Arab J Sci Eng (2014) 39:4845–4851

DOI 10.1007/s13369-014-1004-z

RESEARCH ARTICLE - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Improved Structure of PNN Using PCA in Transformer Fault

Diagnostic
Hossein Paydarnia · Salman Hajiaghasi ·
Karim Abbaszadeh

Received: 8 September 2012 / Accepted: 28 February 2013 / Published online: 3 May 2014
© King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals 2014

Abstract Transformers have an important role in electri-

cal power network. Many of transformer fault diagnostic
approaches are based on dissolved gas analysis (DGA)
results. Although recently DGA has been used extensively
for transformer fault diagnostic, but it cannot detect fault
location, and also gas sensors used are costly. In this paper,
transformer state and fault location are detected using trans-
former flux leakage. FFT is applied to installed search coil
voltage to extract features from transformer flux leakage, and
the obtained features are classified with probabilistic neural
network. To reduce data dimensions and omit redundant data,
principle component analