushings, and oil-to-SF6 bushings,
manufactured according to IEC and
IEEE standards. In terms of voltage
class, we currently produce up to a
maximum of 300 kV, but we have plans
to increase the capacity of our factory to
reach 550 kV next year.
We also have some DIN type bushings,
which are more for the low voltage side.
This is a non-capacitive type bushing of
12, 24 and 36 kV with silicon housing.
Although the market today is still
more porcelain-oriented for this type
of bushing, we now have a solution for
customers who require a full set of power
transformer bushings with silicon.
Moser Glaser inventions
RIP technology
From the technology point of view, Moser
Glaser experience with RIP technology
goes back to 1958. This is when we
developed our first cast-resin instrument
transformer. At that time, the company
was also producing CTs, VTs and medium
power transformers.
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
Moser Glaser developed and patented
the insulation material for high voltage
equipment and branded it under the name
Duresca. Based on Duresca, we developed
busbar systems, wall bushings and some
transformer bushings, but quite limited
at that time. This technology became later
the reputed RIP. So, our experience with
RIP technology and dry-type bushings is
very long and extensive.
For the past 14-15 years, we have been
very active in developing a new range of
transformer bushings. We have standar­
dized RIP insulation and silicon insula­
tors, having decided to completely aban­
don using the porcelain application.
Direct molded silicon
Moser Glaser was the first transformer
bushing manufacturer to make the direct
molding of the silicon on the RIP body. It
is possible to mold silicon directly on the
bushing’s active part because it is solid. So,
instead of buying the insulator as a compo­
nent, we bought the machine for making the
silicon housing at our factory, but instead of
molding the silicon on fibre glass tube, we
mold it directly on the active part.
When we introduced this solution, many
were against us, arguing this was not a
correct way to produce a bushing, and that
the bushing needed a fibre glass tube and
silicon sheds. So, we performed several
tests on our bushings and active parts, and
according to all mechanical tests we can
guarantee that the requirements of IEC
standard are fulfilled. In fact, not only are
they fulfilled, but, as there is some reserve
in the design, we can even go above the re­
quirement. So, from the mechanical point
of view, this proved that our bushing was
strong enough for any kind of application.
 We are entirely independent
and operate with our own
financial capital, investing
back into the company,
which gives us full power to
develop further
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 11
 INTERVIEW
Moser Glaser was the first transformer
bushing manufacturer to make direct mold
of silicon on the RIP surface
Then, some competitors
argued that the fibre glass
tube is a good barrier against
humidity between the active
part and the silicon. How­
ever, a spec­ial feature in our
design is a strong barrier
between the active part and
the silicon, which is part of
the active part. We have a
solution to block humidity
contamination entirely at
the air side of the bushing,
which has been qualified by
tests performed in a climatic
chamber with high humi­
dity in order to monitor the
p­ower factor of the bushing.
This enables us to present a
solution with strong proper­
ties against humidity.
Our factory gives us great
flex­ibility, with the design and
the engineers available to us everything
can be done quickly, and this is reflected in
our bushings. It means that we can adapt
the design to many types of applications.
Direct molded silicon design also enabled
us to enter new markets outside of Europe.
One of our export markets is South
Africa, where Eskom qualified our direct
12
molding solution. This was one of the
first utilities outside Europe to qualify our
solution at the time when our competitors
still provided a different design with fibre
glass tube.
Today, most of our customers, more than
90 % of them, order our solution with di­
rect mold of silicon on active part. But the
customers are also able to order from us
the traditional hollow core solution, if this
is their requirement. Some of our compe­
titors will offer bushings either with porce­
lain or silicon housing. But we decided to
standardize and use only silicon.
Although at first many of our competitors
argued against this solution, today they all
seek to provide the direct molded type.
With direct molding everything is opti­
mized and we don’t need to fit our bushings
to an insulator that comes from a supplier.
In terms of the cost, this is a cost-effective
solution. In terms of time, everything runs
quicker when done in our own factory.
So, Moser Glaser has started and promot­
ed this solution, which has now become
worldwide accepted as standard in compa­
nies such as ABB and Siemens.  case scenarios, the bushing may not only
One of our strong markets is also retrofit
market. We are able to replace almost any
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
type of bushing by deviating from our
standard and developing a bushing with
special dimensions. This has also enabled
us to enter into several utilities by offering
an interchangeable solution against aban­
doned standards such as the British stan­
dard, old IEEE designs or specific designs
from manufacturers who are not present
on the market anymore. For them, we are
offering modern RIP or RIS silicon bush­
ings but with dimensions and design ac­
cording to our 50-year-old specification.
This is all possible because we have the
machines in house, but it is also our strat­
egy to develop the production that allows
us to create such solutions.
Supporting the move
to dry-type bushings
Today, when most power transformers are
still equipped with OIP bushings, our task
is to convince the utilities to use bushings
with dry-type insulation.
Dry-type bushings can provide the same
performance as oil bushings, but a critical
point about oil bushings is that they are
sensitive to leakage. Considering they are
composed of many components, if any of
them is faulty, like a gasket leaking, then
bushings can start losing some oil that is
used for insulation. This leads to partial
discharge in the bushing, which in turn
creates gas and pressure, and in the worst
leak but explode, resulting in damage to
the entire transformer. Today, the bush­
ing is considered the main weak point in
a transformer. It forms only 1-2 % of the
cost of a transformer, but poses one of the
highest risks to the transformer.
Therefore, our job is to visit customers and
present the point that it is worth investing
a bit more in the purchase of a dry-type
bushing, which will eliminate all the risks
mentioned above. Simply, the dry-type
bushing can make a transformer more re­
liable.
In Europe, dry-type bushings occupy a
share of some 50-60 % in new transform­
ers. In the North and South America,
they probably hold some 10-15 % share
of the market. In Asia, most of utilities are
nowadays turning to RIP bushings, such
as Malaysia, Thailand, Australia and India.
To support this trend, especially in
India, Moser Glaser is working together
with YASH Highvoltage to develop RIP
bushings within the “Make in India”
programme.
RIS technology
Three years ago we started a project on resin-
impregnated synthetic (RIS) technology
for bushings. This is a technology that we
believe has a great future. The main idea
around it is to remove the sensitive part
from the bushing – which is the paper.
Paper absorbs humidity, so this is a critical
issue of the RIP technology when it comes
to transportation and storage of bushings.
With customers who don’t have experience
in the management of RIP bush­ings, we
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
RIS technology is expected to replace the
RIP technology and we are ready for the fu-
ture of bushings with paper-free insulation
can see problems with the active part So, we are ready for the future of bushings
being contaminated with humidity. So, the with paper-free insulation.
solution was to remove paper and replace
it with a material which does not absorb Presently, Moser Glaser is running its
humidity. Different materials have been highest investment project ever done,
tried, and some use fibre glass, some use which will almost double our production
textile, but we have found our own solution, area. One major step forward is a new set of
which is very promising. equipment which will allow Moser Glaser
to offer 550 kV bushings. In addition, new
Synthetic materials have better properties fully automatic winding machine, ovens,
when it comes to protection from humi­ silicon injection machine and machining
dity and the production is much easier tools will support the growth in production
than with paper. The drying time of RIS and help offer better lead-time.
bushings can be reduced by 50 % in com­
parison to RIP bushings. These are the Oliver Haerdi is the CEO of Moser
main advantages over the paper, and RIS Glaser Ltd. His background is in
technology is expected to replace the RIP mechanical engineering. For the past 14
technology in the future. years he has been interested in the middle
and high voltage area. His management
Our first RIS bushing was presented at style is working very closely with his team
Cwieme fair in Berlin in 2016 and it came nurturing a very open structure, where he
on the market at the beginning of this year. is always directly available to his team.
13
COLUMN

14 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


Transformer
bushings
market trends
Global market development
1. Introduction
We estimate that the global market
for transformer bushings was worth a
little under US$1.4 billion in 2016. The
market is estimated to grow at an overall
rate of 5.5 % CAGR through to 2026,
by which time it will be worth US$2.4
billion at 2016 dollar values. These
estimates include all types of bushings
used in the production and operation
of power and distribution transformers;
from very simple primary solid or
bulk bushings on pole top distribution
transformers through to the extremely
complex power transformer primary
bushings that may operate at voltages in
excess of 1 MV.
The market development by geographical
region is shown in Table 1.
The global market is dominated by Asia
with a 48 % share of the market in 2016,
rising to a 54 % share in 2026. Before
delving deeper into this data set, it is im­
portant to provide a little detail on the
methodology and definitions of this mar­
ket segment. The market for transformer
bushings comprises two elements; new
We estimate that the global market for
transformer bushings was worth a little under
US$1.4 billion in 2016
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Steve AUBERTIN
products supplied for new transformers,
and replacement bushings sold either to
upgrade an existing installation or as a re­
placement for a bushing that has suf­fered
damage during the working life of the
transformer.
The new bushings for new transformers
are generally purchased by the trans­
former manufacturer for delivery to the
place of manufacture, no matter where the
transformer will ultimately be installed.
A transformer ordered by a utility com­
pany in Country A from a transformer
manufacturer based in Country B may
rightly be considered a part of the trans­
former market in Country A; whereas the
bushings for that transformer are consid­
ered to be a part of the bushings market
in Country B. Replacement bushings are
generally ordered by, and are for delivery
to, the transformer owner where the unit
is operating.
The market for new bushings in any given
country is therefore dependent on the
transformer manufacturing base in that
country, whereas the replacement market is
dependent on the past and present trans­
former market in that country.
15
 COLUMN

Table 1. The global market for transformer bushings 2016 to 2026

Overall market $ million 2016 2026 CARG

Western Europe 216.6 348.8 4.88 %

Eastern Europe 39.8 54.8 3.26 %
Former Soviet Union 53.5 67 2.28 %
Africa 41.6 61.6 3.99 %
Middle East 55.3 71.7 2.64 %
Indian Subcontinent 60.8 112.9 6.39 %
Asia 659 1,264.80 6.74 %
South & Central America 65.6 95.3 3.80 %
North America 177.3 262.9 4.02 %
Australasia 5.1 7.7 4.26 %
World total 1,374.60 2,347.60 5.50 %

For this reason, the Western European
market for bushings is nearly 16 % of
the global market whilst the transformer
market is only 12 %; and similarly the
North American bushings market is 13
% and the transformer market is 15 %;
the Asian bushing market is 48 % and the
transform­er market is 46 % of the global
total.
2. Power vs. distribution
There are a number of ways in which
the bushings market can be segmented,
includ­ing but not limited to:
• working voltage
• capacitance graded/non graded
• housing material and shed – ceramic vs. hence bushings) in the fleet in each country
composite and any utility organisation policy with re­
• insulating methodology – OIP, RIP, RIS gards to re-bushing of the fleet. The market
• filling material – oil, gel, gas, etc. can also be further subdivided into three
• transformer function generic types of transformers depending on
their function within the electricity supply
The ratio of power transformer bushings network. The first stage in the network is
to distribution transformer bushings varies the function of stepping up the voltage level
from region to region. The variation is the from the gen­erator output levels to the level
result of the constitution of production base at which electricity is transmitted in the grid;
in each region, the age of transformers (and typically these generator step-up (GSU)
The market is estimated to grow at an over-
all rate of 5.5 % CAGR through to 2026, by
which time it will be worth US$2.4 billion

Table 2. The global bushings market and transformer market 2016

% of global % of global % of bushings market
2016 Statistics
bushings market transformer market that is replacement

Western Europe 15.80 % 12.10 % 7.00 %

Eastern Europe 2.90 % 2.40 % 9.90 %
Former Soviet Union 3.90 % 3.80 % 31.30 %
Africa 3.00 % 4.80 % 59.50 %
Middle East 4.00 % 5.20 % 22.30 %
Indian Subcontinent 4.40 % 4.50 % 1.60 %
Asia 47.90 % 46.40 % 2.70 %
South & Central America 4.80 % 4.90 % 38.90 %
North America 12.90 % 15.20 % 7.10 %
Australasia 0.40 % 0.80 % 17.60 %

World total 100 % 100 % 9.50 %

16 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Figure 1. Transformer bushing market 2016 by transformer function
transformers increase voltage from less than
20 kV up to higher voltages in the order of
400 kV or higher.
The second stage incorporates many types of
transformer products which are groupe­d
under the heading of system transform­
ers. These are used to transmit electricity
throughout a country and eventually to
step down to a voltage level that is appro­
priate prior to distribution throughout
a town/city/village at distribution level.
Typically these transformers will have pri­
mary voltage levels in the hundreds of kV
and secondary levels less than 100 kV.
Finally, distribution transformers are
used to further reduce the voltage to that
used by end consumers. Sometimes this
is achieved in one step, more often in
two steps of primary and secondary dis­
tribution. Furthermore, in a complicated
grid network multiple distribution trans­
formers are utilised to ensure security of
supply by differing supply route options
within a conurbation.
The market for transformer bushings by
type of transformer is illustrated in Figure 1.
Overall, the market composition vari­
es only marginally by 2026. Over a ten
year period it might be expected that any
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
There is greater dynamics in technology at
higher voltage levels where bushings are
critical components, while at lower voltage
spectrum the bushings will be fitted for life
short term trends are smoothed out. Re­
gional spending variations caused by re-
enforcing work of either the transmission
or the distribution network do exist, but
have only a marginal effect on the overall
market. There are other drivers at work
that impact positively and negatively on
the market which impact directly on the
powe­r transformer bushings market. The
ever continuing global trend to higher
and higher voltage levels and more expen­
sive bushings has a positive effect which
is mostly counteracted by the depressing
effects of less expensive manufacturing
techniques and price competition in gen­
eral as technology matures and the pro­
duction base expands.
3. Technology trends
The first point to note is that transform­
ers are usually designed with a working
life of up to 30 years and it is not unusual
to find units that are at least 40 years old
still in service. This means that in any giv­
en country the transformer fleet could
well have units that were built in the early
1970s still in service. It necessarily follows
that these were built with the technology
that existed at that time.
There will be greater dynamics at the
higher end of the voltage range because
bushings are a critical component that is
monitored and if necessary upgraded as
and when better technology comes along;
however, at the lower end of the voltage
spectrum the bushings will be fitted for
life. This inevitably means that ceramic
solid or bulk will still be in service at the
lower end and resin bonded paper (RBP)
bushings at the upper end will still be in
service. Both technologies that remain
virtually unchanged for a century.
4. Distribution transformer
bushing trends
40 years ago distribution transformers
will have had almost 100 % ceramic bush­
17
 COLUMN
Figure 2. Distribution transformer bushings by type 2016
The market share of composite technology
in bushings is likely to mirror that experi-
enced in other insulator markets 0 % to 40 %
share in 40 years
ings, certainly on the secondary side and
almost certainly on the primary side up to
30 kV; and as stated above, RBP will have
ruled the condenser bushing demand.
Cast resin alternatives were just starting
to gain market share as that technology
matured and now more recently within
the last 15 years composite bushings have
become popular in some parts of the
world. Condenser bushing technology for
distribution transformers will now have
migrated mostly to oil-impregnated paper
(OIP) technology.
Market shares by type of bushing in the
distribution transformer sector vary great­
ly from region to region, and there is not
space here to go into the shares by region,
but globally the shares by value are in the
order of: condenser bushings 10 %, com­
posite 15 %, ceramic 55 % and cast resin
20 %.
5. Power transformer
bushing trends
There is greater diversity of bushing type in
the power transformer sector, principally
because of the large range of voltages and
applications and the necessity to respond
to advancements in T&D grid systems.
18
However, this does not mean that market more years it will be, although it is difficult
trends will be anything but glacial. OIP to see a future that is not dominated by
technology has become the mainstay as RIP given the production and storage
a logical improvement on RBP bushings, advantages alone, and we will reserve our
but this has taken some time. The next position on this debate.
generation “new technology” is resin
impregnated paper (RIP); however, this The issue of ceramic versus composite
was developed in the 1960s, had achieved housing is also topical at the moment.
a share in the order of 10 % in the 1990s The pros and cons of this argument have
and currently has a share in the order been well aired in technical journals
of 30 % – not exactly a meteoric rate. and throughout the industry; suffice it
The industry has now developed resin to say that the leading global producers
impregnated synthetic (RIS) technology, of bushings offer both; but in the
with no filling material, hybrid types medium to long term the market share
and SF6 bushings at higher and higher of composite technology in bushings is
voltages. The total market size estimate for likely to mirror that experienced in other
2026 is shown earlier in the article – the insulator markets 0 % to 40 % share in 40
breakdown by technology is not; in a few years.
Author
Steve Aubertin is the Managing Director of Goulden
Reports and following a first career in electrical
engineering has spent the last 30 years researching and
reporting on the global market for electrical products in
both published and in the form of tailored research for
specific clients.
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
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MARKET

Globally, replacements of old in-

frastructure in developed markets
and addition of new substations
are driving the bushings market

ABSTRACT
Bushings are critical for the safety Power
transformer
of power networks. With the power
transformer collective market ex-
pected to reach around 3.1 billion
USD in the European Union over the

bushings –
next ten years, the market for trans-
former bushings is also developing
in parallel. It is expected that the HV
bushings market in the EU will reach

close to 60 million USD in the same
period. Within the EU, Germany is
going to be the largest market for
the next ten years. Globally, Western
Europe remains one of the key mar-
kets for bushings, driven by replace-
ments, along with the USA, China,
India and Australia.
KEYWORDS
transformer bushings, market over-
view, future trends, online condition
monitoring, porcelain, composite
market trends
A shift towards online monitoring and
composite housings
1. Introduction
All generated electricity is channeled
through power transformers, and every
piece of this equipment is critical for its
continuous supply. Overloaded grids in
developing countries, aging substation
infrastructure in mature markets, and in­
creased renewable penetration are all factors
that are causing significantly more stress
on grid transformers. This stress leads to
failures, which in turn not only cause cas­

20 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


caded blackouts, but also may result in
catastrophic events like transformer ex­
plosions and fires that can cause casualties.
After windings and tap changers, bushings
are the third major point of transformer
failure [1, 2]. Nearly 20 % of all power trans­
former failures located in transmission
substations and generator step-up (GSU)
applications are caused by bushings. In the
transmission grid, transformer bushing
failures dominate in high voltage (HV) and
extra-high voltage (EHV) transformers
(220 kV to 400 kV), as compared to GSU
and distribution transformers. The statis­
tics in Europe shows that bushing failures
occur between 12 and 20 years after the
installation (midlife of a transformer). In
2012, CIGRE conducted a survey (A2.37
Transformer Reliability Survey) [1] which
included 56 utilities from 21 countries. The
survey concluded that almost 17 % of sub­
station transformers failures are caused by
bushings. Additionally, more than 40 % of
the total bushings failures resulted in either
a fire or explosion incident. All these fac­
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Figure 1. Leading causes of transformer failure [1], [2]
tors indicate a high risk of bushing failure
and its impact on the grid through trans­
formers.
Any equipment playing such a vital role in
the electricity infrastructure is expected to
be one of the key components stimulating
the power equipment market. Globally, an
increase in replacement rates of bushings
to ensure safety of power transformers is
driving the market growth. Many HV and
EHV bushings installed in the transmis­
sion networks worldwide (especially Eu­
rope and North America) are more than
20 years old, which acts as a catalyst for the
replacement market. Transformer bush­
ings market variations can be completely
different from the transformer markets
owing to various factors, including the re­
placement rates as discussed, but also due
to different lead times. In terms of sup­
ply and demand, the lead time for power
transformers can extend up to 20 months.
Since the design of bushings has to be
tailored according to specific transformer
requirements, bushing lead time can take
up to five months [3]. Additionally, trends
and transition between composite and
porcelain bushings, and solid type and oil-
Bushings market can behave complete-
ly differently from the transformer market,
owing to various factors such as different
replacement rates and lead times
Saqib SAEED
impregnated paper (OIP) type bushings
add another layer of complexity to the
market. All these factors combined need
to be translated into the market sizing and
accessibility of transformer bushings.
2. Transformer bushings
market assessment
2.1 European market to be driven
primarily by replacements
In order to analyze the European trans­
former bushings market, it is important to
understand long-term grid development
plan by Transmission System Operators
(TSO) in each country. A TSO-based as­
sessment in ten EU countries reveals that
the EHV transformer bushings market
is driven by replacements in the 400 kV
cat­egory, while 220 kV market is primar­
ily driven by new additions and then re­
placements. The estimated annual market
volume (in million USD) in the next ten
years for 400 kV transformer bushings is
depicted in Figure 2. Germany is expected
to be the largest market in Europe at more
than 8 million USD, followed by Sweden,
Belgium and France.
21
 MARKET
Figure 2. 400 kV bushing market volume 2016-2025 [4]
European EHV transformer bushings
market is driven by replacements in the
400 kV category, while 220 kV market is
primarily driven by new additions, followed
by replacements
In 2015, the Swedish TSO Svenska kraft­
nät published its ten-year development
plan which focused on the reinvestment
in its 65-year-old EHV network. This in­
vestment is expected to influence EHV
bushings with the estimated collective
market volume of about 5.5 million USD.
Poland is another interesting market
in Europe as its TSO, PSE S.A, has an­
nounced plans to replace the 25-year-old
bushings, which is in accordance with its
plans to enhance network reliability. The
expected collective market volume for
Poland is at 1.8 million USD for 400 kV
transformers bushings.
Figure 3. Australia (Victoria State Network) 220 kV bushings replacement [4, 6]
22
2.2 North American bushings market
The transmission grid in North America
is divided into several regional entities,
called reliability councils, which are de­
fined by North American Electric Reli­
ability Corporation (NERC). Reliability
councils make sure that adequate reliabili­
ty studies are performed by Transmission
Facility Owners (TFOs) to add or replace
substation infrastructure for consistent
grid operation. NERC’s state of reliability
report 2017 [5] demonstrates a decrease
in outages caused by transformer fail­ures.
For 200 kV+ transformers, an average
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
number of outages per transformer has
gradually decreased from 0.059 in 2012
to 0.034 in 2016. This annual decline in
outages is good news for grid reliability;
however, it can result in low replacement
market for HV bushings.
A deeper analysis of grid expansion plans
from major TFOs reveals that green field
additions will still be enough to keep the
transformer bushings market at a positive
growth rate. Compared to other voltage
levels, 500 kV and 345 kV networks are
expected to experience most growth in
next five years. The annual HV bushings
market is expected to be 16 million USD
in 2018, with new additions as the main
driver of the market [4].
2.3 Australian bushings market
In Australia, around 6 % of the total dis­
tribution transformer failures are caused
by bushing failures, while in the case of
power transformers, the failure rate due to
faulty bushings creeps up to 17 %. A­usNet,
an Australian electricity transmission
operator in Victoria, conducted system re­
liability studies which revealed that trans­
former bushings installed in Victoria’s
high voltage network may be a weak link.
In last ten years, AusNet has replaced
more than 70 transformer bushings and
plans to continue the replacement plan
in the future as well. From 2004 to 2015,
the market volume grew from 0.8 million
USD to 1.8 million USD.
Between 2016 and 2021, AusNet plans
to replace 220 kV and 500 kV bushings,
which will boost the market volume to
2.1 Million USD. From the design point
of view, the future market could be in­
fluenced by advancements in exterior
housing of the bushings and online health
monitoring systems.
3. Design and technology
trends and impact on the
market
Composite housing is to see an increase in
the market share in the coming years.
The exterior housing material is an es­
sential design criterion which is influ­
enced by ambient conditions. Porcelain
and composite are two key material types
utilized in the design. Silicon-based com­
posite material is becoming more popular
 Saqib SAEED

due to some key advantages over porce­

lain-based housing. The flexibility and the
reduced weight of composite housings is
very valuable for safety and ease of han­
dling. Increasing cases of vandalism and
terrorism have resulted in a higher use of
composite-based exterior for the bushings
in order to reduce the risk of exploding
porcelain.

In addition, the hydrophobic nature of

composite materials, which allows them to
withstand harsh environment conditions
including heavy rain and dust, has given
rise to their popularity over the last ten
years as this reduces maintenance costs.
Composite housings have also proven
to be ideal for bushings under seismic
conditions. However, with all these
advan­tages, one strong disadvantage of
composite bushings is their higher cost in
comparison to porcelain-based housing.
At lower voltages, composite housings
can cost up to 80 % more than porcelain-
based housings, while at higher voltages,
the costs are more comparable, with the
difference coming up to 20 % based on the
design.
Still, because of the advantages of com­
posite housings, specific regions are in­
creasingly preferring composite hous­
ings. The European market has shifted
from porcelain towards composite at a
steady pace and the trend is expected to
continue. At present, the market share of
composite-based bushings in the Euro­
pean market is around 50 % as compared
to porcelain. All urban substations have
composite-based bushings in Western Eu­
ropean countries. A similar market shift is
happening in North America as well, and
Composite housing is to see an increase in
the market share in the coming years
Figure 4. AusNet investment plan for EHV and HV bushings replacement 2016-2021 (000‘
USD) [4, 6]
market analysts expect the market share of
composite materials to reach 30 % in five
years.
4. Online condition
monitoring system
As discussed earlier, high voltage bushings
are one of the major causes of failures in
power transformers, therefore bushings
maintenance is of extreme importance.
Online condition monitoring for pre­
dictive maintenance of critical equip­
ment such as power transformers and
gas-insulated switchgears (GIS) has con­
siderably reduced the network failures.
However, although recent advancements
in online condition monitoring systems
have resulted in enhanced performance of
equipment, for bushings, periodic offline
testing is still the most practiced approach.
Techniques for online condition moni­
toring of bushings have existed for more
than 25 years now; however, we are yet to
see its large-scale implementation. Condi­
tion monitoring systems for T&D equip­
ment were first developed for critical high
voltage systems, with the implementation
focus then moving towards less critical
systems such as circuit breakers. Trans­
former bushings market is experiencing
a similar trend as the success of condi­
tion monitoring systems on the bushings
installed in multi-megawatt high voltage
direct current (HVDC) projects has start­
ed to influence the bushings installed on
power transformers. The U.S. market is
expected to develop an affinity for online
monitoring systems for bushings as more
utilities are opting for turnkey asset man­
agement systems for power trans­formers.
Additionally, special applications such as
wind power step-up transformers require

Table 1. Porcelain vs. composite bushing housing comparison

Feature Porcelain Composite

Weight heavy 90 % lighter

Fragility highly fragile flexible
Vandalism more susceptible resistant
Hydrophobicity non-hydrophobic hydrophobic
Lead time long short

Source: Power Technology Research [4]

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 23
 MARKET

It is expected that in some markets and in [2] J. Marks, et al. An analysis of

Australian power transformer failure
some applications the affinity for online modes, and comparison with inter-
national Surveys,  Power Engineering
monitoring systems will grow Conference (AUPEC), 2016 Australasian
Universities. IEEE, 2016

installation of online health monitoring
for bushings. Some typical ex­amples can
be found in Northern German­y, where
bushings installed on wind GSU trans­
formers went through multiple failure
and replacement iterations. This forced
the equipment manufacturer to install
online bushing monitoring system which
helped identify the root cause of bushing
failures.
Conclusion
as nowadays more utilities are opting for
turnkey management solutions for HV
transformers than in the past. This incli­
nation towards automated data logging/
monitoring system can be even steeper
as stricter grid safety standards are intro­
duced by central authorities such as Eu­
ropean Network of Transmission System
Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
References
[3] P. Hoffman and B. William, Large
power transformers and the US electric
grid, U.S. Department of Energy Report,
2012
[4] Power Technolog y R esearch,
Power Transformers Global Market
Analysis
[5] North American Electric Reliabil­
ity Corporation,  State of Reliability
2017 Report

The European market outlook for HV bush­
ings looks strong, experiencing stead­ y
growth driven by reinforcements planned
by network operators. More specifically,
400 kV bushings market is driven by end-
of-life (EOL) replacements, whereas 220
kV market growth is a combination of
new additions and replacements. North
American market is expected to be driven
by green field additions in the network,
mainly in 500 kV and 354 kV grid infra­
structure. Western European countries
have the highest affinity for composite-
based bushings; however, this preference
for composite material over porcelain is
also being emulated in the North Ameri­
can markets.
Currently, there is a rigid mindset in the
industry regarding the application of as­
set management systems on bushings;
however, this trend is expected to change
[1] S. Tenbohlen, Transformer Reliability [6] Ausnet Services Program of Works
Survey Tutorial of CIGRE WG A2.37, 2017 – 2022 Transformer Bushings
2011 R­eplacement
Author
Saqib Saeed is an expert in power system design and
power electronics components. He has prior experience in
commissioning and maintenance of power systems. Since
2015, he has been involved in consulting projects with
transmission and distribution (T&D) OEMs and utilities
conducting online and offline market research to identify
business opportunities for equipment manufacturers like
HVDC, FACTS, power transformers and gas insulated
substations. His current role of a Principal Analyst at Power Technology
Research is to lead critical market research topics and develop coherent
methodologies for substation equipment sizing and power electronics areas.
Saqib has a Master of Sciences in Power Engineering from Technical University
of Munich and a Bachelor of Sciences in Electrical Engineering from University
of Engineering and Technology Lahore.

24 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

 World’s unique manufacturer
of paper for bushings

3 m crepe paper for RIP bushings

5 m paper for OIP bushings

Electrotechnical papers
Ahlstrom-Munksjö Paper AB
P.O. Box 624, 551 18 Jönköping, Sweden
Photo courtesy of Trench

Visiting address: Barnarpsgatan 39-41

Tel. +46 36 303402
www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com

From the 1st of April

WE ARE ONE
 TECHNOLOGY
Hubbell offers one of the most
extensive bushing product port-
folios while providing customers
with world-class service
Natural evolution
Hubbell Power Systems focuses on traditional and modern
bushing technologies
One Hubbell
What happens when two of the industry’s
leading North American capacitance
graded bushing manufacturers are joined
into one under the Hubbell Power Systems
brand? The resulting Hubbell Power
Systems Bushing Business Unit offers one
of the most extensive bushing product
portfolios while providing customers
with world-class service all within a One
Hubbell directive.
What began as two separate independ­
en­
t ly owned bushing businesses,
PCORE Electric Company and Electro
26
Composites were united within Hubbell
resulting in the most comprehensive
combination of bushing technologies,
solutions, and technical knowledge, all
with a combined 80 years of bushing
design and manufacturing experience.
PCORE Electric Company was formerly
known as the Lapp Insulator Company,
Bushing Division until 2004, when it
was transformed into PCORE Electric.
The business was acquired in 2007 to
further strengthen Hubbell’s position
in the substation market. To complete
the bushing products portfolio with a
focus on newer bushing technologies,
Hubbell subsequently acquired Electro
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
Composites in 2008, adding composite
bushing technology to the product
offering.
Bushing technologies
There are three bushing technologies
available to both Original Equipment Ma­
nufacturers and Electric Utilities: POC®,
PRC® and SDC™, as shown in Fig.1.
Two of the technologies have been around
for some time and are proven industry
champion technologies, including the
POC® (Paper-Oil-Capacitor) and PRC®
(Paper-Resin-Capacitor) types designed
 Advertorial

Hubbell bushings are available in three technol-

ogies: Paper-Oil-Capacitor, Paper-Resin-Capa­
citor and Solid-Dielectric-Capacitor

the SDC™ (Solid-Dielectric-Capacitor) world to offer a 500 kV oil-filled, porcelain

type technology fabricated by Electro bushing to meet the high-performance
Composites, is made of cast electrical level of this standard.
grade epoxy resin, which provides
different benefits and range of use. All Convenience type products such as
three technologies are capacitance graded; Quick-Link type bushings and PCORE
meaning that the internal electrical stress Seismically Enhanced Test (SET) Termi­
within the insulating core is controlled nals have been developed to provide safer,
or graded using series capacitors faster and more cost-effective substation
imbedded within the insulation. The maintenance and testing practices.
bushing products offered by Hubbell are
summarized in Table 1. Most recently, PCORE enhanced the
PRC® bushing product line. PCORE
The range of applications for each of the introduced an oil-free option for electric
three bushing types offered by Hubbell is utilities that appreciate the proven long-
summarized in Fig. 2. term performance of PRC®s which were
first introduced in the 1960s combined
with the benefits of an oil-free bushing
Moving forward technology, Fig. 4.
In more recent years, the Bushing Business
Unit has launched new products based on Some of the great features of the bushings
customer feedback and solutions needed produced by PCORE Electric and Electro
for the industry. Electro Composite’s Composites are:
generator and generator-step-up trans­
former type bushings for power gen­ • All bushings are IEEE 693 seismically
eration applications provide reliable certified
high-current bushings for new and aging • Most designs are suitable for TBI –
in-service generators and large power Transformer/Breaker Interchangeability
transformers, Figure 3. • Users have the choice between oil-filled
and manufactured by PCORE Electric, or oil-free bushing technologies for 15
that combine traditionally used materials Both businesses provide bushings certi­ kV through 138 kV voltage classes
with electrical grade porcelain insulators, fied to the IEEE-693 seismic standard to • Availability of high-creep and high-
which are well known and widely address utilities’ concerns for earthquakes altitude bushings as a standard offer­ing
accepted by the electrical industry. The and other major natural disasters. PCORE • All bushings are fabricated in ISO-9001
third more recent technology, known as is the only bushing manufacturer in the (2008) certified factories
HPS
HPS
HPS
POWER
POWER
POWER
APPARATUS
APPARATUS
APPARATUS
BUSHINGS
BUSHINGS
BUSHINGS
QUICK
QUICK
QUICK
SELECTION
SELECTION
SELECTION
GUIDE
GUIDE
GUIDE

POC
POC
®
- PAPER-OIL-CAPACITOR
POC
®
- PAPER-OIL-CAPACITOR
®
- PAPER-OIL-CAPACITOR PRC
PRC
®
- PAPER-RESIN-CAPACITOR
PRC
®
- PAPER-RESIN-CAPACITOR
®
- PAPER-RESIN-CAPACITOR SDC
SDC - SDC
SOLID-DIELECTRIC-CAPACITOR
TM TM
- SOLID-DIELECTRIC-CAPACITOR
TM
- SOLID-DIELECTRIC-CAPACITOR
• Oil-impregnated paper wound
• Oil-impregnated paper wound
• Oil-impregnated paper wound • Resin-impregnated paper wound
• Resin-impregnated paper wound
• Resin-impregnated paper wound • Solid cast epoxy composite bushing
• Solid cast epoxy composite bushing
• Solid cast epoxy composite bushing
core with internal/external
core with internal/external
core with internal/external core with external porcelain
core with external porcelain
core with external porcelain technology with integral epoxy sheds and
technology with integral epoxy sheds and
technology with integral epoxy sheds and
porcelain insulators.
porcelain insulators.
porcelain insulators. insulator.
insulator.
insulator. condenser core, providing all the advantages
condenser core, providing all the advantages
condenser core, providing all the advantages
• Tried and proven bushing
• Tried and proven bushing
• Tried and proven bushing • Available in both oil-filled and oil-
• Available in both oil-filled and oil-
• Available in both oil-filled and oil- of oil-free technology
of oil-free technology
of oil-free technology
technology with +60 years track
technology with +60 years track
technology with +60 years track free designs.
free designs.
free designs. • Modern bushing technology with 20 years
• Modern bushing technology with 20 years
• Modern bushing technology with 20 years
record.
record.
record. • Transformer-Breaker
• Transformer-Breaker
• Transformer-Breaker proven field service
proven field service
proven field service
• Transformer-Breaker
• Transformer-Breaker
• Transformer-Breaker Interchangeable (TBI) bushing
Interchangeable (TBI) bushing
Interchangeable (TBI) bushing • Transformer-Breaker Interchangeable (TBI)
• Transformer-Breaker Interchangeable (TBI)
• Transformer-Breaker Interchangeable (TBI)
Interchangeable (TBI) bushing
Interchangeable (TBI) bushing
Interchangeable (TBI) bushing combined with high performance
combined with high performance
combined with high performance bushing combined with high performance
bushing combined with high performance
bushing combined with high performance
combined with high performance
combined with high performance
combined with high performance seismic capabilities.
seismic capabilities.
seismic capabilities. seismic capabilities
seismic capabilities
seismic capabilities
seismic capabilities.
seismic capabilities.
seismic capabilities. • Available per IEEE C57.19.01 and
• Available per IEEE C57.19.01 and
• Available per IEEE C57.19.01 and • Custom designs to meet difficult dimensional
• Custom designs to meet difficult dimensional
• Custom designs to meet difficult dimensional
• Available per IEEE C57.19.01 and
• Available per IEEE C57.19.01 and
• Available per IEEE C57.19.01 and CSA C88.1 bushing standards
CSA C88.1 bushing standards
CSA C88.1 bushing standards requirements
requirements
requirements
CSA C88.1 bushing standards.
CSA C88.1 bushing standards.
CSA C88.1 bushing standards. • Available per IEEE C57.19.01, CSA C88.1, IEC
• Available per IEEE C57.19.01, CSA C88.1, IEC
• Available per IEEE C57.19.01, CSA C88.1, IEC
60137 and DIN 48124 bushing standards
60137 and DIN 48124 bushing standards
60137 and DIN 48124 bushing standards

Figure 1. Available bushing technologies

BUSHING APPLICATION
BUSHING
BUSHING
APPLICATION MEDIUM
APPLICATION MEDIUM
MEDIUM POC
POC POC® PRCPRC PRC® SDCSDC SDCTM
® ® ® ® TM TM

Air - Oil
Air - Oil
Air - Oil 25kV - 500kV
25kV - 500kV
25kV - 500kV15kV - 72.5 kV
15kV - 72.5 kV
15kV - 72.5 kV 15kV - 145kV
15kV - 145kV
15kV - 145kV
Power Transformer
Power Transformer
Power Transformer
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s Oil - Oil
- mOil - Oil
a g aOil - Oil
z i n e . co m - - - - - - 15kV - 145kV
15kV - 145kV
15kV - 145kV Electro Composites (2008) ULC
Electro Composites (2008) ULC
27
Electro Composites (2008) ULC
325 Scott Street, St-Jerome, QC J7Z 1H3 Canada
325 Scott Street, St-Jerome, QC J7Z 1H3 Canada
325 Scott Street, St-Jerome, QC J7Z 1H3 Canada
GSU Transformer
GSU Transformer
GSU Transformer Air - Oil
Air - Oil
Air - Oil 25kV - 500kV
25kV - 500kV
25kV - 500kV15kV - 72.5 kV
15kV - 72.5 kV
15kV - 72.5 kV 15kV - 35kV
15kV - 35kV
15kV - 35kV T 450-431-2777 / F 450-431-2717
T 450-431-2777 / F 450-431-2717
T 450-431-2777 / F 450-431-2717
Oil Circuit Breaker
Oil Circuit Breaker
Oil Circuit Breaker Air - Oil
Air - Oil
Air - Oil 25kV - 230kV
25kV - 230kV
25kV - 230kV15kV - 72.5 kV
15kV - 72.5 kV
15kV - 72.5 kV 15kV - 145kV
15kV - 145kV
15kV - 145kV ISO 9001:2008 Certified
ISO 9001:2008 Certified
ISO 9001:2008 Certified
 TECHNOLOGY

Table 1. Bushing products offered by Hubbell

• Bushing designs are available for IEEE PCORE is the only bushing manufacturer in
C57.19.00/01, CSA C88.1 and IEC
60137 standards the world to offer a 500 kV oil-filled, porce-
• Standard configurations and “Eng­
ineered to Order” replacement bushing
lain bushings certified to the IEEE-693 seis-
options are available for critical applica­ mic standard
tions

Selection process
When it comes to selecting a bushing
for a transformer or similar equipment,
there are many factors and considera­
tions involved in the choice of the type of
bushing to use, and within the selection
process, the type of bushing to use is not
always obvious. Parameters such as volt­
age, current, strike distance, creep dis­
tance and CT pock­et length are the usual
selection criteria; however, consideration
for transformer overloading conditions
(both overload ratio and duration), tem­
perature (ambient and temperature of the
transformer), environment (enclosed or
exposed), seismic requirements, angle of
installation, and many other application
specifics play a determining role in selec­
ting the right bushing. Adding to this are
the complexities revolving around choos­

Figure 2. The range of applications for each of the three bushing types offered by Hubbell

28 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Table 2. Insulating technologies for condenser type bushings
Condenser Type Internal Insulation External Insulation
• Oil Impregnated Paper • Oil & Paper
• Resin-Impregnated Paper • Epoxy & Paper
• Solid Cast Epoxy • Epoxy
Figure 3. 25 kV SDC™ GSU bushing
Figure 4. 25 kV PRC® oil-free bushing
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Apart from usual selection criteria, over-
loading conditions, environment, seismic
requirements, angle of installation, etc. play
a determining role in selecting the bushing
ing within the myriad of bushing technol­
ogies now available in the market, where
there is a wide range and mix of tradition­al
and new insulating technologies not limited
to those summarized in Table 2, each pro­
viding its own set of features and benefits.
Not all bushings are equal
The most common types of bushing used
on power transformers are capacitance
graded bushings such as the PCORE Elec­
tric and Electro Composites PRC®, POC®
and SDC™ technologies. Bulk type or solid
type bushings can also be used in instan­
ces. A bulk type or solid type bushing is the
most basic type of bushing manufactured
and is defined by the IEEEE C57.19.00
as: “A non-capacitance graded bushing in
which the major insulation is provided by
a ceramic or analogous material placed
around the energized conductor”. This type
of bushing is usually limited to 34.5 kV.
Due to no capacitance grading, partial dis­
charge can be an issue with these designs.
To withstand higher voltages, the bushing
must be physically larger which then cause
a challenge in meeting the maximum dia­
meters specified in the IEEE standard.
When considerations are being made for
high voltage bushings, a capacitance grad­
ed bushing is the current industry’s pre­
ferred bushing design. Capacitance grad­
ed bushings are defined by the IEEE as
• Porcelain or
• Composite (Silicone)
• Porcelain or
• Composite (Silicone)
• Epoxy or
• Silicone
“A bushing in which metallic or nonmetallic
conducting layers are arranged within
the insulating material for the purpose of
controlling the distribution of the electric
field of the bushing, both axially and radi­
ally”. There are now many different types
of insulating materials used to make capa­
citance graded bushings available on the
market.
How may we serve you?
PCORE Electric and Electro Composites
are one of the leaders when it comes to
not only providing a diverse, high quality,
evolving bushing offering but also has the
ability to offer the technical support to its
customers to help select the correct product
for the application. It is this ability that
PCORE Electric and Electro Composites’
customers have come to expect.
Please visit Hubbell’s new website www.
hubbell.com/hubbellpowersystems/en
for more information on bushing pro­
ducts and the wide range of other
distribution, transmission and sub­
station products offered by Hubbell
Power Systems.
CONTACT:
PCORE Electric - Electro Composites
Product Support Team
bushings@hubbell.com
29
FUNDAMENTALS

Fundamentals
of condenser
bushings

Bushing is a device
that enables one or
several conductors to
pass through a parti-
tion such as a wall or
a tank, insulating the
conductor from it

ABSTRACT 1. Introduction • Oil-to-air type – used for installations

This article focuses on the concept
of capacitance-graded, i.e. condenser
bushings – both oil-impregnated and
resin-impregnated paper bushings –
for extra-high voltage transformers. Af-
ter a description of the dielectric loss,
the article goes on to describe the se-
lection, testing, transportation, storage
and installation of these bushings, so
as to avoid a bushing failure which may
lead to a catastrophic failure of trans-
formers.
KEYWORDS
oil-impregnated paper bushings,
resin-impregnated paper bushings,
dielectric loss
The bushing is a device enabling one or
several conductors to pass through a par­
tition such as a wall or a tank, insulating
the conductor from it. In this case the tank
refers to the tank of the EHV transformer
[1].
Various type of bushings for different ap­
plications are defined in IEC-60137 [1]
and IS: 2099 [9]. However, for extra-high
voltage (EHV) power transformer appli­
cations (66 kV and above), different types
of external media matter are used with the
lower end dipped in oil inside the trans­
former main tank.
There are three types of bushings gener­
ally used in EHV transformer applica­
tions:
in outdoor substations, i.e. air-insulated
substations (AIS),
• Oil-to-SF6 gas type – used in gas-insu­
lated indoor substations (GIS) and in
hybrid substations1,
• Oil-to-oil type – used for oil-filled cable
boxes to receive cables.
The condenser-type bushings include oil-
impregnated paper (OIP) bushings and
resin-impregnated paper (RIP) bushings.
They have proved their superiority over
the synthetic resin-bonded paper (SRBP
1
A hybrid substation is a substation having both an
indoor portion containing EHV equipment in SF6 gas
enclosures, and an outdoor portion. This type of sub-
station is constructed where space is a constraint for
further expansion of the substation.

30 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

 K.K. MURTY

or RBP) bushings by meeting stringent
partial discharge (PD) requirement as
stip­ulated in IEC-60137 for the bushings
for EHV transformers [1].
2. Conceptualizing
capacitance-graded
(condenser) bushings
Equipotential gradient is illustrated by
considering an example of five capaci-
tors C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5, each of 20 nF,
connected in series to a 250 V supply
with reference to the earth, Fig. 1, and
by applying the equation (1):
There are three types of bushings generally
used in EHV transformer applications: oil-
to-air, oil-to-SF6, and oil-to-oil type
degree of vacuum (0.005 mm) and then
impregnated with degassed transformer
oil in case of OIP bushings, or with epoxy
resin in case of RIP bushings. They are
finally assembled by being encapsulated
under pressure in hollow cylindrical glazed
porcelain bushings having appropriate
creepage distance through the rain sheds/
petty-coats and other necessary fittings and
accessories.
The concept of the equipotential gradient
from the live conductor to flange at the
earth potential through cylindrical con­
densers formed as condensers in series, as
explained above, is shown in Figure 2(a)
[3], along with the formula expressing the
calculation of the potential gradient Ex at
any distance x from the centre of the cen­
tral tube, shown in Figure 2(b) [4].

1=1+1+1+1+1 (1)
Ct C1 C2 C3 C4 C5

Therefore, Ct = 20 = 4 nF. (2)

5
In turn, the voltage developed against
each capacitor is as follows:
250 = 50 V (3)
5
The equipotential of 50 volts is maintained
in the descending order from 250 volts to
0 volts (earth potential).

2.1 The concept of condenser

Figure 1. A specimen circuit of capacitors, each of 20 nF, connected in series
bushings

The condenser bushing is conceptualized

applying the principle of a uniform poten­
tial gradient/grading of the electric field
from the live EHV conductor to the fixing
flange of the transformer which is at the
earth potential, through series capacitors.

The OIP/RIP bushings are manufactured

with great precision maintaining equal
capacitances between each cylindrical
condenser, formed between two co-axial
aluminium-foil cylinders encircling the
bush­ing central pipe/rod over the layers
of cellulose paper (superior grade kraft
paper) wrappings. The kraft paper is
dried by heated cylinders until the water
content is reduced to a maximum of 1 %.
The condensers thus formed are in series.
The number of series condensers of equal
capacitances is decided using computer-
aided design, maintaining an equal po­
tential gradient from the central tube/rod
at high voltage to the bushing flange at the
earth potential. The condenser core is built
by wrapping the superior grade kraft paper Figure 2. (a) The concept of potential graded condenser bushings [3]; (b) calculation of
between aluminium foils, and this is perform­ the potential gradient Ex at a distance x from the centre of the cylindrical tube/rod of the
ed in a dust-free chamber sub­ject­ed to a high bushing [4]

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 31
 FUNDAMENTALS
The graded bushing has a more uniform dis-
tribution of potential as compared to that of
the ungraded bushing
Figure 3. Comparison of potential distribution
in graded and ungraded bushings [5]
The voltage distribution of graded and un­
graded bushings is illustrated in Figure 3.
The distribution of potential in the graded
bushing from 100 % voltage to 0 % voltage
is uniform as compared to that of the un­
graded bushing. The graded bushings con­
trol the field longitudinally (axially), result­
ing in ultimate reduction in diameter of
the bushing, unlike that of the ungraded
bushing, which needs larger diameter (i.e.
increase in volume to accommodate more
insulating material) and becomes bulky
for the same voltage class.
Figure 4. C1 is the total value of the capacitors in series from the central rod/tube to test
tap and C2 is the total value of capacitors from test tap to the bushing flange
32
2.2 Definitions and significance of
C1, C2 and tan δ
Locations of C1 and C2 in a condenser
bushing are illustrated in Figure 4. The
sig­nificance of measurements of tan δ and
capacitances is mentioned hereunder:
• C1 is the total capacitance of all the
capacitors formed from the central
conductor to the test tap
• tan δ (the dissipation factor) is the
measure from the central tube/
conductor of the condenser bushing to
the test tap
• C2 is the capacitance between the test
tap and the flange of the bushing (at
earth potential)
The abovementioned two measures of C1
and tan δ are benchmark measurements
for assessing the quality of insulation of
the condenser bushing.
When the test tap cover is closed, C 2 is
connected in series with C1 to form the
total capacitance of the bushing from
the central conductor to the fixing
flange on the turret. The flange, in
turn, is earthed on the top cover of the
transformer which is kept at the earth
potential.
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
2.3 Effects of a series capacitor
failure
If assumed that C1, C2, C3, C4 have capaci­
tances of 100 pF each, as shown in Figure 5,
by applying the equation (1) the follow­ing
is obtained:
1= 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4
Ct 100 100 100 100 100 (4)
Therefore, the total capacitance is:
Ct = 100 = 25 μF (5)
4
If one of the capacitors is shorted, for ex­
ample C3, based on the equation (4) the
following can be obtained:
1 = 1+ 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 (6)
Ct C1 C2 x C4 100
Therefore: Ct = 100 = 33.33 pF (7)
3
So, it can be established that total capaci­
tance will increase if one or more of the
capacitors in series get shorted.
3. Dissipation factor tan δ
The measurement of the dissipation fac­
tor signifies the quality of the insulating
material. It is defined as the ratio of the
current through the impurity seen as the
resistance to the current through the orig­
inal capacitance of the condenser bush­
ing. In other words, any increase in the
dissipation factor tan δ is an indication
of deterioration of its original insulating
quality. The significance and the phasor
representation of tan δ in reference to the
construction of condenser bushings, see
section 2.1 and Figures 2(a) and 4, is ex­
plained as follows.
The angle δ is the loss angle and the tan δ is
the loss factor (dissipation factor).
In an AC voltage circuit, when a sinusoidal
voltage is applied across an ideal capacitor,
the capacitive current leads the applied
voltage by 90° (i.e. IC = ωCV). Impurities,
if any, developed in the capacitor act as a
resistor in parallel. The current I gets di­
vided into two parallel paths, one through
the capacitor and the other through the
resistor (impurity). They are indicated as
IC and IR, respectively, Fig. 6.
As per the phasor diagram, the current
C1 and tan δ are benchmark measurements
for assessing the quality of insulation of the
condenser bushing
Figure 5. Equal capacitors in series
Figure 6. The loss angle δ = 90 - Φ is the angle between the phasors IC and I
phasor I no longer leads the voltage pha­
sor V by 90°, but rather by ϕ o = 90°– δ.
Therefore: IC = I∙cos δ, ωCV = I∙cos δ
(as IC = ωCV)
Thus, I = ωCV
cos δ (8)
Dielectric loss = V∙I∙cos ϕ = V∙I∙sin δ =
V∙ ωCV
cos δ sin δ (9)
Dielectric loss = ωCV 2 ∙ tan δ (10)
where,
tan δ = IR
IC
In view of (8), (9) and (10), the following
can be inferred:
• Increase in tan δ value is an indication
of deterioration of the insulation.
• Increase in C takes place when either
moisture ingresses into the insulation
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
In other words, tan δ is directly proportion­
al to the power factor, and if PF increases,
tan δ shall also increase. It can be observed
that there is a very minor difference between
the values of tan δ and the power factor.
5. Selection of bushings
5.1 Main parts of an OIP bushing
The main parts of an OIP bushing are
illustrated in Figure 7a.
or some of the condensers get shorted.
• Dielectric loss is directly proportional
to tan δ, C and square of the voltage as
ω = 2πf, where f (frequency of a power
system) normally does not vary sharp­
ly; therefore, ω is considered to be con­
stant.
4. Dissipation factor vs.
power factor
Dissipation factor tan δ is used in European
and Asian countries, including India, whe­
reas in the U.S., Canada and some other
countries power factor cos ϕ is used to spe­
cify the power losses in the insulation [6].
tan δ = PF 2 and PF = tan δ2 (11)
√1+tan δ
√1+PF
A sample comparative calculation using
the formula tan δ = PF 2 is:
√1+PF
a) for PF = 0.4; tan δ = 0.371
b) for PF = 0.5; tan δ = 0.447 Figure 7a. Components of a condenser bushing [7]
33
 FUNDAMENTALS
The total capacitance will increase if one or
more of the capacitors in series get shorted
5.2 Voltage ratings
Bushings are manufactured with voltage
ratings equivalent to the highest system
voltages. For example, HV bushings of
420 kV are used on the HV side and the
bushings of 245 kV on the 220 kV side of
400/220/33  kV transformers. The other
voltage ratings of bushings used include
145  kV for 132  kV systems, 36  kV for
33  kV systems, etc. When selecting HV
bushings, it is also important that they
have a higher basic insulation level (BIL)
than that of the transformer winding. BIL
is the highest lightning impulse voltage
expressed in kVp (kilovolts peak) which
power equipment can withstand without
any damage. For example, 400/220  kV
class transformers are equipped with HV
bushings rated for 420  kV with the BIL
of 1,425 kVp, while the BIL rating of the
transformer winding is 1,300 kVp [8]. This
is essentially required for maintaining
insulation coordination between the
insulation of the windings and that of the
bushings against the ill-effects of peak
lightning impulse voltages.
As per the phenomenon of the lightning
impulse voltage wave, it rises from zero va­
lue to its peak value (in kVp) in 1.2 μs and
then falls to 50 % of the peak value in 50 μs.
This is denoted as 1.2/50 μs, Fig. 8 [1, 9].
5.3 Minimum nominal creepage
distance
Minimum nominal creepage distance is
the shortest distance along the surface
of an insulator between two conductive
parts. In the case of bushings, this is the
distance between the bushing top metallic
dome/terminal and the flange, which is
referred to in terms of mm/kV, Fig. 9 [1, 9].
The requirement for the creepage distance
may be specified by the customer based on
the pollution level of the location w­here
the power transformers are to be installed,
as shown below [1, 9]:
• Heavily polluted – 25 mm/kV
• Very heavily polluted – 31 mm/kV
The manufacturers generally install
bush­
ings suitable for heavily-polluted
34
atmosphere with a creepage distance of
25 mm/kV, unless a different specific
pollution level is specified by the customer.
5.4 Arcing distance
Arcing distance is the shortest distance in
the air external to the insulator between
metallic parts which normally have the
operating voltage between them, Fig. 9.
The arcing distance depends on the
altitude. If the altitude where the
transformer is to be installed exceeds
1,000 m, then the arcing distance needs to
be increased. Considering that air density
at high altitudes is lower than that at the
sea level, the dielectric strength of the
atmospheric air at high altitudes will also
be lower. The arcing distance needs to
be increased by 1 % for each 100 meters
exceeding 1,000 m [1, 9].
5.5 Type of sheds of the bushings
for AIS applications
The shapes of porcelain sheds are also
important while selecting the porcelain
bush­
ings for AIS applications, which
depend on ambient conditions such as
snow, fog, etc. There are two types of
Figure 7b. Oil-to-oil type bushing used for cable connection through an oil-filled cable box
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
sheds of such bushings for use in an EHV
transformer, as illustrated in Figure 10a
and 10b.
It is essential that the customers (OEMs)
indicate the type of the sheds required for
the bushings for EHV transformers they
propose to manufacture.
5.6 Ambient temperature
Transformer manufacturer should also be
informed about the minimum and maxi­
mum ranges of the ambient temperature
where the transformer will be located.
According to the standards, these tem­
p­erature ranges are as follows:
• – 40 °C to + 40 °C for cold countries, as
per IEC 60137 [1]
• – 5 °C to + 50 °C for tropical countries
like India, as per IS: 2099 [9]
5.7 Angle of inclination for
mounting
The types of bushings are also designated
as per angle of inclination [1, 9]:
• Vertical bushings are designed and
constructed to be installed up to and
includ­ing 30° from the vertical.
• Horizontal bushings are designed and
constructed to be installed at an angle
equal to or greater than 70° from the
vertical.
Oil Filled

Figure 8. Lightning impulse voltage profile
6. Factory tests
As stipulated in IEC 60137 [1] and
IS: 2099 [9], the bushings are subjected to
the following tests:
Figure 9. Arcing distance and creepage distance
of the bushing
Figure 10a. Anti-fog shapes of porcelain sheds
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
• Type tests. Type tests are performed on
a few selected bushings out of the lot to
prove that the design adopted by the
manufacturers satisfies the specification
and GTP of the customer. These tests are
invariably witnessed by the customer’s
representative.
• Routine tests. Routine tests are per­
formed on each and every unit of the
bush­ing. This is mandatory on the part
of the manufacturer.
• Acceptance tests. Acceptance tests are
performed on a few randomly selected
bushings, and they are generally wit­
nessed by the representative of the cus­
tomer. These tests are also called FAT
(Factory Acceptance Tests).
6.1 Routine tests
1. Measurement of dielectric dissipation
factor tan δ and capacitance at ambient
temperature
2. Dry power frequency voltage with-
stand test
3. Dry lightning impulse voltage with-
stand test (for Um >72.5 kV)
Figure 10b. Alternate shapes of porcelain sheds
The requirement for
the creepage distance
is specified based on
the pollution level of
the location where the
power transformers
are to be installed
4. Measurement of partial discharge
quantity*
5. Tests on tap insulation
6. Pressure test on liquid-filled and
liquid-insulated bushings
* The maximum discharge quantity at Um
should be <10 pC in case of OIP & RIP
bushings, as prescribed by IEC: 60137
6.2 Acceptance tests
Acceptance tests are the same set of tests
as routine tests.
6.3 Type tests
1. Wet power frequency voltage with­
stand test
2. Dry lightning impulse voltage with­
stand test
3. Dry or wet switching impulse voltage
withstand test
4. Thermal stability test
5. Temperature rise test
6. Thermal short time current withstand
test
35
 FUNDAMENTALS
The shapes of porcelain sheds are also im-
portant while selecting the porcelain bush-
ings for AIS applications
7. Dynamic current withstand test
8. Cantilever load withstand test
9. Tightness test on liquid-filled and li­
quid-insulated bushings
Before and after the thermal and dielec­
tric tests, measurements of tan  δ, capa­
citance and partial discharge are carried
out to check and verify whether a punc­
ture or any other significant damage has
occurred during the course of the above
listed tests.
7. Transportation, storage
and installation of the
bushing
The following points need to be strictly
followed during the transportation, stor­
age, unpacking, handling and erection of
the EHV bushings [10].
7.1 Transportation
Bushings can be transported in a wooden
crate maintaining an angle of 6 to 8 de­
grees to the horizontal plane, so that the
oil end is at the lower level. The transpor­
tation should be jerk-free.
Figure 11. Installation/erection of a bushing (draw-lead type) [10]
36
7.2 Storage
Bushings can be stored outdoors with tar­
paulin covering, maintaining the 6 to 8
degree inclination to the horizontal plane
and keeping the oil end at the lower level.
7.3 Unpacking and handling
• While unpacking the bushings, care
should be taken such that the bushings
do not experience any kind of jerks.
• Steel rope and chain pulley block should
not be used for lifting, instead, manila
or nylon ropes should be used for lifting
the bushing from the crate, ensuring
that the ropes hold the bushing at its top
and bottom ends, for lifting it horizon­
tally or in some angle of inclination.
• Never rest the bottom stress shield on
the ground (in the case of non-detach­
able stress shields).
7.4 Erection
• The bushing should be carefully
c­hecked physically for any damages,
cracks, etc.
• The insulation resistance (IR) should
also be measured. Workmen should
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
not be allowed to climb over the bush­
ings for any work such as connecting
the leads and overhead jumpers, etc.
Instead, a proper bucket truck/bucket
crane should be used for the workmen
to stand and pull the lead in order to
make lead connections in the draw-lead
type bushings as well as the draw-rod
connection type bushings. Similarly,
the jumpers from the overhead gantry
to the bushing terminals should also be
connected through this arrangement.
• Before it is energised, the bushing
must be kept in an upright position or
mounted on the transformer for a peri­
od of minimum 24 hours [10].
• For lifting and installing the bushings,
non-metallic ropes, preferably nylon
ropes should be used, Figure 11 [10].
8. Bushings dos and don’ts
Dos:
1. Check and verify if the bushing has
been transported in a crate so that
the oil end is at the lower level and the
bushing is inclined making an angle of
6-8° with the horizon.
2. Check and verify if there is any
damage to the crate externally before
unpacking the bushing.
3. Unpack the bushing with care so as to
avoid any kind of damage to the bush­
ing or the porcelain of the bushing.
4. Verify the name plate details.
5. Handle the bushings with non-metal­
lic nylon ropes while removing from
the crate, hoisting and assembling
onto the transformer.
6. While storing the bushing in a crate,
make sure that the bushing is inclined
making an angle of 6-8° with the
horizontal plane, with its oil end at the
bottom.
7. The bushing should be covered with
tarpaulin and stored in a shed to safe­
guard it against rain and atmospheric
moisture.
8. Clean the bushing insulator thor­
oughly before testing it for tan δ and
capacitance.
9. Check for oil level and oil leakages in
a bushing.
10. If spare bushing is to be tested, it
should be fitted in the upright positi­
on in an oil chamber filled with trans­
former oil and then tested.
11. Before installation of the bushing, the
unit should be kept in the upright po­
sition for more than 24 hours.
12. Verify that the terminal clamps are
Cu-Al bimetallic clamps.
13. Verify that the terminal clamps are suit­
able for particular ACSR (Aluminum
Conductor Steel Reinforced) or AAA
(All Aluminum Alloy) conductor
used for jumpering.
14. Verify that the test tap cover is electri­
cally connected to the bushing flange.
15. Verify that the test tap cover is proper­
ly fixed on to the test tap.
16. Proper safety measures are to be taken
so as to safeguard the life of men, ma­
terial and instruments from high volt­
age induction.
17. Proper record of the bushings should
be maintained for routine mainte­
nance, such as IR value, tan δ and ca­
pacitance measurements and thermo­
vision survey reports.
18. Care should be taken while testing
for tan δ and capacitance of C2 that is
test tap to flange, the test voltage range
should be 500 V to 2 kV only.
19. Immediately replace the bushing
whose tan δ and capacitance values are
de­teriorating from the standard values.
Don’ts:
1. Do not accept the bushings without
test certificates of the tests witnessed
by the authorized representative of the
customer.
2. Do not unpack the bushing from the
crate unless required for erection/as­
sembling.
3. Do not at any case or circumstances
use any metallic rope for lifting,
hoisting and mounting the unit on the
transformer.
4. Do not test the bushing if the weather
is very moist and rainy.
5. Care should be taken not to test the
tan δ and capacitance of C2 that is test
tap to flange with any voltage beyond
2 kV
6. Do not try to dismantle the bushing at
the site without approval of the com­
petent authorities/manufacturers.
7. Do not climb on the bushing for
cleaning, making connecting terminal
clamps, etc.
Conclusion
There are three types of bushings generally
used in EHV transformer applications:
oil-to-air, oil-to-SF6, and oil-to-oil type.
The graded bushing has a more uniform
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Tan δ, capacitance and partial discharge are
measurements before and after the thermal
and dielectric tests to verify whether any
significant damages have occurred
distribution of potential as compared to [4] E. W. Golding, Electrical measure-
that of the ungraded bushing. ments and measuring instruments, 4th
edition, 1955 (reprinted in 1962)
C1 and tan δ are benchmark measure­
ments for assessing the quality of insula­ [5] NPTEL lecture notes, retrieved from
tion of the condenser bushing. http://nptel.ac.in/courses/108104048/lec­
ture3/slide3.htm
The requirement for the creepage distance
is specified based on the pollution level of [6] HAEFLEY TEST AG’s Midas 228x,
the location where the power transform­ operating instructions
ers are to be installed.
[7] THVS OIP Condenser Bushing
for High-voltage Transformers, Type
References OTA72.5 kV to 1200 kV up to 5000  A,
[1] IEC – 60137, Edition 7.0 2017- 06, In- Trench High Voltage Products Ltd, Shen­
ternational Electro-technical Commis­ yang, China
sion Standard for Insulated bushings for
Alternating Voltages Above 1000 V [8] Central Board of Irrigation and Power,
Manual on Transformers, No. 317, April
[2] S.Tenbohlen,J Jagers et al. Development 2013
and results of a worldwide transformer
reliability survey, CIGRE A2 Colloquium [9] IS: 2099 - 1986 (Reaffirmed 2003),
2015,China, 20-25 Sept 2015, on behalf of Indian Standard Specification for Bush­
CIGRE WG A2.37, CIGRE, Formation of ings for Alternating Voltage Above 1000
WG A2-37 Document DTD, 14.01.2008 Volts
[3] Marcos E.G Alves, J. C. da Silva, S.A. [10] Alstom T&D, Instruction manual
Cemig, Online Capacitance & Tangent for installation and O&M of OIP con-
Delta Monitoring for Condensive Bush­ings, denser bushings (Oil to Air) (24kV…
CIGRE Conference, Brasil, 20-24 Dec 2007 420kV):
Author
K.K. Murty holds a Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in
Electrical Engineering obtained from the University of
Jabalpur, India. He was a former Chief Engineer and
Head of Department at M.P. Power Transmission Co. Ltd.
Jabalpur (India), he was a member of the panel of expert
professionals at the Central Power Research Institute
(CPRI), Bangalore, from 2008 to 2012. Previous to this, he
worked as an Advisor (Testing) at SOUTHCO, a discom
in the state of Odisha, a Metering Consultant to M. P. Electricity Regulatory
Commission and a Course Director for the graduate electrical engineering
trainees at the Training Institute of MPPTCL, Jabalpur. He has published a few
technical articles in national and international journals and presented some
technical papers at various national and international conferences pertaining
to power transformers, other power equipment and power systems, etc. Mr.
Murty is a Member of India’s Society of Power Engineers (MSPE), a Fellow
of Institution of Engineers, India (FIE) and is a Chartered Engineer (CE). In
October 2015 he was awarded a plaque in recognition of his eminence and
contribution to the profession of electrical engineering at the national level by
the Institution of Engineers (India).
37
 COMPONENTS
CEDASPE – Bushings
and accessories for
distribution and power
transformers
F
ounded in 1967, CEDASPE cele­
brates its 50th company anniversary
this year. Based in Italy, CEDASPE
has grown from a small workshop
with three employees and one product
line into an international company with
three plants in Italy and an expansive
product range. Today, CEDASPE is part
of the REINHAUSEN Group, working
closely with other members of the group
and sharing expertise and experience to
improve customer services.
The History of CEDASPE
In 1967, Giorgio Giorgi founded CED
Elettromeccanica S.r.I. in Milan, renaming
38
it to CEDASPE in 1994 after acquiring
ASPE.
The company started growing in 1976
when Gian Franco Giorgi, the current
man­aging director, joined the company.
He immediately spearheaded the develop­
ment of new products for transformers,
such as butterfly valves and bushings in
a voltage range up to 52 kV. Export busi­
ness picked up speed and new customers
continued to flock to them from all over
Europe and around the world.
In 1986, Andrea Giorgi joined the compa­
ny as a plant manager and established new
production lines, including modern CNC
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
machining centers and turning machines.
There were bigger changes in the 1990s:
European Trafo Products (ETP) was
found­ed with a local partner in Singapore
in 1997 in order to serve the Southeast
Asian market better. After taking over the
companies ASPE (1994) and Fornasari
(1998), CEDASPE moved to its current
headquarters in San Giliano Milanese, Italy.
The product offerings were also updated,
beginning with low-voltage bushings for
distribution transformers. CEDASPE was
the first company to develop a new de­
sign in accordance with EN 50386. The
ED bushing series was a revolution on the
market, forcing the competition to keep
pace. The innovations continued over the
 Advertorial

CEDASPE, today a member of the REINHAUSEN Group, has grown into

an international company with three plants in Italy and an expansive
product range
years with a new Buchholz relay, a new de­ and EN 50216 standards. Moreover, the silicone insulators not just for overhead
sign for the oil level indicator (including expert team supports customers by deter­ lines or condenser-type high voltage
an electronic version with value transmis­ mining the best possible design for special bushings.
sion), new butterfly valves (zero leakage), and extreme applications.
new dehydrating breathers and new ter­ “It was a highlight for our develop­
minal boxes. In 2014, the decision was reached to ment team and we are very proud of the
invest in a new product line: the Silicone product’s success. But we are not resting
Internationalization continued: In 2007, Bushing Composite (SBC) series for on our laurels – we are currently working
CEDASPE concluded a joint venture power transformers. Following the latest on a new product that will hopefully be
with Sukrut Electric Company Private market trends, the next logical step was successful,” explained Gian Franco Giorgi,
Limited for the Indian market. In 2009, to upgrade substation technology using managing director of CEDASPE.
British Transformer Components Ltd.
(BTRAC) was founded. Today, BTRAC
is also a member of the REINHAUSEN
Group. ETP also began producing
bushings for distribution transformers
as well as assembling bushings for power
transformers in Singapore, supervised by
CEDASPE.

The product portfolio

CEDASPE has always invested in new
technologies to create the best product
range for its customers. The product
portfolio includes the key CEDASPE
products; bushings for distribution
and power transformers, instruments
and protection devices such as oil level
gauges and Buchholz relays, as well as
tank accessories, e.g. butterfly valves and
terminal boxes.

All products have been designed in order

to meet and exceed minimum standard re­
quirements in accordance with IEC 60137

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 39
 COMPONENTS

The product portfolio includes transformer Advantages of distribution

bushings, instruments and protection
devices, as well as tank accessories
CEDASPE SBC—Silicone
Bushing Composite
The Silicone Bushing Composite (SBC)
range, the new family of bushings, is the
bushings — ED series:
| Optimal tightening solution
| Smart assembly, packaging and
delivery process
response to the ever-increasing demand | Best value-price guarantee
for a safe, efficient and reliable product
that can help both OEMs and utility com­ | Rated voltage = 1 kV max.
panies optimize the total operational costs | From 250 A to 4500 A
of the transformer.
| Copper and brass versions
The CEDASPE SBC is a hollow-core oil- | Multiple connection styles
filled composite bushing featuring a wide | Nylon bottom-insulating body
operational range: from 12 kV to 52 kV | Tin-plating treatment available upon
rated voltage and from 630 A to 4500 A request
rated current. | Customized/special solutions available
upon request
The insulation body is made of a fiberglass
tube with an integrated aluminum flange
that improves the bushing strength, re­
ducing the risk of oil leakage. The silicone
insulator is molded directly onto the fiber­
glass tube by a modern, state-of-the-art
injection system based on liquid silicone
technology (LSR).

This use of silicone technology ensures

that the bushing is safe and maintenance-
free, and it has a longer service life as a
result.

SBC 36-M42-RSA:
Test passed at KIPTS
(@ ESKOM - South Africa)

The most recent goal achieved by

Advantages of CEDASPE SBC:
| Guaranteed safety
| Improved total cost of ownership
| High level of technical perforance
and reliability passed both light-to-medium and
| Resistant to extreme environmental
conditions
| Simple design as well as long service
life
| Integrated flange — improved strength
| Low weight—simplified handling and
mounting
| Can be retrofitted — interchangeability
between DIN/EN standards
C­EDASPE: the SBC bushings have been
positively tested at Koeberg Insulator
P­ollution Test Station (KIPTS); the official
test certificate has been issued by ESKOM
on 31/07/2017.
Tests started more than one year ago
according to ESKOM specifications: the
SBC 36-M42-RSA bushing successfully
heavy-to-very heavy test cycles: thus
certifying this product is fit for use in
both an inland non-coastal and coastal
environment.
The innovative CEDASPE SBC design
has the same overall dimensions of the
corresponding porcelain-type bushing,
in accordance with either DIN 42533 and
4 or EN 50180, allowing for replacement
on-site during normal transformer
maintenance operations.
Bushings for power and
distribution transformers
Bushings for power and distribution
transformers are the core business of
CEDASPE. With two series of porcelain
bushings for power transformers (HV,
HC) and three series of porcelain
bushings for distribution transformers
(ED, LV, MV), as well as flags and bushing
connections in almost every size and
design, the company can find the best
solution for every customer in accordance
with their specifications.
CEDASPE also manufactures highly spe­
cialized parts, such as busbars for rectifiers
and furnace transformers.

40 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Instruments and protection
devices
“Some of the first products in the
CEDASPE portfolio included oil level
gauges. We are currently producing three
different types of gauges in different sizes,”
said Giorgi. Well-versed in transformer
operation, CEDASPE used its expertise
to develop a new oil level indicator with
inclined flange mounting and a large dial
indicator, new pressure relief devices and
special oil flow indicators.
CEDASPE Buchholz relays are designed
to detect faults and prevent damage
from spreading in oil-filled transformers.
The main series are the EB and EE lines.
Offering various other series, including
several adaptation solutions, CEDASPE
makes any replacement possible.
Advantages of Buchholz relays:
| Waterproof (IP 65)
| Large inspection window
| Flexible replacement of existing
and old solutions
| Inlet pipe diameter:
25 mm / 50 mm / 80 mm
| Round flange, 4- or 8-hole version
| Body in aluminum alloy casting
| Environmental conditions from -60 °C transformers (GSU), the recent success of
up to +70 °C
| Finishing for extreme/high corrosive
environments
| Several wiring diagram options
| Trip up to 2 m/s
| RG3.2/RG3.3 gas collecting device
available
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Tank accessories
CEDASPE also supplies a variety of
products for the tank of a transformer,
such as butterfly valves, terminal boxes or
conventional breathers. They round out a
large range of offerings meeting customer
needs for their transformers.
50 years of CEDASPE
This year, CEDASPE celebrated an im­
portant company anniversary: 50 years of
CEDASPE. The official birthday celebrati­
on was held in Milan under the motto “Full
steam ahead.” In mid-June, the company ce­
lebrated its anniversary with over 90 guests
in the Leonardo da Vinci National Muse­
um of Science and Technology. The three
brothers Enrico, Gian Franco and Andrea
Giorgi took the opportunity to thank all
their loyal customers, suppliers and emplo­
yees. “It is impressive today, look­ing back at
the years. 50 years ago, nobody expected
such successful development. Now, we are
looking forward to experiencing the next
stage of our company history as a member
of the REINHAUSEN family,” said Gian
Franco Giorgi.
Three questions for Gian
Franco Giorgi, managing
director and son of the
founder of CEDASPE
CEDASPE is a fast growing company
– as part of Reinhausen Group, you
are in a good position for the next 50
years of company history. What were
your highlights from the last 50 years?
Looking back on this fantastic half century,
we still remember the late eighties, when
CEDASPE was already exporting almost
80% of its product around the world
(to South East Asia, Arabia and South
America). We also remember our big
success on the market when we launched
the ED LV bushing series at the beginning
of the millennium. In addition to high-
current bushings for generator step-up
This year CEDASPE
celebrated its 50th
anniversar y under
the motto “Full steam
ahead”
our CEDASPE SBC silicone bushings is
especially motivating.
The silicone bushings are the stars of
your product portfolio. What are the
special features of this product?
We designed our SBC bushing because we
believe it is the answer to future market
requirements: safety, cost-effectiveness
and reliability. A smart design, featuring
a high quality fiber glass tube and an in­
novative flange, makes the product strong,
ex­tremely flexible and easy to use.
What are the targets for the company
in the next few years?
We intend to expand our portfolio with new
products in order to increase our presence
on the market. Thanks to the worldwide
presence of the REINHAUSEN Group, we
are able to reach every corner of the world
and definitively become recognized as the
market leader in transformer hollow-core
bushings and components.
Contact
Cedaspe Power S.r.l.
Via Colombara, 1 – Franz. Pedriano
I-20098 S. Giuliano Milanese (MI) – ITALY
Tel. +39 02 9820 4411
cedsale@cedaspe.com
www.cedaspe.com
41
CONNECTIVITY
Pluggable bushings up to 550 kV
are quick and easy to install, re-
quiring no oil work – time require-
ments are reduced by up to 75 per-
cent when transformers are first
installed
Pluggable bushings:
More flexibility for existing
and new grid facilities
ABSTRACT
Pluggable bushings offer numerous
advantages over conventional bushings,
but with the same performance
characteristics: simple and much faster
to install, they do not require any oil or
gas work on site in the substation; they
are solid-insulated, explosion-proof, and
can be replaced and used over again
at any time. Plus they are significantly
shorter, requiring considerably less
space inside a transformer. Of course,
the same is true for use in gas-
insulated switchgear (GIS). Demand
for pluggable bushings, which were
42
developed around twenty years ago
mainly for testing and measurement
purposes, has been steadily growing in
recent years – together with their scope
of applications. Given the changing
grid structure and rising challenges
associated with the energy transition,
grid operators worldwide recognise the
advantages of pluggable bushings in
terms of greater planning flexibility and
the future flexible use of transformers.
KEYWORDS
pluggable bushings, flexible trans-
formers, future-proof grid structure
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
1. Introduction
In the years ahead, increasing decentral­
isation of power generation will require
continuous adjustments to the grid
struc­ture. Transformers need to be
quick to install, interchangeable, and
permit a variety of uses in the long term.
Meanwhile, increasing urbanisation is
placing increasing demands on existing
substations. Within space constraints and
with interruptions kept to a minimum,
they need to be modified for higher
capacities. Connection components
such as bushings play a key role. For
example, pluggable bushings enable
rapid installation of equipment for
temporarily bypassing a transformer, or
for its permanent operation – both for

new installations and for modifications to
gas-insulated or conventional switchgear.
What is more, the ability to simply replace
the pluggable components increases
the reliability of the overall system.
The outage times during maintenance
or during midlife refurbishment are
reduced significantly, meaning that the
redundancy within the substation is
restored in less time. With the standard
design, the midlife refurbishment requires
a substantial amount of work. The oil-
filled transformer is disconnected from
the grid, the oil level lowered, the bushing
replaced and subsequently the entire
connection technology reconnected. It
may sometimes be necessary afterwards to
draw a new vacuum under oil. This leads
to a three-day downtime to allow any air
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Carmen MERTENS, Thomas FRIEDEL, Markus SULZBERGER
Pluggable bushings also enable reconfigura-
tion of the grid structure, and due to increasing
decentralisation of power generation, this need
will increase in the years ahead
bubbles formed during the procedure to
escape. The procedure is much simpler
and, as such, much cheaper with a
transformer equipped with a universally
pluggable interface. After switching off,
the old bushing is simply unplugged and
the new one plugged in. This only takes
1.5 hours to complete, after which the
grid operator can restore the redundancy
within the substation. For the Total Cost
of Ownership (TCO) calculation, this
means minimal costs for personnel and
system downtime.
Apart from easy installation when build­
ing new facilities, during replacement,
and for flexible reconfiguration of station­
ary systems, pluggable bushings are also
advantageous in temporary applications.
Thanks to their solid insulation, there is
absolutely no environmental risk when
temporarily replacing overhead power
lines with cables. Moreover, they simplify
and speed up the construction of tem­
porary systems.
2. One interface – many
connection possibilities
The basic requirement for being able to use
pluggable bushings is to have a univer­­sal
pluggable interface in the transformer. This
offers far more flexible application options
than conventional, fixed connection
systems. For example, both bushings and
cable connections can be used via the same
socket, without having to intervene in the
sensitive inner workings of the systems, Fig.
1. The dry, solid-insulated and pluggable
socket is also more compact, so it takes up
less space. As a result, transform­er designs
can be more compact. With regard to their
future uses, transformers or GIS equipped
with a pluggable interface are much more
flexible and capable of operating for decades
even under changing requirements. To
ensure future expandability, it is even
possible to close a socket using a voltage
proof dummy plug, and then use it
when needed as an additional pluggable
connection. Changing from pluggable
bushings to HV cables and vice versa is
easily possible at any time.
3. Challenge: Combining
capacitive with geometric
control
With pluggable cable connectors, termina­
tions, surge arresters and bushings, a com­
prehensive product portfolio is available
for pluggable connection systems from
6 kV to 550 kV. There is one crucial feature
in the development of pluggable bushings,
however: while pluggable cable connec­
tors join together geometric field controls
on each side, a pluggable bushing has to
combine the socket’s geometric control
with the capacitive bushing. The compact
design offering the advantages both of the
pluggable bushing and the space-saving,
standardised connector in the trans­
former is possible only by combining the
two field control types.
The composition of pluggable bushings
is illustrated here using the example of
an HV-CONNEX Gr. 7-S bushing for
voltages up to 362 kV. Numerous product
variants of different sizes for voltage levels
from 123 kV to 362 kV are now available –
and a pluggable bushing for up to 550 kV
is currently in development.
4. High current-carrying
capacity up to 2,600 amps
The actual conductor is located inside
the bushing, Fig. 2. Usually it is made of
copper, though aluminium is possible
in some cases. To counteract the strong
warming of the conductor and hence the
danger of overheating, which is amplified
by the insulation, the bushing uses “heat
pipe” technology: the conductor consists
of a copper tube containing a liquid which
sublimates into a gaseous state as the tem­
perature rises. The hot gas circulates in­
side the conductor and condenses, thus
continually transporting the heat/energy
upwards. This type of circulation cooling
is also found in other technical applica­
tions, such as for processor cooling in su­
percomputers – but on a far smaller scale.
Using heat pipe technology in the plug­
gable bushing enables maximum currents
up to 2,600 amps in a minimum of space.
43
 CONNECTIVITY
Figure 1. A universal pluggable socket makes it easy to change between bushings, cable connectors or surge arresters, without intervention in the system
Pluggable solutions are significantly shorter,
requiring roughly one third less space inside
a transformer, and enabling more compact
transformer design
Copper-beryllium lamellas on the contact leads to only five percent of the total over­ Capacitive and geometric
part of the bushing, Fig. 3, no. 4, ensure op­
timal contact for the plug connection, even
under different ambient temperatures in
summer and winter. Making electrical con­
tacts by means of contact lamellas is based
on the line contact principle, offering high­
er current-carrying capacities com­pared to
planar contacts. At first sight, a planar con­
tact surface seems an ideal contact point:
two smooth surfaces lie flat on one another,
electrical energy can flow over the entire
overlapping surface. Under the microscope
the visual appearance turns out deceptive.
A rugged landscape is revealed, full of peaks
and valleys. These irregularities in the sur­
face of the material, which are called sur­
face roughness, have consequences for the
contact quality. As a result of numerous
measurements, a hundred percent contact
area effectively shrinks to a few metallic
and thus electrical contact points, which
44
6. Electrical field control:
lap surface. This argument lead to a para­
digm change in contact technology: the
removal of large contact surfaces towards
smaller but defined contact points with
high contact pressure.
5. RIP or RIS insulation
Various options are available for the
insulation of the conductor, Fig. 2,
which is the central core of the bushing.
As with conventional bushings, Resin
Impregnated Paper (RIP) or Resin
Impregnated Synthetics (RIS) insulation
is commonly used; these consist of paper
or synthetic fabric impregnated with
epoxy resin under vacuum. The insulation
is wrapped around the central conductor
in the bush­ing. Both materials – RIP and
RIS – are available for pluggable bushings.
Because paper is very dense, however, it
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
only permits the use of high purity, very
low viscosity epoxy resin. By contrast,
RIS insulation is more permeable, so
fillers can be used, e.g. to enhance thermal
conductivity.
The electrical field in the bushing is con­
trolled capacitively. When the bushing is
manufactured, conductive foils are ap­
plied to the conductor alternately with the
RIP or the paper-free synthetic fabric RIS
insulation, similar to conventional foil ca­
pacitors. This arrangement generates a se­
ries circuit of capacitances. The individual
foils are not at any defined potential. Only
the first and last foil are connected to the
high-voltage and earth potential, Fig. 4,
to achieve a high degree of homogeneity.
The same voltage drops across each of
these capacitors and forms a homogeneous
field in the insulating material. The length,
spacing and number of foils are chosen
ac­cordingly to generate the desired integ­
rated capacitances. In Figures 5 and 6, the
capacitive field control is pictured primary
as a scheme and secondary as a field density
plot. The lines are showing the equipoten­
A paradigm change in
contact technol­o gy
was deployed: the re-
moval of large con-
tact surfaces towards
smaller but defined
contact points with
high contact pressure
Figure 2. Composition of a pluggable HV-CONNEX Gr. 7-S bushing up to 362 kV. Heat pipe
tial areas. As it can be seen, the distances technology for cooling the conductor enables maximum currents in a minimum of space
between the lines are made homogenous
due to the different length of the foils.

The crucial innovation consists in com­

bining the bushing’s capacitive control
with the socket’s geometric control. With
conventional bushings, capacitive control
continues directly in the transformer or
GIS, compare also Fig. 3 on the right side
– with the result that the system-side end
of the bushing inside the transformer is
significantly longer. When operated with
a cable plugged in, the cable connector and
the sock­et in the transformer are both con­
trolled geometrically, not capacitively. In
this case, the homogenisation of the field
is achieved via the shape of the electrodes,
which means that the end of the screen,
black part in Figure 7, has to be modified
in such a way as to produce an optimal field
distribution, Figs. 7 and 8. It can be seen in
both pictures that the distances between
the equipotential lines are as good as con­ Figure 3. Contact and flange region of a pluggable bushing
stant, which is desired for the field control.
The crucial innovation consists in combin-
Although geometric control is thicker in
diameter, it is substantially shorter. When ing the bushing’s capacitive control with the
a capacitive bushing is used together with
a geometrically controlled socket, both
socket’s geometric control of electric field
types of control have to be matched to
each other. It is important that the field
exposure limit is not exceeded, both in the
insulation of the two individual compo­
nents and in all adjoining insulating m­edia.
Combining both control types in the
pluggable bushing and the socket has suc­
ceeded in enabling maximum power in a
minimum of space, compare also Fig 3.

7. Reduced installation depth

enables new generation of
grid facilities

The combination of capacitive and geo­

metric field control in pluggable bushings Figure 4. Structure of capacitive control and layers

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 45
 CONNECTIVITY

Figure 5. Capacitive control in the bushing at the upper and bottom ends Figure 6. Electrical field simulation, capacitive control
of the foils

Figure 7. Geometric control which can be found inside the pluggable con- Figure 8. Electrical field simulation, geometric control
nection area in the connector and the socket

reduces the installation depth in the trans­

former or GIS by about a third compared
to a conventional bushing, Fig. 9. This al­
lows significantly more compact designs
for new grid facilities, and more flexible
applications. Based on the pluggable HV­
CONNEX Gr. 7-S bushing and the plug­
gable CONNEX socket, Siemens have
developed compactly designed resilience
transformers that are easy to transport by
lorry, can be moved within a few days, and
are operational within a few hours. This
was made possible because the socket,
thanks to its short length, could be built
into the top of the transformer, thereby
saving space, and because the pluggable
bushing guarantees rapid assembly. Other
compact systems and installations are
conceivable.
8. Special feature regarding
the positioning of current
transformers
Although the shorter installation length
of the pluggable socket is clearly an ad­
Current transformers integrating into the
socket or bushing itself was another ad-
vanced idea deployed here
vantage, it also means that a change is
necessary with regard to the positioning
of current transformers. Because the
contact element and socket are geomet­
rically controlled, a current transformer
cannot be positioned directly at the bush­
ing connection in the transformer, as was
previously usual. While this is easily pos­
sible in the case of a conventional bush­
ing with capacitive control, owing to the
field control resulting from the foils, the
shorter geometrically controlled socket
does not offer any field-free space outside
the socket connection that is suitable for
placing a current transformer around the
conductor. This would only be possible by
enlarging the current transformer, but this
is cost-intensive. An advanced idea is to
integrate the current transformer into the
socket or bushing itself, so that both form
an enclosed unit. This solution would not
only be the most compact, but also the
most economical connection option for
the transformer. Consequently, it repre­
sents the next innovation step in plug­
gable connection technology.
9. Maximum mechanical
stability
To achieve high mechanical stability, the
bushing’s RIP or RIS insulation core is
surrounded by a silicone-shielded glass-
fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) tube,
Fig. 2. The gap between the insulation core
and tube is then filled with an insulating
polyurethane foam to further increase the
dielectric strength on the exposed side.
The GFRP tube also forms a diffusion
barrier and protects the insulation core

46 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

against moisture absorption. The shields
applied to the outside of the GFRP tube
serve to lengthen the creep­age distance
and prevent leakage currents on the
bushing’s exposed side. Silicone is ideally
suited to this purpose owing to its good
ageing resistance and lower adhesion of
dust and contaminants (self-cleaning
effect, hydrophobic) [2].
The flange region, Fig. 3, no. 2, in the
connection to the bushing connects the
bush­ing to the pluggable contact part. Test
taps integrated into the side of the flange
provide measurement and control cap­
abilities, and are always available in a ver­
sion conforming to the IEC standard [3]
up to 2 kV dielectric strength, and also for
the U.S. market up to 20 kV in accordance
with the ANSI standard [4], [5]. The test
connections are used to measure the loss
factor (tan δ) or partial discharges, and
hence to detect ageing-related damage to
the bushing, e.g. as a result of moisture
ingress. However, since the pluggable
connection between bushing and socket
seals hermetically, moisture ingress is
impossible.
been mastered. Pluggable bushings thus
offer many advantages over conven­
tional bush­ings in respect of handling
and installation, installation length, and
the future viability of the technical instal­
lation as a whole. Since they are oil-free,
gas-free and solid-insulated, they are also
maintenance-free, explosion-proof, and
readily storable without oil. The bushings
are 100 percent factory pre-tested, and
can be fitted and put into service imme­
diately at the site of operation. Thanks to
their dry pluggable connection capabili­
ty, installation is easier and considerably
quicker – the installation time for bush­
ings is reduced by up to 75 percent when
a transformer is first installed. On-site oil
and gas works are completely eliminated.
Replacing the connection components
is just as easy. If a connection from an
overhead power line to an underground
cable is desired, the bushing can simply
be unplugged, and the equipment con­
nected to the underground cable using a
suitable cable connector. The socket stays
in the equipment and the pluggable bush­
ings can be reused at any future point in
time. In principle, the universal socket
offers maximum flexibility for the future
use and reconfiguration of grid facilities.
Today, the proven product range covers
the complete voltage range from 123 kV to
362 kV – and will soon extend up to 550 kV.
Thus a few variants of the pluggable bush­
ing are sufficient for the entire application
spectrum, since different voltage levels
can always be implemented within one
component family.

Both the contact part of the bushing

and the socket, which is installed in
the transformer, are solid-insulated.
The connection between the bushing
and socket is critical for the faultless
dielectric function. It is important to
ensure that the contact pressure between
the components always has a defined
value, and that a homogeneous pressure
pattern is formed. The solution consists of
a silicone insulator for the expansion gap,
which is firmly bonded onto the surface
of the insulation core. To absorb the
differences in expansion between the two
components when the conductor heats
up, a special spring mechanism provides
constantly high and uniform contact
pressure, thereby ensuring electrical
insulation within the plug connection.
Numerous digital simulations and
prototypes were produced in the early
development stages to find the optimal
electrical dimensioning of the insulation
core and silicone element.

Conclusion
As the successful use of pluggable bush­
ings for two decades shows, the me­
chanical, electrical and manufacturing Figure 9. Length comparison showing a conventional bushing alongside a pluggable bushing.
challenges of interfacing capacitive with With the pluggable bushing, the installation depth in the transformer is reduced by about a third.
geometric control in the socket have (Example for 245 kV: pluggable system 470 mm inside transformer, conventional 620 mm [1])

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 47
 CONNECTIVITY

Table
Table 1.1. Specifications
Specifications for HV-CONNEX
for HV-CONNEX size 7/7-S atsize 7/ 7-S
a glance [4] at a glance [4]

HV-CONNEX Bushing Size 7 (RIS) Size 7 (RIP) Size 7-S (RIS) Size 7-S (RIP)
Voltage Um up to 145 kV up to 245 kV up to 362 KV up to 362 kV
Art.-No. 828 193 005 828 193 002 828 193 004 828 193 003
Applicable standards IEC 60137:2008 / IEEE C57.19.00-2004
Length 2370 mm 3464 mm 4280 mm 4280 mm
Environment Conditions
Max. installation altitude 1000 m MSL
Environment temperature from -25 to +50 °C
Installation Conditions
Pollution Class acc. to IEC 60815 Class IV 31 mm/kV
Flash over distance 1330 mm 2434 mm 3250 mm 3250 mm
Max. operating load 2500 N
Mounting position vertical, +/- 30°
Electrical levels
Rated frequency 50-60 Hz
Rated voltage 132-138 kV 220-230 kV 330-345 kV 330-345 kV
Highest voltage (IEC/IEEE) 145 / 138 kV 245 / 230 kV 362 / 345 kV 362 / 345 kV
Voltage tap 2 kV
IEEE Voltage tap 20 kV
Max. current rating up to 2600 A up to 2600 A up to 2000 A up to 2000 A
Stress control
Field control method capacitive/geometrical capacitive capacitive capacitive
Type RIS technology RIP technology RIS technology RIP technology

References
Authors
[1] H. Köln, retrieved from http://www. Carmen Mertens worked with PFISTERER since 2014
hspkoeln.de in the Engineering of Power Transmission Systems (PTS)
Department. She obtained her master’s degree in electrical
[2] A. Küchler, Hochspannungstechnik:
Grundlagen — Technologie — Anwen- engineering, information technology and computer
dungen, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidel- engineering from RWTH Aachen, Germany, specialising
berg, 2009 in electrical power engineering.

[3] International Electrotechnical Com­ Thomas Friedel has been working in the Development
mission, IEC 60137 Insulated bushings of Power Distribution Systems (PTS) Department
for alternating voltages, 2008-07
since 2014. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering
[4] IEEE Power Engineering Society, IEEE obtained from the Esslingen University of Applied
C57.19.00T General Requirements and Sciences, Germany.
Test Procedure for Power Apparatus
Bushings, 2004 Dr. Markus Sulzberger started at PFISTERER in 2015
as Senior Product Manager Power Distribution Systems.
[5] IEEE Power Engineering Society, IEEE
Now he is Head of R&D and Engineering responsible
STD C57.19.01 Standard Performance
Chracteristics and DImensions for Out- for contact systems and safety. He studied physics at the
door Apparatus Bushings, 2000 TUM in Munich, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
and RWTH Aachen where he received his PhD in physics
[6] P. K. GmbH, Datasheet HV-CONNEX
in 2003.
pluggable Bushing size 7-S up to 362 kV

48 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

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 MATERIALS

The H-J Family of Companies is a global leader in the manufacture

and supply of components to the transformer and switchgear OEM and
utility markets

The H-J Family of Companies

and epoxy resin portfolio
T
he H-J Family of Companies is a
global leader in the manufacture
and supply of components to the
transformer and switchgear OEM
and utility markets. H-J was founded in
1969 and is headquartered outside of St.
Louis, Missouri, USA. Today we continue
to be the leading supplier of distribution
transformer bushings, connectors and
associated components in North, Central
and South America. Our commercial
locations in Brazil, Canada, China,
Colombia, India, Mexico, the Philippines,
Spain, and throughout the United States
serve our domestic and international
customers. H-J employs state of the art
manufacturing technology, producing
a wide range of insulating components
and non-ferrous castings such as brass,
bronze, copper, and aluminum. As an
engineered solutions company, we have
vast expertise in custom engineered
products designed and manufactured to
customer specifications.
H-J is a market leader in expanding the
application and use of epoxy resin sys­
tems as a base insulation in the global
components market. While epoxies have
been used throughout Europe and North
America since the 1960s, significant im­
provements in development of new epoxy
formulations and continued improve­

50 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

 Advertorial

ments in manufacturing technology have

allowed H-J to provide greater value to
customers. Epoxy based components of­
fer excellent performance and durability
in all applications and — together with
H-J’s vertical integration — provide cost-
competitive solutions.

There are several advantages that an

Epoxy Insulation System can offer:

• Lightweight – Cast epoxy is lighter than

ceramic material, thus allowing easier
handling, lower structural loading and
lower shipping costs.

• Homogenous material – Chips or

scratch­es on the surface of the material
will not cause degradation of the insula­
tion quality.

• High impact strength – Cast epoxy will

withstand much higher impact forces
than ceramic insulation.

• High electrical strength – Cast epoxies

display excellent anti-tracking and hyd­
rophobic qualities. The epoxy material
is a self-extinguishing, non-propagating
material.

• Superior partial discharge characteris­

tics – The casting process used by H-J
allows placement of integrally-cast HV
and ground shields within the insula­
tion cross section to control the electri­
cal field and minimize discharge.

• Flexibility of design – The casting process

allows versatility of complicated shapes
and designs, encapsulation of m­ etal
inserts, conductors and stress grading
parts, exact dimensional repeatability.

• Customization of materials to applica­

tion – Epoxies can be modified to spe­
cific application requirements.

Our casting process

allows placement of
integrally-cast shields
within the insulation
cross section to control
the electrical field and
minimize discharge
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 51
 MATERIALS
We utilize state of the art product devel-
opment services such as 3D parametric
modeling, electrical and mechanical design
analysis tools, and mold flow analysis soft-
ware
The manufacturing process of epoxy has
three basic steps:
1. Formulation and mixing
2. Molding
3. Curing
H-J performs all three steps in-house
through sophisticated vertical integra­
tion in order to ensure the highest quality
stand­ards.
H-J’s expertise begins before any epoxy is
ever molded with the part design, simu­
lation, and tooling fabrication. We utilize
52
state of the art product development ser­
vices such as 3D parametric modeling,
electrical and mechanical design analysis
tools, and mold flow analysis software.
This allows us to greatly reduce the tool­
ing fabrication time, which is done in-
house in H-J’s dedicated tool room. This
in-house collaboration allows us to find
modern solutions to new and retrofit ap­
plications, and to cut weeks or months
from typical industry lead-times.
H-J produces several different proprietary
epoxy blends based in two epoxy techno­
logies. These epoxy formulations are de­
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
veloped by H-J, and independently veri­
fied at third-party test labs such as UL™.
• Bisphenol-A: Indoor or enclosed out­
door applications (non-UV exposed)
եե Typical applications are transformer
LV secondary bushings, bus insula­
tors for enclosed switchgear applica­
tions, through-wall bushings for en­
closed switchgear applications.
• Cycloaliphatic: Outdoor applications
(UV exposed)
եե Typical applications are roof- or
cover-mounted bushings, LV sec­
ondary bushings, larger and more
complex moldings with internal
electrical stress grading, designs with
challenging geometries where slower
processing may be required.
Our in-house test lab then verifies all
mechanical, electrical, thermal, and
chemical properties and performance of
the manufactured part as required by the
customer. Routine tests of raw materials
are performed on every batch to verify
characteristics such as: density, viscosity vs
temperature, gel time, Tg (Glass Transition
Temperature), and moisture content.
All of these factors together with our ex­
cellent employees are what allow H-J to
offer our customers quality products of
international reputation.
Markets served:
• Distribution transformers
• Instrument transformers
• Dry-type transformers
• Power transformers
• Specialty transformers
• MV circuit breaker – Vacuum, Oil,
SF6 / Repair / Retrofit
• MV switchgear
• Isolated phase bus ducts
For more information please contact our
team.
H-J General Contact
Information
The H-J Family of Companies
3010 High Ridge Blvd.
High Ridge, Mo. 63049-2214
Phone: +1-636-677-3421
Fax: +1-636-376-1624
info@h-j.com
DGA, Partial Discharge & Bushing Monitoring
One System... One Solution

Visit us at MEE, Dubai

6th - 8th March 2018
Booth: H4.A29

TOTUS WHY TOTUS?

TOTUS incorporates DGA (1), Partial Discharge (2) and DGA, PD & BM (up to 9 bushings)
Bushing Monitoring (3) into one powerful unit.
Real Time Condition Based Monitoring
TOTUS combines revolutionary technologies with
cutting-edge software and diagnostics to create the Transformer Fleet Ranking
world’s leading transformer monitoring system.
Advanced Analytics
The combination of technical innovation, build quality
and superior customer & technical support puts TOTUS Secure Web Based Technology
at the forefront of online transformer monitoring.
World Leading Customer Focus
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2
1

M A I L@ C A M L I N G RO U P.CO M C A M L I N G R O U P. C O M
 TECHNOLOGY

YASH has emerged as a one-stop

shop for OIP, RIP, high current
bushings, retrofit bushings and for
FRP cylinders

Transformer bushings
– Performance powered by
innovation
Y
ash Highvoltage Insulators Pvt.
Ltd., an ISO 9001 certified com­
pany, is an independent, Indian
manufacturer of transformer
bushings and fibre glass cylinders, located
in the state of Gujarat, India. Since incep­
tion in 2002, YASH has emerged today as
one of the preferred solution providers in
a short span of 15 years, catering to the
power transformer industry in India and
abroad.
Realizing the dream of a
“one-stop shop”
The comprehensive product range of
YASH consists of:
• High current bushings up to 36 kV,
20,000 amperes for generator step-up
transformers
• High voltage oil-to-air and air-to-air type
OIP condenser bushings up to 170 kV
• High voltage oil-to-air dry type RIP
condenser bushings up to 145 kV
• Fibre glass cylinders up to 1.8-meter
diameter for power transformer wind­
ing formers
An interesting business vertical of YASH
is also the spares/services segment, where
special bushings are offered as retrofit and
replacement for existing and old trans­
former bushings.

54 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


YASH has now an established localized
manufacturing of innovative dry type
RIP bushings for the Indian market in
collaboration with Swiss Giant MGC-
Moser Glaser, started in 2016. The Swiss
technology backed by Indian reliability
has augmented the YASH product basket,
making available the best of both worlds
to esteemed customers. Equipped with
comprehensive product range, YASH
has quickly emerged as a one-stop shop
for OIP, RIP, high current bushings,
retrofit bushings and for FRP cylinders.
YASH has recently announced successful
development of OIP bushings with
silicon/polymeric insulators.
Overcoming the odds
Though limited in numbers, most con­
denser bushing manufacturers in the
world are part of large multinational
com­panies and have been in the manu­
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Advertorial
We have now an established localized manu-
facturing of innovative dry type RIP bushings
in collaboration with Swiss MGC-Moser Glaser
fac­turing field for more than four to five technology experts, and state-of-the-art
decades. YASH not being part of a larger design tools and software, YASH is pre­
group has gone through its own set of pared to comply with special and stringent
stringent entry barriers for establishing customer specifications.
them as a reliable brand. Whether it is
swift product development, type testing
of multiple products as per IEC standards,
Excellence in quality and
expeditious end user approvals, con­ performance
tinuous investment in infrastructure and The critical operation requirements for
supply chain development, establishment transformer bushings also warrant an ut­
of a competent team, YASH has flour­ most attention to detail towards quality
ish­ed under the visionary leadership and management system. At YASH active part
aggressiveness of Managing Director / condenser core winding is a highly-con­
Mr. Keyur Shah. trolled process in clean-dust free winding
bay, where each winding step for every
YASH offers to its customers highly effec­
tive yet flexible solutions in record turn-
around time at very competitive costs.
YASH is on the approved vendor list of
most utilities, power producers, EPCs
and OEMs in India and abroad, and has
supplied more than 7,000 bushings which
have been successfully installed in India
and 28 other countries.
Flexible solutions for critical
applications
The owner and Managing Director Mr.
Keyur Shah says: “A bushing to a power
transformer is comparable in criticality
to a landing gear for an aircraft. A landing
gear would normally cost negligible com­
pared to the entire aircraft, yet if it fails
Mr. Keyur Shah - Managing Director,
to perform, the ensuing catastrophe may
Yash Highvoltage Insulators Pvt. Ltd.
cause major commercial and human loss.
The risk ratio is similar for a transformer
bushing and power transformer. We hold
this idea at the core of our product and
process design and control over manufac­
turing processes”.
YASH takes pride in their design exper­
tise to offer appropriate solutions to meet
various critical demands on products. A
true technology team at YASH compris­es
of Mr. Hartmuth Fethke (Germany) and
Mr. Pramod Rao (India). YASH bush­
ings have proven their mettle during var­
ious short circuit and other type tests and
special tests of power transformers at
internationally reputed test laboratories
such as KEMA, the Netherlands. With the 36 kV 20,000 A LV high current bushing for
vast experience brought on board by our GSU transformer
55
 TECHNOLOGY

Our bushings have been proven during core is monitored and recorded. The oil
processing and filling of bushings is con­
various short circuit and other type tests trolled through a series of tests and checks
and special tests of power transformers at before active part impregnation and flood­
ing in bushing.
reputed labs such as KEMA
The HV test lab is electromagnetically
shielded and hence ensures a fault free
partial discharge (PD) testing for all
products, which is a key parameter for
assessing the insulation health and quality
of each bushing. The strength of quality
management and quality assurance is
reflected in less than 1 % test bed rejection
(TBR) for products in final electrical
testing. The credentials of YASH bushings
is further established by the various field
performance reports from end users
over past 10 years. The high voltage test
capability is soon being upgraded to 550
kV by end of year 2017.

Catering to the retrofit/

replacement market
An impending need has emerged for ret­
rofit/replacement solutions for bushings
which are in service for more than 30-40
years and are either reaching the end of
their life, or are deviating from standard
parameters. YASH has made its niche in
this retrofit/replacement field by provid­
ing wide range of solutions for any make
of bushing. A recent example is the supply
of YASH OIP bushings to successfully
replace 145 kV RBP insulation bushings
170 kV, 145 kV and 72.5 kV YASH bushings on a Hyundai Heavy Industries Bulgaria (more than 50-year-old designs) for a re­
80 MVA transformer. The bushings satisfactorily cleared all routine and special tests and nowned transmission utility in Central
were dispatched to end user.

RIP bushings launch – Shri Piyush Goyal (Forme­r

Shielded HV test lab capable of all routine tests as per IEC ‘137 Minister of Energy, Coal, New & Renewabl­e Energy)

56 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

We now envisage to ex- BEFORE AFTER
pand the product range
and manufacturing
capacity up to 400 kV
and up to 31,500 A by
2020

India. This solution has supported the uti­

lity in mitigating costs by avoiding outage
of power transformers.

Strategic initiative
It indeed has been a historic moment for
YASH when locally manufactured dry
type RIP bushings were flagged off by the 50 year old 145 kV SRBP bushings replaced with ditto OIP solution, including special
then Minister of Power, Coal, New and mounting and 600 mm BCT provision
Renewable Energy, Mr. Piyush Goyal at
the Switch Global Expo in 2016. The first
of its kind 52 kV 6300 A dry RIP bushings
specially developed for the prestigious
STATCOM (Static Compensator) pro­
jects of POWERGRID, India have
been supplied to Toshiba-India and
CG Power & Industrial Solutions - India
in 2017. Since launch, YASH has already
executed more than 500 RIP bushings
for POWERGRID and GETCO through
various transformer manufacturers.

YASH now envisions to expand this prod­

uct range as well as manufacturing capa­
city - in the high voltage ratings up to 400
kV and in the high current ratings up to
31,500 A by 2020 to cater to the Indian
and International market requirement.
State-of-the-art dust-free assembly bay – RIP bushings
In line with Honourable Prime Minister’s
“Make in India” initiative, YASH is duty-
bound to imbibe new technologies which
possess the longevity and robustness to
support the huge upcoming demand for
power infrastructure. With a commit­
ment to offer appropriate solutions to
customers, while ensuring best value for
money and a goal to provide competitive
products and services on-time, YASH is
set to serve their customers for years to
come.

Contact
Mr. Nirav Patel, Head Operations
Phone: +91 90990 82368
marketing@yashhighvoltage.co.in
sales@yashhighvoltage.co.in
www.yashhighvoltage.co.in Automatic helium tightness test facility

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 57
TECHNOLOGY
The resin-impregnated fiberglass tech­
nology with its large safety margins and
simpler manufacturing processes enables
producing a bushing that is ultra-reliable,
explosion-resistant and maintenance-free
ABSTRACT
Paper-insulated bushings (OIP and
RIP) have been the dominant bush-
ing type for the power transformer
industry for many years. However, as
our transformer assets age, bushing
failures can become more frequent.
Resin-impregnated fibre bushings of-
fer the user a paperless and dry-type
alternative for MV, HV and EHV con-
denser transformer bushings. Two
technologies are currently offered:
resin-impregnated fiberglass (a pro-
prietary technology trademarked
RIF®) and resin-impregnated syn-
thetic (RIS). This article will discuss
the RIF® bushing technology, which
offers an extended range of capa-
bilities including an optional line of
smart bushings that use integrated
monitoring components.
KEYWORDS
resin-impregnated fibre bushing,
RIF® transformer bushing, smart
RIF®, partial discharge
58
RIF® bushings
The paperless, dry-type bushing
technology
1. Introduction
The main purpose of a transformer
bushing is to safely transfer power through
the earthed transformer tank. OIP and RIP
type bushings have for many years been the
industry standard for transformers, and
in general have performed satisfactorily.
However, as our transformer assets age,
paper deterioration in these bushings can
eventually cause these bushings to fail,
some even catastrophically.
The purpose of this article is to introduce
a new dry-type paperless bushing
technology that is currently on the market
– the resin-impregnated fibre bushing.
Currently, there are two technologies on
the market: resin-impregnated fiberglass
(a proprietary technology trademarked
RIF®) and resin-impregnated synthetic
(RIS). The RIF® technology has been on
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
the market since the early 2000s while
the RIS technology is a relative newcomer
to the market. These technologies now
provide the user with better levels of
safety and reliability for their expensive
transformer assets, thereby contributing
to reduced lifecycle costs.
This article discusses the design, construc­
tion, validation and self-monitoring fea­
tures of the RIF® dry-type bushing, which
is the older and more established resin-
impregnated fibre bushing technology.
2. Design and construction
of the RIF® bushing
RIF® transformer bushings have been
manufactured for voltage levels ranging
from 15 kV to 500 kV and for currents
up to 6000 A since 2006, with over 19,000
units currently in-service worldwide.
 Eric EUVRARD, Robert L. MIDDLETON

These bushings have proven to be ultra-

reliable under all types of operating and
The RIF® bushing utilizes a finely graded
environmental conditions. To date the condenser design and a core insulation that
only reported failure occurred when a
customer left the test tap ungrounded.
is composed of fiberglass impregnated with
Field related issues have been minor, epoxy resin wrapped between capacitive
restricted primarily to silicone rubber
damage from rough handling or shipping screens
issues.

The RIF® bushing utilizes a finely graded
condenser design and a core insulation that
is composed of fiberglass impregnated with
epoxy resin wrapped between capacitive
screens. The outer insulation for the RIF®
bushing are silicone rubber sheds that are
adhered directly to the condenser core. This
ensures there is no gap or opening in the
overall bushing structure and eliminates
the need for filler fluid or material. As
mentioned previously, the electrical field
is controlled by a finely graded capacitive
core which ensures a linear surface
potential profile from the conductor to
the grounded flange (100 % to 0 %), which
greatly improves its flashover resistance. In
addition, the thermal insulation strength
of the resin-impregnated fiberglass is IEC
Class B (temperature limit rating of 130
°C) which gives the RIF® bushing a larger
thermal margin than other bushing types.
Finally, the simpler manufacturing process,
which is primarily a wrapping and heat
curing process, introduces minimum
internal stresses in the capacitive core that
can affect the long term operational life of
the bushing [1].
The RIF® technology also has the design
flexibility to provide “like for like” replace­
ments for vintage oil-filled bushings with
non-standard dimensions, including the
narrower style of some older bushings.
measured and recorded (see Table 1,
Row 1). The test bushing was then placed
in the environmental chamber and the
temperature raised and held for 17 hours
at 140 °C. After the 17 hours at 140 °C,
the temperature was returned to ambient
temperature and the test bushing sub­
mersed in water for four hours, Fig. 2.
Upon removal from the water bath,
partial discharge and dissipation factor
were measured with the partial discharge
values showing less than or equal to the
pre-test values, and the dissipation factor
remaining unchanged (see Table 1, Row 2).
Next, a low temperature cycle test was
done, where the test bushing was subjec­
ted to -50 °C for 17 hours. After 17 hours
at -50 °C, the temperature was raised
to ambient temperature and a power
frequency withstand test was done, with
the partial discharge and dissipation factor
measured (see Table 1, Row 3). The partial
discharge values remained less than or
equal to the pre-test values, while the
dissipation factor increased marginally
from 0.31 % to 0.33 %.
A second 17-hour low temperature (-50 °C)
cycle test was done, where 788 A was
injected through the test bushing during
the last two hours, Fig. 3, 4 and 7. After
the current injection, the temperature
was raised to ambient temperature and a
power frequency withstand test was done,
with the partial discharge and dissipation
factor measured (see Table 1, Row 4). The
partial discharge values still remained less
than or equal to the pre-test values, while
the dissipation factor had reduced to
0.32 % but still remained marginally higher
than the pre-test value of 0.31 %.
The next part of the endurance test cycle
raised the temperature to 105 °C. After
15 hours at 105 °C, a one-minute 1450 N
cantilever load test was done, followed
by a power frequency withstand test and
measurement of the partial discharge and
dissipation factor (see Table 1, Row 5). The
partial discharge values still remained less
than or equal to the pre-test values, while
the dissipation factor remained at 0.32 %,
marginally higher than the pre-test value of
0.31 %.
The temperature was returned to ambient
and then raised again to 105 °C for a
second high temperature test. After 16
hours at 105 °C, a one-minute 3450 N
cantilever load test was done. After the
one-minute 3450 N cantilever test, a fixed
load of 3300 N was maintained for the
duration of the endurance test cycle, Fig.
5. which involved a third low temperature
(-50 °C) cycle test for 16 hours before raising

RIF® bushings have a proven record of

operational reliability at very low and high
temperatures. All the required industry
standard temperature cycling tests have
been performed and passed, but to really
stress this bushing technology a combined
mechanical and thermal endurance stress
test was carried out on a 110 kV RIF®
bushing, Fig.1.

Figures 2 to 7 show the various set-ups that

were used for the combined endurance test.

Prior to the start of the combined en­

du­rance test, power frequency voltage
with­stand, dielectric dissipation factor,
partial discharge and capacitance were Figure 1. Thermo-mechanical endurance test cycle

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 59
 TECHNOLOGY

Figure 2. Thermal shock test Figure 3. Low temperature test with current injection

Figure 4. Low temperature test with current injection Figure 5. Cantilever load test at low temperature

Figure 6. Heavy cantilever load test at 105 °C Figure 7. Low temperature test with current injected

60 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Table 1. Test results from thermo-mechanical test

Dry Power Frequency Volta- PD (pC) @ tan δ Capacitance

Steps
ge Withstand Test 126 kV 110 kV 77 kV (%) (pF)
230 kV/1 min
Preparation before test 3-4 3-4 2-3 0.31 434.7
(Passed)

After hot temperature and water Background

Not tested 3-4 2 0.31 438.9
submersion cycle noise

After first low temperature cycle 230 kV/1 min Background

3-4 2-3 0.33 434.5
test (-50 °C) (Passed) noise

After second low temperature 230 kV/1 min Background

3-4 1-2 0.32 433.3
cycle test (-50 °C and 788 A) (Passed) noise

230 kV/1 min Background

After cantilever load test (105 °C) 3-4 2-3 0.32 437.1
(Passed) noise

After 66 hours cantilever load 230 kV/1 min Background

test (16 hrs. @ -50 °C and 3-4 2-3 0.32 431.9
(Passed) noise
50 hrs. @ ambient)

the temperature to ambient and maintain­
ing the 3300 N load for another 50 hours.
Upon completion of the combined end­
urance test, a final power fre­quency with­
stand test was done, and the final partial
discharge and dissipation factor values
recorded (see Table 1, Row 6). The partial
discharge values still remained less than
or equal to the pre-test values, while the
dissipation factor remained at 0.32 %,
mar­ginally higher than the pre-test value of
0.31 %.
The test results in Table 1 confirm the larg­e
margins built in the RIF® bushing and
show that the stability and integrity of the
bushing remained unaffected, even when
subjected to stresses greater than what is
seen in traditional type tests.
As can be clearly seen from Table 1, the
test results for the partial discharge values
The thermal insulation strength of the resin-
impregnated fiberglass is class 130 °C,
which gives the RIF® bushing a larger
thermal margin than other bushing types
after the combined thermal-mechanical and ground. In such a configuration, the
endurance test remained less than or equal process of insulation breakdown initiated
to the pre-test values, while the dissipation by a defect is sequential; the insulation of
factor remained marginally higher (3.2 %) one of the capacitive screens is damaged
than the pre-test value, thereby showing a leading to the failure of other screens and
consistent performance under extremely eventually the breakdown of the entire in­
harsh operating conditions. sulation. As screens fail, the reduction of
series connected capacitors causes a grad­
ual increase in capacitance and capaci­
3. The self-monitoring smart tive current. This variation in capacitance
RIF® bushing and capacitive current can be measured
The main insulation of a condenser grad­ to provide an indication of the degree of
ed bushing can be thought of as a series damage. This is the principle that is used
of capacitors separating the conductor in the smart RIF® bushing.

Figure 8. Smart RIF® bushing schematic representation Figure 9. Pre-alarm sensor circuit diagram

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 61
 TECHNOLOGY
Figure 10. Test data for 126 kV RIF® bushing with artificially damaged insulation
The smart RIF® bushing is manufactured
with a large signalling capacitance Cs
that is connected in series with the last
capacitive screen of the high voltage
C1 capacitance (Cs >> C1) to form an
integrated system where Cs and C1 are
sealed together within the primary core,
Fig. 8. The resulting capacitive divider
provides an accurate way of measuring
capacitance (and capacitive current) of
the condenser core insulation. This is
accomplished by bringing the two ends of
Figure 11. PD detection system architecture
62
Cs out to a smart measurement terminal
where a sensor is installed to collect and
process the signal, Fig. 9. The processed
signal is then compared to a benchmark
voltage that is set at the factory, so no
field calibration is required. The sensor
is calibrated to provide a pre-alarm of a
deteriorating insulation condition and is
provided with two signalling options: an
LED lamp for local visual indication or a
signalling cable when remote monitoring
is required [2].
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
It should be noted that the receipt of a
pre-alarm signal is a very preliminary
indication of the onset of a fault within
the capacitive layers. The safety margins
that are designed into the bushing provide
a long latency period from a pre-alarm
signal to when the bushing becomes unfit
for oper­ation. To validate this, lab tests
were conducted on bushings that had up
to 25 % of their condenser core insulation
damaged using an elevated lightning
impulse withstand voltage. Figure 10
shows the data from one such test on a
126 kV bushing.
The bushing which initially had 13 %
of its condenser core insulation thick­
ness damaged was energized at 77 kV
for one month. After Month 1, the in­
sulation damage was increased to 25 %
which can be seen by a sharp change
in capacitance, Fig. 10, and left ener­
gized at 77 kV for another month. After
Month 2, the energized voltage was in­
creased to 126 kV and the damaged bush­ing
left energized for another three months.
The test was stopped after five months
with no sign of an imminent failure.
These lab tests showed that an insulation
fault in a RIF® bushing propagates slowly
and that even if an initial insulation fault
triggers a pre-alarm, there is enough time
for inspection, maintenance or replace­
ment (at least three months).
4. Using the smart RIF®
bushing to detect partial
discharge activity within the
power transformer
Finally, an inexpensive system has been
developed for capturing and processing
high frequency transient current pulse
signals (100 kHz – 500 kHz) running
through the smart RIF® bushing, which
are generated from partial discharge
activity inside the power transformer. The
system requires the smart RIF® bushing
to be equipped with a special PD sensor
(that plugs into the bushing’s smart mea­
sure­ment terminal). Depending on the
number of smart RIF® bushings installed
on the transformer, more accurate the
locating of the PD activity will be. The PD
sensors are hardwired to either an online
or portable PD detection device for col­
lecting and processing the PD signals
from the transformer [3]. Figure 11 shows
a typical connection configuration for the
smart RIF® transformer partial discharge
detection system.
For field use, a portable PD detecting
device can be used [4]. The device does
not need an external power source as it
is battery powered and site operation is
very straightforward. The portable de­
vice is connected to a laptop via WIFI
or Ethernet cable to upload data. Finally,
all monitoring data complies with the
IEC 61850 communication standard for
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
The test results showed a consistent per-
formance of RIF® bushings under extremely
harsh operating conditions
easy integration into present and future References
digital substations.
[1] T. Tu, E. Euvrard, R. Wang, Development
and Application of Resin Impregnated
Conclusion Fiberglass Transformer Bushing, INMR
The objective of this article was to make World Congress, Seoul, Korea, April 2011
the reader aware of the reliability and safe­
ty benefits of the resin-impregnated fibre [2] R. Middleton, E. Euvrard, J. Zhuo, A
bushing. Even in case of failure, the impact Novel Built-In Insulation Condition
to the transformer would be dra­matically Monitoring System Enabled by Dry
reduced, if not avoided altogether. Type by Dry Type Technologies, CIGRE
Canada Conference, Vancouver, BC,
Since the early 2000s, the RIF® bushing has Canada, October 2016
pioneered what is now the state-of-the-art
in dry-type bushings with the specific fea­ [3] T. Tu, E. Euvrard, Z. Liu, Combining
ture of being a paperless insulated technol­ Dry Type Resin Impregnated Fiberglass
ogy, impervious to tough climates. Over Paperless Transformer Bushings with
19,000 units are safely in service world­ Built-In Novel Insulation Monitoring
wide; they have demonstrated great relia­ Function, IEEE PES Conference, Chicago,
bility, but perhaps more importantly have USA, 2014
become a way to consistently shield trans­
formers from the impact of catas­trophic [4] T. Zhuo, X. Zho, H. Wang, R. Wang, R.
bushing failures. In addition to being a tru­ Middleton, E. Euvrard, The Development
ly maintenance-free technology by design, and Operation of Novel Built-In
this is a bushing technology option that Insulation Monitoring Functions in the
today’s users and OEMs can turn to to pro­ Management of HV Bushings, INMR
vide a value of safety not previously avail­ World Congress, Munich, Germany,
able for their personnel and equipment. October 2015
Authors
Eric Euvrard has an extensive international engineering
background having held different technical and
managerial functions in Europe, USA and China
in commodities, automotive, aerospace, advanced
nanomaterials and fiber optics networks industries, before
creating RHM International in 2005 where he presently
serves as President. Eric obtained his BSc in chemical
engineering from Toulouse National Engineering School
– ENSCT in France, an MSc in engineering from Georgia Tech in Atlanta,
USA, and EMBA from IMD in Lausanne.
Robert L. Middleton was born in 1948 in Winnipeg,
Canada. He received his degree in electrical engineering
from the University of Manitoba in 1971. He is a registered
professional engineer in the Province of British Columbia.
He has an extensive background in generation and
transmission engineering including quality assurance.
He has served on several CSA, CIGRE and IEC working
groups and co-authored numerous technical papers. He
is presently the Chief of Technology and Engineering for RHM International,
a manufacturer of high voltage dry type current transformers and bushings.
Prior to joining RHM International he worked over 40 years at two western
Canadian provincial electrical utilities.
63
 RISK MITIGATION

Study of transformer
explosion prevention with
bushing turret protection
1. Introduction breaks down, the resulting short circuit the transformer tank beyond its withstand
triggers a chain of chemical reactions that capacity to conditions where catastrophic
Liquid-filled power transformers typically produce a mixture of combustible gases structural failure is imminent. The explo­
contain thousands of liters of flammable such as acetylene and hydrogen. The sud­ sion of a transformer not only costs the
dielectric insulation. When this insulation den gas formation can quickly pressurize power industry substantial financial los­
ses, but also can endanger human life and
environmental safety.
ABSTRACT A 2015 survey report on transformer reli­
Liquid-filled power transformers typically contain thousands of liters of ability by CIGRE found that annual trans­
flammable insulation. When this insulation breaks down, there is a high former failure rates are on average about 1 %,
risk of transformer failure that would endanger human life, generate envi- with rates over 1.3 % per year for high risk
ronmental hazards, and destroy valuable assets. Because live tests involv- classes of power transformers [1].
ing arcing are expensive and potentially dangerous, numerical simulations
are a useful alternative to study faults over a wide range of transformers.
Among the various root causes reported,
failures related to bushings are frequent
Since bushings are common sources of transformer failure, we examine
sources of transformer fire and explosion.
the role of deploying a transformer fast depressurization system on two
The same 2015 CIGRE document conclu­
simulated transformer designs, with protections localized in the bushing
ded from a survey of 675 major failures
turret region, to ensure that the transformer is robust to internal arcs.
of transformers with voltage classes of at
least 100 kV that bushings were the sourc­e
KEYWORDS of failure for 48.5 % of cases resulting in
explosion or fire, for which the failure
transformer explosion, explosion prevention, NFPA 850 o­rigin is known.

64 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

 Anne GOJ, Ashwin Padmanaban IYER, Omar AHMED
2. The transformer fast
depressurization system
The studied protection technology, the
TRANSFORMER PROTECTOR (TP), is
shown in Figure 1. This technology is con­
sistent with the NFPA 850 Recommenda­
tion published in 2015 [2] on transformer
fast depressurization systems, whose aim
is to mitigate transformer failures due to
internal arcing.
The transformer fast depressurization sys­
tem includes:
1. Tank depressurization set (DS), includ­
ing a decompression chamber;
2. Transformer turret or bushing depres­
surization set;
3. Oil and explosive gases separation tank
and explosive gases evacuation to a re­
mote area;
4. Nitrogen injection to evacuate all explo­
sive gases contained in the transformer
tank before tank opening for transform­
Short circuit in a er repairs.
transformer leads to An installed transformer fast depres­
a sudden gas forma- surization system is shown in Figure 2.
tion, which can quick- The bushing turret depressurization set,
marked as part 2 in Figure 1, is encircled
ly pressurize the tank in green in Figure 2.
beyond its withstand Because bushings are common sources
capacity to the con- of transformer failure, and considering
that bushing turrets include high voltage
ditions where catas­ elements in a constrained geometric re­
trophic structural fail­ gion, we examine the role of deploying
depressurization sets strategically located
ure is imminent on the bushing turrets to mitigate dama­
Figure 1. Transformer fast depressurization system includ- Figure 2. Installation of a transformer fast depressurization system, including bush-
ing bushing turret protection ing turret protection
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
The explosion not only
costs the utility sub-
stantial financial los­
ses, but also can en-
danger human life and
the environment
ge to the transformer tank during internal
arcs. Two separate transformer designs
are stud­ied to ensure that the presented
results are sufficiently general.
3. Studied transformer
models
We use two large power transformers as
models to understand the typical behavi­
our associated with depressurization of the
tanks. The first transformer is a 166.7 MVA
three-phase core-type transformer – which
we will call Model A, and the second
is a 363 MVA three-phase core-type
transformer – which we will call Model B.
The Computer-Aided Drawing (CAD)
geometry and tetrahedral mesh are shown
in Figure 3 for Model A, and in Figure 4
for Model B. Locations of simulated arcs
are highlighted in the same images.
Model A has a protection configuration of
one 250 mm diameter vertical depressur­
ization sets (VDS) on the main tank and
three 200 mm diameter bushing turret
depressurization sets (BTDS) for each high
voltage bushing turret. Due to the higher
power rating, Model B has a protection
65
 RISK MITIGATION

Figure 3. Model A transformer geometry, 166.7 MVA

We have examined how to prevent damage to the transformer tank during

internal arcs by deploying depressurization sets strategically located on
the bushing turrets

Figure 4. Model B transformer geometry, 363 MVA

66 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

The TP operates within 9 ms of the arc
initiation, depressurizing the transformers
rapid­ly and keeping the pressure safely
below the tank withstand limit of 1 to 2 bar
configuration of two 300 mm VDS on the
main tank and three 250 mm diameter
BTDS for each high voltage bushing turret.
4. Numerical method
Using software defined and validated in
[3] and [4], post short-circuit fluid pres­
sures are studied in these model trans­
formers.
This simulation software solves the
Navier-Stokes equations of a two-phase
compressible fluid system using a finite
volume methodology with a Godunov
solver to calculate the solutions to the
Riemann problems. The solutions are
based on a reduced set of five equations,
representing the advection of the
gas phase fraction, and conservation
equations for the densities of both phases,
the momentum of the liquid-gas mixture,
and the total energy of the mixture [5].
Within this model, both gas and liquid
phases within a tetrahedral cell relax
infinitely quickly to a local pressure and
velocity equilibrium [6]. The thermo­
dynamic relationships between internal
energy, density and pressure are calculated
assuming the ideal gas equation holds
for the vapor phase and the stiffened
gas equation holds for the liquid phase.
The stiffened gas equation of state is an
equation of state often used in explosion
research to account for the compressibility
of liquids at extreme pressures [7].
A 10 MJ arc was simulated in both tanks,
as it is generally considered to be an arc
energy sufficient to rupture a transformer
tank, in the absence of a fast depressuri­
zation system [9]. The duration of the arc
is set at five cycles, a typical time scale for
circuit breakers to act within, which is ap­
proximately 83 ms for transformer A and
100 ms for transformer B.
5. Results
The spatially averaged pressures calculated
in these transformer tanks are shown in
F­igures 5 and 6; the pressures localized in
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
5.1 Results: Average tank pressures
the bushing turrets are shown in Figures 7
and 8; and the three-dimensional pressure
contours are shown in Figures 9 and 10.
Figure 5. Average tank pressure, 166.7 MVA
We observe that due to the early operatio­n
of the TP, within 9 ms of the initiation
Model A transformer, 10 MJ Arc
of the arc conditions, the transformers
rapid­ly depressurize, and are safely below
the tank’s static withstand limit within a
time scale of approximately 200 ms. In
contrast, the unprotected transformers
reach steady pressures far in excessive of
1 bar, the approximate static limit trans­
former tanks are typically designed to with­
stand. This 1 bar static withstand limit for Figure 6. Average tank pressure, 363 MVA
transformer tanks is based on the CIGRE Model B Transformer, 10 MJ Arc
A2.33 Guide for Transformer Fire Safety
Practices [9], which notes that, “the tank’s 5.2 Results: Bushing turret
static pressure withstand limits [...] are pressures
typ­ically within the 1.0 – 2.0 bar (at base of
tank) unless special higher strength tank
design has been specified.” For transform­
er A, the steady pressures were approxi­
mately 45 bars, and for transformer B, the
steady pressures reached nearly 70 bars.
These pressures are sufficiently large to
rupture the transformer tank.
Based on anecdotal evidence observed
in the field, we consider that a protection Bushing turret 1
technology that depressurizes a transform­
er within this 200 ms time scale will prevent
catastrophic tank rupture, and subsequent
fires. Therefore, using this criterion the
protection solutions simulated would be
sufficient to ensure that the transformer
will not experience an explosion and fire.
As pressures in the bushing turrets reach
even higher values – approximately 50 bars
Bushing turret 2
for transformer A and around 80 bars for
transformer B, these locations are at high
risk of tank failure. This can be attributed to
the constrained geometric region, allowing
pressures to localize. Although the arcs
were simulated to be relatively distant from
the bushing turret depressurization sets,
the proximity of the high voltage conduc­
tors to ground in these regions make them
high probability arcing locations. Further­
Bushing turret 3
more, failure in the bushing turret region is
highly likely to lead to a subsequent failure Figure 7. Pressure in bushing turrets for
in the bushings. 166.7 MVA Model A transformer, 10 MJ Arc
67
 RISK MITIGATION
5.3 Results: 3D tank pressure
contours
Bushing turret 1
Bushing turret 2
Bushing turret 3
Figure 8. Pressure in bushing turrets for
363 MVA Model B transformer, 10 MJ Arc
5.4 Results: Comparison with the
pressure relief device (PRD)
Because there are no standards for the li­
quid depressurization performance for a
PRD in a power transformer, the gas per­
formance is used as a proxy. Specifically, a
conservation of energy argument can be
made relating the change in kinetic energy
of the oil to the pressure difference across
the PRD, as viscous forces are negligible
compared to the pressure gradient and in­
ertial forces in this parameter space. This
implies that the speed of outflow scales in­
versely proportionally to the square root
of the density.
The IEEE C57.156 standard [8] has mea­
sured speeds for the outflow of gas that we
will consider as upper and lower bounds
of PRD performance. To translate these
68
Due to much lower oil outflow and slower
tank depressurization, PRD is not as effec-
tive as TP in preventing rupture, given a 10
MJ arc
measurements to a liquid filled transform­
er, we multiply the specified speeds with
the ratio of the square root of air density,
at a temperature of 298 K and a pressure
of 1.01 bars, to the oil density, 850 kg/m3.
Because these measurements are made for
limited pressure differences, this should
be considered only a preliminary analysis.
The results in Figures 11 and 12 show that
the outflow associated with the TP is at
least several times larger than the outflow
associated with all PRDs for each trans­
former tank. We note that for the largest
transformer, only the first 50 ms of flow is
depicted, since the subsequent time evo­
lution may not account for flow back into
the tank. The lower performance can be
attributed to the inertia associated with
PRD spring, and the smaller flow area.
We conclude that because the much lower
oil outflow would not lead to a fast depres­
surization of the transformer tank, the
PRD is not sufficient to prevent rupture in
these transformer tanks, given a 10 MJ arc.
Conclusion
Simulations of pressure rise within a
three-phase 166.7 MVA transformer, and
a three-phase 363 MVA transformer have
been used to evaluate effective tank rup­
ture mitigation strategies, given a typical
high energy arc of magnitude 10 MJ. As
these simulations are limited in scope,
i.e. they do not model all possible arcing
scenarios nor do they consider the energy
absorbed by the transformer tank struc­
ture through wall deformations and vib­
rations, these conclusions should be con­
sidered a representative guide of a typical
arcing situation and a qualitative demon­
stration of the marked differences between
a sealed tank without transformer explo­
sion protection and the same tank equip­
p­ed with a fast depressurization system.
Based on the simulations, we may con­
clude that the transformers without the
fast depressurization system showed a
sustained increase in tank pressures well
over the expected safety threshold of 1 bar.
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
The final steady state pressures calculated
for the tank without explosion preventi­
on devices were much greater than 10 bar,
pressures sufficiently high to lead to tank
rupture since transformer tanks are de­
signed to withstand steady pressures of
only 1 bar. Pressures were higher for the
bushing turret region than the main tank,
indicating possible bushing failure.
For the same arc models, the transformer
tanks simulated with the fast depressuri­
zation system showed that all depressuri­
zation sets activated by 9 ms, far earlier
than the arc duration. Over the course
of the depressurization, the maximum
transi­ent pressures within the tank de­
creased by at least a factor of two. Finally,
the fast depressurization system depressu­
rized the tanks to safe levels within appro­
ximately 200 ms, a time scale consistent
with preventing tank rupture based on
manufacturer experience.
In summary, the transformer fast depres­
surization system, including depressuri­
zation sets appropriately sized and placed
in proximity to high voltage bushing tur­
rets, is an effective tool for reducing risk of
transformer tank explosion and fires.
References
[1] CIGRE A2.37, Transformer Reliability
Survey, 2015
[2] National Fire Protection Association,
NFPA 850, 2015
[3] S. Muller, R. Brady, G. de Bressy, P.
Magnier and G. Pergaud, “Prevention of
Transformer Tank Explosion, Part 1: Ex­
perimental Tests on Large Transformers,”
in ASME PVP, Chicago, USA, 2008
[4] B. Landis, O. Ahmed, S. Yoon, A. Goj
and G. Perigaud, “Development of a Two-
Way Fluid Structure Coupling for Study­
ing Power Transformers Subjected to In­
ternal Dynamic Overpressures,” in ASME
PVP, Paris, France, 2013
[5] H. Guillard and A. Murrone, “A five
Time No protection Transformer protector No protection Transformer protector

10
ms

50
ms

210
ms

Figure 9. 3D tank pressure contours, 166.7 MVA Figure 10. 3D tank pressure contours, 363 MVA
Model A transformer, 10 MJ arc Model B transformer, 10 MJ arc

equation reduced Model for compressib­ hing flows,” J. Fluid Mech., Vol. 607, pp. [8] IEEE C57.156, Guide for Tank
le two phase flow problems,” INRIA, Vol. 313-350, 2008 Rupture Mitigation of Liquid-Immersed
4778, 2003 Power Transformers and Reactors,
[7] R. Menikoff, “Empirical EOS for So­ 2016
[6] R. Saurel, F. Petitpas and R. Abgrall, lids,” in Shock Wave Science and Tech-
“Modelling phase transition in metastable nology Reference Library Vol. 2, Berlin, [9] CIGRE A2.33, Guide for Transformer
liquids: Application to cavitating and flas­ Springer-Verlag, 2007, pp. 143-188 Fire Safety Practices, 2013

Authors
Anne Goj has been involved in multi-disciplinary
computational research since completing a PhD in
Theoretical and Physical Chemistry in 2007. She is
currently a Research Engineer at Transformer Protector
Corp. She is spending so much time calculating quantities
with physics that she occasionally wonders how her
degrees all have “chemistry” written on them.

Figure 11. Oil outflow, 166.7 MVA Model A Ashwin Padmanaban Iyer has been involved in
transformer, 10 MJ arc performing Finite Element Analysis to evaluate structural
integrity for various applications after completing an
MS in Mechanical Engineering in 2011. He is currently
18000
a Research Engineer at Transformer Protector Corp. His
16000
14000
other interests include trekking and traveling.
All TP Depressurization Sets
Outflow rate [L/s]

12000
10000
8000
Estimated Lower Bound PRD
Performance
Omar Ahmed has been involved in scientific computa­
6000
4000
Estimated Upper Bound PRD
Performance tion with a focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics
2000
0
950 L/s since completing a MS in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics in
250 L/s
0 10 20 30
Time [ms]
40 50
2010. He is currently the Research Department Manager
at Transformer Protector Corp. In his free time, he enjoys
Figure 12. Oil outflow, 363 MVA Model B cooking and biking.
transformer, 10 MJ arc

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 69
MONITORING

Bearing in mind that

about 17 % of trans-
former failures are at-
tributed to bushing
faults, it is of prime
importance to monitor
and observe the bush-
ings

ABSTRACT
This article focuses on condenser
bushings monitoring, of both oil-im-
pregnated and resin-impregnated
paper bushings, for extra high-
voltage class transformers in order
to avoid a catastrophic transform-
er failure that might result from a
failed bushing. A brief description
of the online monitoring system is
presented, highlighting its superior-
ity over conventional offline moni-
toring practices. This is followed by
a true case study and a specimen
cost-benefit analysis related to the
failure of a 160 MVA, 220/132/33 kV
transformer and its assumed down
time of 72 hours at a substation in
India, caused by a failure of a 245 kV
oil-impregnated paper bushing.

KEYWORDS
bushing, tan δ, capacitance, infrared
thermography

70 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

 K.K. MURTY

Condenser bushings
condition monitoring
1. Introduction
Bushing condition monitoring is impor­
tant in order to detect incipient faults.
Some of the causes of a bushing failures
include:
• high dielectric stress due to switching
surges and lightening surges
• ingress of moisture and other contami­
nants through deteriorated, aged gas­
kets and hairline cracks in the porcelain
• oil leakage
• high atmospheric temperature, humidi­
ty, etc.
• deterioration of dielectric properties
due to: (a) an increased oil temperature
caused by transformer overloading, or
(b) loose joint connections in the leads
of the draw-lead type bushings/draw-
rod type bushings, giving rise to an ex­
cess temperature in the bushings
• failure due to improper earth connec­
tion of the test tap
• improper re-fixing of the test tap cap
after dissipation factor (tan δ) and capa­
citance measurements
distances shorten and a flash over occurs
between the live extra-high voltage (EHV)
conductor and the transformer body,
resulting in a hazardous fire/explosion
in the transformer and also damaging
the nearby outdoor equipment. This is
generally observed in 220 kV, 400 kV
and 765 kV voltage class transformers.
The losses incurred by such failure and its
consequences are colossal and they ensue
from:
• the cost of the bushings;
• the cost of the transformer (in case there
was a subsequent transformer failure)
and associated activities; and
• the losses due to power system distur­
bances and/or blackouts affecting large
number of consumers.
All this may lead to a huge revenue loss for
the generation, transmission and distribu­
tion utilities.
2.2 Offline bushing monitoring
Offline bushing monitoring is conducted
at different intervals depending on the
customer or a country. However, it is a
general practice to monitor bushings on
a six-monthly basis, or annually where
shutdowns pose constraints.
3. Tan δ and capacitance
measurements
Tan δ is measured offline with a 10 kV tan
δ testing kit in UST mode (Ungrounded
Specimen Test mode), Fig. 1. The limiting
value of tan δ for condenser bushings is
0.007 or 0.7 % as per IEC-60137 [3].
Note: (a) The limiting value of 0.7 % is
also applicable to the bushings in ser-
vice; (b) Test results of new condenser
bushings show that the factory value of
tan δ is as low as 0.3 % to 0.4 %.

2. Bushing condition
monitoring
2.1 Online bushing monitoring

Bearing in mind the research results

presented at the beginning of the
article Fundamentals of condenser
bushings [1], which show that about
17 % of transformer failures are attributed
to bushing faults [2], it is of prime
importance to monitor and observe the
bushings, identifying defective bushings
whose tan δ values are increasing. If the
tan δ begins to exceed the value of 0.007,
then the arrangements to replace the unit
must be made.
Figure 1. Offline testing arrangement/schematic diagram for the tan δ measurement of a
Due to a bushing failure, the dielectric power transformer bushing in UST mode

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 71
 MONITORING

Bushing failures can result in hazardous
fire and explosion of the transformer, which
could also damage the nearby outdoor
equipment
3.1 Bushing tan δ and capacitance -
present trends and practices
Contrary to what is defined by IEC-60137
[3], the present practice followed by some
manufacturers is that the tan δ of the
bushing central conductor to the test tap,
that is C1, should not increase by 50  % in
relation to the pre-commissioning value,
and the bushing should be replaced if the
value increases up to 75 % and >0.4 % [4].
The present practice by Indian utilities is
to specify the tan δ of C1 as less than 0.4 %
at the time of procurement of the transfor­
mer/condenser bushings.
3.2 Tan δ and capacitance (C2) mea­
surement between test tap and flange
The tan δ measurement is done in GSTg
mode (Grounded Specimen Test with
g­uarding) only. Guarding lead is connected
to the reference voltage point, in this case
the ground, so that any stray capacitances
between the tan δ tap and the ground can
be avoided. The test voltage should be bet­
ween 500 V and 2.5 kV only.
To illustrate, we may consider the typical
values of 420 kV and 800 kV oil-impregnated
paper (OIP) bushings of one manufacturer:
• 420 kV, 1600 A, OIP bushing, C1 = 489
pF & tan δ = 0.33 %; C2 = 1057 pF & tan
δ = 0.64 %
• 800 kV, 2500 A, OIP bushing, C1 = 463
pF & tan δ = 0.351 %; C2 = 1774 pF &
tan δ = 0.353 %
Since the capacitance of C2 is much higher
than that of C1, if higher voltage (>2.5 kV)
is applied, it will get charged to a very high
charge Q, as C = Q/V, and may be harmful
to the insulation as well as to human life.
This tan δ value does not need to be con­
verted to 20 °C base for assessment com­
parison. The tan δ of the bushings test tap
to flange insulation (C2) generally varies
between 0.4 – 3 % [5].
If the value of capacitance C1 is found to
be low in comparison to the factory value,
this indicates a disruption due to transport
damage; therefore, the bushing should not
be installed [4]. While in service, if the va­
lue of C1 exceeds the factory value by 3 %,
this points to the partial puncture of the
condenser of the bushing and the bushing
should be replaced immediately.
4. Interpretation of tan δ and
capacitance values
The dissipation factor and capacitance
values should be compared with one or
more of the following:
• rating plate/name plate data
• results of the prior tests of the same bushing
• results of similar tests on similar bush­ings
The value of dissipation factor of modern
condenser bushings is generally of the
order of 0.5  % after correction to 20 °C.
However, as specified in IEC: 60137 [3]
and IS:2099 [6], the limiting value is 0.7 %.
The limiting value of the power factor,
according to IEEE C57.19.01-2000 [7] is
0.5 % (+0.02/-0.04) for OIP bushings, and
0.85 % (±0.04) for RIP bushings.
Capacitances should be +/-5…+/-10 % of
the name plate value, depending on the
total number of condenser layers.
The significance of condenser bushing tan
δ and capacitance test values with the ana­
lysis of test results is outlined in Table 1.
5. Conversion of tan δ values
to the base temperature of
20 °C
Since the value of tan δ varies with tem­
perature, the tan δ recorded at different
oil temperatures needs to be converted to
a common base temperature for compa­
rison purposes. The base temperature of
20 °C is taken for the comparison of tan
δ measured at different temperatures, as
presented in Table 2 [4].
The value of tan δ increases with temper­
ature. The main tank oil temperature is
measured while testing the tan  δ of the
bushings. In order to compare the tan δ
values taken at different oil tempera­tures,
a correction factor is applied to the read­
ing in order to bring the values to a com­
mon reference temperature which is uni­
versally accepted as 20 °C (the correction
factor table is shown in Table 2) [4].
The temperature correction factors for tan

Table 1. Significance of condenser bushing tan δ and capacitance test values – analysis and interpretation of results [5, 8]
Tan δ and capacitance - trend of test results Analysis
Increase in tan δ (between 0.7 % and 1 %) accompanied by Points to excessive moisture in the insulation
marked increase of capacitance
Very high increase in tan δ alone (over 1 %) Points to thermal deterioration, aging or contamination
other than moisture
Low tan δ Points to weak potential connections
Increased capacitance Points to possible short-circuited condenser layers
Decreased capacitance Points to possible floating ground sleeve, or open or poor
test tap connection
Very large variation in tan δ and capacitance values Points to no oil in the bushing
Negative tan δ accompanied with small reduction in capa- May result from external surface leakages or internal
citance leakages resulting from carbon tracking, etc.

72 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

δ or power factor (PF) are dependent on The losses incurred by a transformer failure
the insulating material, material structure,
the moisture contents, etc. The following caused by a bushing and its consequences
relationship holds good: are colossal
PF20 = PF tan δmt
K or tan δ20 = K
mt
(1)
Table 2. Tan δ and power factor correction factors for OIP & RIP bushings to 20 °C
where
Temperature Correction factor to 20 °C
PF20 = power factor at 20 °C range in °C OIP bushing RIP bushing
PFmt = power factor at the measured test 0-2 0.80 0.76
object temperature
tan δ20 = tan δ at 20 °C 3-7 0.85 0.81
tan δmt = tan δ measured at test object tem­ 8-12 0.90 0.87
perature 13-17 0.95 0.93
K = correction factor 18-22 1.00 1.0
5.1 A specimen calculation 23-27 1.05 1.07
28-32 1.10 1.14
Let us assume the tan δ measured was 33-37 1.15 1.21
0.0075 at the oil temperature of 45 °C for 38-42 1.20 1.27
the OIP type bushing:
43-47 1.25 1.33
• from Table 2 it follows that the con- 48-52 1.30 1.37
version factor K equals 1.25 (for the 53-57 1.34 1.41
temperature range 43-47 °C)
58-62 1.35 1.43
• applying the equation (1), the fol-
lowing is obtained: 63-67 1.35 1.43
68-72 1.30 1.42
tanδ20 = tanK δmt = 0.0075
1.25 = 0.006 (2) 73-77 1.25 1.39
78-82 1.20 1.35
83-87 1.10 1.29
6. Variation in power factor
with temperature and
voltage • Curve 2 refers to the response at 25 °C indicates that PF varies with tempera­
Considering that the values of tan δ and and 70 kV voltage applied on the same ture. It may be observed that the voltage
power factor of insulation vary with tem­ bushing, with the temperature remai­ applied is same as in the case of curve 1,
perature, the bushing tan δ or PF mea­ ning constant, which indicates that PF 10 kV.
sured in offline condition will not paint varies with voltage. • Curve 4 presents the response at 70 °C
a true picture of the bushing, correspon­ • Curve 3 refers to the response at 70 °C and the applied voltage of 70 kV, with
ding to the dynamic operating conditions. and the applied voltage of 10 kV, which both temperature and voltage raised.

Thus, the researchers have studied the

influence of the variation in temperature
and voltages on the power factor of the
bushings, reaching the conclusion that
the bushings power factor varies not only
with temperature but also with voltage
changes, Fig. 2 [9].

Based on these studies, Figure 2 illustrates

four curves which were drawn for dif­
ferent temperature and voltage conditions
over a period of 210 hours versus power
factor:

• Curve 1 depicts the response at 25 °C at

the applied voltage of 10 kV, i.e. during
offline monitoring. It can be seen that
the PF is quite stable. Figure 2. Curves indicating variation of % power factor with voltage and temperature over
a period of 210 hours
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 73
 MONITORING
Figure 3. Tan δ as a function of temperature and moisture for OIP bushings [4]
The curve shows that the PF increases
with the increase in temperature and
voltage on the bushing insulation.
Since the power factor increases with
higher voltage and higher temperature,
the need for online tan δ measurement is
essential. In this way, any abnormality ob­
served can be addressed timely by the uti­
lity, preventing enormous revenue losses
due to down time or transformer outage
caused by a bushing failure.
7. Tan δ vs. temperature and
moisture of OIP bushings –
interpretation of curves
As discussed in the previous section, the
tan δ (PF) of condenser bushings varies
with temperature and voltage. Based on
the curves plotted in Figure 2, further
conclusions may be drawn about the re­
Figure 4a. Hot spot at the top of the extreme right bushing
74
lationship between the dissipation factor
and rising temperature and moisture con­
tents in the OIP bushings, which are pre­
sented by the following curves in Figure 3:
• Curve 1 for the moisture content of 4 %
• Curve 2 for the moisture content of 1 %
• Curve 3 for the moisture content of 0.4
to 0.6 %
• Curve 4 for the moisture content of 0.1 to 0.3 %
It can be observed from Curves 3 and 4
that the tan δ remains almost constant
at temperatures from 20 °C to 90 °C. For
Curve 2, the tan δ is 0.7 % at 50 °C and
with a further rise in temperature the tan
δ shows a rising trend from 0.7 % to 3 %
The bushings power factor varies not only
with temperature but also with voltage
changes
Figure 4b. Hot spot on the terminal clamp of the middle bushing
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
at 90 °C. Curve 1 shows that the tan δ at
20 °C is as high as 2.8 %, but then abruptly
rises to 9 % at 50 °C.
Based on this interpretation, if the tan δ
is continuously monitored and its values
show that at different temperatures they
follow the trend of any of the mentioned
curves, the bushing moisture content can
be easily established as well as a faulty
OIP bushing. In this case, the faulty unit
should be immediately replaced.
8. Monitoring of hot spots
in the bushings through
infrared thermography
The hot spots in the bushings can only be de­
tected by infrared thermography scanning
carried out remotely with thermovision
cam­eras while the transformers are on load.
The hot spots in the bushings develop due
to the following reasons, which cannot be
detected in off-load conditions:
• loose terminal clamps
• improper fixing of draw lead at the ad­
opter (also known as thimble) with top
terminal
• improper soldering of lead with cable
adopter (thimble)
Such hot spots are attended to by tigh­
tening the identified loose connections
while the transformer is offline.
The specimen scanned images of hot spots Since the power factor increases with high-
are shown in Figures 4a and 4b [10], along
with vertical temperature scales. The er voltage and higher temperature, the need
white colour on top of the far right bush­ for online tan δ measurement is essential
ing in Figure 4a indicates that its hot spot
temperature is 54 °C to 55 °C, while the
stud and the clamp of the middle-phase Table 3. Tan δ and capacitance values of the failed bushing measured and recorded with
bushing indicated in white in Figure 4b a 5 kV kit
show that the temperature at these points Ambient Capacitance
ranges from 46 °C to 48 °C. Date of testing Tan δ [%]
temperature [oC] [pF]
12.09.05 30 396.5 0.35
9. Case study of a 245 kV 29.11.07 32 394.1 0.42
bushing failure at the 220 kV 01.10.08 45 352.6 0.53
substation 07.03.09 43 392.1 0.50
25.05.09 40 391.2 0.45
Transformer and bushing details:
05.12.09 39 392.5 0.40
• Transformer rating: 220/132 kV, 19.05.11 38 394.2 0.49
160 MVA 29.09.11 40 390.6 0.51
• OIP bushing, manufactured in 1993
05.06.12 40 393.9 0.56
• Period of offline monitoring: one year
• Period elapsed after last monitoring of
tan δ prior to failure: five months
• Tan δ and capacitance values last mea­ nostic tests were performed by using the • magnetic balance test with LV supply
sured with a 5 kV kit, tan δ: 0.52 %; ca­ naked bare lead of the failed bushing: • measurement of winding resistance
pacitance: 393.9 pF (Table 3) • ratio test
• Load at the time of failure: 20 MW • IR (Insulation Resistance) test with a
• Season/weather conditions and date: 5 kV megger The test results revealed that the trans­
rainy season, cloudy conditions, 14 Au­ • magnetizing current test with LV supply form­er was in a healthy condition.
gust 2013
• Relay indications: differential relay,
ABC, instantaneous; differential, instan­
taneous over-current, PRV (Pressure
Release Valve) and Buchholz Trip
• Thermovision survey (in service and in Moisture entered through the
loaded condition) was also carried out deteriorated gasket of the oil
about four months prior to the failure. level indicator
No hot points were observed in any of
the bushings.
• Condition of the transformer: the trans­
former was tested and found healthy. It
was successfully re-energized after the
replacement of the failed bushing with 1. Ingress of moisture through the crack­
a new one. ed cementing between the porcelain and
metallic dome
The tan δ and capacitance values of the 2. Separation due to building of excess
failed bushing taken periodically are pre­ pressure inside the bushing
sented in Table 3. Figure 5a. The failed 245 kV, 1250 A OIP bushing showing cracked and separated oil
expansion metallic chamber/dome from the porcelain insulator
9.1 Analysis

Based on the details presented in Table 3

and the photographs of the failed bushing,
Fig. 5a and 5b, it can be inferred that the
bushing failed between the successive pe­
riods of offline monitoring.
Burst due to building up of excess
pressure inside the bushing
To assess the condition of the 160 MVA
transformer after the failure of the 245 kV Figure 5b. The failed 245 kV, 1250 A, OIP bushing showing bursting of lower oil end
bushing of ‘1U’ phase, the following diag­ insulator

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 75
 MONITORING

The hot spots in the

bushings can only be
detected by infrared
thermography carried
out remotely while the
transformers are on
load

some of capacitances caused by ingress of

moisture, increase in tan δ value and also
Figure 6. A phasor diagram showing drifted location of the current vector with reference occurrence of low intensity partial dis­
to the voltage vector of the A phase, indicating deterioration of insulation of the A phase charge over the five-month period after
bushing in (B) the last offline tan δ and capacitance mea­
surements were performed.

Although the recorded load was only 20
MW, the transformer had met the load de­
mand to the extent of 85-87 MW during
irrigation season (the irrigation season is
between November and February of the
following year).
Ingress of moisture must have taken place
through:
a. the cracked cementing which couples
the porcelain portion of the bushing to
the metallic dome, and/or
b. the deteriorated gasket of the oil level
indicator, Fig. 5a
This phenomenon is due to contraction of
the bushing core at low load periods and
at cool night hours. Location of ingress
of moisture is encircled in white, Fig. 5a.
Non-bursting and non-shattering of the
splinters of the outer porcelain of the OIP
bushing at the air end indicate that the
failure did not take place due to any vio­
lent conditions, such as heavy lightning
impulse stroke/switching surges, etc., but
resulted from the pressure that had devel­
oped inside it at a very slow pace – which
is also confirmed by the bursting at the
lower oil end side, Fig. 5b.
The development of excessive pressure in­
side the ill-fated bushing appears to have
taken place due to a failure/shorting of
Since neither the transformer nor any of
the other bushings or auxiliaries/compo­
nents were adversely affected, it was obvi­
ous that the fault was not of a violent and
serious nature. It was confined to the fail­
ure of one 245 kV bushing only.
10. Remedial measures
The practical remedial measure is to
switch to the online monitoring system
of the bushing tan δ for high value trans­
formers (power utilities may weigh the
advantages/gains of this in relation to the
cost investment, Table 5).
It has already been mentioned that the tan
δ value of the insulation (in this case, the
bushings) increases with a rise in temper­
ature and moisture contents.

The online monitoring system of tan δ will

not only record the tan δ value on a real-
time basis on actual voltage, at different
loading conditions, different oil tempera­
tures and different winding temperatures,
but also it will identify the bushing getting
red-hot consequent to loose lead connec­
tions, loose terminal clamp connections,
etc. The heat generated by the loose lead
connections and terminal clamp connec­
tions can be verified further with the ther­
movision infrared scanning.

In addition, with the online monitoring

system, the tan δ of the bushing is being
monitored at the system voltage level and
Figure 7. The loss angle shown (δ = 90 - ø∅) developed as the angle between the phasors at actual temperature of the bushing (i.e.
IC and I: (a) current leading voltage in a capacitor; (b) moisture and other impurities offer at dynamic real-time conditions), whereas
parallel resistance and I gets two parallel paths, being divided into IC and Ir; (c) vector in case of offline tan δ monitoring the
diagram of the circuit in (b) wherein δ = 90 – ø ϕis called loss angle; (d) tan δ = Ir / IC applied voltage is typically 10 kV only.

76 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

11. Online monitoring of
the bushings tan δ and
capacitances: Theories and
methodologies
The methods used in the online moni-
toring of the bushings tan δ and capa-
citance values include the following:
• Sum-of-currents method
• Absolute measurement – voltage trans­
former reference method
• Dual transformer comparison method
11.1 Sum-of-currents method
The voltages in a three-phase transfor­
mer are assumed to be almost equal and
to have a phase displacement of 120°
between them sequentially. The bushings
of these transformers are considered to
have almost equal insulation level. Since
insulation is capacitive in nature, with the
application of the three-phase balanced
voltage the leakage capacitive currents
will flow between the respective phase
and the ground through capacitances C1,
leading the applied driving voltage by litt­
le less than 90°, but maintaining the phase
displacement of three phase balanced vol­
tage. The vector sum of all three capacitive
leakage currents should be zero ideally,
considering them equal in magnitude
and angle of displacement (which is 120°
between them sequentially). However, in
practice, the vector sum of the leakage ca­
pacitive current will not be zero, but a very
small value making a very small angle, for
example with the A phase voltage phasor,
Fig. 6 (a red coloured phasor).
The deterioration of insulation means an
increase in the resistive component (i.e.
contaminant/impurity) in the bushing,
making the resistive current flow in paral­
lel to the capacitive current, Fig. 7.
The resistive current component is in
phase with the driving voltage, while
the total resultant current through the
capacitance of the bushing is leading the
driving voltage by the angle ø less than
90° (i.e. the resultant current is lagging the
original capacitive current vector by the
angle δ). Thus, the tan δ is the dielectric
dissipation factor of the A phase bushing,
which means that the vector sum of the
capacitive currents of all three phases will
deviate from the original value having
a slightly increased value, Fig. 6(b) (red
coloured increased vector).
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
The change in sum of the currents can ap­
proximately be estimated using the equa­
tion (3), with the assumption that only
one bushing (A phase) has developed a
fault [10]:
∑I = ∆I ≈ √ (∆tan δ)2 + (∆C/Co)2 (3)
I°
where
∑I = sum of currents
∆tanδ = small change in tan δ
∆C/Co = relative change in bushing capa­
citance
Co = initial capacitance reading
Io = Initial sum of current value
Following the concept outlined above,
many manufacturers have developed
their online monitoring system. The basic
block diagram of the bushing monitoring
scheme is shown in Figure 8.
In this scheme the sum of the bushing
currents is considered. In practice, the ca­
pacitances of the bushings might not be
exactly the same. During commissioning
the null meter is balanced to zero.
The purpose of balancing is to take into
account the system voltage, phase fluctua­
tions and bushing characteristics and thus
fix an initial reference mark. With the de­
velopment of a fault, the current and the
phase angle change and the null meter will
no longer show the null position.
With the change in amplitude and phase
angle, the bushing losing its dielectric pro­
perty can be identified.
11.1.1 Features of the online tan δ
monitoring
The online tan δ monitoring devices are
presently manufactured by reputed ma­
nufactures. They are supplied to transfor­
mer OEMs to be incorporated as per the
requirement of customers.
Online tan δ monitoring using the sum-
of-currents method includes the fol­
lowing features [7]:
With the online monitoring, the tan δ of the
bushing is being monitored at the system
voltage level and at actual temperature of the
bushing, i.e. at dynamic real-time conditions
• Monitoring of bushings/CTs at a time:
2x3 bushings/CTs can be monitored
• Monitoring of 1-phase units: it is possi­
ble to monitor 4x1-phase transformers
with three units in service and one spare
unit; the spare unit gets automatically
grounded through its sensor in a kiosk
provided
• Defective bushings: a specific software
depicts the imbalance of the current
vector position on a polar plot, which in
turns affects the power factor and capa­
citances of the defective bushing
• Effect of temperature/voltage: changes
in tan δ and capacitance can be identi­
fied in relation to the temperature and
voltage, as well as the deteriorating con­
dition of such bushings
• False alerts: special algorithms elimi­
nate false alert due to noise and other
atmospheric conditions
• Communication protocol: it can be lo­
cally accessed through RS 232 and re­
motely for SCADA, etc. through Ether­
net /RS 485 or similar
• Data storage period: five years on an
hourly basis
• Self-diagnostic feature
• Change in PF and capacitances: change
in A phase can be detected, as shown in
yellow on polar diagrams in Fig. 9
11.2 Absolute measurement –
voltage transformers reference
method
To overcome the variation in the tan δ
values due to imbalance of system volt­
ages, the absolute measurement (voltage
transformer reference method) has been
introduced [9, 11]. Imbalance voltages in
the system occur due to unequal load­
ing of the phases, system faults or due to
asymmetric induction from high currents
in the nearby overhead lines. It has been
observed that the tan δ value of the oil-im­
pregnated bushing with the original tan δ
of 0.25 % increases to 0.5 %.This could be
alarming, but misleading too.
In the absolute measurement method,
absolute values are taken from the volt­
age transformers of respective phases.
77
 MONITORING
Online monitoring of the bushings tan δ and
capacitance includes the following meth-
ods: sum-of-currents, absolute measure-
ment, and dual transformer comparison
Figure 8. A schematic diagram of the sum-of-currents method [10]
The schematic diagram of connections is
shown in Fig. 10.
The equipment and set-up for the absolute
measurement – voltage transformer refer­
ence method is presented in Fig. 11.
The most important features and duties of
the main equipment in the absolute mea­
surement method are as follows [11]:
• UHF sensor:
- highly sensitive PD measurements in
the winding insulation
- wide frequency response
- results can be correlated to the PD sig­
nals detected at the bushing
• Acquisition unit/transformer:
- synchronous acquisition of data from
Figure 9. Phasor diagrams showing change in PF and capacitance
78
the bushing tap adopters and UHF
sensors
- advanced signal processing system for
capacitance, dissipation/power factor,
transient overvoltages and partial dis­
charge, etc.
• Acquisition unit/VT reference:
- synchronously acquires reference sig­
nals from the VTs for absolute capa­
citance and dissipation/power factor
measurements
- It can be used with three voltage trans­
formers reference scheme or three
power transformer bushings reference
scheme of a similar power transformer
on the same bus
• MCU fiber optic bus controller:
- It is used for connecting each acquisi­
tion unit to the central computer
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
- maintains galvanic isolation eliminat­
ing interference and ensures personal
safety
• Central computer with compatible user
friendly monitoring software:
- state-of-the-art data base system en­sures
long term data storage and retrieval
- processing of the data is performed
intelligently to provide useful informa­
tion of status/condition of the bush­ings
- parameters are monitored to give sig­
nal, alarm and warning of limiting
levels/defined thresholds
- accessible via web browser interface
- specimen graphs/curves of dissipation
factor and capacitance of the bushings
in this system, Fig. 12
11.3 Dual transformer comparison
method
In the dual transformer comparison
meth­od [11], the concept of comparison
is similar to the absolute measurement
method. Instead of three voltage trans­
formers, the respective phase bushings of
a transformer with similar rating connec­
ted in parallel are used for reference. The
test setup is similar to that in the absolute
measurement method.
12. A sample cost-benefits
analysis of an online tan
δ monitoring system for
bushings
The following analysis aims to show the
benefits of installing an online tan δ moni­
toring system for power transformer bush­
ings. The online tan δ monitoring system
monitors the condition of the condenser
bushings while the transformer is in ser­
vice. The analysis is based on a sample case
of the failure of the 245 kV OIP bushing of
the 220/132 kV, 160 MVA power transfor­
mer presented in section 9.
12.1 Assumptions
• Season: peak irrigation season for the
agricultural fields (Nov 2015)
• Date of failure: 15 November 2015
• Load: 164 MW fed by two 160 MVA,
220/132 kV power transformers of
equal impedances and tap position va­
riations
• Load on the affected transformer prior
to failure: 82 MW
• Location of the site: the 220 kV substa­
tion is 150 km away from the headquart­
ers of the executive engineer, testing
division and the utility’s material and
equipment stores
• Extent of failure: a failure of one 245 kV
1250 A OIP bushing
• Parameter values recorded at the last
offline bushing testing prior to its fail­
ure: tan δ = 0.0053; capacitance = 394 pF
• Period elapsed between the failure and
the last offline tan δ measurement: five
months after the last tan δ measurement
with a portable 10 kV kit
• Intervals of tan δ and capacitance test­
ing: six-monthly
• Duration of down time after failure: 72
hours (assumed)
12.2 Activities required and costs
a. Availability of heavy duty crane at site:
not available. Therefore, the works were
carried out manually
b. Personnel required:
• for removal of the failed bushing and
transformer testing
• for testing and energizing the trans­
former at the time of installation
c. Testing of the transformer, HV and LV
Figure 10. A schematic diagram of the absolute measurement – voltage
transformer reference method
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
bushings after the incident; acquisition of
a new 245 kV bushing, pre-commission­
ing tests and energization of the trans­
former: 150,000 INR (2,266.14 USD)
d. Travel costs for testing engineers and
staff for two journeys from the head­
quarters to the site (150 km away) and
back: 15 INR per km multiplied by two
e. Light motor vehicles and transportation
of testing staff: 2∙2∙2∙150∙15=18,000 INR
(271.92 USD)
f. Cost of the 245 kV, 1250 Amp OIP
bush­ing: 600,000 INR (9,064.57 USD)
g. Inventory and other miscellaneous
charges towards storing the bushing
(charged as 25 % of the cost of the bush­
ing): 2,266.14 USD
h. Expenditure towards transportation of
the bushing:
• By road (truck) – freight: 18,000 INR
(271.94 USD)
• Transit insurance, charged at 5 % of
the cost of the bushing: 453.23 USD
• Loading/unloading charges: 8,000
INR (120.86 USD)
Summing up the above, the total trans­
portation costs came to: 846.03 USD
The costs incurred by replacing the failed
245 kV OIP bushing with a new one, tak­
ing into account the realistic assumptions
listed above, is shown in Table 4. The
amounts in USD have been calculated ap­
plying the exchange rate of 15 November
2015: 1 USD = 66.1918 INR.
Sum-of-currents method is based on the
fact that the vector sum of all three capaci-
tive leakage currents should ideally be zero
Figure 11. Absolute measurement – voltage transformer reference
method
12.3 Loss of revenue
The loss of revenue due to the outage of
the transformer can be calculated based
on the assumed outage of 50 MW during
the assumed down time of 72 hours. With
the price of the unit at 132 kV level equal­
ling 5.29 INR (0.0799 USD), according to
the prevailing tariff for 2015-16 in M.P.
(India), and assuming the load factor of
85 %, the following calculation ensues:
50,000∙0.85∙72∙5.29 INR=16,187,400 INR
(244,552.95 USD)
Note:
Since there was a similar transformer run­
ning in parallel on the common bus, the
outage of 50 MW is considered for the
calculation of the revenue loss. The other
portion of the load was shared by nearby
132 kV substations.
12.4 The cost-benefit analysis
The cost-benefit analysis for the
replacement of the 245 kV OIP bushing
including the loss of revenue to the utility
resulting from the failure is shown in
Table 5.
From this analysis it can be concluded that
the cost of replacement of one 245 kV OIP
79
 MONITORING
To overcome the variation in the tan δ val-
ues due to imbalance of system voltages,
the absolute measurement method has
been introduced
Figure 12. Specimen curves of the tan δ and capacitances of all three-phase bushings
bushing, together with the loss of revenue
incurred by the failure, is:
• more than 8.28 times higher than the
approximate cost of the online tan δ
monitoring system based on the sum-
of- currents method, including its com­
missioning at site
• more than 3.21 times higher than the
approximate cost of the online tan δ
monitoring system based on the abso­
lute measurement method, including its
commissioning at site
The above example has been cited as a
sample case of a failure of one 245 kV
Table 4. Expenditure towards the engineers, and skilled and unskilled personnel carrying out the works at the substation
Personnel
Maintenance and testing engineers
Skilled maintenance technicians
and testing personnel
Unskilled personnel
80
OIP bushing. Had this incident led to a
catastrophic failure of the transformer, an
enormous loss would have been incurred
to the power utility and the down time
would be approximately four to six weeks.
The cost of a new 220/132/33 kV, 160 MVA
transformer would have been approxi­
In the dual transformer comparison method,
the respective phase bushings of a trans-
former with similar rating connected in par-
allel are used for reference
Number of engineers/ Rate per engineer /
man-days man-days in USD
3∙3=9 67.98
5∙3=15
37.77
8∙3=24 7.55
Total
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
mately 5.13 crores INR, i.e. 775,020.47
USD according to the exchange rate at the
time of the incident.
Conclusions
This article has explored the condition
monitoring of the capacitive graded bush­
ings with particular emphasis on the on­
line monitoring systems for the condenser
bushings, designating them as superior
methodologies for monitoring of conden­
ser bushings at dynamic conditions on a
real-time basis, when compared to the off­
line monitoring system.
These online monitoring systems are
cost effective and able to give a caution
signal well before the utility might
suffer a catastrophic failure of the
transformer.
In view of the above discussion and con­
sidering the sample cost benefit analysis,
utilities can resort to the online tan δ mo­
nitoring system for condenser bushings of
their 220 kV, 400 kV and 765 kV power
transformers and the 420 kV and 800 kV
reactors.
Acknowledgement
The author expresses his gratitude and
sincere thanks to the Managing Director
of M.P. Power Transmission Co. Ltd.
Jabalpur (India) for permitting him to
use the relevant data and photographs of
the 220 kV substation in Narsinghpur.
He would also like to express his
gratitude to Chief Engineer (Testing
& Communication) and other testing
engineers in the department whose help
Amount in USD*
611.86
566.54
181.29
1,359.68
Table 5. The cost-benefits analysis
Cost incurred
Investment
Particulars Investment (USD) to the utility
(USD)
(USD)
Cost of the online tan δ monitoring equipment based on the sum- 30,215.22
of-currents method at site after loading, all taxes, duties, export-
import formalities, shipment and transit insurance, including
erection and commissioning at site (approximately)
Cost of the online tan δ monitoring equipment and accesso-
ries based on the absolute measurement method at site after
loading, all taxes, duties, export-import formalities, shipment 77,909.09
and transit insurance, including erection and commissioning
charges at site (approximately)
Cost of the OIP bushing 9,064.57
Costs towards inventory and other miscellaneous charges to-
2,266.14
wards storing the bushing etc.
Transportation of the bushing to the site 846.03
Charges towards testing of the transformer, HV and LV bushings
after the incident and costs of the new 245 kV bushing and pre- 2,266.14
commissioning tests prior to re-energization of the transformer
Cost of the journeys to and from the site for the testing and
271.92
commissioning engineers and testing team
Charges towards works on site by engineers, testing technicians
1,359.68
and the maintenance staff
Estimated loss of revenue due to down time 244,552.95
Total (in USD) 30,215.22 77,909.09 250,429.43

and support made the writing of this
article possible.
References
[1] Er.K.K. Murty, Fundamentals of
condenser bushings, Transformers Ma­
gazine, Special Edition Bushings, Nov.
2017
[7] IEEE C57.19.01-2000 (R2005), IEEE
Standard Performance Characteristics
& Dimensions for Outdoor Apparatus
Bushings
[8] HAEFLEY TEST AG’s Midas 228x,
Operating instructions
[9] C. Kane and A.Golubev, Bushing mo-
nitoring methods, presented at PdMSA
conference, Sept 2010
[10] http://www.irinfo.org/articleof-
month/images/2_1_2009_james_16.gif
of IRINFO.ORG, Burlington NJ08016
[11] C. Kane, Online bushing monitoring
and comparison of offline testing

[2] S.Tenbohlen, J Jagers et al., Development

and results of a worldwide transform­er
reliability survey, presented at CIGRE A2
Colloquium 2015, China, 20-25 Sept 2015,
on behalf of CIGRE WG A2.37
[3] IEC – 60137, Edition 6.0 2008-07, In-
ternational Electrotechnical Commis­
sion Standard for Insulated bushings for
Alternating Voltages Above 1000 V
[4] ABB, Publication No. 2750 515-142
en, Rev. 3 on bushing diagnostics and
conditioning
[5] BHEL’s Presentation on Bushings –
6645329
[6] IS: 2099 - 1986 (Reaffirmed 2003),
India­n Standard Specification for Bushings
for Alternating Voltage Above 1000 Volts
Author
K.K. Murty holds a Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in
Electrical Engineering obtained from the University of
Jabalpur, India. He was a former Chief Engineer and
Head of Department at M.P. Power Transmission Co. Ltd.
Jabalpur (India), he was a member of the panel of expert
professionals at the Central Power Research Institute
(CPRI), Bangalore, from 2008 to 2012. Previous to this, he
worked as an Advisor (Testing) at SOUTHCO, a discom
in the state of Odisha, a Metering Consultant to M. P. Electricity Regulatory
Commission and a Course Director for the graduate electrical engineering
trainees at the Training Institute of MPPTCL, Jabalpur. He has published a few
technical articles in national and international journals and presented some
technical papers at various national and international conferences pertaining
to power transformers, other power equipment and power systems, etc. Mr.
Murty is a Member of India’s Society of Power Engineers (MSPE), a Fellow
of Institution of Engineers, India (FIE) and is a Chartered Engineer (CE). In
October 2015 he was awarded a plaque in recognition of his eminence and
contribution to the profession of electrical engineering at the national level by
the Institution of Engineers (India).

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 81
 MONITORING
The majority of the electric grid’s critical
assets were not designed to withstand
the stressful dynamic loading patterns
imposed by greater energy demands
Adaptive Response
Technology
Increasing profitability and avoiding failures
W
hat do the Tennessee Valley
Authority, Chicago Mercantile
Exchange, Gerdau AmeriSteel,
and Mitsubishi Electric have
in common? They all have a critical need
for reliable power systems and, to ensure
that reliability, Sensei’s MasterMind
Adaptive Response Technology (ART and
SMART).
For these and other Sensei customers,
MasterMind provides an essential tool
to increase power system reliability and
to minimize or eliminate unplanned ser­
vice interruptions and potential adverse
effects.
A stressed out electrical grid
The overworked electrical grid isn’t a new
concern, but it does source from a devel­
oping problem that has created new chal­
lenges. The combined effects of an aging
fleet and the introduction of renewable
energy sources to the grid place unantici­
pated demands on legacy equipment.
82
Since its inception, electrical demand has
been fairly predictable. For most of its his­
tory, fluctuations in ambient temperature
were the largest drivers of demand. After
all, ambient temperature is a predictable
variable; electrical generation was thus
understood as a relatively steady-state
proposition.
Until today’s utility energy
environment
Today, renewable energy sources present a
new, more dynamic problem: matching de­
mand to supply and vice versa. The majority
of the grid’s critical, high-voltage legacy as­
sets were simply not designed to withstand
the stressful dynamic loading patterns im­
posed by renewable energy sources.
Although transformers can operate for
decades at 100 % of nameplate with load
at a steady state, when they are subjected
to dramatic, repetitive load changes, ther­
mal expansions can eventually compro­
mise the life of the unit. Critical bushing
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
and transformer seals are two of the most
concerning elements that we find regu­
larly under siege in this new paradigm. A
compromised seal allows moisture intro­
duction, leading to degraded dielectric oil
insulating capability, breakdown, and ulti­
mately, partial discharge.
In response, many utilities are imple­
menting continuous monitoring of these
assets, such as dissolved gas analysis
(DGA) and installation of bushing
monitors deeper within medium-voltage
transformers and switchgear distribution
networks. Individually, these methods
provide only a sliver of insight into the
true condition of the equipment. In order
to gain a more reliable understanding of
real-time conditions, it is now possible to
consider the factors in context and then
correlate them with one another.
The solution for bushings, in particular,
has been an imperfect one. Instrumen­
tation is impossible without an outage,
making it inconvenient and costly, and
 Advertorial

risking damage to the very equipment it
seeks to protect. The information gleaned
must then be manually correlated and
interpreted by costly subject matter ex­
perts. Thankfully, another, more effective
approach to condition monitoring exists.
Averting disaster – with
science and technology
For the Chicago Mercantile Exchange
(CME), power system failure could result
in global chaos. In addition to commodi­
ties exchange, derivatives trading for all
primary shares on the major exchanges
pass through the CME infrastructure. For
every share of a company listed on an ex­
change such as NASDAQ, NYSE, or FTSE,
dozens or even hundreds more derivatives
flow through the CME data center around
the clock. This means that the CME needs
to be 100 % operational 24 hours a day,
every day of the year. Even the epony­
mous five-nines of reliability (99.999  %)
isn’t good enough: an outage of as few as
four hours could precipitate global finan­
cial panic or collapse of the markets.
into the national grid, which grows more
and more hazardous to legacy equipment
every day.
Get SMART
Sensei MasterMind Adaptive
Response Technology
To help protect themselves and their cus­
tomers from these uncertainties, CME
contracted with Sensei Solutions, an in­
novative, experienced leader in Smart
Grid solutions, to develop a monitor­
ing system for their most critical and
vulnerable components. Armed with
FLIR thermal imaging cameras, Sensei
developed a solution that didn’t require
a single outage to implement, which was
an obvious require­ment for the financial
giant. This initial project resulted in the
development of SMART, which employs
multiple inputs, systems, and analytic pro­
bes to provide dynamic monitoring for
power system components.
In the case of CME, radiometric samples
from eight FLIR thermal cameras were
collected every 20 minutes, recording
high, low, mean, and median tempera­
tures for dozens of measurement points
on eight transformer/breaker pairs, and
increasing the thermographic sampling
rate from four times per year to over
26,000 times per year.
Not only did the exchange increase its
power-system reliability, it also receives a

Therefore, the CME constructed a private

power station to keep the data center up
and running and completely in their con­
trol regardless of what happens elsewhere
in the grid. Every component critical to
operation is made “triple redundant”, and
nearly everything is automated. Never­
theless, for routine operation they still tap

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 83
 MONITORING
Using strategically placed FLIR cameras
carrying the AVR and selective optics, a
substation can be outfitted with dozens of
measurement points in a single day, without
an outage
significant insurance premium discount
because of this increased capability.
Many electrical apparatus and compo­
nents will heat up before they break down,
which is why FLIR thermal imaging
cameras are used to detect the rise in
temperature at an early stage.
Building on the solutions initially designed
for the CME, Sensei Solutions developed
a set of proprietary analytics that make it
possible to detect degrading condition of
bushings, LTCs, and switchgear at a much
earlier stage and with greater reliability
than previously available through periodic
manual inspection. The same results are
achieved for processing, correlating, and
interpreting data from DGA, PD, and PF
sensors.
With Sensei’s MasterMind platform, it is
possible to plan maintenance more effec­
tively and prevent costly outages.
84
Reliable power supply for
transformer manufacturing
Power system integrity is also critically
important to Mitsubishi Electric, who
installed MasterMind Analytic Video
Recorder (AVR) analytics at their
Memphis transformer factory where they
produce the massive shell-form power
transformers used by generation facilities
worldwide. Reliable power is essential for
day-to-day operation of the factory and
during the testing of the transformers they
produce for their customers. Mitsubishi’s
Memphis factory includes a giant test hall,
where newly made transformers are put
through a rigorous regimen of extreme
conditions. These tests include wide
fluctuations in voltage, frequency, and
temperature which places unusual loads
on the factory’s power systems.
To ensure reliability of critical components
both in their factory and the utility sub­
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
station serving them, Mitsubishi installed
MasterMind to monitor FLIR thermal
imaging cameras over each of the critical
test hall transformers, as well as the 161 kV
utility breakers with disconnect switches,
connecting bus, GIS breakers, step-down
transformers, and 15 kV cable termina­
tions located in the substation yard.
Now, in addition to having greater confi­
dence in the reliability of their power sys­
tem, Mitsubishi Electric can record and
analyze the impact of their tests on the test­
ing equipment by monitoring the thermal
load effects on the test transformers.
Thermonuclear protection
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) safe­
ty and engineering personnel, who had
gathered in Savannah, Georgia, for an
EPRI condition-based maintenance
(CBM) user group meeting in July 2015,
attended a session in which Sensei pre­
sented “Persistent Radiometric Analysis
of Bushings, Breakers and High Voltage
Apparatus.” The TVA thought the session
was interesting, but they had bigger fish to
fry: in just two months, they were taking
the Watts Bar Two nuclear generation sta­
tion online after 40 years of construction.
Once that was behind them, they could
think more critically about the ideas pre­
sented at the conference.
TVA Watts Bar 2 was finally ready to go
online August 30, 2016. Power ascension
testing had proceeded normally through­
out the day and the final objective was
in sight: 100  % continuous output and
commercial certification. It was 9 o’clock at
night and the order was given to take Unit 2
to 100 %.
Moments later, alarm systems indicated
a fire in one of the main bank step-up
transformers, triggering an automatic
shutdown of the Unit 2 reactor and ge­
nerator unit. TVA emergency response
teams extinguished the fire by 11:20 pm,
but the damage was already done and the
transformer was completely destroyed.
Replacement cost and lost revenue ex­
ceeded $66 mil­lion for the 27 days the
o­utage continued.
In the aftermath of the explosion, the
NRC and TVA personnel who attended
the EPRI conference a month earlier con­
tacted FLIR in search of a thermal moni­
toring solution to help prevent a recur­
rence when the replacement transformer
was brought online. FLIR referred TVA
to Sensei and a rapid response plan was
implemented to provide coverage of all six
main transformer units at the Watts Bar
facility. In less than a week, Sensei con­
figured and deployed the MasterMind
AVR Solution to monitor the thermal con­
dition of critical transformer components
for both reactors and generator units.
State of the Union: Current
challenges in substation
monitoring
Solving the problems of periodic moni­
toring: Episodic and incomplete data
Sensei’s MasterMind AVR Solution pro­
vides a dramatic improvement to tradi­
tional periodic handheld thermography
methods employed by electric utilities for
many years.
Periodic manual sampling has serious
shortcomings with potentially drastic
implications. Infrequent handheld ins­
pections are inherently more limited in
scope, resource intensive, less repeat­able,
and dramatically more expensive per
sample than are automated solutions. The
practition­er may be exposed to potentially
hazardous circumstances when taking
measurements on energized equipment
and is­sues that happen during the majo­
rity of the time when nobody is watching
are simply not caught. Even the quality of
analysis for the inspections that are per­
formed manually are subject to errors by
the humans doing them. Finally, manual
data collection and tabulation are far more
difficult to integrate into a CBM regimen.
Such was the case for the large East Coast
steel manufacturer Gerdau Long Steel,
who hired Sensei to monitor the melt
room and the high-voltage equipment
powering the massive smelter. Sensei fo­
cused their attention on a melt container
and corresponding transformers with a
live feed of current temperature to prevent
catastrophic failure of the furnace walls, as
well as persistent analytics comparing per­
formance and condition of critical power-
system components including bus work,
breakers, and disconnects. By employing
the Sensei program, Gerdau was able
to identify and remediate three critical
switchgear defects on the very first day of
its use. MasterMind prompted the main­
tenance team to resolve the issues imme­
diately, preventing imminent failure of the
bus work and breaker connections. Two
years later the same issue was detected on
a separate phase, and corrective actions
were taken prior to any operational failure.
“If we hadn’t known about it until the
next week, we would have started up
In three days, the MasterMind AVR was
configured and deployed in a nuclear power
plant to monitor the thermal condition of
critical transformer components
and probably had to replace the vacuum
switch,” recounted Reginald Epps, Routine
Facilitator in Maintenance for Gerdau.
“We would have been down for at least
3.5-4 hours to have the work done, which
would be an additional expense and loss
of productivity. Thousands of dollars were
saved all because of the FLIR cameras and
MasterMind AVR.”
The ART of Analytics
About MasterMind’s Adaptive
Response Technology
One of the major factors driving Sensei’s
success with MasterMind analytics is that
no outage is required to implement the
system. Deployment is amazingly simple,
considering the complex, sophisticated
measurement that the program performs.
Using strategically placed FLIR cameras
carrying the AVR application module and
selective optics, a substation can be outfit­
ted with dozens of measurement points in
a single day. Then, Sensei’s MasterMind

These blind spots have a huge price-tag

since outages due to transformer failures
can cost companies up to $100,000 an
hour. However, if utilities use intelligent
and configurable automated monitoring
solutions, they will not only be able to
monitor in real-time, but also be able to
predict conditions with far greater accura­
cy and reliability than can be obtained by
manual radiometric inspection methods.

By combining Sensei’s intelligent automa­

tion software and thermal imaging FLIR
cameras, impending equipment failures
can be detected earlier, more economical­
ly, and with greater reliability than has
been possible before.

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 85
 MONITORING
Combining Sensei’s intelligent software and
FLIR cameras, impending equipment fail-
ures can be detected earlier, more econom-
ically, and with greater reliability
analytics platform gets to work provid­
ing real-time and retrospective analysis.
Third-party sensors or analytic mod­
ules can be added as required, making
MasterMind a truly adaptable – and cost-
effective – tool for utilities or anyone man­
aging complex power systems.
“After years of waiting for IT to
provide communications access to
our remote DGA monitors, Sensei
had us online in under two weeks.”
Mark Cheatham, Duke Energy
“From initial risk assessment all
the way to deployment and sus­
tainment, Sensei’s team of experts
help­ed guide us through the pro-
cess to a successful solution.”
James Streznetsky, UGI Utilities
86
Sigma Delta Tau: Calculation
of anomalies
Another key innovation of Sensei’s
MasterMind AVR Solution is its patent­­
-­
pending Sigma Delta Tau (SDT) al­
gorithm, an adaptive com­p­arative ana­
lytics application that measures relational
temperature. The underlying principle
rests on a relatively simple proposition:
because similar devices oper­ating under
identical conditions produce similar
thermal profiles, variances in these
relationships can quickly identify outliers
and indicate further investigative action.
Sensei’s SDT algorithm tracks the stan­
dard deviation and the stability of those
relationships over time among a group of
related measurements. The SDT algorithm
can be applied to transformer and breaker
bushings, tap-changers, disconnects, and
capacitor banks. In addition, MasterMind
automatically integrates environmental
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
variables to achieve a truer indication of
condition and performance than can be
obtained using discrete threshold mea­
surements.
Together, these two calculations – Sigma
and Delta Tau, respectively – track the in­
stantaneous vs. long term stability of the
thermal signature of a given asset. Mul­
tiple measurements may be grouped and
compared providing detection and alert­
ing of both instantaneous anomalies and
worrisome longer-term trends.
What color is your rainbow?
Re-envisioning thermographic
analysis
Conventional approaches to thermo­
graphic imagery produce a color-coded
image, which renders the naturally gray­
scale radiometric image in “technicolor.” It
seems intuitive, and it’s something so ubi­
quitous that it’s shorthand in movies and
TV for “advanced” tracking. But there’s a
catch: far more temperatures exist than
there are colors to represent them. As a
result, software engineers have to subjec­
tively interpolate a range of temperatures
across a range of colors. Sometimes this
process produces dazzling visual effects,
but it frequently fails to provide a true
r­epresentation of temperatures.
Improving on these methods, Sensei’s
AVR employs a patent-pending Poly­
Therm function that allows for user-speci­
fic assignments of colors to temperatures
painted against a grayscale background.
Users, at a glance, can tell the temperature
of each scene element based on their own
specified parameters.
Sensei’s Virtual Probe Editor is another
important improvement over existing
Spot or Area measurement tools that
frequently measure either too few or
too many pixels. Multiple measurement
points (or “virtual probes” in Sensei par­
lance) may be defined by the user. The
 With MasterMind, Sensei
has revolutionized the
traditional approaches to
condition-based mainte-
nance

Probe Editor allows for pixel-by-pixel About FLIR

definition of measurement points or re­
gions of interest by painting directly onto
the radiometric image. Advanced probe
features allow for the averaging of multi­
ple scene elements such as sky, shadows,
and ground surface to determine a truer
a­mbient baseline. And complex shapes
and contours pose no problem given the
simple and intuitive painting tools.
With MasterMind, Sensei has revolu­
tionized the traditional approaches to
condition-based maintenance available
to electric utilities and power-system
users. To see how Sensei can make your
grid smarter and your power delivery
system more reliable, visit our website at
www.sensei-solutions.com, or email us at
mysolution@sensei-solutions.com.
About Sensei Solutions
Sensei Solutions LLC is a North Carolina-
based provider of MasterMind, an end-to-
end solution that captures, aggregates, and
analyzes data from all types of devices.
With these data, MasterMind presents
visualizations and alerts to SCADA and
of substation automation users. Sensei
Solutions is a licensee and reseller of
the MasterMind remote sensing and
analytics platform. This platform includes
application-specific solution modules for
thermal video analytics (Analytic Video
Recorder or AVR); TransforMetrics, a
modular multi-sensor multi-algorithm
analytics suite that integrates time-series
data produced by dissolved gas, load,
temperature, and partial discharge data
from transformers on other substation
apparatus; and Geospatial Event
Processing for interpretation of security
system sensors like cameras and ground
surveillance radars. Sensei is a US-based
FLIR Solution Partner and distributor
whose thermal imaging cameras are
a critical primary sensor input for the
MasterMind platform.
FLIR Systems, Inc. designs, develops,
manu­ factures, markets, and distributes
technologies that enhance perception and
awareness. FLIR brings innovative sensing
solutions into daily life through our ther­
mal imaging systems, visible-light imaging
systems, locator systems, measurement and
diagnostic systems, and advanced threat de­
tection systems. FLIR products improve the
way people interact with the world around
them, enhance public safety and well-being,
increase energy efficiency, and enable
healthy and entertained communities.
Contact
Robin Thompson
Chief Technology Officer
Sensei Solutions LLC
13775 Highway 50
Suite 107
Holly Ridge, NC 28445
MASTERING THE SMART GRID

other enterprise systems. Engineering,

asset management, and security staff
are then able to organize their response, Author
Robin Thompson has been a prime mover in the devel­
according to business processes and rules,
opment of automation technologies and systems for over
before failures result in high economic
thirty years, is a prolific inventor, an avid aviator, and was
loss. Sensei Solutions’ MasterMind
a founder of several innovative high-tech start-up com­
software has already been deployed at data
panies dating back to the early 1980s, including Cypher
centers, steel mills, plastics manufacturing,
Systems, EntraNet Communications, Cortex Advanced
electrical substations, and nuclear power
Research, and ePic International. Mr. Thompson is pre­
stations.
sently engaged as Chief Executive Officer of North Caro­
lina-based Sensei Solutions LLC., and provides advisory services to industry
Sensei was founded in 2008 to meet and select emerging technology companies.
the evolving needs of a new generation

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 87
MONITORING

Bushings play an important role in the

smooth operation of the power grid
and when they fail, the residual conse-
quences could be catastrophic

ABSTRACT
Bushing monitoring is an important
Effective bushing
monitoring:
component of an effective condition
monitoring program. Bushings play
an important background role in the
smooth operation of the power grid,
but they are not perfect, and allow for
some current to reach the ground:
A technical guide to avoiding failure
this is called the bushing leakage
current. The right monitoring tools
and making critical decisions
and strategy can help record the
magnitude and phase of the bushing
leakage current and capture informa-
1. Introduction Bushings have an insulating medium that
must be sustained to prevent the passage of
tion about the state of bushing insu-
Bushings, devices that allow conductors excess current to the ground, but just like
lation. This article will address why
to pass through a barrier, may seem any other part of the power grid, bush­­­ings
and how bushing failure occurs and like simple and minor components of are not perfect insulators. Bushing leakage
the steps companies can take to pro- the power grid, but they are vital parts current is the current that flows through
tect their systems against bushing of the electric supply system – without the bushing insulation to the ground. The
deterioration. them, power transformers and circuit right monitoring tools can help measure
breakers would not operate effectively or and record the bushing leakage current,
KEYWORDS efficiently, see Figure 1. Bushing failure including magnitude, harmonic content
can cause residual effects that could lead and relative phase of the leakage currents
bushings, failure, condition monitor- to catastrophic impacts on the entire grid in a set of three bushings, which provides
ing, asset health, maintenance structure [1]. information about the state of the bushing

88 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


insulation. Ongoing monitoring is incred­
ibly important for ensuring bushings
e­ffectively do their job.
2. Leakage currents: The
cornerstone of bushing
monitoring
Bushing monitoring relies on the leakage
current to indicate the status of bushing
insulation. However, the current itself is also
dependent on the voltage of the bushing,
which may vary phase by phase, with load
and system configuration. Such variations
are benign and expected, but could lead
to false positives if not considered when
setting alerts and alarm levels.
Bushing failures often happen too rapidly for
the time-based testing to detect them, be-
cause the timescale of these tests is much
larger than most bushing failure modes
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Tony MCGRAIL
Bushing leakage current may be consid­ example, in Figure 2. This is a recording of
ered to consist of two components: bulk the three individual waveforms for leak­
insulation and surface components. The age currents measured by a Bushing Data
path to the ground through the bulk insula­ Module (BDM). The data is not sinusoi­
tion is of interest here - monitoring sur­ dal, and the resulting sum current is not
face leakage currents is usually related to necessarily zero: but this is normal for this
pollution monitoring and not necessarily location. Variation in sum current may
related to bushing deterioration.
Ideally, each leakage current in a set of
three would be a sine wave, all three of
identical magnitude, and be separate by
120° phase difference. This would mean
their sum is zero, but this is rarely the case
in practice. For real bushings, the sum of
currents is often non-zero, but may be
normal for a particular set of bushings
in certain circumstances, as shown, for
Figure 1. Cross-section of a typical Oil-impregnated
Paper (OIP) bushing
89
 MONITORING
Figure 2. Typical raw bushing leakage current sinusoids
The right monitoring tools and strategy can
help capture information about the state of
bushings
be caused by system voltage variation on
each phase, by thermal effects, and be the
capacitance difference between non-iden­
tical bushings [2].
Measurement of the leakage current
should be based on a sample of the actual
sinusoid waveform at the bushing tap –
this allows for a visualization of that wave­
form and analysis of harmonic content.
Figure 2 shows three typical waveforms
recorded by a bushing monitor on a trans­
former in service. The individual phase
currents are similar in magnitude, but not
pure sinusoids, containing harmonic con­
tent which distorts the waveform.
It is not uncommon on HV networks
to have bushing waveforms which are
imbalanced; the causes include variations
in the system voltage, bushings which
are not necessarily equal capacitance,
temperature imbalance between bushings,
the presence of harmonics, or possibly
deterioration in a bushing. The presence
of imbalance, by itself, is not necessarily
an indication of a bushing problem.
3. Failure: Why and how it
happens
As the insulation in a bushing degrades,
the leakage current changes, possibly in
either magnitude or phase, depending
on the individual failure mode. It may in­
crease in magnitude and it may change in
power factor. When measuring current, it
is important to look at both the resistive
and capacitive, or reactive, components of
the current, for which we require the in­
dividual current magnitudes and relative
phases. The leakage current is a vector, not
90
a scalar, and must be treated as such by the
analysis tools.
Over the past few decades, the overall design
and manufacture of bushings has improved,
but there are still hundreds of thousands of
bushings in service that are in questionable
condition. In an analysis of a database in one
year, over 1.5 percent of more than 60,000
bushing test results were in a condition such
that they needed to be replaced: a C1 power
factor either above 1 percent or twice the
original nameplate [3]. Some are bushings
of known ‘suspect’ design, but many are
not and it is important that teams know
how to manage a deteriorating bushing
without more offline testing. The addition
of more frequent partial discharge (PD) and
InfraRed (IR) surveys is one intermittent
approach which may provide value. These
surveys provide occasional data – once
about every six months depending on your
testing schedule.
While this is not as good as monitoring,
these tests provide more frequent data than
time-based tests which may be scheduled
years apart – a timescale much larger than
most bushing failure modes. The increase
in available data from surveys reduces the
chance of a failure catching you off guard.
The application of a more substantive
approach to condition monitoring also
provides tremendous results which
can detect and prevent deterioration
developing into catastrophic failure.
4. Condition monitoring in
the real world
Widespread application of condition mo­
nitoring pays for itself, either in losses avoi­
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
ded or risks reduced. Understanding failure
modes, their likely causes and how they can
be detected is critical, as well as evaluating
the return on investment – how much is
the system and what are the chances of de­
tecting deterioration before failure. Over
the years two types of failure modes have
been observed: ‘graceful’ and ‘rapid onset’.
In Figure 3, the derived power factor
value for a bushing is shown with values
trended over three time scales: daily,
weekly and monthly via a moving average.
Daily variations due to system voltage and
load effects show up most severely in the
daily trend, but are smoothed more in
the weekly and monthly – all three trends
would come back ‘in line’ if the bushing
was stable and operational conditions
constant for a month. Data prior to
May 5th is not included.
• Slow developing failures, as shown
in Figure 3, are slower in deterioration
and offer clear indications from a
monitored parameter, allowing for
several weeks to months of preparation
for replacement. Replacement bushings
can be identified and strategically used
at an opportune moment before failure
occurs. Capacitance measurements
and sum currents may miss this type of
deterioration and can be subsequently
confirmed by off line tests and bushing
tear down. The variation in power
factor had little corresponding variation
in capacitance.
• Rapid onset relates to failure modes
that occur over a very short amount of
time, giving minutes to hours of warn­
ing. Rapid rise in leakage current over a
few hours is a strong indication of im­
minent failure.
Condition monitoring should be able to
handle either type of failure mode. Tech­
nical papers [5] and presentations given
at industry conferences give examples of
both types of failure being detected and
acted upon to avoid catastrophic failure.
In applying monitoring, we have to set
expectations for what values we will get
for the monitored parameters: in simple
terms, if we don’t know what to expect,
how can we know it’s unacceptable? To
set expectations we need to have an idea
of the relevant failure modes and the effect
they will have on measured parameters.
We also have to consider the differentiation
between offline test results and similar
online test results. An offline bushing
power factor test will be performed using
a very well controlled voltage reference
applied at the bushing, but usually at
less than rated voltage for the bushing.
An online test is at rated voltage and the
power factor response may differ due to
‘tip-up’ and temperature effects. Tip-up is
the increase in measured bushing power
factor when the applied voltage for the test
is increased. This is a common test, used to
show the effects of insulation deterioration
and contamination. A reference voltage
may be available to provide an indication
of operational variation – it provides a
useful reference in the form of a Root of
Mean Square (RMS) value to apply to
capacitance calculations – removing some
of the variations for each phase. In theory,
the reference voltage for each phase would
also be useful in determining the power
factor of each individual bushing, but
this is dependent on the accuracy of the
voltage measurement and the relationship
between the location of the voltage
reference and the bushing in question.
Where a reference voltage is available, it
is now also a measured parameter rather
than a highly controlled value applied
in offline tests. There are now sources of
error in the voltage measurement which
add to the overall measurement errors
– including the accuracy of the voltage
transformer, the phase angle offset due
to transformer tap position – and can
lead to online measurements being quite
different to offline measurements.
So, we must ask the question: what result
are we expecting? If we know what to
expect, we can set alert and alarm levels
accordingly – and appropriate response
plans for those notifications.
5. The three C’s of condition
monitoring
Effective monitoring will track parame­
ters associated with suspected failure
modes. If the failure mode is fast, the
monitor may not respond in time to
give appropriate warning and allow for
intervention. The nature of bushing
failures is that they are often very rapid
and teams need to have an agreed upon
response plan established ahead of time
so they are ready to respond.
Condition monitoring requires the three
C’s: control, context, conclusion [4]. By
controlling the measurements made and
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Figure 3. Daily, weekly, and monthly power factor trends for a bushing known to be
deteriorating
Contextual information about ambient and
system operating conditions can improve
analyses
understanding the measurement context,
we can draw three reasonable conclusions:
• Poorly controlled or loose measure­
ments will provide data which cannot
be relied upon and may lead to inappro­
priate decisions.
• Understanding the context, whether
operation load and voltage or the
presence of nearby sources of reactive
power, can alter analyses of bushing
leakage current considerably.
• Conclusions need to be actionable and
timed. We apply condition monitoring
to support decisions and when an alert
or alarm is raised, we should have an
appropriate action plan in place to
respond – an action and a timescale,
with personnel to carry out the action.
6. Bushing deterioration
detected: Rapid onset failure
averted
To highlight the importance of agreed-
upon action plans, let’s look at one case
at a transmission utility with suspicions
about several bushings that were moni­
tored [5]. When the monitoring system
was installed, it was to detect rapid dete­
rioration. An action plan was developed
and agreed upon by relevant parties. If a
high-level alert was generated, the trans­
former would be switched out within two
minutes and a local offline test performed
to confirm the online measurements.
Over time, the monitoring system had
shown variation in online power factor
and capacitance for many units. Early
one morning, the monitoring system gave
a high-level alarm notification, and as
planned and agreed, the unit was rapidly
switched out of service so offline tests
could be performed. The data showed a
large increase in leakage current over just a
few hours for one bushing in a set of three,
as shown in Figure 4. The leakage current
magnitude rose from ~7 mA to >10.5 mA
in a space of two hours. In accordance
with the agreed plan, the transformer was
deenergized to allow for offline tests to
confirm the online results.
Offline testing confirmed the online
results and the bushing was removed from
service. Power factor had risen by a factor
of more than three and capacitance by
almost 50 percent. A subsequent forensic
tear down showed puncture marks and
burning close to the edge of many of
the foils. Given the insulation status,
the time taken for the leakage current
to increase and historic background on
these bushings, it was concluded this
bushing had just a few hours before
catastrophic failure. That situation was
avoided through acting on a pre-arranged
mitigation strategy.
This case shows successful condition
monitoring that relies on a few critical
things (the three C’s):
• An understanding of the need to con-
trol the measurement to produce valid
results
91
 MONITORING

12 bushing, at about 8 a.m. and again at about

10 10:30 a.m. However, as load is brought up
8
tap4 Tap1 mA
on the generator – something which has
mA
6
tap5 Tap2 mA
little effect on the system voltage – there is
4
a substantial rise in PD activity at 1 p.m. the
2 tap6 Tap3 mA
0
PAPR value rises to about 45 dB, or about
1000 times the power level expected in
0:00

2:24

4:48

7:12

9:36

1/29/12 12:00

1/29/12 14:24

1/29/12 16:48

1/29/12 19:12

1/29/12 21:36

0:00
‘normal’ operation.
1/29/12

1/29/12

1/29/12

1/29/12

1/29/12

1/30/12
The data shown in Figure 5 is a significant
Figure 4. Detecting rapid onset failure mode rise in PD levels associated with the ener­
gization of the transformer and ramp up
of load: highest level alerts were generated
Having an agreed upon plan of action based and texted to the engineers. This is a clear
indication of a possible issue – so what’s
on data and failure modes can help teams the plan?

get the most from monitoring
• A context for the data so results can be and relative phase and an expert system
analyzed considering all impacting pa­ analysis, which uncovers what is ‘normal’
rameters at an individual location.
• Actionable conclusions which permit
intervention using prearranged and ag­ In Figure 5, the level of PD detected
reed upon plans through a bushing is trended and overlaid
with the bushing leakage current for
There must also be a mechanism for the same bushing. The bushing leakage
implementing change, which could be current is plotted in yellow, and scaled
a target group of bushings identified for in mA on the left hand vertical axis; the
monitoring based on measured offline PD level is given in dB values on the
test parameters and industry knowledge. right hand vertical axis for the “Peak to
Average Power Ratio” (PAPR) for each
PD recording; a measure of the severity
7. Good data yields good of the PD signal, normally expected to
decision-making be between about 10 and 15 dB. The
When applied properly, the benefits bushing is on a Generator Step-up (GSU)
of condition monitoring outweigh the transformer, which had recently been
challenges of implementation, but to make maintained, along with the associated
good decisions, there needs to be a solid unit transformer and generator set. As the
foundation of the most comprehensive generator is brought back online, and ‘run
data possible [6]. It is important when up and down’, the bushing leakage current
taking bushing measurements to have rises and falls as the voltage on the bushing
the raw sinusoidal waveforms available, changes with the generator. There is some
the magnitude of individual currents minor PD activity, mea­sured through the
This is the time to act on the plan, and to
respond to the situation. As can be seen in
Figure 5, the generator was ‘run down’ and
taken offline – the leakage current drops to
zero and the PD levels return to ‘normal’.
A subsequent investigation considered
both monitoring data and contextual data
from the transformer and the generator.
The source of the PD was, in fact, in the
generator itself and was addressed through
maintenance; subsequent reenergization
and ramp up of the generator yielded no
PD signals via the bushing.
This case raises some interesting points
about monitoring in general, and bush­
ing PD monitoring in particular: does
the data relate to a failure mode, and what
could cause the data to change? In the case
summarized in Figure 5, the bushing PD
detection was ‘valid’ but the contextual
information, associated and synchronous
temperature rises in the generator, indi­
cates a source likely to be outside of the
bushing, and even outside of the trans­
former itself. With more contextual in­
formation available to make a decision, a
better decision is likely to be made.

Leakage current

PD severity increases
rapidly as load is raised

Figure 5. Bushing leakage current and PD levels on energization of a GSU transformer

92 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

The response plan must include the interest
of all stakeholders in the asset, including
engineering, operations and asset manage-
ment
Conclusion
Bushing failure often happens very
rapidly, often so quickly that offline
testing will not detect the deterioration in
time for intervention. Online monitoring
provides a means for filling in the gap
between offline testing and gives the asset
owner more information for making
informed and important decisions.
Contextual information about ambient
and system operating conditions can
improve analyses. Having an agreed upon
plan of action, and one that is based on
data and failure modes, can help teams
get the most from a monitoring system.
It is imperative for any owner or operator
to plan for whatever situation the system
may be reporting, and have a strategy in
place around how to respond – and this
response plan must include the interest of
all partners that have a stake in the asset,
including engineering, operations and
asset management.
References
[1] RIP & Composite Bushings, tutorial
hosted by the ‘Bushings Insulators & Instru­
ment Transformers Committee’, Internatio­
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
tee, International Conference of Doble
Clients, Spring 2015
[4] Condition Monitoring: Data Driven
& Knowledge Based Analyses, CIGRE
A2 Conference, Vancouver, Canada, 2016
[5] T. McGrail, K. Wyper and G. MacKay,
nal Conference of Doble Clients, Fall 2014 Condition Monitoring in the Real
World, 80th Annual International Doble
[2] Bushing Monitoring – more than just Client Conference, Doble Engineering
sum current, Doble Engineering Compa­ Company, 2013 (print)
ny, 2014 (print)
[6] Asset Management Starts with the
[3] ISO 55000 & Asset Life Cycle Deci- Assets, Angell, Gavin, McGrail, 75th In­
sion Making, tutorial hosted by the Asset ternational Conference of Doble Clients,
and Maintenance Management Commit­ Spring 2008
Author
Tony McGrail is Doble Engineering Company’s
Solutions Director for Asset Management & Monitoring
Technology, providing condition, criticality and risk
analysis for utility companies. Previously Tony had spent
over 10 years with National Grid in the UK and the US;
he has been both a substation equipment specialist,
with a focus on power transformers, circuit breakers
and integrated condition monitoring, and has also taken
on the role of substation asset manager and distribution asset manager,
identifying risks and opportunities for investment in an ageing infrastructure.
Tony is a Fellow of the IET, a member of the IEEE and the IAM, is currently
chair of the Doble Client Committee on Asset and Maintenance Management
and a contributor to SFRA and other standards at IEEE, IEC and CIGRE. His
initial degree was in Physics, supplemented by an MS and a PhD in EE and an
MBA. Tony is an Adjunct Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA,
leading courses in power systems analysis.
93
MONITORING
Bushings are usually
subjected to stress
factors such as heat
and transient over-
voltage in service
ABSTRACT
Standard online monitoring systems
for bushings must, in particular, con-
sider the dissipation factor and the
main capacity (C1) of the bushing. Typ-
ically, the known principles have prob-
lems due to network imbalances and
temperature influences caused by the
environment and load.
A new method, described in this article,
Double-Reference Method, monitors
94
the changes in capacitance and dissi-
pation factor in a three-phase system
so that the temperature dependence
is eliminated, since the algorithm
continuously incorporates all three
bushings into the mutual monitoring.
Furthermore, the signals of the respec-
tive voltage transformers are used as
a reference for detecting the symme-
try of the three-phase mains voltage.
Only if the grid symmetry is within a
defined bandwidth, the measurements
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
are taken into account. So, this meth-
od ensures that the influence of tem-
perature and voltage fluctuations on
a bushing monitoring system is effec-
tively limited by the cross checking of
values.
KEYWORDS
online monitoring, power transform-
ers, high-voltage bushings, condition
monitoring

A new method for
online condition monitoring
of high voltage bushings
Elimination of temperature dependences
(Double-Reference Method)
1. Introduction
According to the Transformer Reliability
Survey conducted by Cigré working
group A2.37, 17  % of all transformer
failures worldwide can be traced to
defective bushings – and they are also
one of the main causes of transformer
fires and explosions. A particular problem
associated with failures of high-voltage
bushings is that, in a significant number
of cases, such failures are catastrophic – a
failed bushing explodes and starts a fire
which spreads over the transformer.
Therefore, it is of increasing interest for
transformer operators to evaluate the
online conditions of the transformer
bushings, especially the conditions of
their insulation systems.
2. Bushing monitoring
The bushings are important high voltage
components of power transformers.
In order to avoid the E-field distortion
Figure 1. Failure location of substation transformers where fire and explosion occurred [2]
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
the insulation system of the bushings
(≥123 kV) incorporates a number of
graded capacitive control layers. They are
usually subjected to a few stress factors,
such as heat and transient overvoltage
in service. At occurrence of a failure e.g.
breakdown in the insulation, the bushings
are damaged by an earth fault, with a fire
or explosion of the whole transformer
as a severe consequence [1]. According
to a statistics of some European utilities
[2], nearly 45 percent of combustion
or explosion of power transformers
result from bushing failures, especially
from serious accidents of MV and HV
transformer bushings, Fig. 1.
A regular inspection or offline
measurement reduces the danger,
but cannot respond to a sudden error
immediately. Hence, it is of increasing
interest to transformer operators to
evaluate the online condition of the
bushings, especially the condition of
their insulation in operation. Apart from
Advertorial
dissolved gas analysis (DGA) and partial
discharge (PD) measurement, the main
capacitance (C) of the bushings is regarded
as a key indicator for finding possible
partial breakdowns in their insulation
systems, while the dissipation factor (DF:
tan δ) delivers the information about the
material deterioration of bushing systems
[3-4].
There are a variety of online monitoring
methods available to calculate the bushing
main capacitance and dissipation factor
[5-7]. With respect to their physical
principles, the algorithms of the online
bushing monitoring are generally divided
into two categories:
• methods using the own bushing set as
reference e.g. “sum-of-three-currents
method”
• methods with an external reference
such as a voltage transformer or a
second transformer bushing operating
in parallel
Compared to the offline measurements
by means of a Schering-bridge, more
attention must be paid to the external
influences on the reference components
and the bushings monitored during an
Different external in-
fluences can affect the
online monitoring data
and sometimes even
lead to a false alarm
95
 MONITORING
Partial breakdown of foils increases the
main capacitance of the bushing and the
voltage measured at the tap adapter rises
accordingly
online measurement [8]. This is required
because different external influences can
affect the measuring data and sometimes
even lead to a false alarm. For example,
the imbalance of mains voltage should
be taken into consideration when using
the sum current method. Otherwise, the
environmental factors like temperature
change are supposed to be compensated
if a separate voltage transformer serves
as an external reference [9]. In addition,
the observed bushings and the reference
voltage source like voltage transformer
(VT) may be exposed to different surface
contamination which has an impact on
the results of diagnoses as well.
In practice, smoothing algorithms are
widely applied to the data of online bush­
ing monitoring, too [10]. However, this
affects the sensitivity of the monitoring
systems. As a consequence, the warning
threshold must be selected very carefully
and is still incomparable with the criterion
of an offline bushing measurement.
A new improvement of the bushing moni­
toring is the application of multiple analysis
methods. Since the effect of external
factors is significant for some analysis
methods and unremarkable for others, it
is reasonable to combine the advantages
of different algorithms, so far available, for
online bushing monitoring [11-12].
Figure 2. Bushing monitoring setup at each of three phases
96
If U1a´=U1a then
U1a´. Ub
C0a´= C1a. Ua
U1b .C1b +U -U ´ . Ub
=C0a (4)
( C0b )1b 1a ( )
Ua
The equations 5 and 6 can be derived for
the other two phases, respectively:
3. Applied algorithm and
diagnostics U1b.Uc
C0b = C1b. Ub (5)
U1c .C1c +U -U . Uc
The applied algorithm is based on a three-
phase ac system. In respect of the setup, ( C0c ) 1c 1b( )
Ub
Fig. 2, the voltage transformer is connected
to the bus to detect the imbalance of the U1c. Ua
mains voltage at each phase. C0c = C1c. Uc (6)
U1a .C1a +U -U . Ua
If the voltage transformer is inaccessible,
( C0a ) 1a 1c( )
Uc
the bushings of a second power
transformer operating in parallel are It should be noted that the voltage
applicable instead. The measuring adapter transformer is not regarded as a normal
of the bushing, equipped with a coupling reference like that in the second category
unit, sends a voltage signal according to of bushing monitoring methods. When
the ratio of the capacitive voltage divider. investigating the ratio between every
two phase voltages, the imbalance of the
3.1. Capacitance monitoring mains voltage is allowed for determining
the bushing capacitances. At the same
The calculation of the bushing capacitance time, the influence of temperature, surface
is carried out as follows, Fig. 3: contamination, etc. is also limited when
the components are stressed with the
same severity at three phases. In order to
U1a = C0a , U1b = C0b (1)
Ua C1a+ C0a Ub C1b+ C0b achieve this, a comparison is carried out
between high voltage equipment of the
same type at different phases. As for the
C0a = U1a compensation of environmental factors,
where k = Ub (2)
C1a U1b .(C1b+C0b) -U Ua the applied algorithm thus also shows the
k . C0b
1a
advantages of the first category of bushing
monitoring.
U1a. Ub
Ua The online diagnoses are conducted
C0a = C1a. (3)
U1b .C1b +U -U . Ub
(C0b ) 1b 1a
Ua ( ) on the basis of the measured data from
bushings and voltage transformers.
The access of data is synchronized by a
measuring module. On the one hand, it
is clear that either a defective bushing or
a defective voltage transformer can cause
a variation in the calculated value. Hence,
it is necessary to distinguish the source of
failure during the online diagnosis. On
the other hand, most of the failures are
single phase faults. According to statistics,
the probability of a multiple failure in a
bushing set or in a voltage transformer
set is relatively low, if the installation of
components is done properly.
The failure detection of partial break­
downs in the bushing insulation is
principally performed by comparing
the calculated and specified value of
bushing capacitances. Once a partial
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
 Dissipation factor can be monitored by
measuring the phase shift between the
voltage signals at the bushing taps, pro­
vided that the phase angles of the mains
Figure 3. Equivalent circuit of bushings on
voltages remain symmetrical
phase A and B

breakdown takes place in a condenser
bushing, for instance, at phase A, the main
capacitance of the bushing increases and
the voltage measured at the tap adapter
U1a´ rises accordingly. The change of the
measured voltage (U1a´ ≠ U1a) then results
in a variation of the calculated values
of bushing capacitances at phase A and
phase C:
If U1a´ ≠ U1a then
material aging. Compared to the bushing
capacitance monitoring method, the
change in dissipation factor can be
observed by measuring the phase shift
between the voltage signals at the bushing
taps, provided that the phase shift between
the mains voltages of the power supply is
identical, that is, the phase angles of the
mains voltages remain symmetrical. In
contrast to the double reference system
method for capacitance monitoring,
the inconsistency in the amplitude of
factor is based on an algorithm which has
the following characteristics:
• The symmetry of the mains voltage
is examined by using the voltage
transformers
• The change in dissipation factor is
calculated by the angle shift between
the voltage vectors from the voltage
transformers and bushings
First, only the phase shift is considered for

C0a´=C1a.
U1a´. Ub
Ua( ) ≠C0a (7)
phase voltage makes no difference in
the calculation of the variation of the
judging the symmetry, regardless of the
amplitude of voltage at each phase. The
U1b .C1b +U -U ´ . Ub
(C0b ) 1b 1a
Ua ( ) dissipation factor. reason is that the calculation of the tan δ
depends only on the phase shift, while
For a one-phase fault, a defective the amplitude of voltage determines the
C0c´=C1c.
U1c . Ua
Uc( ) ≠C0c (8)
bush­ ing is detectable by identifying capacitance calculated.
U1a´ .C1a +U ´-U . Ua the two healthy phases with respect
(C0a ) 1a 1c
Uc ( ) to their phase shift. However, one For a technical application, it is necessary
of the technical challenges is the to detect a possible change of tan δ at 0.1 %.
Only one of the bushing capacitances precise measurement of zero-crossing. According to the international standard
(phase B) remains unaffected, because the Considering a variation of dissipation IEC-60137, a RIP (resin-impregnated
value is calculated by the voltage values factor (∆tan  δ) of 0.1 %, the resolution paper) bushing must have a tan  δ value
measured at two healthy bushings at of the hardware equipment must allow lower than 0.7 % at 1.05 Um/√3 and 20 °C,
phase B and C. for the detection of a phase angle change while new RIP bushings usually have a
lower than 0.057°. value of 0.3 to 0.4 %. Since the change
If U1b´ = U1b and U1c´ = U1c then Δtan  δ is very close to zero, its value is
Our online monitoring of the dissipation approximately equal to Δδ in radians.

C0b´=C1b.
U1b . Uc
Ub( ) =C0b (9)
U1c .C1c +U -U . Uc
(C0c ) 1c 1b
Ub ( ) Table 1. Relevant criteria for single phase fault in a three-phase bushing system
Bushing at three phases Capacitance at three phases
The failure (e.g. partial breakdown in Ph. A Ph. B Ph. C Ph. A Ph. B Ph. C
the capacitive divider) of the reference Ok Ok Ok C0a=C0a´ C0b=C0b´ C0c=C0c´
component (e.g. phase A) gives rise to
fault Ok Ok C0a<C0a´ C0b=C0b´ C0c>C0c´
variation of the calculated values, too.
But the sign of the capacitance change Ok fault Ok C0a>C0a´ C0b<C0b´ C0c=C0c´
(at phase A and phase C) differs from Ok Ok fault C0a=C0a´ C0b>C0b´ C0c<C0c´
that caused by a single phase failure in
the bushing. Some failure types and the
Table 2. Relevant criteria for a single-phase failure of reference or the same failure of bushings
related inequations are summarized in
at two phases
Tables 1 and 2.
Bushing at three phases Capacitance at three phases
3.2. Dissipation factor monitoring Ph. A Ph. B Ph. C Ph. A Ph. B Ph. C
fault= fault= Ok C0a=C0a´ C0b<C0b´ C0c>C0c´
Similar to the main bushing capacitance,
the dissipation factor (tan  δ) delivers Ok fault= fault= C0a>C0a´ C0b=C0b´ C0c<C0c´
information about the condition of fault= Ok fault= C0a<C0a´ C0b>C0b´ C0c=C0c´
insu­
lation systems, especially about Note: “fault=” means same defects

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 97
 MONITORING
Figure 4. Cabling of the online bushing monitoring at three phases without showing the details in control box
4. Requirement for the
realisation of the monitoring
method
First of all, the measuring equipment has
a significant effect on the function of the
bush­ing monitoring system. Due to the
relative measurement between phases, the
requirement on the precision of the mains
voltage measurement can be fulfilled more
easily than using a separate reference sys­
tem. In other words, instrument transform­
ers with lower precision for protection pur­
poses are also sufficient, provided that they
are of the same type at each phase.
Secondly, the synchronization of the volt­
age measurement at the bushing taps and
instrument transformers is required for
Instrument transformers with lower preci-
sion for protection purposes are sufficient
for monitoring, provided that they are of the
same type at each phase
98
a successful assessment of capacitance
change. If the values of the measured volt­
ages are obtained from different sampling
periods, this can cause a runaway of the
data with a false warning for the bushings
consequently. Considering the possible
switching operations or else, a mechanism
is required for distinguishing an irrevers­
ible change of bushing parameters from a
transient overvoltage.
To ensure that the bushings are in pro­
per condition, it is recommended to take
an initial measurement on new bushings
when commissioning the bushing moni­
toring. If a bushing monitoring system is
retrofitted on bushings already in opera­
tion, an initial measurement is absolutely
essential.
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
5. Field test
Field tests of the bushing monitoring
method were carried out in a substation
of a German utility, Fig. 4. A power
transformer (HV/LV: 123/24  kV) was
selected as the test object. The 123  kV
AC bushing set was equipped with the
monitoring system.
The tap adapters had a safe connection
with outermost capacitive layer of the
bushings. The bushing coupling unit
incorporated a measuring capacitor of
330 nF and a surge protection component
to protect the device against possible
overvoltage in operation. Allowing for
the mains voltage and the bushing main
capacitance in range of several hundred
pF, the voltage input for the measuring
modules was approximately 70 volt.
During the tests, the measured data of the
instrument transformer were accessible.
The interval of the data access can be
defined from some seconds to hours
by users. For our field tests of the new
algorithm, an interval of five minutes was The new algorithm, which takes into ac-
set for the power transformers of 123 kV,
depending on the available memory count signals from the voltage transformer
capacity of the monitoring system. The as well as the neighbouring bushings, nearly
algorithm of monitoring and diagnoses
were run by a CPU connected with the compensates the influence of temperature
measuring modules using a bus. The
measured data was collected and saved
locally, so that the history of data can be
examined later if desired.

6. Discussion
The field test was carried out on a
123/24  kV transformer. The voltage
measurement was synchronized by using
a bus system for bushings and voltage
transformers. In order to achieve the
real capacitance of the test objects as
nominal value, an on-site measurement
was performed in advance. The bushings
of same type at the three phases showed
lower but very close values of capacitance
compared with their specified values in
the routine test report.

After commissioning the monitoring

system, the deviation of the 123  kV
bushing capacitance was constantly
monitored at each phase in service. Based
on the absolute value of the difference
to the nominal capacitance, the change
of the bushing main capacitance was
calculated in percentage, as displayed in
Figure 5. The fluctuation of the results
did not exceed half percent. Neither the
voltage fluctuation nor the imbalance of
power supply had a significant impact on
the results of bushing monitoring.
Figure 5. Change of the bushing capacitance at phase A (L1), phase B (L2) and phase C (L3) from
23 February 2015 to 25 March 2015 (measuring interval of time points: 5 min)
transformer connected to the phase of the in service. The histogram of the calculated
monitored bushing. Because the bushing bushing parameter over an approximately
parameters are calculated separately at one-month period with an interval of ten
every phase, the monitoring system at minutes is shown in Figure 7.
three phases works independently for each
phase. But the software part does not allow As a result, the pattern of the values has
for a compensation of the external impacts two significant characteristics: first, the

A comparison of the algorithms using

single and double references was then
carried out. The service temperature
was measured for a test period of one
month. As can clearly be seen, the change
in bushing capacitance correlates with
the temperature if the capacitance value
is calculated using only the voltage
transformer as a reference, Fig. 6.

As can be seen from Figures 5 and 6,

the influence of temperature is nearly
compensated by the new algorithm
applied, which takes the voltage
transformer as well as the neighbouring
set of the bushings into account.

6.1 Probability distribution

An algorithm known for bushing moni­ Figure 6. Service temperature in a month and change of the bushing capacitance calculated using
toring is based on a reference of voltage only the VT as reference (measuring interval of time points: 10 min)

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 99
 MONITORING
The results of the new algorithm are distrib-
uted in a smaller range and correspond well
to a normal distribution
collected values lie in a certain range of
axis and nearly no values can be found
outside it. Second, the pattern of distribu­
tion within the range is heavily contami­
nated (“overlapped”) and hence cannot be
identified. The reason of the contaminati­
on is assumed to be some variable external
influences, for example the fluctuation of
the ambient temperature.
The next algorithm used in our monito­
Figure 7. Probability distribution of the bushing capacitance change in % without temperature
compensation
Figure 8. Probability distribution of the bushing capacitance change in % with temperature
compensation
Figure 9. Normal probability plot of the bushing capacitance change in % without a temperature
compensation (left) and with a temperature compensation using double reference method (right)
100
ring system was developed according to
the double reference method described
above. The advantage of this algorithm is
the inherent compensation caused by the
phase-to-phase calculation. The histo­
gram of the calculated values over about
a month with an interval of five minutes
is displayed in Figure 8. Unlike the results
determined by using the first algorithm,
the values are distributed in a far smaller
range of axis and the pattern of data is
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
much like that of a normal distribution.
In order to demonstrate the value distri­
bution precisely, the results of the both
algorithms are plotted in a normal pro­
bability diagram using Matlab, Fig. 9. It is
clear that the result of the double reference
method algorithm, on the right, corres­
ponds well to a normal distribution. On
the left, the first algorithm shows a much
greater deviation of values in contrast and
therefore the result differs from a normal
distribution.
Obviously, without an effective compen­
sation method, data distribution of the
calculated bushing parameter is not regar­
ded as a normal distribution, even if the
external impact itself is limited to a lowest
physical level, i.e. in an indoor substati­
on. This difficulty is partly due to e.g. dif­
ferent temperature coefficients of the de­
vices (transformer bushings and potential
transformers) in practice.
6.2 Correlation analysis
It is an essential task of a monitoring
system to define a criterion for failure
detection. The determination can be sig­
nificantly affected by the statistical charac­
teristics of the measured data. In this res­
pect, the correlation of the data is regarded
as an important feature for evaluation.
In a test, the data collected are divided into
two test series with a sequence of even and
odd numbers (X2n and X2n+1), respec­
tively. The correlation coefficient between
the two test series is then calculated.
For the first algorithm, the two test se­
ries demonstrate a high correlation with
a correlation coefficient ρx,y exceeding a
value of 0.9. On the contrary, the value of
the test series, calculated using the double
reference method algorithm, indicates a
very low correlation (correlation coeffici­
ent ρx,y ≈0.1). Hence, according to the clas­
sification of correlation, the results using
the first algorithm are regarded as strongly
correlated while the result calculated by
the algorithm “double reference method”
is nearly uncorrelated.
Based on the evaluation above, it is clear
that the double reference method algo­
rithm differs from the first algorithm in
the aspect outlined in Table 3. Hence, the
external influence factors have no signifi­
cant effect on the calculation of the bush­
ing parameters, if the double reference
method algorithm is used.
Furthermore, the distribution of the va­
lues agrees with a normal distribution and
the values are nearly accepted as uncorre­
lated in comparison, so that results of the
double reference method algorithm have a
distinctive feature in the view of statistics.
As a competitive advantage, the detection
of a failure in the bushing system can thus
be realized by using a criterion under re­
peated excess of a threshold, so that the
probability of issuing a wrong warning is
reduced significantly. Otherwise, the se­
lection of a criterion is affected by the fact
that the result has a strong relationship.
Conclusions
In this paper, a concept of a monitoring
system for three-phase AC bushing
system is described. The setup for a field
test is presented, after introducing the
algorithm. The fault diagnostics and the
technical requirement on the measuring
equipment are discussed additionally. The
field experience and test results show that
the suggested monitoring system is able to
work under the condition of imbalanced
mains voltage. The temperature effect on
the different measuring equipment is also
well compensated. This leads to a reliable
operation of the monitoring system.
Subsequently, a statistic evaluation of
the field data is conducted for testing the
detectability of the monitoring system.
A comparison of the performance
demonstrates the advantages of the
new bushing monitoring algorithm
for identifying possible failures in a
three-phase bushing set, while the
conventional method is usually subject to
a contaminated probability distribution
with a high correlation of the data.
References
[1] P. Picher, C. Rajotte and V.N. Nguyen,
Field Experience with On-line Bushing
Diagnostic to Improve Transformer Re-
liability, paper A2-217, Cigré, Paris, 2008
[2] F. Vahidi, S. Tenbohlen, Statistical
Failure Analysis of European Substation
Transformers, ETG-Tagung “Diagnostik
Elektrischer Betriebsmittel”, Berlin, 25-26
November 2014
[3] A. Küchler, Hochspannungstechnik,
3rd edition, Springer, 2009.
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
The external influence factors have no
significant effect on the results of the new
algorithm, so the probability of a wrong
warning is reduced significantly
Table 3. Correlation coefficient ρ of the bushing capacitance change between X2n and X2n+1
CORRELATION ρ
bushing capacitance without compensation 0.99
bushing capacitance with compensation
0.14
(double reference method)
[4] J. Watson, V. Prykhodko, J. Buchacz in service, diagnostics and modeling of
and S. Skinner, Interpretation of Data oil-type bushings, paper A2-104, Cigré,
from On-line Bushing Monitoring Sys- Paris, 2010
tems, paper A2-111, Cigré, Paris, 2014.
[11] J. Wu, K. Viereck, A novel algorithm
[5] M. Koch, M. Krüger, M. Lukas, Ein of online monitoring for three-phase ac
neues Verfahren zum Online-Monitor­ bushing system concerning its dielectric
ing von Durchführungen, Transienten properties, ETG-Tagung „Diagnostik
und Teilentladungen an Transforma- Elektrischer Betriebsmittel“,Berlin, 25-26
toren, ETG-Tagung “Diagnostik Elekt­ November 2014
rischer Betriebsmittel“, Fulda, 15-16 No­
vember 2012 [12] J. Wu, K. Viereck, U. Sundermann,
Method and apparatus for monitoring
[6] U. Sundermann, Erfahrungen aus capacitor bushings for a three-phase AC
dem Betrieb und der Überwachung von system”, Patent US 9759761B2
Leistungstransformatoren, ETG-Fach­
tagung “Grenzflächen in elektrischen Iso­
liersystemen“, Dresden, 12-13 November
2013
[7] A. Setayeshmehr, A. Akbari, H. Borsi
and E. Gockenbach, On-line monitoring
and diagnoses of power transformer
bushings, IEEE Transactions on Dielec­
trics and Electrical Insulation, Volume 13,
Issue 3, pp. 608 – 615, 2006
Tobias Gruber, M. Sc.
[8] A. Küchler, F. Hüllmandel, K. Böhm, C. Portfolio Manager Electronics
Neumann, N. Koch, K. Loppach, C. Kraus­e Phone: +49 941 4090 7032
and J.-J. Alff, Condition Assessment of Email: t.gruber@reinhausen.com
Aged Transformer Bushing Insulations,
paper A2-104, Cigré, Paris, 2006
[9] M. Liebschner, K. Boehm, A. Reumann,
A. Kuechler, R. Krump and J. Titze, On-
line Monitoring of Capacitance and
Dissipation Factor of High Voltage
Bush­ings at Service Temperature, 15th
International Symposium on High Volt­
age Engineering (ISH), Ljubljana, Slovenia, Dr. -Ing. Junliang Wu
27-31 August 2007 Development Engineer
Phone: +49 941 4090 4218
[10] J. Wańkowicz, J. Bielecki, M. Szrot, J. Email: J.wu@reinhausen.com
Subocz, R. Malewski, HV bushing failure
101
MONITORING

The difference between safe and

reliable on-line bushing monitor-
ing and false alarms often lays in
the quality of the sensor design
and the installation procedure

ABSTRACT
On-line monitoring has proven to be
an effective technology to detect
deteriorating high voltage bushings
and prevent failures. While there is
much focus placed on the monitor
and the data it provides, the sensors
used to transmit the signals are of-
ten overlooked. An on-line bushing
monitoring program is only as good
as the quality and reliability of the
sensors used to provide the signals.
Many problems and false alarms
can be avoided by using a properly
designed sensor and making sure it
is correctly installed. This article will
discuss what to consider when se-
lecting a bushing sensor and how to
install the sensor properly.

KEYWORDS
open circuit protection, transient
surge protection, moisture ingress,
power factor

102
102 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Bushing
sensors and their
role in reliable
on-line bushing
monitorings
1. Introduction
Although bushing manufacturers con­
tinue to improve the quality and relia­
bility of their product, the 2015 CIGRE
Transformer Reliability Study shows that
bushing failures continue to be one of
the leading causes of transformer failures
around the globe. The study also shows
that bushing failures were the cause of
over one third of the transformer failures
involving fires or explosions. Due to the fi­
nancial impact a catastrophic transformer
failure can have, many utilities are turning
to on-line bushing monitoring to identify
deteriorated bushings earlier and prevent
transformer failures [1].
On-line bushing monitoring systems have
been successfully used by the utility in­
dustry for over 20 years. They have a pro­
ven track record for being able to identify
degrading bushings early in the failure
process. By providing early warning, users
have additional time to plan and schedule
an outage to replace the bushings. While
there are many users that have successful
on-line bushing monitoring programs,
some users cite problems with false
alarms from the monitor. While there can
be multiple reasons for a false alarm, sen­
sor related problems are one of the more
common complaints. The use of properly
designed sensors and correctly installing
When installing a bushing monitor, maintaining
the ground connection is of utmost importance
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Mark TOSTRUD
the sensors can improve the reliability of
the on-line monitoring system.
This article will discuss the different styles
of bushing sensors available on the mar­
ket today, the protection the sensors must
provide to prevent equipment damage
and protect utility personnel, and the in­
stallation procedures that can help to pre­
vent false alarms.
2. Sensor design
IEEE Standard C57.19.100, IEEE Guide
for Application of Power Apparatus Bush­
ings offers the following guidance when
selecting a bushing monitoring system/
sensor: “Bushing monitors are installed
on bushing cap taps to allow for on-line
testing and monitoring. These [devices]
allow for continuous monitoring or peri­
odic testing of bushings without removing
the bushing from service. Since the moni­
tors replace the existing cap tap cover, the
user should insure proper fit of the moni­
tor to prevent moisture ingress into the
cap tap. A voltage is then brought from
the monitor to an accessible area of the
transformer to perform the monitoring.
The user should consult with the manu­
facturer of the monitor to determine the
voltage levels that are normally expected
and the maximums that could be reached
should the device fail. Operational guide­
103
 MONITORING
Figure 1. Resistive style bushing sensor
The sensor must provide redundant over-
voltage and overcurrent surge protection
from damaging the bushing and monitoring
system
lines can then be developed by the user to
determine the level of safety requirements
and experience of personnel who should
have access to the devices.” [2]
3. Sensor types
3.1 Resistive
Resistive style sensors, Fig. 1, utilize
resistors connected between the bushing
tap and ground as the primary method to
limit the voltage from the test tap. Should
the resistors fail, metal oxide varistors
(MOVs) or similar overvoltage protective
devices, limit the voltage output from the
tap to acceptable levels. Current limiting
resistors in series with the MOVs can help
to prevent MOV failures. Since the test tap
of the bushing is solidly grounded through
resistors, this type of sensor closely
matches the original bushing design
where the C2 capacitance is grounded
when in service through the tap cover. To
protect against overcurrent, gas discharge
tubes or similar surge protection devices
are used. The resistor (RS) is used to
limit the test tap voltage. The resistor(s)
may be located in the bushing monitor
or in the bushing sensor. Locating the
resistor(s) in the bushing monitor allows
for standardization of the bushing sensor
design. Since the sensor design is not
dependent on the size of the resistor
required, the same sensor can be used for
almost all system voltages and bushing C1
capacitance values; the exception being
104
extra high voltage systems (EHV) where
additional protection elements are often
required [2, 3, 4, 5].
3.2 Capacitive
Capacitive style sensors, Fig. 2, utilize a
capacitor, CS, in parallel with the C2 capa­
citance of the bushing. The sensor capaci­
tor (CS) forms a voltage divider with the
C1 capacitance of the bushing. The capa­
citor is sized to limit the voltage present
in the tap. If the capacitor CS is located in
the sensor body, the size of the capacitor
must be considered in addition to the type
of test tap adapter when ordering the bush­
ing sensor. Should the capacitor CS fail,
MOVs or similar overvoltage protection
is provided to limit the voltage level to ac­
ceptable levels [2, 4, 6].
Some capacitive style sensor manufac­
turers rely on active electronic circuits to
provide an alternative ground path should
the voltage in the tap rise to unacceptable
levels. The use of passive electronic com­
ponents is generally recommended due to
their high reliability and the simplicity of
the design.
3.3 MOV
MOV style sensors, Fig. 3, rely solely on
arrestors to limit the voltage level from the
tap to acceptable levels. Since this type of
sensor provides only one layer of protec­
tion, it is not commonly found today.
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
4. Sensor protection
4.1 Open circuit protection
The ANSI type test taps used on bushings
require the tap to always be grounded
during operation. The loss of the ground
connection will result in high voltage at the
tap. To prevent generating high voltage,
the tap cover grounds the test tap to the
flange of the bushing. When installing
a bushing monitor, it is extremely
important that the monitor maintain
this ground connection. Without proper
protection, failure to maintain this ground
connection will result in high voltage
not only at the test tap, but also in the
transformer cabinet and at the monitoring
equipment. The maximum voltage present
in an ungrounded test tap is dependent on
the ratio of the C1/C2 capacitances of the
bushing (cable capacitance and system
burden effects are assumed to be minimal)
as shown in equation (1). Let us consider
a high voltage bushing applied on a 500 kV
system with a C1 capacitance of 300 pF
and a C2 capacitance of 3000 pF:
C1
Open circuit voltage = VOC =VØ-G =
(C1+C2)
500 kV . 300
= 26.2 kV (1)
= √3 (300+3000)
In the worst case for a bushing where
C1 = C2, an ungrounded test tap could float
to ½ the line to ground voltage of the sys­
tem. To prevent high voltage at the tap and
to prevent overstressing the C1 insulation
system of the bushing, the sensors con­
nected to the test tap must:
• have open circuit protection to protect
operating personnel from electric shock
and to maintain a safe operating voltage
at the monitor;
• protect the bushing insulation system
and the test tap from overvoltage in case
of an open circuit between the sensor
and the monitor; and
• provide a reliable current output with
minimal phase shift from the test tap for
the monitoring system.
All bushing monitor manufacturers pro­
vide some form of open circuit protec­
tion in their sensors. However, the maxi­
mum voltage output under open circuit
conditions will vary. At a minimum, the
bushing sensor should limit the open
circuit voltages to the lower of the manu­
facturers specified test tap voltage or to a
low voltage (50-300 VAC) as defined by
OSHA 1910.303. Voltages in this range
are commonly found in transformer con­
trol cabinets and hence will allow electri­
cal personnel to follow their general safe
work practice of avoiding contact with the
electrical parts operating at this voltage
when working in the cabinet. Maintaining
an extra low voltage (<50 VAC) during an
open circuit can further reduce the haz­
ards to utility personnel.

If subject to long duration overvoltage Figure 2. Capacitive style bushing sensor

conditions which exceed the design spe­
cifications, overvoltage protective devices
can fail. Current limiting resistors can
help to prevent the failure of MOVs. Back
up protection or redundant overvolt­
age protection devices are recommended
since the sensors must maintain a ground
connection at the test tap to prevent haz­
ardous overvoltage from occurring. While
maintaining this ground connection is
necessary for all bushing types, manufac­
turers may not recommend on-line bush­
ing monitoring due to the concern that
the sensor may not maintain this ground
connection. However, a properly designed
sensor that utilizes redundant protective
devices and failsafe protection can mini­
mize these concerns [2, 3, 7, 8, 9].
4.2 Transient surge protection
In addition to overvoltage protection, the
bushing sensor should also provide over­
current protection against lightning and
switching surges. The overcurrent protec­
tion required is dependent on the rate of
voltage rise. Using the standard 1.2/50 μsec
pulse, commonly specified for surge
withstand protection, would result in a
surge current of 125 amps for an indirect
500 kV lightning strike as shown in equa­
tion (2).
500,000
I = C1 dV = 300 . 10-12 .
dt 1.2 . 10-6
= 125 amps
The use of passive electronic components
for protection is recommended due to their
high reliability and simple design
be designed for lightning stroke currents
of at least 10 kA. Using a larger stroke
current capability will increase the life ex­
pectancy of the surge protective devices
(SPD).
Lightning related surges will have higher
voltage with a shorter duration rise time,
while switching related surges will have
lower voltages and longer duration. Both
need to be considered when designing the
transient surge protection of the sensor.
While the maximum expected current
surge is only a few thousand amps, high­
er levels of protection are achievable and
should be considered [7, 8, 9].
IEEE C37.90.1 and IEC 60255-26 provide
guidance on transients and other electri­
cal disturbances that are commonly found
in high voltage substations. The standards
=
(2)
define the surge withstand capabilities
that are required for relays and relay sys­
tems. While these standards do not apply
directly to bushing monitors and sensors,
the fast transient and oscillatory wave­
form tests described in these standards are
typical of the disturbances that bushing
monitoring systems are exposed to [10,
11, 12]. Hence, bushing monitor manu­
facturers should design their equipment
to meet the surge withstand capabilities
specified in these standards.
5. Sensor installation
Moisture ingress through to the test tap
has always been a concern with high volt­
age bushings. Changes in C2 power factor
due to moisture ingress is often listed as
one of the leading reasons why utilities
replace bushings on transformers. With

Designing for surges with a shorter rise

time than the typical 1.2x50 μsec wave­
form will result in a more robust sensor
design and help to eliminate premature
sensor failures. The same 500 kV lightning
strike with a 0.1 μsec rise time would re­
sult in 1500 amps of surge current.

IEEE 62.41 recommends that surge sup­

pressors (applicable for sensing circuits) Figure 3. MOV style bushing sensor

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 105
 MONITORING

Figure 4. Bushing test tap with moisture ingress due to an improper sealing gasket

Since the sensor replaces the existing test Improper installation can have a signifi­
cant impact on the readings from the bush­
tap cover, the user should insure proper fit ing monitor and trigger false alarms. Fig­
ure 5 shows data from an online bushing
of the sensor to prevent moisture ingress monitor before and after repair of mois­
into the test tap ture ingress/contamination in the test
tap of the X2 bushing. The figure shows
the change in the phase angle of the X2
an on-line monitor, moisture problems in 4. A compatible O-ring lubricant to im­ bushing leakage current compared to the
the test tap can impact the magnitude and prove the seal and prevent damage to reference bushing X1. Under ideal con­
phase angle of the leakage current making the gasket during installation ditions, a 120-degree phase angle would
it appear that the problem is in the bush­ 5. Filling the test tap with oil or a dielectric be expected. If the system voltages are
ing C1 insulation. Preventing moisture in­ grease to provide additional protection stable, an increase in the angle indicates
gress, like that shown in Figure 4, re­quires from moisture ingress an in­crease in the power factor of the X2
the following elements: bushing. In this example, the phase angle
Most bushing manufacturers recommend of the bushing leakage current often ex­
1. A properly designed cover or sensor filling the test tap with oil or a dielectric ceeded 124 degrees and at times exceed­ed
that fits snug and firm to the test tap grease to help prevent moisture ingress. 125 degrees. Had this been an actual prob­
2. A conductive thread lubricant to pre­ Hence, the sensor design must be compa­ lem in the C1 insulation of the bush­ing,
vent damage to the thread during in­ tible with mineral oil and capable of being this would have been equivalent to an in­
stallation operated with a wet or dry test tap. Fol­ crease in the C1 power factor of the bush­
3. A properly sized O-ring or similar gas­ lowing these simple and effective means ing from 0.35 % to over 7 %. The prob­
ket material which allows for the correct of preventing moisture ingress can lead to lem resulted in frequent alarms from the
seal and gasket crush years of trouble-free operation [3, 5]. bushing monitor whenever the imbalance

Figure 5. Data from a bushing monitor before and after repair of corrosion due to moisture ingress

106 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Improper installation can have a significant
impact on the readings from the bushing
monitor and trigger false alarms
current exceeded 4 %. The utility down­
loaded the data from the monitor and
noticed the erratic signals in the X2 bush­
ing leakage current. After discussing the
problem with the monitor manufacturer,
a physical inspection of the test tap was
performed.
Figure 6 shows the corrosion in the test tap
and on the spring connection due to im­
proper installation. The contractor failed
to follow the instructions for the bushing
and monitor during the installation. The
moisture and corrosion in the test tap had
a significant impact on the power factor
readings of the X2 bushing and resulted in
alarms from the monitor.
Conclusion
On-line bushing monitoring can be an ef­
fective tool to help utilities prevent trans­
former and bushing failures, and better
manage their aging infrastructure. To be
successful in the use of on-line bushing
monitoring, the design of the bushing
sensors and the installation procedures
should not be overlooked.
The sensor must provide redundant
open circuit (overvoltage) and transient
(overcurrent) surge protective elements
to protect the bushing and monitoring
system from damage. The level of
overvoltage protection, along with the
design of the circuit, should be considered.
Overvoltage protection which uses
current limiting resistors in series with
the protective device(s) can help to ensure
long term safe and reliable operation.
Overcurrent protection of at least 10
kA per IEEE 62.41 should be provided.
Bushing monitoring systems should be
designed to meet the surge withstand
capabilities per C37.91.1 and IEC 60255-2­6.
Most bushings require that the test tap
remain grounded when in service. Since
these circuits also protect utility personnel
from hazardous overvoltage conditions
being present in the transformer cabinet,
the reliability of these circuits is of utmost
importance. Due to the critical nature of
this protection, sensors that offer failsafe
protection, in addition to overvoltage and
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
overcurrent protection are recommend­
ed. The failsafe protection, as the name
implies, will short the test tap to ground at
the test tap should the primary protection
fail.
Proper installation procedures are also re­
quired to prevent false alarms. Installation
procedures should consider the fit of the Figure 6. Corrosion found in the test tap after
sensor adapter to the test tap; the size and removing the transformer from service
type of gasket material used; the lubrica­
tion of the gasket(s); and filling the test tap
with mineral oil or a dielectric grease to [7] IEEE Standard C62.41.1-2002, IEEE
prevent moisture ingress. Guide on the Surge Environment in
Low-Voltage (1000 V and less) AC
P­ower Circuits
References
[1] Cigre Bulletin 642, Transformer Re- [8] IEEE Standard C62.41.2-2002, IEEE
liability Survey, Working Group A2.37, Recommended Practice on Characteri-
December 2015 zation of Surges in Low-Voltage (1000
V and less) AC Power Circuits
[2] IEEE Standard C57.19.100-2012,
IEEE Guide for Application of Power [9] IEEE Standard C62.45-2002, IEEE
Apparatus Bushings Recommended Practice on Surge Test­
ing for Equipment Connected to Low-
[3] Type BAU Bushing Sensor Manual, Voltage (1000 V and less) AC Power
Dynamic Ratings Circuits
[4] Testing Power Factor and Capaci- [10] IEEE Standard C37.90.1, IEEE Stan-
tance on Energized Bushings, Free Stand­ dard for Surge Withstand Capability
ing CT and CCVTs, Weideman Solutions (SWC) Tests for Relays and Relay Sys-
Seminar, San Antonio, TX, 2005 tems Associated with Electrical Power
Apparatus
[5] Doble IDD Bushing Users Guide,
Doble Engineering Company [11] IEC Standard 60255-26, Measuring
relays and protection equipment – Part
[6] User Manual for TBS Sensors, Eaton 26: Electromagnetic compatibility re-
Electrical Predictive Diagnostics quirements
Author
Mark Tostrud is the Technology Officer for Dynamic
Ratings, Inc.  Prior to his present position, Mark was
a Construction & Maintenance Supervisor at We
Energies.  During his 19 years at We Energies, Mark led
the implementation of many of the condition based
monitoring programs for We Energies’ substation
equipment. Mark is a past officer of the Doble Oil
Committee, and was an active member on various
Doble  Committees and Subcommittees including the Transformers, Insu­
lating Materials, DGA of LTCs and others.  Mark is a registered professional
engineer in the State of Wisconsin. 
107
MONITORING

The cost of damages caused by bushing

failures and the lost opportunity to deliv-
er energy could be several hundred times
higher than the price of a bushing

ABSTRACT
Transformer bushings are one of the
Transformer
bushing
most critical components of a trans-
former. Up to 20 % of major failures
on high voltage transformers today
can be tracked back to bushings.

monitoring
Almost half of these failures result
in catastrophic failures like explo-
sions, fires or oil spillages. The cost
of these damages and the lost op-
portunity to deliver energy could be
several hundred times higher than Higher accuracy leads to better faults
the price of a bushing. Even a fail-
ing bushing which will not lead to a
detection
catastrophic failure can harm people
due to burst porcelain insulators and 1. Introduction within the lifetime of the bushings. One:
broken fragments that can be cata- when the bushings reach an age of 10 to 13
pulted through the air by the force of Today, the experience is that a transformer years, failure is possible due to production
the breakdown arc. will have two sets of bushings during its and quality related issues. The second
entire lifetime. Transformers are expected wave of bushing failures can happen
to last 50 years, while bushings have an between 20 to 30 years of age, which is
KEYWORDS expected lifetime of 25 years. Experience considered as the normal life time. It is
bushing, monitoring, accuracy
suggests there are two points of failure also true that bushings can fail younger

108
108 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

than 10 years as is also true that there are
bushings installed on transformers with
an age of more than 50 years.
Bushing monitoring is designed to detect
incipient faults and give an early warning,
as well as using the bushings until their
real end of life. In order to have a reliable
monitoring system, the accuracy of the
acquisition of the monitored parameters
needs to be very high. For example,
even if a relevant amount of moisture is
impregnated into the bushing core, the
Table 1. Transformer failure statistics [1]
FAILURES & POPULATION
INFORMATION
Failures 145 212 163 154 11 685
Transformer - Years 15220 48994 47473 41569 959 156186
FAILURE RATE / YEAR 0.95 % 0.43 % 0.34 % 0.37 % 1.15 % 0.44 %
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
In order to have a reliable monitoring system,
the accuracy of the acquisition of the moni-
tored parameters needs to be very high
loss angle will only show a slight change at
ambient temperature. Common bushing
monitoring systems today are not able
to capture these slight, but important
changes. The bushings from different
phases are being cross-referenced to
each other. The sister bushings are used
as a reference source to assess the relative
condition of a bushing. Voltage and angle
differences between phases, as well as
different temperatures and aging rates are
not considered with these methods.
Newer approaches are using stable voltage
sources as reference signals, preferable
from the same phase as the monitored
bushing. The phase shift between the
leakage current signal from the bushing
and the voltage from the voltage
transformer will be measured, corrected
by the phase shift offset, and the loss factor
can be calculated directly. For example,
by using a voltage transformer (VT)
as reference source, small, but relevant
changes can be detected.
The two main health indicators for a
bushing are the loss factor (tan δ / power
factor) and the capacitance. While the loss
factor is sensitive to almost all bushing
faults, the capacitance is an important
factor to detect partial breakdowns
between capacitive layers and to detect, in
combination with the loss factor, contact
problems inside the bushing such as bad
contacts inside the bushing taps.
2. Failure statistic
Transformers are one of the most critical
components within the electrical network
Highest system voltage
69 kV <100 100 kV <200 200 kV <300 300 kV <500 700 kV All
Advertorial
and cannot, once one fails, be exchanged
easily by a new one. Often transformer fail­
ures cause the inability to deliver energy,
and have high potential to harm people in
addition to causing environmental disas­
ters. Due to these factors, a high financial
impact is often connected to transformer
failures.
Old economies such as Europe, North
America and Japan are facing aged key
network components. Continuous moni­
toring solutions were not used extensively
in the past, due to n-1 availability of the
main equipment. Furthermore, moni­
toring solutions were less reliable or not
available 10 to 20 years ago. The condi­
tion assessment in the utilities of the old
economies was typically carried out using
comprehensive periodic measurements
and maintenance programs. Nowadays
these utilities are seeking more and more
for solutions to operate their costly com­
ponents until their real end of life. Fur­
thermore, asset exchange programs will
have to be based on the condition of the
equipment. Condition monitoring (CM)
and condition based maintenance (CBM)
are an important factor to achieve these
goals. Transformers and transformer bush­
ings are important components to look at
in these regards.
The CIGRE WG A2.37 released in 2012
an interim report [1] which shows the
newest statistics on transformer failures,
see Table 1.
It can be seen that over all voltage classes,
transformer failure rate is 0.44 %, which
means, out of approximately 230
109
 MONITORING

Figure 1. Failed component statistics [1]

Power factor and partial discharge meas­ure­ of a bushing can lead to catastrophic
failures and can be going along with
ments are the most powerful parameters environmental disasters or fatal accidents
of personnel. According to a transformer
which can uncover most of the incipient reliability study published in [2], the
bushing failures majority of transformer fires are caused
by bushing failures.

transformers, one will fail per year.
Besides the preventions of failures or
early detection of upcoming faults,
the assessment of the remaining life
and the health of equipment is of
immense interest, especially for aged
equipment. To assess the asset condition,
a comprehensive set of data from the
transformer and its main components
needs to be gathered. Besides other
components and accessories, bushings
are one of the main causes of transformer
failures. The contribution to transformer
failures is around 20 % of the overall
transformer major failures, depending
on the type of transformer, Fig. 1. Failing
The causes of bushing failures are
varying from normal aging, moisture,
quality issues during manufacturing,
repeated thermal and mechanical cycling,
transients and external influences like
external flashovers. As result, a high
number of bushing failures develop from
partial breakdowns, thermal instabilities

Table 2. Detectability of different bushing failures (plus – it can be detected, minus – it cannot be detected)

Defect Tan δ Capacitance Partial discharge

-/+
Insulation aging + - Detectable if discharges are the
cause of the degradation/ aging

Moisture + - -

(+)
Void / Delamination After a certain time once the - +
dielectric material starts to corrode
+/-
Surface contamination + - If the surface contaminations
are creating surface discharges

+/-
Surface discharges Surface discharges with a high intensity - +
can be seen by a unstable tan δ
+/-
Partial breakdowns If it is combined with erosion of + +/-
insulating material
+ +
Contact problems Shows up as an increased Shows up as decreased +
or unstable tan δ or unstable capacitance

110 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Figure 2. Leakage current and power factor / dissipation factor

or degradations of longitudinal insulation 3.1 Power factor / dissipation factor between capacitive and resistive current,
interfaces. which are presenting in their summation
The power factor reflects, as property of the leakage current.
The average lifetime of bushings is esti­ the insulation material, the condition of
mated in general as half of the life of a the insulation itself. It represents the ratio The capacitive current is the result of the
transformer (25 years). In reality, there are
bushings still working properly which are
older than 40 years as well as there are bush­
ings which are failing after 10 to 12 years
The advantage of online power factor moni­
of operation. To improve the transformer toring is that the power factor of a bushing
reliability the demand of reliable bushing
monitoring is increasing throughout the can be seen at different temperatures
industry.

3. Bushing monitoring
parameters
The main bushing parameters used
today for bushing health assessment are
the power factor in the IEEE world or
dissipation factor in the IEC world, the
main bushing capacitance and the partial
discharge activity. Table 2 provides
reference to the different bushing
parameters and their ability to be used to
detect different failures in an early stage
of development.

It can be seen that power factor and Figure 3. Power factor behavior over temperature due to increased moisture
partial discharge measurements are the
most powerful parameters which can
uncover most of the incipient bushing
failures. The capacitance monitoring is
a good indicator for partial breakdowns
(breakdown between two or more layers
with the result of a short circuit between
them) and contact problems (capacitance
decreases or is fluctuating heavily). Each
parameter will be discussed further
regarding the best usage for online
assessment of the condition of capacitor
core bushings. Figure 4. Bushing series capacitances

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 111
 MONITORING

Figure 5. Challenges for online bushing PD monitoring

capacitive layer design and therewith

given by design. The resistive current is
caused by the resistivity of the insula­
tion material and is a direct parameter of
the quality of the insulation system. Each
healthy solid and liquid insulation mate­
rial has its typical relative resistive current
component. An increasing resistive cur­
rent will indicate a degradation of the in­
sulation system and will increase the angle δ
and decrease the angle φ and will result
in an increase in power factor, Fig. 2. The
power factor measurement under online
conditions requires a high accuracy in
order to detect already small changes and
to guarantee the detection of increasing
moisture content in the insulation system,
which is difficult to achieve under online
condition. External influences like low
frequency magnetic fields, external noise
and harmonics as well as the lack of sta­
ble reference signal sources are the factors
which influence these measurements.
Figure 3 shows the behavior of an
insulation system with increased moisture
contamination. The accuracy of the power
factor monitoring needs to be very high to
Detection of bushing related partial dis-
charge under online conditions is facing
major problems
detect the power factor difference at 20 °C
for a “wet” and “dry” insulation. With the
current online methods, this accuracy
can hardly be achieved. The difference
between a dry and a wet bushing could
be 0.2 % at 40 °C, which still needs a high
accuracy to detect moisture or insulation
aging early enough.
The advantage of online power factor moni­
toring is that the power factor of a bushing
can be seen at different temperatures.
Depending on the load of the transformer,
the temperature of the bushing will vary.
Figure 3 shows that the power factor
gradient of “wet” bushings is much higher
at higher temperatures than for “dry”
bush­ings at the same temperature. Offline
measurements at ambient temperature
and low accuracy online monitoring are
not able to detect this kind of defects.
3.2 Capacitance
As described above, the capacitive
current resulted by the capacitance is a
parameter which represents the design
of the capacitive layers of a bushing.
It will increase if two or more layers
of the electrical field control foils are
electrically shorted, Fig. 4. If only two
layers are shorted, the capacitance will
increase by a percentage equivalent to
the total number of layers. For example,
if 2 out of total 50 foils (layers) will be
short-circuited, the capacitance will
increase by 2 %.
Although pure capacitance monitoring
is easy to apply for online purposes
by simply using a defined secondary
capacitor (C3), the number of detectable
defects are limited, see Table 2.

112 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Common methods, give limited information about the
health of a bushing. Mainly the partial
e.g. balanced current discharge from a bushing will be hidden
method, have limita- by ‘external’ discharges/disturbances.
Furthermore, the sensitivity is limited
tions due to the influ- and it is difficult to allocate detected
ences of the natural discharges to a certain component or
even to distinguish between internal and
load imbalance external discharges.
More promising is to use capacitance
3.3 Partial discharge and the power factor. They can be
monitored for bushings specifically by
using different methods, which will be
discussed in the next chapter more in
detail.
4. Overview of today’s used
bushing monitoring methods
The newest method used today for bush­
ing monitoring is the reference signal
m­ethod, where the phase shift of the
leakage current of a bushing and its stable

As per Table 2, a high number of different

bushing defects can be detected by partial
discharge monitoring but not moisture.
Therefore, partial discharge (PD) mea­
surements are very important for routine
and re-testing at factory or onsite. Never­
theless, the detection of the bushing re­
lated partial discharge under online con­
ditions is facing major problems.

The measuring principle for online PD

bushing monitoring used today is based on
the IEC 60270 method. The bushing capa­
citance will be used as coupling capacitor.
Mainly this PD monitoring principle is ap­
plied to monitor PD in transformers but in
some cases also to monitor the bushings.

The PD magnitudes of incipient bush­

ing faults are between 5 pC up to 100
pC. Higher values are possible in case of
contact issues. Typical values are usu­
ally below 50 pC. Comparing that with
the allowed and possible PD activity on
overhead lines (some nC) and inside the
Figure 6. Principle overview of the balanced current method
transformer (typically 500 pC up to 1 nC
allowed – see Figure 5), most likely the
bushing PD will be hided due to the high­
er ‘external’ signals. Furthermore, due to
the high capacitance of the test object and
the typical onsite background noise, the
sensitivity of such a PD monitoring using
the bushing as coupling capacitor is quite
limited. Additional to that, if a PD signal
is detected, it is difficult or even in some
cases impossible to find the origin of the
detected PD without any additional mea­
surements, which might require an outage
of the transformer. It could come from the
overhead lines, line connectors, trans­for­m­
er, high current duct or maybe even the
bushing itself.

3.4 Proposed parameter for online

monitoring

It can be concluded that partial discharge

online monitoring for bushings will Figure 7. Principle of the reference signal method

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 113
 MONITORING
Figure 8. Example for effective noise elimination
reference signal is measured. This method
will be discussed further below in more
detail, but first the most common method
and its advantages and disadvantages will
be described.
4.1 Balanced current method
The balanced current method, also
known as sum of currents method, Fig. 6,
is today’s most used method for bushing
monitoring. The assumption is that under
perfect circumstances the summation of
the leakage currents of the three bushings
of the different phases under considerati­
on of its phase angles is zero. The perfect
circumstances mean that for all phases,
the magnitude of the voltage amplitudes
are absolutely the same, and the phase
shift between the phases is exactly 120
degrees. Further, the bushings are con­
sidered to behave the same.
Real electrical networks are carrying an
114
imbalanced load. Phase asymmetries re­
garding voltage magnitude of 1 to 1.5 %
and 0.2 degree in phase angle variations
are very common for stable networks
known from the ‘old economies’. Much
higher asymmetries can be seen in more
unstable networks in other parts of the
world.
The asymmetries are changing with the
load conditions in a daily, seasonal and
unpredictable manner. Changes in capa­
citance of a bushing (partial breakdowns)
can be detected more easily because the
general fluctuations of the voltage mag­
nitude across all the three phase is lower
compared to the expected change because
of a critical partial breakdown. But still, the
clear detection of a partial breakdown for
voltage levels 500 kV and above remains
a challenge, even if the voltage magnitude
asymmetry is only 1.5 %. Nevertheless, a
partial breakdown shows up rather as a
permanent step change, while changes in
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
load happen mostly more gradually and
are not permanent.
Another challenge for that method is the
phase asymmetry regarding the phase
angle. If the phase angle unbalance is only
0.2 degree, it would result in a deviation of
the power factor of about 0.35 %, which
is more than 100 % assuming the power
factor of a healthy OIP (Oil-impregnated
Paper) bushing will be around 0.25 %! The
small power factor changes, caused by
moisture (compare Figure 4), cannot be
detected or being detected in a late stage
of degradation.
Modern systems are using self-learning
methods, which are recording the typi­
cal daily and seasonal behavior of the
bushings to predict the load conditions.
Nevertheless, the achievable accuracy re­
garding the measured power factor is lim­
ited and is mostly displayed as a relative
change to the sister bushings.
Using this method for single phase trans­
former is even more challenging.
4.2 Reference method
Today the biggest drawback to increase
the accuracy and stability in power factor
and capacitance monitoring is that bush­
ings will be compared across phases.
The only approach to overcome this
drawback is to find a load independent
ref­erence signal source within the same
phase of the monitored bushing.
The installation of a standard capacitor
(gas filled) as used for offline measure­
ment and during routine testing in high
voltage laboratories is far too expensive.
Another possibility is the usage of a volt­
age transformer. A voltage transformer
(VT) always has a stable load on its sec­
ondary winding (not load depended).
Furthermore, the VTs are not changing
their transfer behavior with varying load
of the network. The principle of this meth­
od is to measure the phase shift between
the bushing leakage current and reference
signal. While existing equipment can be
used, it reduces the needed hardware to
a minimum. Figure 7 illustrates the prin­
ciple of the reference signal method using
VTs (CVTs) from the same phase.
The reference signal is taken from the
same phase which increases the achieve­
a­ble accuracy. It is then not depending on By using a reference signal from the same
phase asymmetries any more. After digiti­
zing both input signals, all signal proces­ phase, a higher accuracy and a better de-
sing will be done by software algorithms.
Existing phase constant shifts from VT,
tection of incipient faults can be achieved
cables, etc. must be compensated.

The major challenges are the elimination

or limitation of noise, and the availability
of a stable reference source. Especially the
second is not always given. Sometimes
there are no VTs/ CVTs at the high volt­
age side or they are far away in a separate
switchyard (especially in power plants)
or VTs/ CVTs existing only for one phase
(mostly the middle phase). A comparative
monitoring in these cases can be applied,
where another bushing from the same
phase but a different transformer can be
used as reference and vice versa. Other
alternative methods are under develop­
ment.
Figure 9. Raw data example from site
The elimination or limitation of noise is
one of the major requirements to achiev­e
the necessary accuracy in the phase interest by utilities and power producers. References
shift measurement of 0.0057 degree (or Common methods, e.g. those based on
0.1 mrad). Fig. 8 is showing a noisy signal bal­anced current principles, are having 1. A2.37, CIGRE WG, Transformer Reli-
before and after signal processing, which limitations due to the influences of the na­ ability Survey: Interim Report, No. 261,
can be described as follows: tural unbalance of the network load. ELECTRA. 2012

• Noise and harmonics need to be elimi­
nated by advanced software algorithms
• The accuracy of the phase measurement
is better than 0.1 mrad (0.0057 degree)
• The accuracy enables to detect changes
in tan δ form, e.g. 0.325 % to 0.340 %
• This enables to detect moisture increa­
se, insulation system aging and degrad­
ation early enough
By using a reference from the same phase,
a higher accuracy and a better detection of
incipient faults can be achieved. Further,
this method will deliver direct power
factor readings instead of the percentage
read­ings being shown today.
Further developments will be done to
provide a reliable reference voltage source
more easily and lesser efforts in cabling.
2. H.-P. Berg and N. Fritze, Reliability
of main transformers, Bundesamt für
Strahlenschutz, Salzgitter, Germany,
2011
Contact
Thomas Linn
Phone: +1 585 643 3625
E-mail: tlinn@qualitrolcorp.com

• Temperature compensation will be Author

necessary to achieve this accuracy
Furthermore, Fig. 9 shows another ex­
ample for recorded raw data. Due to the
relatively high amplitude, the signal from
the reference source (blue curve) is almost
not disturbed, while the signal coming
from the bushing tap has a noise compo­
nent of about 15 to 20 %.
Conclusions
Bushings are critical parts on transform­
ers and having the potential to lead to
catas­
trophic transformer failures. The
bushing online monitoring is gaining high
Thomas Linn graduated from the Technical University
of Dresden with a degree in Electrical Engineering,
specializing in High Voltage Techniques. In 1998 he joined
ABB in Switzerland and was responsible for high voltage
onsite testing for GIS and cables, PD measurements onsite
and PD monitoring of gas insulated switchgear. Afterwards
he worked for 10 years with high voltage transformer
bushings and became a senior technical expert for high
voltage techniques and equipment. In March 2013 Thomas joined Qualitrol as
Technical Application Specialist. As a TAS, Thomas is able to leverage 20+ years
of experience in high voltage equipment such as GIS, high voltage bushings,
cables, transformers, high voltage testing, partial discharge measurement and
monitoring, and high voltage test equipment. Thomas is a member of CIGRE
and IEC TC42 in Switzerland and is contributing as an expert to different
CIGRE Working Groups internationally.

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 115
MONITORING

Industry experts project increasing

numbers of failures of the aging
assets over the next two decades

116 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


The value of on-line
bushing monitoring
B
ushing test standards for off-line
bushing testing are defined by the
IEEE and IEC [IEEE C57.19.00-
1997 & IEC 60137/2003-08].
Until recently, bushing testing has been
limited to a capacitance and power factor
measurement off-line. This limits bushing
tests to capacitance and power factor mea­
surement off-line, during an outage, and
on a day with moderate temperature and
low humidity. This test is also performed
at a much lower voltage than the system
voltage. Off-line testing under static con­
ditions is not likely to detect incipient
faults evident under operational condi­
tions. On the other hand, on-line moni­
toring provides accurate and early indi­
cation of bushing condition continuously
and under all conditions.
In addition, several factors can influence
off-line measurement, including voltage
fluctuations, sediments on the bushings,
moisture ingress, oil level, and damaged
porcelain.
The obvious alternative is continuous
monitoring of high voltage bushings,
which PC57.143 the IEEE Guide for
Application of Monitoring Liquid-
Immersed Transformers and Com­
ponents recommends. Such a condition
based, on-line monitoring system pro­
vides confidence in bushing insulation
quality between off-line tests and helps
pre-empt threats to valuable transformer
assets, Fig. 1.
Off-line testing under static conditions
is not likely to detect incipient faults
evident under operational conditions
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Facts and projections on
transformers and bushings
• Transformers are a key capital intensive
element in the transmission and distri­
bution network.
• The installed base of transformers is
aging.
• The bushing is one of the leading causes
of catastrophic failures in power
transformers.
• Time-based testing is insufficient and
inadequate due to the increasing dura­
tion between off-line tests.
• On-line trending with data collected at
a high frequency is the best method to
prevent catastrophic failure.
• Successful predictive maintenance
and smart grid asset management pro­
grams require smart IEDs.
Based on investigations of the installed base
of transformers, industry experts project:
• Increasing numbers of failures of the
aging assets over the next two decades;
• Increasing periods between time-based
testing due to cost pressures;
• Scheduled maintenance cycles of large
power transformers moving from 1 to
Advertorial
2 years to 7 years and, in some instances,
to 12 years;
• Problems resulting from outages re­
quired for standard transformer main­
tenance;
• Exposed transformer accessories like
bushings are more vulnerable than
ruggedized transformers and will have
a higher incidence of failures.
Outwitting the projections
Continuous bushing monitoring addres­
ses all of the concerns raised by the indus­
try projections, allowing testing:
• Without an outage
• At rated voltage
• In true operating conditions
• With trending based on data acquired every
5 minutes instead of every year or more
• With diagnostics based on statistical
analysis providing bushing condition
• With immediate communications of
alarms and warnings 24/7
The methodology of on-line
bushing monitoring
According to an Electric Power Research
Institute (EPRI) study on accelerated
transformer aging, relative power factor
tests provided the earliest indication of
incipient faults that could lead to failure.
The voltage measurement technique used
to derive relative power factor is far more
117
 MONITORING
Figure 1. InsuLogix B sensor in a transformer bushing tap
On-line monitoring provides accurate and
early indication of bushing condition con-
tinuously and under all conditions
sensitive than the technique used by the
standard current sum method.
A bushing can be represented by several
small capacitance values in series and in
parallel, Fig. 2. As a fault occurs, some of
these very small capacitors become resis­
tive. The leakage current from deep inside
the bushing is miniscule when measured
to ground. However, a capacitive voltage
divider can sense and measure the voltage
drop due to these resistive components.
The relative power factor technique uses
Figure 2. Bushing represented by small capacitance values in series and parallel
118
a Schering bridge method to measure
the voltage from the bushing C1 test tap,
Fig. 3. The voltage divider is used to create
a low voltage output for the measuring cir­
cuit, which is a ratio of the power system
operating voltage, the C1 capacitance of
the bushing, and an appropriate value of
capacitance in the bushing tap coupler.
The critical values that on-line monitoring
provide include:
• Test tap voltage – relationship to the
p­ower system operating voltage
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
• Relative power factor – measured on
each bushing monitored
• Power factor – calculated in relation to
each bushing monitored
• Condition value – the result of a statisti­
cal analysis technique that indicates the
condition of the bushing
Bushing failure mode
High voltage bushings are essentailly a
large paper/foil capacitor. The bushing
insulation is constructed by wrapping the
draw lead with 8 to 10 layers of oil impreg­
nated kraft paper followed by alternating
layers of aluminium foil.The foil is not
directly connected to the draw lead, but
creates an induced voltage into the many
layers of foil and paper creating many
small capacitors that add up to 400 pF on
a typical HV bushing.
Figure 4 shows how this construction
appears after failure of an HV bushing.
You can see the paper layers and some of
the shiny aluminum foil along the edges.
This failure occurs slowly over time due
to either a manufacturing defect or a
through fault that disturbs the paper
insulation and allows the foil layers to
make contact and create a hot spot. This
hot spot eventually drys out the paper and
begins to burn. Burning oil impregnated
paper creates explosive gases (methane,
hydrogen sulfide, ethane, hydrogen,
ethylene, acytelene); eventually these
gases find an ignition source resulting at
the minimum a bushing explosion which
leads to transformer fires.
In the early stages of the failure there will
be little to no changes in leakage current.
These changes can be more easily detected
through a voltage detection device as you
will see small changes in the magnitude
and angle of the voltage at the bushing tap.
This also results in a change in bushing
power factor, which also can be detected
by an on-line bushing power factor
monitor.
The millivolt level phasor changes result­
ing from early stage failure are too small
for current probes to detect. The Schering
Bridge technique, however, detects these
small changes in phasor voltages which
are small changes in bushing capacitance
and power factor/tan delta.
Testing protocols
Power factor is the only test that provides
a definitive clue to the integrity and health
of bushing insulation. As mentioned, off-
line power factor measurement is usually
performed on a moderate day with low
humidity. The bushing, however, oper­
ates under all environmental and loading
conditions. These conditions impact the
p­ower factor readings and should be in­
cluded when testing.

On-line monitoring systems provide the

most accurate and the earliest indication
of bushing condition and insulation integ­
rity because they operate 24/7 and acquire
data under all weather and environmental
conditions. On-line power factor values
can also be used to verify off-line test data.
Condition value is a proprietary statistical
analysis algorithm used to calculate indi­
vidual bushing condition values.
The statistical tests that create the condi­
tion value compare characteristics of
the acquired data for each sample with
that of a reference window, which is
created for each bushing at the start of
the installation. Every day, the data from
every bushing monitored undergoes a
4-step statistical analysis. That data is then
compared to similar bushings under test
on the same or nearby transformers. The
result determines the reference window.
Power factor  /  tan  δ statistical tests are
performed specific to each bushing and
its reference window. The process can be
summarized as follows:
Figure 3. Illustration of the Schering bridge technique
Power factor is the only test that provides a
definitive clue to the integrity and health of
bushing insulation
the last third of these records and applies of such trends. We have chosen to express
a Mann-Whitney and a Kendall Slope test this magnitude as a slope (but this does
to measure recent changes in the data. not imply that the trend takes the form of
a linear function in the process).
Swing Indicator Test – The standard
deviation of the recent data is compared Mann-Whitney Test – Strictly speak­
with the standard deviation of the ref­ ing, this is a test of the equality of two
erence window to predict trends in the distributions. This is the most impor­
magnitude of the variations in the data. tant test of the four and should give a
clear indication of a relative shift in the
Seasonal Slope Estimator (Kendall data. For this test, the array containing
Slope) – Essentially, a non-parametric all of the data is sorted (current data
test for randomness against trend. In ad­ and reference data is mixed) and the
dition to identifying trends in the data, it sorted array is then tested for distribu­
is also desirable to estimate the magnitude tion.

• The data is selected for a specific bush­

ing pair from the reference window;

• The data for the latest acquisition of the

specific bushing pair is acquired;

• The values from both the reference window

and the latest data is added to an array;

• Power factor / tan δ statistical tests are

performed on the data in the array.

The 4 statistical analysis tools used in the

4-step statistical analysis to generate the
condition value are:

Recent Changes (RC) Test – While

other tests look at several data records of
the reference window, the RC test looks at Figure 4. Failed 400 kV bushing

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 119
 MONITORING
Figure 5. Graph of actual data taken on six high voltage transformer bushings over a one year period showing a 3 % drift in the Phase B bushing (red and
green lines) power factor due to high ambient temperature
Data analysis
Naturally, every test has a weighting fac­
tor, based on the importance of the test,
which is a part of the algorithm for cal­
culating the condition values. Condition
thresholds calculated for every unit range
from 0 (good) to 100 (bad). InsuLogix B
uses a simple “green, yellow, red” code to
indicate the condition of each bushing
under test.
Analyzing the data with
on-line graphs
Relative condition values show changes
in pairs of data samples based on the
“butterfly phenomena.” Figure 5 pro­vides
an example: if the data from bushing A
referenced to bushing B (red line and green
line) show a power factor trend, and the
data from bushing B referencing bushing
C (yellow and blue lines) also show a
power factor trend (the mirror image of
the first trend), then the unit causing these
trends must be unit B. Bushing B is being
affected by high temperature.
The graph in Figure 5 illustrates actual
data taken on six high voltage transformer
bushings over a one year period. During
120
the summer months, bushing B’s power analysis monitors. When combined with
factor value drifts 3 % higher than in Weidmann’s Insulogix Vault it becomes a
cooler months. complete transforomer monitor.
Communications Sales contact
Anywhere/anytime access to information Rob Begin
is essential. Similarly, network communi­ Director of Sales - Power & End User NA
cations are essential to the smart grid TD +1 802 751 3511
efficiencies that will help utilities meet
FD +1 802 748 8630
21st century demands on 20th century man­
M +1 802 535 9757
power and budgets. To that end, InsuLogix B
supports DNP3 and IEC 61850 protocols rob.begin@wicor.com
on wired or wireless networks, and can
interrace with SCADA systems. The Weidmann Electrical Technology Inc.
system also interfaces with other IED’s like One Gordon Mills Way
temperature sensors and dissolved gas St. Johnsbury, VT 05819, USA
Author
Jeff Benach is the Director of Engineering for Monitoring
Products at Weidmann Electrical Technology Inc. Jeff
graduated from the Ohio Institute of Technology in
1982 with A BS in Electronics Engineering Technology,
and earned an MBA in Technology Management
from the University of Phoenix in 2003. Jeff has over
25 years of experience in the power industry working
with GE, Megger, On-Line Monitoring, GridSense, and
Weidmann. He is a Senior IEEE member and active in the Power Engineering
Society Substation and Transformer Committees.
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
 FIND THE SOLUTIONS
YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS AT
CWIEME BERLIN 2018
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a visit to CWIEME Berlin will be time well spent.

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MONITORING

Cargolog® Impact Recorder System is

used for professional supervision of
critical movement.
Sven-Olof Olsson, Mobitron AB

ABSTRACT
Incorrect handling during transport
Reduce costs with
smart transport
can damage your product, both vis-
ible as well as concealed damage,
which can be difficult to detect.
Whether you are transporting a com-

plete transformer or components,
such as electrical motors, genera-
tors or bushings, it is important to
know when the damage occurred. In
this scenario, the Cargolog® Impact
Recorder System is an excellent in-
dependent tool, which helps you
detect these types of damage at an
early phase. The system helps you
to review the events and determine
who has the responsibility for reme-
dying the damage.
KEYWORDS
bushing, transformer, transport,
monitoring
monitoring!
Cargolog® Impact Recorder System
Introduction
The Cargolog® Impact Recorder System
is a high-tech, data logger that provides
you with independent data throughout
the whole logistics chain, data that could
be crucial in a guarantee or insurance
case. You can see all the impacts and vi­
brations that have occurred, analyse all
the data second by second and specify
when the product was damaged. You can
easily export all data to PDF or direct­
ly into Excel for further analysis. With
the Cargolog® Impact Recorder System,
it is easy to distribute information to
your colleagues and customers. By com­
bining the measurement results from the
C­argolog® Impact Recorder System with
other tests, such as Factory Acceptance
Test (FAT) and Site Acceptance Test
(SAT), you can decide if further inspec­
tions are needed, on site or in the factory,

122 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


prior to commissioning the transformer
– „to measure is to know“.
Distribute and reduce costs
Free On-Board (FOB) is a common condi­
tion for delivery, associated with mari­time
transport, as defined in the Incoterms
legal code. The terms and conditions
of delivery are that part of the purchase
agree­ment that regulates how costs and li­
abilities respecting the transport are to be
distributed between seller and buyer. This
touches upon questions about who will
bear the costs associated with any trans­
port damage and who will take out trans­
port insurance. The C­ argolog® I­
mpact
Recorder System is used to see when, and
to what extent, transport damage has oc­
curred and, thereby, it makes it possible to
determine who is liable for remedying the
damage, how the costs will be distributed
and who will bear the costs for any delay.
The information can be crucial when it
comes to compensation from insurance
companies.
By using the data collected over time,
you can also review potential areas for
im­provement by identifying the best me­
thod of transport, routes, packaging and
storage alternatives. This means that the
Cargolog® Impact Recorder can be used
with great advantage as an important part
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
of the company‘s quality and environmen­
tal work. This is a long term and reusable
product that gives rapid ROI.
The smart supervision of
transformers – Information
in real-time
Cargolog® is a cutting-edge system incor­
porating the most modern technology.
With the Internet of Things (IoT), or con­
nected products, you have new opportu­
nities for monitoring your goods. A mes­
sage about critical events is sent directly to
your mail. The Cargolog® Impact Re­corder
System, equipped with GSM/GPRS com­
munication, monitors your goods, giving
you information in real-time when the
goods are subjected to unacceptable con­
ditions.
Using the cloud service, Cargolog® Online,
you can gain access to data wherever you
are in the world. You, your colleagues or
We use Cargolog® Impact Recorder System
to check if all the partial shipments and
transshipments have been handled safely.”
Anders Eliasson, ABB AB
Advertorial
customer can review the measurement re­
sults, both in graphical and tabular form,
without any complicated installations.
Cargolog® Online is easy to use and, with
the personal login, you protect all of the
data from unauthorised individuals. You
can act immediately when your goods
are subjected to incorrect handling and
re­spond to the mismanagement of trans­
ports before delivery to the customer. If,
moreover, your data logger is equipped
with GPS, you can also view the transport‘s
GPS positions for a specific event or for
the entire transport route. The GPS posi­
tions provide you with information if any
delays in delivery are to be expected and if
the transport is not going to plan.
This is how Cargolog® Impact
Recorder works
The Cargolog® Impact Recorder, data logger
with inbuilt sensors, measures and r­ecords
accelerations and impacts (0.3-10 G,
resolution 0.01 G, 0.5-20 Hz, ±3.0 % FS),
123
 MONITORING
GPS positions provide information on ex­
pected delays and deviations from the
transport plan
other measurement ranges available as
option) as well as angles (0-90°, resolu­
tion 5°) using Micro Electro Mechanical
System (MEMS). Digital sensors measure
and register temperature (-40 °C to 85 °C
±0.5 °C) and humidity (0-100 % ±3 %) with
high reliability and stability. The data logger
can be programmed and adapted prior to
each transport, allowing you to apply the
measurement channels individually based
on the transformer‘s conditions, method of
transport and time period. The measure­
ment results can be read off via wireless or
hard-wired communication, which means
you also have access to the information on
your smartphone or tablet computer.
Reliable product
Mobitron is a high-tech company that
works continuously with product devel­
opment using the latest technology. With
more than 20-years‘ experience, Cargolog
offers an advanced recording tool of the
highest quality. Each Cargolog® Impact
124
They also hold ISO certification and have
a management system complying with the
requirements in ISO 9001:2008 and ISO
14001:2004.
Recorder comes with a calibration
Log in and test our Cloud
certificate, which shows that it has Service
been tested and calibrated according to Would you like to know how Cargolog
international standards accredited by Online works? Discover the benefits of
RISE - Research Institutes of Sweden. accessing data directly on-site. Go to
This contributes to trustworthy and mobitron.com/democloud for more
reliable data that assures the measurement information.
results.
The data logger can be installed in all en­
vironments, both on the inside and the Contact
outside of the transformer. To meet your Martina Willman
needs, Mobitron provides several instal­ Marketing Coordinator
lation solutions in the form of installation Phone: +46 (0)36 512 25
brackets and IP enclosures, suited to your
Fax: +46 (0)36 511 25
particular transport and goods.
Direct: +46 (0)36 440 90 32
GSM: +46 (0)70 82 512 25
About Mobitron E-mail: mw@mobitron.com
Mobitron AB was founded 1991 and is
located on the outskirts of Huskvarna, Mobitron AB
Sweden. The company develops, Hunneryds Gård 1
manufactures and sells products and SE- 561 46 Huskvarna
systems for quality assurance during the Sweden
transport and handling of goods. www.mobitron.com
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
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DIAGNOSTICS

Preventing bushing failures is very important,

not just in order to avoid unplanned outages
but also to avoid the loss of assets in dramatic
circumstances

ABSTRACT
Bushing diagnosis can include var-
Dispersing the clouds:
Gain clear insight into
ious methods, from a simple visual
inspection or a conventional power/
dissipation factor measurement,

your bushings using

to the latest high-tech broadband
dielectric frequency response mea-
surements. This article explains the

advanced diagnostic
different bushing insulation types
and shows which problems can oc-
cur in bushings and which diagnos-
tic methods can be used to detect

them. Each measurement has its
advantages and disadvantages and
some are more suitable for onsite
measurements, others for quali-
ty control of new bushings. Case
studies show the effectiveness of
advanced dielectric measurement
principles in detecting moisture and
aging problems.
KEYWORDS
b u sh i n g , d i s s i pati o n factor,
moisture, aging, power trans-
former
methods
1. Introduction
Bushings are a vital part of power trans­
formers and other assets as they act as
insulators and transmit electrical power
in or out of a power transformer. No
active action or mechanical movement is
required, and maintenance measures like
the changing of worn parts are also not
needed. Compared to the rest of the power
transformer they are quite low-priced. All
of these facts could lead to the conclusion
that condition diagnosis of bushings is not
economical as they can just be replaced
when any failure occurs.
However, such a conclusion would be
very short-sighted. About 41 % of all
bushing failures on high-voltage power
transformers lead to a fire or explosion of
the transformer, Fig. 1 – this corresponds
to a complete loss of the transformer [1].
Also, about 37 % of all fires or explosions of
power transformers are caused by bushing

126
126 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
 Martin ANGLHUBER, Juan VELÁSQUEZ

About 41 % of all bushing failures on high-

voltage power transformers lead to a fire or
explosion, corresponding to a complete loss of
the transformer

failures [1]. This shows how important it
is to prevent bushing failures, not just in
order to avoid unplanned outages but
also to avoid the loss of assets in dramatic
circumstances.
This paper shows which problems can
lead to the failure of bushings and how
diagnostic methods can be used to detect
those problems at an early stage.
• Resin-impregnated Fiber/Synthetic
(RIF/RIS)
Oil-impregnated Paper (OIP) bushings
are the most common type with a very
long history and considerable experience.
Their insulation consists of tightly wound
paper layers impregnated with oil,
making them sensitive to oil leakage. This
bushing type requires special transport,
storage and mounting positions and
shows a higher risk of fire in the event of
a failure [2].
Resin-bonded Paper (RBP) bushings are
made of wound paper which is glued to­
gether by a resin. Trapped air and gaps
in the insulation increase the partial dis­
charge (PD) levels during service and
limit the maximum voltage level for this

2. Bushing types and typical

problems
2.1 Modern types of bushings

Over the last few decades, bushings

have been manufactured using different
types of technology as manufacturing
techniques, as well as the available
materials, have improved. At present,
the following types of bushings are
available:

• Oil-impregnated Paper (OIP)

• Resin-bonded Paper (RBP) Figure 1. Failure locations of fires and explosions of power transformer failures (left) and external
• Resin-impregnated Paper (RIP) effects of bushing failures (right) [1]

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 127
 DIAGNOSTICS

Table 1. Potential problems for different bushing types

Some problems are typical for a specific Resin-impregnated Fiber/Synthetic

bushing type; other problems can occur in
all bushings types
bushing type. In addition, RBP bushings
are very sensitive to moisture ingress. De­
spite the low costs of this bushing, most
utilities and manufacturers have disconti­
nued this type [2].
The Resin-impregnated Paper (RIP) bush­
ings are an improvement of the RBP
technology as the paper is completely
impregnated with resin. This eliminates
the problem of partial discharges, which
typically occurs during service, and thus
allows higher voltage levels. Another ad­
vantage of RIP bushings is their low di­
electric losses. Despite the impregnation,
moisture can ingress during transport­
ation and storage and this must, therefore,
also be considered [2].
(RIF/RIS) bushings are a further
improvement of the RIP technology.
Here, synthetic fiber (RIF) or synthetic
fabric (RIS) is used instead of paper and
is impregnated with epoxy resin. This
makes their insulation very robust against
moisture ingress. Like RIP bushings, RIF
and RIS bushings have a very low PD
level and low dielectric losses and can be
used and transported in any position [3].
As the RIF/RIS technology is relatively
new and not common practice, it is not
yet considered in many standards and
testing guides.

Table 2. Effectiveness of different methods to detect specific bushing problems

128 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

Moisture is critical as it increases the di-
electric losses, which can lead to a thermal
runaway and reduce the dielectric strength,
causing partial discharges and breakdown
2.2 Typical bushing problems
As already mentioned, the different bush­
ing technologies show advantages and
disadvantages. It should also be taken into
account that some problems are typical for
a specific bushing type. For example, some
problems just occur in OIP bushings but
are not applicable to RIP bushings. Other
problems occur in all bushings types. This
has to be considered during the establish­
ment of a smart testing and maintenance
strategy for bushings and transformers.
Table 1 gives an overview of the most
common bushing problems and shows
which problem is applicable for which
type of bushing.
Oil leakage and low oil levels only occur
in OIP bushings. They are critical for two
reasons: first of all, if the oil loss is large
enough, the insulating medium is at least
partially missing which can lead to partial
discharges and finally to a breakdown of
the whole insulation. Secondly, when oil
leaves the bushing via a leak, moisture can
enter, which threatens the bushing’s insu­
lation.
High contact resistances can occur due
to bad contacts on both sides of the
bushing conductor and this normally
results in overheating. Overheating can
also take place when the bushing current
is much higher than the specified value.
In particular, overheating has further
consequences: It can deteriorate contacts
Table 3. Limits and typical dissipation factor (DF or tan(δ)) and power factor (PF) values at line frequency according to IEC 60137 and IEEE C57.19.01 at
1.05 Um√3 and 20 °C / 70 °F [3], [4]
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
or damage the insulation which, in turn,
can lead to a thermal breakdown of the
insulation.
The bushing design, with its capacitive
layers, creates a homogeneous electrical
field within the insulation and prevents
high local fields. Defects, voids and cracks
within the insulation, for example in
RBP bushings, can cause local high fields
which cause, in turn, partial discharges.
Those discharges do have further impacts,
such as local damages and carbonizations,
which can lead to a breakdown between
adjacent capacitive layers. One effect of
such a breakdown is the increased field
between the other layers. Another effect
is the progressive damage which doesn’t
stop at one layer but advances towards the
next layers. Both effects lead to a higher
electrical stress at the remaining insula­
tion which, especially in cases of transient
over-voltages, can lead to a breakdown of
the insulation.
The measurement tap of a bushing is
connected to the outer grading layer
of the bushing. In service it has to be
connected to ground potential. This is
often per­formed by a spring contact which
connects the pin of the tap to ground if no
measurement equipment is connected to
it. The tap is usually closed and sealed by
a cap towards outer influences. Typical
defects at the measurement tap are:
• Leaky seal at the cap (or loss of cap)
which can lead to moisture ingress and
corrosion of the grounding spring;
• Bad or open contact of the grounding
spring which can lead to discharges
and arcs;
• Bad or insufficient contact of the tap to
the last grading layer. As transient volt­
ages cause very high capacitive currents
in this path, this can lead to partial de­
fects and discharges. This is a particular
problem near gas insulated switchgear
(GIS) where transients occur frequently.
Moisture ingress is a problem for all con­
ventional types of bushings (OIP, RBP, and
RIP) as they are based on cellulose which
absorbs water. Moisture ingress is a typ­
ical problem for “spare” bushings which
have been inadequately stored for a long
time. Moisture is, in general, critical as it
in­creases the dielectric losses. This can
lead to a thermal runaway and reduce the
dielec­tric strength, which in turn can lead
to partial discharges and breakdown.
3. Methods for diagnostic
testing
A set of different methods can be carried
out for assessing the condition of bushings.
As well as periodic diagnostic measure­
ments, visual inspections can be performed
on a regular basis and – in some cases – on-
line systems can be installed for continuous
monitoring. Over the last few decades, new
approaches for periodic diagnostic mea­
surements have been developed – accord­
ingly, they are separated here in conven­­
t­ional and advanced diagnostic methods.
3.1. Conventional diagnostic
methods
For condition assessment of bushings,
various conventional diagnostic methods
exist which use visual, thermal, chemical
and dielectric methods. Table 2 shows
129
 DIAGNOSTICS
Figure 2. Dielectric loss measurement performed on 123 kV RIP bushings
Figure 3. Dielectric measurements and reference measurements of three RBP bushings
An increase of the power/dissipation factor
can indicate problems such as water, aging,
carbonized parts, or bad contacts
their applicability and effectiveness in
relation to the typical bushing problems
listed in Table 1.
Dielectric capacitance and power/dissi­
pation factor measurements at a single
frequency are usually performed at the
line frequency of the system. This mea­
surement has been a common procedure
for many decades. Whereas a change in
capacitance indicates a breakdown bet­
ween capacitive layers, an increase of the
power/dissipation factor can also indicate
problems such as water, aging, carbonized
parts or bad contacts. Both IEEE and IEC
bushing standards require the measure­
130
ment of the power/dissipation factor at
room temperature as a routine test for
new bushings and to set limits for the los­
ses (Table 3).
Another common practice is performing
thermography inspections of bushings
[5]. This procedure helps identify areas
of the bushings which carry current and
have a poor contact resistance – for ex­
ample, the connection of the bushing ter­
minal to the busbars of the substation. An
additional benefit of thermography for
OIP bushings is that low oil levels can also
be detected.
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
Particularly for OIP bushings, the dissol­
ved gas analysis (DGA) is an alternative
conventional diagnostic method. It can
detect various problems such as dischar­
ges and overheating. The small oil volume
of the bushing requires special sampling
techniques and the results interpretation
also has to be adapted. Further informa­
tion about DGA, especially for bushings,
can be found in reference [6].
3.2 Advanced diagnosis methods
Based on the conventional diagnostic
methods, different advanced mea­ sure­
ment approaches have been developed.
Table 2 also shows their applicability and
effectiveness in relation to the different
bushing problems.
An improved version of the measurement
at line frequency is the measurement over
a frequency range including line frequency.
A typical frequency range is from 15 Hz
to 400 Hz. Due to the increased frequency
range, the frequency dependency of dielec­
tric properties can be analyzed. Moisture
ingress in particular influences lower fre­
quencies: for example, a mea­surement at
15 Hz is more sensitive to moisture ingress
than a measurement at line fre­quency.
Table 4 shows the indicative limits at dif­
ferent frequencies of the Cigre power
transformer maintenance guide [7].
The commonly called “tip up test” is a
measurement at a single frequency wher­e
the voltage is increased and the dielec­
tric parameters are measured in a voltage
range, mostly at line frequency. Measure­
ments of bushings at different voltages can
reveal problems like bad contacts of mea­
surement taps, PD or an emerging break­
down between capacitive layers. If a con­
tact problem exists, the power/dissipation
factor usually decreases towards higher
voltages as at higher voltage level arcing
bridges paths. High PD activity which oc­
curs only above the inception voltage can
increase the power/dissipation factor due
to ionization losses. Therefore, any change
of the power/dissipation factor is a sign
for a potential problem.
Broadband dielectric measurements are
used to measure the dielectric property
of an asset in a very wide frequency rang­e,
usually from the lower kHz region to a
few mHz or even µHz. The big advantage
of using a very broad frequency range is
the high sensitivity for different influence
factors, especially moisture [6]. This me­
thod is also capable of determining an ab­
solute amount of the water content in oil-
paper insulations, for example in p­ower
transformers and OIP bushings [8]. This
measurement detects small differ­ences in
water content and can, therefore, also be
used for quality control of new bushings.
As the database is only valid for pure oil-
cellulose insulations, the water content
determination is not possible for other
bushing types such as RBP and RIP [9].
However, as the water content also influ­
ences the dielectric properties of those
insulation systems, small changes can also
be detected by comparing different mea­ Figure 4. Tan(δ) measurements of two 123 kV RBP bushings at different voltage levels (data
surements. from [8])

Another advanced diagnostic method is
partial discharge measurements on bush­
ings. A high-voltage source is required in
order to provide the test voltage, which is
in the area of the nominal voltage. Due to
the high effort of the test, partial dis­charge
measurements on bushings are main­
ly performed by the manufacturer or in
special cases. Alternatively, a monitoring
system can be installed for on-line partial
discharge measurements.
4. Case studies for bushing
condition diagnosis
The following case studies are examples
how different failures might be detected
using the advanced dielectric diagnosis
methods described in this publication.
The data had to be anonymized so no
details about the specific model or manu­
facturer can be shown here; for the same
reason, no photos can be shown.
4.1 Wet RIP bushing
The first case study shows a set of mea­
surements on 123 kV RIP bushings. The
Table 4. Indicative values of tan(δ) limits for bushings at 20 °C [7]
measurements were performed using
OMICRON’s CPC 100 combined with
the CP TD1 booster which can apply up
to 12 kV at line frequency and up to 2 kV
from 15 Hz to 400 Hz. The measurements
were done at 2  kV with the high-voltage
output at the conductor, the measurement
at the tap and guarding the flange and
tank (UST). All five measured bushings
are of similar age and type. Dielectric
capacitance and power/dissipation fac­
tor measurements were performed from
15  Hz to  400 Hz on all bushings, Fig. 2.
Particularly at low frequencies, which are
more sensitive to moisture influence, the
deviation of the losses of bushing 1N to
the other bushings is quite significant. It
was speculated that the bushing got wet
during storage, which is one of the typical
problems of RIP bushings. Therefore, it
Measurements of bushings at different volt-
ages can reveal problems like bad contacts
of measurement taps, PD or an emerging
breakdown between capacitive layers
was recommended replacing this bushing
before putting the transformer into ser­
vice. This example shows the advantage
of a measurement at various frequencies
compared to a single measurement at line
frequency where the deviation is also vis­
ible but significantly smaller.
4.2 Aged RBP bushings
The second case study shows tan(δ) mea­
surements using also OMICRON’s CPC
100 combined with the CP TD1 boost­
er in a frequency range from 15  Hz to
400  Hz of three 245  kV RBP bushings.
The mea­ surements were performed at
2  kV with the high-voltage output at the
conductor, the measurement at the tap
and guarding the flange and tank (UST).
Reference measurements were taken eight

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 131
 DIAGNOSTICS
years earlier using the same test system.
They allow the change of the losses to be
seen during this time, Fig. 3. Although
none of the measured values exceeds the
limit according to the standards, Table 3,
aging is indicated by an increased tan(δ),
especially at lower frequencies – this is
clearly visible for all bushings. In particu­
lar, the bushing on phase V shows signifi­
cant aging, whereas the worst bushing at
the time of the reference measurement on
phase W shows the smallest changes.
4.3 Contact problem at the
measurement tap
Tan(δ) measurements of two 123 kV RBP
bushings of the same type were performed
with OMICRON’s CPC 100 combined
with the CP TD1 using different voltages
at 50  Hz. The measurements were done
with the high-voltage output at the
conductor, the measurement at the tap
and guarding the flange and tank (UST).
The result in Figure 4 shows a decreasing
tan(δ) at higher voltages for bushing C
(data from reference [8]). This could be
associated with contact problems at the
measurement tap [8] which might be
caused by a defect sealing or a missing,
defect or not correctly placed cap. A
measurement at a single voltage level, for
example at 10 kV, would have shown only
a sight deviation of the values.
Conclusion
Condition assessment of bushings is
an important task to be carried out by
operators of high-voltage assets with
the aim of reducing the risks of bushing
failures. The outcome of a comprehensive
condition assessment is that the most
critical bushings can be identified. This
is helpful for prioritizing maintenance
and refurbishment measures, such
as replacement of bushings with new
ones, in a systematic and economically
attractive way.
For a complete condition assessment, all
possible problems need to be considered.
Therefore, a set of diagnostic methods
can be applied. Conventional methods
have been successfully applied in the
past and are still the standard method
for most network operators. Advanced
methods are mostly an improvement
of the conventional methods and
can detect specific problems more
effectively. They do not exclude each
132
other – most advanced methods even [4] IEEE Std C57.19.01, Performance
include the traditionally measured Characteristics and Dimensions for
values. Thus, users with experience in Outdoor Apparatus Bushings, 2000
conventional methods can easily profit
from the advantages which are possible [5] M. B. Goff, Substation Equipment
with current measurement and signal (Bushings), InfraMation, 2001
processing technologies.
[6] IEC, TS 61464:1998, Insulated bush­
The case studies presented in this contri­ ings - Guide for the interpretation of dis-
bution illustrate the enhanced sensitive­ solved gas analysis (DGA) in bush­ings
ness of these advanced methods with re­ where oil is the impregating medium of
spect to the conventional capacitance and the main insulation (generally paper),
power/dissipation factor measurement at IEC, 1998
single frequencies.
[7] CIGRE, TB 445, Guide for Transform­
er Maintenance, 2011
References
[1] CIGRE, TB 642 - Transformer Relia- [8] M. Krueger, A. Kraetge, M. Puetter and
bility Survey, 2015. L. Hulka, New diagnostic tools for high
voltage bushings, CIGRE VI Workspot
[2] D. Egger, U. Krüsi, A. Dais, Z. Zic, W. – international workshop on power trans­
Odermatt, J. Czyzewski and J. Rocks, New formers, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, 2010
paper-free insulation technology for
dry high-voltage condenser bushings, [9] M. Krueger and M. Koch, A fast and
CIGRE, Paris, 2012 reliable dielectric diagnostic method to
determine moisture in power transform­
[3] IEC, 60137, Insulated bushings for ers, IEEE International Conference on
alternating voltages above 1000 V, IEC, Condition Monitoring and Diagnosis
2003 (CMD), 2008
Authors
Martin Anglhuber received his degree in electrical
engineering from TU München in 2007. From 2007 to
2011 he worked as a scientific assistant at the Institute for
High-Voltage Technology and Power Transmission for
TU München in Germany where he performed research
on polymer nanocomposites being used for insulation
materials in high-voltage apparatuses. He received his
Dr.-Ing. (Ph.D.E.E.) degree in 2012. He’s been working
at OMICRON electronics in Klaus, Austria since 2012 as a product manager
specializing in the area of dielectric transformer diagnostics.
Juan L. Velásquez Contreras was born in Venezuela.
He gained his BSc degree in Electrical Engineering from
the UNEXPO (National Experimental Polytechnic
University) in Venezuela in 2002. He then joined CVG
Venalum in Venezuela where he worked as a maintenance
and project engineer for high-voltage assets. In 2006 Juan
joined CITCEA (Center of Technological Innovation)
in Spain. As a project engineer he worked on the
implementation of condition-monitoring systems in power transformers.
From 2008 until 2011 he worked as a product manager for diagnostic
instruments at OMICRON electronics. In 2011 he completed his PhD in
the area of Asset Management of Power Transformers at the Polytechnic
University of Catalonia, in Barcelona, Spain. From 2011 until 2016 Juan
worked as HVDC technology engineer at Amprion GmbH. In August 2016
he started to work as a development and service engineer at Hubert Göbel
GmbH.
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DIAGNOSTICS
Oil-impregnated
paper bushing insulation
diagnostics
Special application of Dielectric Frequency Response measurements
ABSTRACT
As reported in CIGRE TB 642, windings,
tap changers and bushing related
failures are the major contributors
to transformer failure. About 17 % of
transformer breakdowns are caused by
bushing failure which is often followed
by explosion, tank rupture, fire and
potential human harm. To date, the
insulation system in high voltage and
extra-high voltage bushings is mainly
oil-impregnated paper and resin-
134
impregnated paper; in fewer cases,
resin-bonded paper. Some of the
advantages of using oil-impregnated
paper bushings, listed in CIGRE TB
445, are the ability to be used at any
voltage design level with minimum
partial discharge activity, relative low
cost, the possibility to perform non-
intrusive dielectric diagnosis using
dielectric response methods, as well
as the extraction of oil samples for
dissolved gas analysis. Evidencing
these advantages, a combined
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
analysis of the insulation condition
of EHV bushings using dielectric fre­
quency response measurements and
dissolved gas analysis are carried out
at a major North American utility and
are described herein.
KEYWORDS
high voltage bushing, oil-impreg-
nated paper insulation, dielectric
frequency response, DGA
 Diego M. ROBALINO, Ismail GÜNER, Peter WERELIUS

Transformer breakdowns caused by bush-

ing failure are often followed by explosion,
tank rupture, fire and potential human harm

1. Introduction
The continuous growth in power demand
and the need to maintain the highest levels
of quality and reliability in the electrical
power network enforce asset manage­
ment teams to examine and pursue testing
strategies to minimize the risk of operati­
onal down time.
Proper trending of the condition of high
voltage (HV) and extra-high voltage
(EHV) bushings is a priority. CIGRE
TB 642 [1] reports approximately 17 %
of transformer breakdowns caused
by bushing failure are often followed
by explosion, tank rupture, fire and
potential human harm. It is of paramount
importance, therefore, to dedicate suf­
ficient resources to find procedures and
methodologies to be applied as part of the
asset management strategy.
In this work, specialists investigated
different dielectric diagnostic methods
capable to provide significant information
to warn of potential risk of failure of
EHV oil-impregnated paper (OIP)
bushings. Data from power factor/
dissipation factor (PF/DF), capacitance
(C), HV Dielectric Frequency Response
(DFR) measurements and Dissolved
Gas Analysis (DGA) are considered col­
lectively to establish potential correlation
and guidelines for end users.
2. Bushing insulation –
Routine testing practices
2.1. Power factor / Dissipation
factor and capacitance test
The insulation design of HV and EHV
bushings is a series of concentric layers
made of conductive material with one lay­
er made accessible for testing purposes at
an external tap referred to as the test tap.

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 135
 DIAGNOSTICS

a) b)

Figure 1. OIP EHV bushing, power factor / dissipation factor and Dielectric Frequency Response hook up diagram: a) Test on C1 capacitance (UST mode);
b) Test on C2 capacitance (GSTg mode)

Through this test tap, main core insulation
of the bushing is divided into two sub-ca­
pacitances: C1 representing the insulation
between the HV conductor and the test
layer; and, C2 representing the insulation
between the test layer and the flange or
ground when mounted on the transform­
er [2]. The test tap facilitates the execution
of tests such as DFR, including PF/DF and
capacitance of C1 and C2 as presented in
Figure 1.
In the field, the value of C1 capacitance
and PF/DF can be tested and compared
against the information on the bushing’s
nameplate. C1 capacitance is tested un­
der a UST (Ungrounded Specimen Test)
mode. C2 capacitance, as it is the measure­
ment between the test and the flange in­
trinsically connected to ground through
the tank of the transformer, is tested un­
der a GSTg (Grounded Specimen Test
with guard) mode. Bushing insulation PF/
DF is typically a very low value because,
among other reasons, it is generally pro­
cessed to a greater degree of dryness than
transformer insulation [3].
Bushing insulation PF/DF and capaci­
tance routine tests are carried out typically
at 10 kV for C1 and at 500 - 2000  V for
C2 (or at those voltages suggested by the
manufacturer) and at approximately line
frequency according to the application
(50/60 Hz).
It is easier and better to visualize the PF/
DF results as a function of time in a trend­
ing chart. Test results of HV bushings
with identical nameplates and exposed to
s­imilar electrical, thermal and mechanical
stresses are ideal for comparative analysis.
Any bushing with continued power factor
increase should be further investigated
and is a candidate for removal from ser­
vice. A deficiency might be evolving in the
insulation system. As described in CIGRE
TB 642 [1], some of the deficiencies ob­
served in HV OIP bushings’ insulation in­
clude insulating fluid leaks and moisture
contamination. Moisture is not the only
factor leading to (a) an increase of dielec­
tric losses, (b) accelerated aging of the
insulation, and (c) possible failure of the
HV bushing. Excessive partial discharge
activity, accelerated thermal aging, con­
tamination or degradation of the solid
or liquid insulation may also result in
increased dielectric loss and thus in in­
creased PF/DF values.

Take into account that PF/DF testing is

Bushing insulation dissipation factor is typ- not only frequency dependent but also
temperature dependent. For factual trend­
ically very low because it is generally pro- ing analysis, the PF/DF factors obtained
cessed to a greater degree of dryness than in the field should be corrected or nor­
malized to 20 °C. Temperature correction
transformer insulation factors provided by bushing manufactur­

Table 1. International standards’ C1, PF/DF acceptance limits

Maximum
Rated Temperature
Reference Test voltage acceptance PF/DF Factory Field
voltage range °C
value (%)
1.05 . Um
IEC 60137 ≥52 kV and Um 0,7 10 to 40 X
√3
Corrected to
IEEE C57.19.01 ≥69 kV Typically 10 kV for C1 0,5 X
20 °C
Rate of increase
Corrected to
IEEE C57.152 ≥69 kV Typically 10 kV for C1 from 1.5 to 2 times X
20 °C
initial reading

136 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

ers and test equipment manufacturers are Moisture, partial discharge, accelerated
average at best and therefore may or may
not match the true dielectric thermal con­ thermal aging, contamination or degrada-
dition of the HV apparatus at the time of
testing. The use of Individual Temperature
tion of the solid or liquid insulation may re-
Correction (ITC) is advised for accurate sult in increased dielectric loss
PF/DF reference to 20 °C. Details of ITC
as applied to PF/DF correction can be re­
viewed in the literature [4, 5]. Table 2. OIP HV bushings DGA threshold
Concentration
PF/DF and capacitance tests on HV Type of gas
μlgas/loil
bushings for factory acceptance, com­
H2 – Hydrogen 140
missioning and routine testing are re­
commended in technical brochures and CH4 – Methane 40
international standards. Table 1 summari­ C2H2 – Ethylene 30
zes the acceptance limits indicated in the C2H2 – Ethane 70
reference literature [6, 7, 8].
C2H2 – Acetylene 2
2.2. Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) CO – Carbon monoxide 1000
CO2 – Carbon dioxide 3400
Under normal operation condition, ther­
mal and electrical stress in OIP bushings Table 3. Correlation between key gases and possible fault conditions
produce low values of characteristic g­ases Key gas generated Characteristic fault
from the decomposition of solid and H2 Surface discharge
liquid insulation materials. The main
H2; CH4 Partial discharge
causes of abnormal gas generation (high
values of characteristic gases) in OIP HV C 2H 2; C 2H 4 Discharge of high energy
bushings in service are thermal and elec­ H 2; C 2H 2 Discharge of low energy
trical defects. C 2H 4; C 2H 6 Thermal fault in oil
CO; CO2 Thermal fault in paper
DGA has several methods used for inter­
pretation of the concentration of hydro­
Table 4. Correlation between gas ratios and possible fault conditions
carbon gases, including:
Ratio Value Characteristic fault
• Single gas analysis (Key gas method) H2 / CH4 >13 Partial discharge
• Two gases at a time (Rogers, IEC C2H4 / C2H6 >1 Thermal fault in oil
method)
• Three gases (Duval Triangles) C2H2 / C2H4 >1 Discharges
• Most recent, five gases (Duval Pentagons) CO2 / CO > 20 or <1 Thermal fault in paper

The only reference found providing

threshold values for key gases in HV OIP
bushings is IEC TS 61464-1998 [9]. The
threshold values given for hydrocarbon
gases are outlined in Table 2.
If any of the gases exceeds the numbers
listed in Table 2, an active fault condition
may have developed, with possible fault
conditions presented in Table 3.
IEC 61464 [9] provides significant ratios
of gas concentrations and its relation to
characteristic faults encountered in HV
OIP bushings.
3. Dielectric Frequency
Response
DFR is an advanced application of PF/
DF testing. The DFR test set applies a si­
Main causes of abnormal gas generation in
OIP HV bushings in service are thermal and
electrical defects
nusoidal excitation signal of low energy at
the electrode on one end of the insulation
system and measures the total current at
the electrode on the other end of the in­
sulation system under test, including the
phase deviation between applied voltage
and measured current.
The sinusoidal signal applied is of
140 Vrms and varies frequency in a wide
spectrum, typically from 1000  Hz down
to 1 mHz. As a result, a unique dielectric
response curve displaying the correlation
between capacitance, power factor or dis­
sipation factor as a function of frequency
is obtained.
In the field, testing of HV and especially
EHV bushings with DFR is not a simple
task. The information gathered from [10]
describes the effect of electro-magnetic
interference on time domain and frequen­
cy domain dielectric response measure­
ments. The data shows that the dielectric
response in the frequency domain is less
susceptible to the effect of electromag­
netic interference (EMI). Capacitance C1
is typically very small (hundreds of pF)

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 137
 DIAGNOSTICS

10 The use of HV DFR

at 1.4 kVrms allowed
measurement of the
1 dielectric response of
%DF

EHV bushings in 735 kV

substations and it is
0.1
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000
strongly recommend-
OIP 13 %DF @ 0.5 kV
Frequency [Hz]
OIP 13 %DF @ 1.4 kV
ed for this type of ap-
Figure 2. Dielectric response of an EHV OIP bushing measured in an operational 735 kV
plication
substation

and therefore, the current measured at
very low frequencies is very small and
may be affected by DC or AC interference.
For example, the capacitive current of a
365 pF capacitor measured at 10 mHz and
100 V becomes:
Ic = 2πf .C .V = 2π .0,01 .365 .10-12 .100 = 2.29 nA (1)
The only way to overcome such a
measuring challenge is to run DFR at
higher voltages to increase the signal-to-
noise ratio (SNR) and be able to minimize
the effect of noise on the dielectric re­
sponse curves depicting the true condition
of the EHV OIP bushing. Therefore, in
the field and under high EMI, the use
of a voltage booster is recommended.
In Figure 2 the dielectric response of an
EHV OIP bushing is obtained using a
0.5 kVrms signal and a 1.4 kVrms signal.
The 1.4 kVrms provides a smooth re­
sponse and useful information for
analysis.
As observed in Figure 2, the paper insula­
tion dominates the dielectric response and
therefore, on EHV OIP bushings, measure­
ments down to 10 mHz are sufficient for
evaluation. Moreover, changes at 1, 0.1
and 0.01 Hz justify trending not just line
frequency values, as concluded from the
experimental work described next.

4. The experimental work

The asset management team embarked
on a planned investigation to identify the
root cause of failure in EHV OIP bushings
mounted on shunt reactors at 735 kV
p­ower yards. High EMI and temperatures
below 20 °C accompanied the testing pro­
cedure. A 735  kV shunt reactor with the
EHV OIP bushing mounted is presented
in Figure 3.

A total of 25 EHV OIP bushings were

investigated using the following testing
techniques:

• 10 kV PF/DF and capacitance at line

frequency
• DGA
• Dielectric Frequency Response (1 kHz
down to 10 mHz) at 1.4 kVrms

The data was carefully collected, threshold

values were set based on reference stan­
dards listed previously, and the units with
questionable values were singled out for
comparative analysis.

From the PF/DF test at 10 kV and at line

frequency, the numbers did not provide
relevant distinction nor deviation from
Figure 3. Shunt reactor with EHV OIP bushing acceptable limits, as presented in Figure 4.

138 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

As observed in Figure 4, there is almost no
deviation of field tested capacitance and 0.1
certainly no increase of PF/DF at 60  Hz
values properly corrected to 20 °C. It was
0
interesting to observe values of PF with

% Deviation from nameplate value

deviation below 20 % from the nameplate
data. The decrease in PF is under investi­ -0.1
gation.
-0.2
To the contrary, the dielectric response
test provided clear differentiation bet­
ween tested units, as presented in Table 5. -0.3

The data analyzed identifies clear devia­ -0.4

tion of the dielectric response at lower fre­ 0 5 10 15 20 25
Specimen number
quencies, namely 10 Hz and 1 Hz. Based
Deviation C1 Deviation %PF
on this information, a chart with all re­
sults properly corrected to a normalized Figure 4. Percentage deviation from nameplate data; %PF and capacitance of C1 for 24
temperature (20 °C) can be observed and specimens
color-coded accordingly.

The values obtained from DFR testing at

different temperatures and at different
frequencies were normalized to 20 °C
using Individual Temperature Correction
(ITC) algorithm and summarized in
F­igure 5.
Now, the data can be grouped in blocks of
ideal, good and questionable condition.
The units in the chart outside of these
blocks are further investigated against
DGA values to identify potential correla­
tion. Table 6 summarizes the findings.
From Table 6, two units were selected for
DFR
physical investigation (OIP 2 and OIP 19).
Four key gases showed abnormal values
and the10dielectric response at 1 Hz was sig­
nificantly higher than the other 22 units.
The units were carefully disassembled and
their gradient capacitance of each layer
%DF
The DFR data was converted into the DTR
following the ITC principles and it was pos-
sible to confirm the differences in the ther-
mal behavior of frequency PF/DF values at
different temperatures
vealed the presence of X-wax on the most
inner layer of the insulation system. Unit
OIP 17 did present abnormal concentra­
tion of C2H2 but no deviations in the DFR
tests. OIP 17 is under observation.
As presented here, a well-planned and
carefully executed investigation was able
to distinguish units with potential risk of
failure and to determine the root cause of
excessive concentration of key gases in the
Hz and 1 Hz PF/DF values obtained from
DFR test.
Based on these results, the dielectric fre­
quency response data was converted into
the dielectric thermal response following
the ITC principles and it was possible to
confirm the differences in the thermal be­
havior of line frequency PF/DF val­ues at
different temperatures. The analysis con­
firms the condition evaluation of the EHV

1
was tested. The bushing dissection re­ DGA results as well as deviation in the 10 bushings in the frequency domain or in

Table 5.0.1
Dielectric Frequency Response on EHV OIP bushings
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000
Frequency [Hz] %DF @ 20 °C
OIP 1 OIPDFR
2 OIP 13 OIP 14 Specimen Condition
60 Hz 10 Hz 1 Hz 0.1 Hz

10
OIP 1 good 0,3 0,29 0,27 0,32

OIP 2 bad 0,31 0,61 1,58 3,57

%DF

OIP 13 good 0,32 0,29 0,28 0,57

0.1
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000
Frequency [Hz]
OIP 1 OIP 2 OIP 13 OIP 14 OIP 14 good 0,28 0,26 0,25 0,73

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 139
 DIAGNOSTICS

Figure 5. Ranking values for %PF/DF values at different frequencies

The application of the ITC algorithm sup-

ports another approach for analysis of the Figure 6. X-wax found on the most-inner layer of
condition of the insulation, moving from the the EHV bushing disected

DFR to the DTR

the “temperature” domain, as pre­sented in
Table 6. DFR and DGA threshold correlation Figure 7.
Sample DFR threshold DGA Threshold The conversion from DFR into DTR using
1Hz 0.1Hz H2 CO CO2 C 2H 2 CH4 C 2H 6 C 2H 4 the individual temperature correction
OIP 2 X X X X X X (ITC) algorithm was previously published
OIP 5 X
in Transformers Magazine [4]. The Diele­c­
tric Thermal Response (DTR) becomes
OIP 6 X another tool for condition analysis of the
OIP 7 X insulation system based on the thermal
OIP 8 X response of PF/DF properly converted to
OIP 11 X
a wide range of temperatures between 5
and 60 °C. The data suggests establishing
OIP 17 X PF/DF temperature indicators at 40 and
OIP 19 X X X X X X 50 °C. Correlation with DGA analysis is
OIP 21 X carried out and summarized in Table 7.
OIP 22 X
Conclusions
3 The assessment of capacitance and DF/PF
Estimated Line Frequency %PF by ITC

measurements normalized to 20 °C and

2.5 at line frequency was not conclusive. The
2 analysis of the dielectric response corrected
to 40 and 50 °C differentiated the response
1.5 from other units in this project. Therefore,
the application of the Individual Tempera­
1 ture Correction (ITC) algorithm supports
another approach for analysis of the con­
0.5
dition of the insulation moving from the
0 Dielectric Frequency Response to the Diel­
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 ectric Thermal Response.
Temperature [°C]
Because of the low capacitance and
%PF OIP 2 %PF OIP 5 %PF OIP 14 %PF OIP 19 the low frequencies used to obtain the
Figure 7. Dielectric thermal response (DTR) of EHV OIP bushings dielectric response of the C1 capacitance

140 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

in the EHV OIP bushings, the low
current measurement may be affected by
the EMI in the substation. The use of HV
DFR at 1.4 kVrms allowed measurement
of the dielectric response of EHV
bushings in 735 kV substations and it is
strongly recommended for this type of
application.
DGA, DFR and DTR identified OIP 2 and
OIP 19 to be defective. The specific case
of OIP 17 is under observation. In OIP 2
and OIP 19, four key gases presented ab­
normal values and DFR observed elevated
values at 1 Hz. In the analysis of OIP 17,
only one key gas showed higher values of
C2H2, but no other gas has indicated any
reason for concern, neither did DFR. OIP
17 is under observation.
The experimental work and the dissec­
tion carried out on the specimens deter­
mined that DFR technique can be used
to detect the presence of solid particles
of carbon and hydrocarbon polymers
(X-wax).
HV DFR in conjunction with DGA and
routine testing provide a strong support
for asset managers, operations and main­
tenance staff to decide if the EHV bushing
may be considered a potential risk to the
operation.
References
[1] CIGRE TB 642, Transformer Reliabi-
lity Survey, WG A2.37. 2015
[2] CIGRE TB 445, Guide for Transfor-
mer Maintenance, WG A2.34. 2011
[3] IEEE C57.19.100, Guide for the Appli-
cation of Power Apparatus Bushings, 2012
[4] D. Robalino, Individual temperature
compensation – Benefits of dielectric res-
ponse measurements, Transformer Maga­
zine, Vol. 2, Issue 3. July 2015, pp. 42 – 47
[5] D. Robalino, Accurate temperature
Correction of Dissipation Factor data
for Oil-impregnated Paper insulation
Bushings: Field Experience, Proceedings
of the IEEE CEIDP, 2011
[6] IEC 60137, Insulated bushings for
alternating voltages above 1000 V, fifth
edition, 2003-08
[7] IEEE C57.152, Guide for Diagnostic
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Table 7. Correlation between DTR and DGA
Indicator
Sample
Thermal Indicator DGA
Response
40 °C 50 °C H2 CO CO2 C 2H 2 CH4 C 2H 6 C 2H 4
OIP 2 X X X X X X
OIP 17 X
OIP 19 X X X X X X
Field Testing of Fluid-Filled Power Trans- gas analysis (DGA) in bushings where oil
formers, Regulators, and Reactors, 2013 is the impregnating medium of the main
insulation
[8] IEEE C57.19.00, Standard General
Requirements and Test Procedures for [10] P. Werelius, M. Ohlen, J. Skoldin,
Power Apparatus Bushings, NY, 2005 Dielectric Frequency Response Mea­
surement Technology for Measurements
[9] IEC TS 61464:1998, Insulated bushings in High Interference AC and HVDC
- Guide for the interpretation of dissolved Substations, TechCon Asia Pacific, 2011
Authors
Diego Robalino currently works for Megger as
Principal Engineer, where he specializes in the diagnosis
of complex electrical testing procedures. While doing
research in power system optimization with a focus on
aging equipment at Tennessee Technological University,
Robalino received his electrical engineering Ph.D. from
that institution. Robalino has over 20 years of involvement
in the electrical engineering profession with management
responsibilities in the power systems, oil and gas, and research arenas.
Dr. Robalino is a Senior Member of the IEEE, member of the IEEE transformers
main committee and a Certified Project Management Professional with the PMI.
Ismail Güner received the B.E. degree in electrical
engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal,
Canada. He worked as an electrical design engineer in
large power transformers industry. He currently holds
the position of transformer asset management engineer
at Hydro-Québec. He is an active member of IEEE
transformers committee working groups.
Peter Werelius received his Ph.D. in electrical en­gi­n­­e­er­­
ing from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden,
developing the Dielectric Frequency Response (DFR)
technique for diagnosis of medium voltage XLPE cables.
Peter began his professional career starting up a spin-off
company, WaBtech, in 1996, manufacturing the first field
DFR test equipment. Peter improved and further developed
DFR technology and its applications under WaBtech,
Programma, GE, Pax Diagnostics and now Megger. Peter works for Megger
Sweden as an applications and product specialist with responsibilities related
to research, product development, product sustainability and training for the
Megger Global organization. Dr. Werelius is a member of SEK TC14, IEEE and
CIGRE and actively participates in working groups and task forces, especially
those related to FDS/DFR and SFRA. Throughout his career, he has participated
in relevant technical conferences, authored technical papers and patents.
141
DIAGNOSTICS

Bushings are
a critical part
of the transform-
er, and their failures
often have destructive
consequences for the
transformer, with a
high risk of fire

ABSTRACT
Bushings are highly stressed parts
of power transformers and their
Diagnostics of HV
failures can lead to a transformer
breakdown. The diagnostics and
predictive surveillance of bushings
bushings through
oil sampling and
is essential for uninterrupted oper-
ation of transformers. Diagnostic
tools applied include electrical tests,
thermography and, to a minor extent,

analysis
oil analysis for oil-impregnated bush-
ings. This paper gives a short review
of bushing types and related appli-
cations, including procedures for in
field inspection and oil sampling.
Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) issues Experience with GSU transformers
in bushings’ mineral oil are briefly
discussed and diagnostic criteria for 1. Introduction Bushings are extremely stressed equip­
DGA interpretation are given, com-
ment, subject to a strong electric field in­
paring the experience of the authors
Bushings are essential accessories of tensity with great difference of electrical
with the available literature and stan-
powe­r transformers, circuit breakers potential and close distances.
dards.
and other electrical equipment, making
the connection between high voltage A significant percentage of all transformer
KEYWORDS wind­ings and inlet or outlet conductors. failures is caused by defective bushings
They allow the high voltage conductor and such failures can destroy a transform­
mineral oil, SF6, bushings, transform- to pass through the tank walls, which are er. A recent survey by CIGRE [1] conclu­
er, DGA, diagnosis ground­ed. ded that 30 % of all bushing faults resulted

142 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


in transformer fire and 10 % in burst or
explosion.
Making a systematic diagnostic surveil­
lance of HV bushing is essential for safe
operation of transformers. Therefore,
even if it is complex and quite expensive,
many big utilities and power generation
companies include monitoring of aging
and degradation of bushing in their main­
tenance policy.
The most widely applied diagnostic and
predictive tools are thermography and
electrical tests, such as measurement of
capacity, dielectric losses, power factor
(tan delta) and partial discharges.
Oil analysis is not a common practice;
nevertheless, it has been recognized as a
reliable tool for detecting aging and bush­
ing degradation at an early stage and, con­
sequently, for driving the corrective and
preventive maintenance actions in a very
effective way.
Since 1998, a big nuclear power gen­
eration company in France has been
performing a visual inspection and oil
sampling and analysis of HV bushings of
their GSU power transformers: more than
700 pieces of equipment are systematically
controlled, with about 17 % of them being
under enforced surveillance, and 5 %
replaced before experiencing a failure.
2. Technology of bushings
Bushings for systems having a voltage
over 36 kV are capacitor type, designed
to reduce maximum field stress and op­
timize field distribution in both axial and
radial directions when passing through a
ground­ed transformer enclosure.
HV bushings are typically composed of a
core, made from a conductor wounded as
a fuse by several layers of paper, alternated
with thin aluminium sheets, and of an ex­
ternal housing of porcelain or polymeric
material.
Three main technologies for capacitor
bushings have evolved over the years: the
Resin-bonded Paper (RBP) type, the Oil-
impregnated Paper (OIP) type and the
Resin-impregnated Paper (RIP) type.
Due to their manufacturing process, RBP
bushings are not guaranteed free from
partial discharges and tend to show high­
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Riccardo ACTIS, Riccardo MAINA, Vander TUMIATTI
er dissipation factors than OIP and RIP
bushings. Moreover, since RBP cores are
not gas tight, they cannot be used in appli­
cations involving SF6 apparatus.
For the above mentioned reasons, and
because of the relatively low acquisition
cost, OIP bushings still dominate today’s
market. Here, the capacitor core is im­
pregnated with transformer grade min­
eral oil and placed inside a housing made
of porcelain or a composite insulator to
avoid moisture ingress.
Among the OIP bushing population, two
categories of equipment may be identified:
• Oil-air type bushing, where the capaci­
tor core impregnated with mineral oil is
sealed but in contact with dry air or ni­
trogen blanket, Fig. 1. The HV terminal
is surrounded by open air
• Oil-SF6 type, where the capacitor core
is sealed, being completely filled with
mineral insulating oil, and the HV ter­
minal is surrounded by SF6 gas
In both cases, the capacitor core remains
in a closed liquid environment throughout
its lifetime and there may be occasional
problems of leakage around gaskets.
The oil-SF6 type may also be affected by
leakages of SF6 gas, which have a higher
pressure (up to 2 bar), into the oil com­
partment, resulting in an excessive in­
crease of the internal pressure and the
auto­
matic disconnection of the trans­
former by electrical contact trip.
The SOT bushing, Fig. 2, is largely used in
the gas insulated terminal of GSU trans­
formers in French nuclear power plants.
The capacitor core of this bushing is filled
with oil under vacuum and sealed to pre­
vent air or moisture inlet. An expansion
bellow allows for changes in oil volume
under temperature variations, with two
electrical switches operating an alarm if
oil volume reaches the maximum or min­
imum level. Being completely isolated
from the gas compartment and from the
Even if not a common practice, oil analysis
has been recognized as a reliable tool for
early detection of bushing degradation
transformer tank, during outage periods,
when oil temperature is low, the oil com­
partment may be at negative pressure. A
loss of tightness of the sealing gaskets may
induce moisture and air entering from
the atmosphere. On the other hand, if the
sealing gaskets between SF6 compartment
and filling oil are corrupted, an increas­
ing amount of SF6 gas may enter into the
bushing’s oil. The insulation properties
of the liquid insulation are not affected
by the presence of SF6, but an excessive
compression of the bellow may occur,
resulting in an unexpected trip of the oil
maximum level switch.
Other models of oil-SF6 bushings, from
different manufacturers, can be found in
service, such as CTkg, CTg, CTzk, Fig. 3,
etc. They have expansion bellows of an­
cient technology, where the filling oil of
the bushing core is always kept at positive
pressure, by the transformer oil hydro­
static pressure or by an inner spring.
3. Visual inspection and oil
sampling
A regular inspection of the external state
of bushings is the first method of collec­
ting information about their health. Pre­
sence of rust, oil leakages or bleedings,
as shown in Fig. 4, as well as ruptures or
t­races of discharges on the porcelain sur­
face, moisture or dust into the capacitive
plug are all evidence of aging easy to ob­
serve and useful to initiate a condition
based maintenance action.
Oil sampling from oil-air bushings is not a
critical or hard operation; it may be easily
done from the top of the bushing using a
syringe and a plugging hose. Oil sampling
from a sealed type bushing, such as oil-SF6
type bushings, can be done using the oil
filling and/or drainage valves. The temp­
erature of the oil and the expansion quota
of the bellow should be measured before
and after sampling. When necessary, a
top-up with pre-treated unused mineral
oil should be performed.
Oil sampling from and topping-up of oil-
gas bushings are critical operations which
143
 DIAGNOSTICS
Figure 1. Oil-air bushing
require skilled and trained personnel who
are equipped with proper tools and oper­
ating a reliable and proven technical prac­
tice, Fig. 5. The air entering the bushing
core during sampling operation or during
oil top-up after sampling may generate
partial discharges or insulation break­
down, thus it should be strictly avoided.
4. Oil analysis
A typical monitoring plan, based on oil
analysis, generally includes a few basic
tests, which require low oil volume, but
provide key information about aging or
degradation of the bushing core.
The recommended tests are:
• Dissolved Gases Analysis (DGA), ac­
cording to IEC 60567 [1]
• Water content, according to IEC 60814 [3]
• Dielectric Dissipation Factor (DDF) of
the oil, according to IEC 60247 [4]
Bushings are sealed equipment where
gases accumulate during the life, and gas
concentrations and ratios are different from
those in transformers
144
Figure 2. Oil-SF6 bushing SOT model
For oil-gas bushings the DGA shall in­
clude the measurement of SF6 dissolved in
the mineral oil. Other tests such as parti­
cles, metals, furanic compounds or corro­
sive sulphur are considered complement­
ary, addressed to specific investigation
purposes.
4.1 DGA in bushing’s oil
In the power transformer application,
DGA is the main diagnostic tool which
provides information about oil and paper
thermal degradation and presence of par­
tial discharges and other electrical faults.
The measurement of SF6 concentration
in the insulating liquid is a key parame­
ter for monitoring gasket tightness. SF6 is
not among the gases detected by the IEC
60567 [2] analysis method. There are two
main problems which are encountered
when a traditional DGA method is ap­
plied to SF6 detection. First, this method,
as well as ASTM D3612 [5], requires the
use of an in-line methanizer to convert
carbon oxides in methane in order to im­
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
Figure 3. View of a CTzk bushing model
prove the sensitivity of quantifying CO
and CO2. SF6 can react with the nickel-
based catalyst of the methanizer and con­
sequently be converted to nickel sulfide
and get trapped. This leads to a partial or
complete loss of SF6, and a progressive
reduction of the methanizer efficiency,
resulting in underestimated values of car­
bon oxides, even in the following samples
which are not affected by the presence of
SF6. Moreover, SF6 cannot be easily sepa­
rated from other gases (i.e. ethylene and
acetylene) with the commonly used chroma­
tographic columns, e.g. PLOT Q type
(Agilent) or similar. PLOT type column
(Porous Layer Open Tubular) belongs to
the gas-solid GC (gas chromatographic)
columns, and usually provides good sepa­
ration of very volatile solutes (gases — C1-
C3 hydrocarbons). The Q-type stationary
phase is a porous polymer.
Different approaches have been used
to detect SF6 during the DGA test, with
most of them requiring some modifica­
tion to the ordinary DGA procedure. For
example, gas chromatographic columns
that allow a better separation of SF6 from
hydrocarbons have been tested, as well
as shin-carbon type columns (Restek —
high surface area carbon molecular sieve)
which allow a good separation of SF6, but
require longer analysis runtime. Alumina
type columns are also used.
The presence of the methanizer remains
to be the main issue. SF6 should not pass
through this device in order to avoid
irreversible retain. While this can be
resolved by eliminating the methanizer,
Fig. 6, it also implies that CO and CO2
sensitivity will be severely jeopardized. The
use of detectors different from FID (Flame
Ionization Detector) and TCD (Thermal
Conductivity Detector) is a possible
solution to avoid the methanizer, such as
PDD (Pulsed Discharges Detector), Figs.
7 and 8.
Other approaches use a multiple-valve
switching to bypass the methanizer dur­
ing the chromatographic run, while SF6 is
being eluted.
However, the above mentioned ap­
proaches are not standardized and would
require an effort from normalization bo­
dies (IEC and others) to produce standard
methods for SF6 detection.
5. Typical reference values
for diagnostic purposes
Typical DGA values in bushings are re­
ported in two IEC documents: IEC 60599
[5] (table A.10) and IEC TR 61464 [6],
which is shown in Table 1. Both tables
converge giving the same reference values,
corresponding to the 90th percentile of the
population.
These values are commonly used as a ref­
erence for the diagnostics of faults in bush­
ings, but the experience of the authors
suggests that some of them are not real­
istic. More than 10 years of regular DGA
survey of HV bushings indicates that
Figure 4. Rusty and leaking valve on CTG bushing
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
The authors’ experience suggests that some
of the values, commonly used as a reference
for the diagnos-tics of faults in bushings,
are not realistic and seem to require revision
many gases can be present in much higher
concentrations, even in absence of faulty
conditions.
It must be considered that bushings are
sealed equipment, and thus gases have no
way to escape from the oil (as happens in
transformers through the open conser­
vator). Gases accumulation during the
life of the bushing may result in CO/CO2
ratios higher than those expected in power
transformer oils. Very often carbon monox­
ide is present at a concentration of the same
order of magnitude of carbon diox­ ide;
this behavior, which in power transform­ers
leads to abnormal paper degradation con­
ditions, is quite typical in bushings. In fact,
CO is a very volatile gas which escapes
quite rapidly from the oil in open systems
(such as power transformers), lead­ing to
a lower CO/CO2 ratio. The same carbon
oxides’ rate of generation in bush­ ings
c­auses an apparent enrichment in CO.
This means that typical values of the two
carbon oxides should be higher.
Other gases may accumulate in the
bushing oil during the time. Ethane
is one of them. Especially in the last
decade when mineral oils with a relevant
stray gassing formation have entered
the market, ethane is formed and
accumulated in the oil of bushings. The
consequence is that a healthy apparatus
can easily show ethane levels up to
250-300 µl/l (ppm by volume). The same
can be said of hydrogen. This increasing
tendency of oils to form stray gassing is
currently under investigation by CIGRE,
e.g. within the D1.70 WG.
So, the normal values reported in the
currently available standards seem
to require a revision, based on actual
values observed in the tested bushings
population. According to the experience
of the authors, and relying on a
population of 1,400 bushings regularly
surveyed (which includes bushings
from other generation plants), 90 % of
the population values were estimated as
reported in Table 2.
Finally, how to distinguish a problematic
bushing from a healthy one? The answer
relies more on gas increase rates than on
concentrations.
Figure 5. Oil sampling from SOT bushing
145
 DIAGNOSTICS

Table 1. Normal values for dissolved gases in

bushings (IEC TR 61464 [6])
Concentrations
Type of gas
µl gas/l oil
Hydrogen (H2) 140
Methane (CH4) 40
Ethylene (C2H4) 30
Ethane (C2H6) 70
Acetylene (C2H2) 2
Carbon monoxide (CO) 1,000
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 3,400

Table 2. Typical 90 % values for dissolved gases

(expressed in µl/l) in bushings (author’s enquiry)
GAS 90 % typical value
Figure 6. Example of SF6 detection in DGA, TCD detector, with a switching valve to exclude the H2 184
methanizer CH4 98
C 2H 6 104
C 2H 4 22
C 2H 2 0
CO 902
CO2 1,663

Gases accumulation along the time is

q­uite slow, and can be observed in the
trend analysis as a smooth-sloped curve.
Fault-related gassing (typically hydro­
gen increase) can be identified as a rapid
and sharp formation. To appreciate the
difference, regular DGA survey is strict­
ly necessary. Gas formation rates are not
easy to calculate from robust statistical
populations because of the relatively low
testing frequency. In the authors’ statis­
tical enquiry, it was possible to calculate
typical values, but calculating the increase
Figure 7. Example of SF6 detection in DGA, PDD detector
rate requires a larger amount of data. As a
rule of thumb, it is possible to consider a
gas formation rate as abnormal if the slope
of the gas evolution curve changes sharply
compared to the historical data.

In the absence of fault symptoms, regular

DGA testing frequency can be applied
(each 12 to 36 months), but in case of
evidence of abnormal gas formation, the
controls should be run more frequently,
even weekly or daily in worst cases.

DGA on bushings may

require some special
analytical solutions
when SF6 can contam-
Figure 8. Example of SF6 detection in DGA (separation from ethylene), PDD detector inate the oil
146 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
As a rule of thumb, a gas formation rate can tric dissipation factor (tan d) and d.c.
resistivity, 2004
be considered as abnormal if the slope of
the gas evolution curve changes sharply [5] ASTM D3612 – 02, Standard Test
Method for Analysis of Gases Dissolved
compared to the historical data in Electrical Insulating Oil by Gas Chro-
matography, 2009

Once an abnormal condition is found
(based on the increase rate of gases), key
ratios allow identification of the fault type.
The key ratio criteria are very similar to
the ones usually applied in power trans­
former diagnostics. The main difference
is that the H2/CH4 ratio linked to partial
discharges is quite higher than the one
applied to power transformers: 13 vs. 10.
This is another consequence of the fact
that bushings are sealed units, and hydro­
gen cannot escape once formed.
ment - Sampling of gases and of oil for
analysis of free and dissolved gases –
Guidance, 2011
[3] IEC 60814, Insulating liquids - Oil-
impregnated paper and pressboard -
Determination of water by automatic
coulometric Karl Fischer titration, 1997
[4] IEC 60247, Insulating liquids - Mea-
surement of relative permittivity, dielec-
[6] IEC 60599, Mineral oil-filled electri-
cal equipment in service - Guidance on
the interpretation of dissolved and free
gases analysis, 2015
[7] IEC TR 61464:1998, Insulated
bushings - Guide for the inter­ pre­
ta­
tion of dissolved gas analysis (DGA)
in bushings where oil is the
impregnating medium of the main
insulation, 1998

Partial discharges are the most frequent­

ly observed type of fault in bushings. Of
course, strong stray gassing can simulate
PD, and the hydrogen formation should
always be confirmed to be in positive
and fast evolution to link it with a real
PD phenomenon; and electrical PD mea­
surement should be performed as a final
confirmation. Localized overheating (that
generates ethylene as the main gas) is quite
rare. C2H2 formation above 2 µl/l is always
an alarming symptom, and often leads to
the replacement of the unit.
Conclusions
Bushings are a critical part of the trans­
former, and their failures often have de­
structive consequences for the transform­
er, with a high risk of fire. Their regular
inspection, by means of electrical on-line
testing (continuous) and oil sampling (an­
nual), is of a paramount importance to
ensure transformer reliability. DGA is a
powerful tool for predictive maintenance,
but its interpretation requires certain ex­
perience and a sufficient background in
real cases in order to correctly estimate
the typical values and, most of all, the gas
rates of increase that can be associated to
a faulty condition. DGA on bushings may
require some special analytical solutions
when SF6 can contaminate the oil.
References
[1] CIGRE Brochure 642, Transformer
Reliability Survey, 2015
[2] IEC 60567, Oil-filled electrical equip-
Authors
Riccardo Actis holds a degree in mechanical engineering
obtained from Polytechnic University of Turin in 1995.
Today he is the Head Manager of the On-Site Service
Department at Sea Marconi, with 15 years of experience
at the organization and follow-up on-site work activities
gained in Italy, France, Spain and other EU countries.
Riccardo has a deep knowledge of condition based
maintenance, as well as treatment and decontamination
techniques for mineral insulating oils. He participates in standardization
working groups of IEC TC10 , CEI TC14, and CIGRE.
Riccardo Maina has been working for Sea Marconi
Technologies since 2001. As the Laboratory Manager at
Sea Marconi he has developed new analytical methods
for oil analysis, diagnostics and decisional algorithms for
test interpretation, software for data mining and LCA.
Riccardo is a member of the Italian IEC TC10 National
Committee since 2002, and is actively participating in
several WGs and MTs of IEC TC10 and Cigre SC D1
and A2, dealing with analytical methods (particles, DGA, acidity, additives,
metals), maintenance guides, and guides for interpretation and diagnostics
(oil degradation, DGA, thermal life of cellulose). He is the author of many
papers on diagnostics, transformers LCA, and corrosive sulphur. In 2008, he
was awarded the IEC 1906 Award.
Vander Tumiatti is the founder and owner of Sea
Marconi Technologies, established in 1968 in Torino,
Italy. Within the company, which is involved in research,
technologies, products and services for energy & en-
vironment, he has developed BAT & BEP Sustainable
Solutions for Life Cycle Management (LCM) of insulting
liquids and transformers focalized on inventory, control,
diagnosis, decontamination, depolarization (DBDS, TCS,
Polar Compounds) end dehalogenation /detoxification (PCBs/POPs). Vander
has more than 40 international patents and is the author of many international
technical and scientific publications. He has been the Assistant Secretary of
IEC TC10 since 2000. He is also a member of several international groups,
with major participation in technical normative activities (CEN, IEC, CIGRE,
IEEE). In 2009, he was awarded the IEC 1906 Award.

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 147
MAINTENANCE

ABSTRACT
Many oil-filled large power transform- Transformer
bushings and oil
ers have been in service for years.
One issue with aging transformers is
addressing oil leaks. This article de-
scribes a cost-effective technique for

leaks
repairing these oil leaks. Repairs can
be made without draining the oil, or
removing bushings. Often the repairs
can be made with the transformer
in service. This article presents the
techniques used by a company that A cost effective way to address oil and
has been performing leak repairs on
electric substation equipment since nitrogen leaks
1988, and works exclusively on elec-
tric substation equipment. 1. Introduction tried and true major component of the
transmission-type electric substation.
The oil-filled large power transformer is Additionally, the oil-filled transformer is
KEYWORDS still the workhorse of the electric power still the norm when it comes to subtrans­
industry. Even with the advances in the mission and distribution substations too.
transformer bushing, leak repair, technology of other insulating media, The opinion of this author is that many of
power transformer, SF6 the large oil-filled transformer is still the these transformers were built in the pre-

148 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017


There are many older
oil-filled transformers
in service throughout
the world and despite
being built to last, they
have some aging is-
sues, one of the great-
est being oil leaks
computer era with margin factors based
upon manual calculations performed by
engineers with a built-to-last mentality.
Thus, there are many older oil-filled trans­
formers in service throughout the world.
Even though they were built to last, they
do have their share of old age issues com­
ing to bear. One of the greatest issues is oil
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
Steven H. WICKMAN
leaks. Gaskets on bushings, radiator flan­
ges, pumps, piping etc. are deteriorat­ing
and leaking. If oil is leaking out, there is a
risk of moisture and air being drawn in via
capillary action, compromising the trans­
former oil insulating qualities.
The classic repair technique is to take the
transformer out of service, drain the oil
(usually thousands of gallons), remove
radiators, remove bushings, etc. Taking
equipment out of service for weeks at a
time, and utilizing large substation crews,
cranes, tankers, vacuum fill-oil processing
trailers, etc. can be a costly endeavor. Figure 1. Unsightly oil leaks running down the
Today’s electric utility management is side of a large power transformer
monitoring expenses closely. Trans­
mission operations are wheeling power
from far away generation sources to the
local utility distribution load centers.
Outages on transmission equipment are
closely scheduled, and lengthy outages are
not granted on short notice for emergent
repairs. The operations staff are coming
to the maintenance staff asking for other
solutions to address these oil leak repairs.
The US EPA SPCC Regulations [1] contain Figure 2. Oil leaks at the base flange of high
stringent requirements for electric utilities voltage bushing pockets
to monitor their equipment to prevent oil
discharges off their substation properties.
Even slight oil leaks, creating stains down
the sides of transformers and oil circuit
breakers, create a negative perception to
the general public that the utility is not
maintaining their equipment to a high
standard of reliability. Figure 1 illustrates
such an oil stain running down the side
of a large high voltage power transformer,
while oil leaks and stains at the base flange
of high voltage bushing pockets can be
seen in Figure 2. Oil leak quantities can
be great enough to require the use of
Figure 3. Oil leaks running down the side of a
absorbent material in granular form, such
as that applied in Figure 3, or in rectangular
large power transformer and contained with oil
absorbent material
oil absorbent pads [2] to contain an oil
release to keep it from running into the
substation drainage system and potentially
running off the station property into the
general environment outside the station.
2. Substation leak seal
technique
An alternative oil leak repair technique
entails a process of addressing the individ­
ual oil leaks by means of drilling and in­
jecting sealant compound into the leaking
transformer gasket groove on the leaking Figure 4. Repair being made to a lower level
flange. This technique will work on ra­ radiator flange by injecting sealant into the
diator flanges, pump flanges, piping flan­ gasket groove with the transformer in normal
ges, as well as injecting into flapper valve service
149
 MAINTENANCE
Figure 5a. Sketch depicting the drill and inject
nozzle-valve placed to fill the gasket groove of
the flange
If oil is leaking out, there is a risk of moisture
and air being drawn in via capillary action,
compromising the transformer oil insulating
qualities
stems. These repair techniques require an
initial inspection, usually performed with
the transformer in service. Many repairs
on the lower end of transformer radiators,
and pumps and piping can be performed
with the transformer in service. Leaks on
the upper end of radiators and bushing
flanges usually require an outage for safe
work clearances, but can be performed in
one or two days.
Similar leak seal techniques have been
performed on piping and equipment flan­
ges in refineries, paper mills, and petro­
chemical plants for years. These leak seal
techniques are considered “high pressure”
leak repairs, as opposed to “low pressure”
leak repairs which are the approach to re­
pairing leaks in electric substation appa­
ratus. The approaches to repairing a high
pressure leak and a low pressure leak can
be extremely different. Additionally, the
sealing compounds used in the various
high pressure repairs are many due to the
possible reactions between the sealant
and the materials being transported in
the high pressure piping systems. All leak
sealing work on electric substation appa­
ratus can be performed with just one va­
riety of leak sealing compound that does
not react adversely with transformer oils,
nitrogen, or SF6 gas.
In 1988, a leak sealing technician by the
name of John Edmon, who had regularly
150
Figure 5b. Actual injection valve in place
been doing repair work on piping at a
power plant in the western U.S, was asked
by the utility’s senior equipment specialist
if it was possible to apply high pressure leak
seal techniques to repairing transformer
oil leaks. Following this inquiry, John
Edmon worked with an equipment
engineer and developed the low pressure
substation leak seal technique.
Figure 4 depicts a technician injecting
sealant into a gasket groove on a lower
level radiator (cooler) flange. This type of
leak repair can easily be performed with
the transformer still in service. Thus the
leak repair is completed in hours versus
the days or weeks required to drain the
transformer and remove the radiators to
regasket the leaking flange.
Figure 5a is a close up sketch of the valve
used to inject the sealant compound into
a gasket groove. Figures 5b and 5c are
actual photos of injection valves in place
ready for pumping sealant into a gasket
groove. This can be a piping flange gasket
The oil leak repair entails a process of drill-
ing and injecting sealant compound into the
leaking transformer gasket groove on the
leaking flange
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
Figure 5c. An injection valve with the hose to
the injection tool connected
groove or a bushing or bushing pocket
gasket groove. The common practice is to
drill several holes and install several valves
around the flange and pump the sealant
until the gasket groove is filled, effectively
stopping the leak.
3. Techniques for addressing
bushing-related oil leaks
3.1 Bushing pockets
Bushing pockets introduce another set of
gasketed flanges requiring sealing. Figure
6 shows a common style of bushing pock­
et. The technique of drilling an access hole
to the gasket groove and injecting under
pressure the sealant compound into the
gasket groove, essentially creating a new
gasket without disassembly of the trans­
former to access the gasket groove. Then
the drilled hole is threaded and a plug is
inserted to contain the sealant under pres­
sure.
3.2 Bushing flanges
Often the bushing flange is the leaking
culprit. If the drill and inject technique
cannot be used, the next solution is to
fabricate a precision clamp of machined
aluminum and utilize the existing bolts
to hold the clamp in place. This clamp
Figure 6. High voltage bushing pocket with oil stains running from the transformer top down the side. Note the black material at the top of the pocket,
which is most likely an attempt by the utility to stop the leak with an externally applied material.
creates an additional cavity over the
leaking flange that can contain the sealing
compound under pressure and stop the
leak. Figure 7 shows a bushing leaking at
the interface between the porcelain and
the steel base of the bushing.
Figure 8 shows the precision fabricated
aluminum clamp installed around the
leaking bushing at this porcelain and steel
interface. This clamp becomes the cavity
that is filled with the leak seal compound.
Figure 9 shows half of the aluminum
clamp before the other section is bolted in
place, showing also the cavity in the center
Figure 7. High voltage bushing leaking at the
interface between the porcelain and the steel
base
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m
of the clamp. One can also see the rubber
gaskets on the aluminum clamp above
and below the leak seal cavity. These gas­
kets help hold the clamp in place and pre­
vent damage to the bushing as the clamp is
bolted into place.
Figure 10 depicts one half of the alumi­
num clamp prior to mounting around the
bushing.
After the clamp is bolted together in place
around the leaking flange on the bushing,
injection valves, as depicted in Figure 5a,
are used to fill the cavity in the clamp.
Figure 8. Close up of a precision fabricated
aluminum clamp installed at the base of a high
voltage bushing
Fig­ure 11 shows a technician pumping
the leak seal compound into the clamp.
These nozzle-looking valves are removed
and threaded plugs are placed into the in­
jection holes to contain the sealant in the
cavity.
The repair specialists for performing this
work have addressed enough flange leaks
on bushing pockets and bushings that they
have a library over 100 clamp designs that
can be utilized to create the clamp needed.
There is a finite number of bushing styles
commonly found on current in-service
transformers that they often have the di­
Figure 9. Close up of the inside of a split style
aluminum clamp in place on the bushing base
151
 MAINTENANCE
Figure 10. One half of a precision bolted aluminum clamp prior to mounting around a
bushing
Figure 11. Technician pumping the leak seal compound into the clamp around the bushing
Figure 12. Sample of a measurement diagram that the technicians use to document the
dimensions of a bushing for the precise fabrication of a clamp
mensions of the clamp needed on file.
Or, they can create a custom clamp based
upon their measurements that can be fab­
ricated and express shipped to the work
site in a day or two. Figure 12 is a sample
of a measurement diagram that the tech­
nicians use to document the dimensions
of a bushing for the precise fabrication of
a clamp. The measurement diagram is sent
152
to the machining fabricator and the clamp
is airfreighted to the work site usually the
next day for installation.
4. Clamp material
The clamps are usually fabricated from
cast aluminum, where molten aluminum
is poured into a pattern and core box and
TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
Some leaks can only
be addressed by us-
ing fabricated clamps
which are machined
to a smooth finish
with no sharp edges to
eliminate any possible
corona issues
finished to precise dimensions to fit the
specific component that is leaking. Alu­
minum is used because of its properties
to not corrode in an outdoor environ­
ment. This is the same reason aluminum
is commonly used in electrical substations
for bus bar and live connection details to
the apparatus. Occasionally, the leak re­
pair clamps are required in an area that
could compromise electrical insulation
clearances. These cases call for a clamp
made of non-conducting polyvinyl chlo­
ride [PVC] material. The PVC enclosures
are typically manufactured from four-
inch thick PVC plate sheets. Additionally,
some repairs could call for a combination
aluminum and PVC clamp to maintain
the electrical clearances. The reason car­
bon steel is not used in the fabrication of
these clamps is the fact that steel is much
heavier than aluminum, and it would take
longer to fabricate the components, run­
ning up labor costs, plus it rusts and cor­
rodes in the outdoor environment [3]. Fig­
ure 13 depicts a bushing with the typical
split-type aluminum clamp at the bottom,
the common style discussed earlier in this
article. Additionally, it shows the thread­
ed style one piece clamp at the top of the
bushing. This clamp is designed to fit and
thread on the top stud between the top of
the bushing and the lead connector pad.
All the aluminum clamps are machined
to a smooth finish with no sharp edges
or points to eliminate any possible coro­
na issues that would be present in a high
voltage (138 kV and above) environment.
5. SF6 and GIS installations
SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) gas is commonly
used as a dielectric medium in newer cir­
cuit breakers as well as the compact design
of substations in congested urban areas
throughout the world, where space for
electric substations is at a premium. The
GIS (gas insulated switchgear) will have
 If the sealant does get into the transformer
tank or oil-filled cavity of a bushing, it will
not react adversely with transformer oil, ni-
trogen, or SF6

sealant is formulated with good dielectric
and power factor qualities. If the sealant
does get into the transformer tank or oil-
filled cavity of a bushing, it will not react
adversely with transformer oil, nitrogen,
or SF6. Thus all repairs can be made with
only one type of sealing compound as
opposed to having to maintain a stock of
multiple types of sealing compound. It
is considered to be “technician and cus­
tomer friendly”, meaning it is of such a
property for installation (injection) by
means of a hydraulic sealant injection gun
and cures to the necessary durometer to
replicate the gasket material it is replacing
[4]. Additionally, the material remains soft
Figure 13. High voltage bushing with a preci-
sion aluminum split style clamp at the base as
well as a threaded style clamp at the top of the
bushing
and if the repaired component requires
disassembly or removal, the cured sealing
compound is always soft and pliable. It
never hardens. The containment clamp
can be removed and the compound cut
out with a knife allowing the component
to be taken apart. Then upon the assembly
the technicians can come back and rein­
stall the clamp or a new clamp and reseal
the leak. The sealant does not stick to the
metal surfaces of the transformer, nor lea­
ve a residue of any kind. Figures 15a, 15b
and 15c show how the sealant compound
appears in place around a bushing with
the clamp removed. Figure 15d shows
the sealing compound cut away from the

interconnections with flanges between the

switchgear and any transformer bushings
required as part of the substation design.
The overall view of a GIS to transformer
interconnection is depicted in Figure 14a,
with a close up image in Figure 14b. This
interconnection is essentially a transform­
er bushing with an SF6-filled environment
on the GIS bus side and an oil-immersed
bushing on the transformer side.

These leak sealing techniques can be ap­

plied to the flanges on the GIS SF6-filled
components just as well as on the tradi­
tional bushings on oil-filled transformers. Figure 14a. SF6 GIS bus connections to high voltage bushings on top of a transformer
The utilization of various custom de­signed
clamps is more prevalently used in the SF6
environment as opposed to the drill and
inject technique.

6. Properties of the sealant

material
The sealant used by the prevalent leak
sealing firm depicted in this article is de­
signed to be of the same durometer pro­
perties as the commonly used O-ring and
gasket materials used in the flanges on
today’s transformers and bushings. It has
the same ability to expand and contract to
facilitate a good seal under all conditions
between hot summer and cold winter. The Figure 14b. Close up of the GIS to transformer connections

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 153
 MAINTENANCE

This repair technique is extremely cost ef-

fective not only in controlling labor and ma-
terial costs, but also in minimizing outage
down time for the apparatus

Figures 15a, 15b and 15c. Three views of a
bushing with a portion of a previously installed
bolted clamp removed
bushing, depicting how soft and pliable it
is. The mesh material in this photo is what
is commonly put in place around the por­
celain of a bushing to (a) keep the clamp
from creeping up the bushing as the seal­
ant is pumped into the cavity in the clamp,
and (b) to protect the porcelain from
being scratched or chipped. Note that
the sealing compound is soft and does
not adhere to either the porcelain or the
steel. The sealant, having similar proper­
ties to the gasket material it is formulated
to replace, also has a similar life to that of
the gasket materials. The potential bene­
fit of the sealant compound installations
is that when the sealant gasket begins to
leak again it can be potentially replaced by
the same technique as the original repair.
The holes drilled, providing access to the
gasket groove, can be opened again by re­
moving the threaded plugs, and utilizing
an injection valve and hydraulic sealant
injection gun to pump sealant in again to
stop the leak.
Conclusion
This article describes a specialized tech­
nique for repairing oil leaks on bushings
and the transformer tank flanges. This re­
pair technique is extremely cost effective
not only in controlling labor and material
costs, but also in minimizing outage down
time for the apparatus. The cost of and
effort to prepare a transformer for remov­
ing and replacing a bushing is massive
compared to taking a brief outage primar­
ily for safety clearance to inject leak seal
material into a gasket groove or to install
a clamp around a bushing base that is
leaking oil. The processes described have
been in practice by just a few specialized
repair firms in the USA. The techniques
have been around long enough to have
proven to be both effective in providing
a successful repair as well as keeping your
maintenance budget under control.
References
[1] US EPA Spill Prevention, Control,
and Countermeasure (SPCC) Regulation
(40CFR112)
[2] Oil absorbent material in granular
form or pads as manufactured by Oil-Dri
Corporation of America, Chicago, IL,
USA
[3] Information on clamp design and ma­
terial provided by John Edmon, Technical
Director of TDS-Transmission & Dis­
tribution Services, Warrenville, IL, USA,
www.tdsleakseal.com
[4] Information on the properties of the
sealant compound described in this ar­
ticle provided by John Edmon, Technical
Director of TDS-Transmission & Distri­
bution Services, Warrenville, IL, USA*
*The formulation of this compound
is proprietary and property of TDS-
Transmission & Distribution Services.
Further details of this formulation
may be provided upon request to TDS-
Transmission & Distribution Services,
www.tdsleakseal.com

Author
Steven H. Wickman, PE is a technical consultant for TDS
– Transmission & Distribution Services. Following a 37-
year career with Commonwealth Edison, Co., Chicago, IL,
USA in various electrical engineering positions, primarily
in the substation, testing, engineering, construction and
operations areas of the company, Steve is now providing
his expertise to TDS as a technical consultant. Steve is a
Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois,
has a BSEE from Iowa State University, Ames, IA, and an MBA from the Keller
Figure 15d. Sealing compound cut away from Graduate School of Management, Chicago, IL.
the bushing

154 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

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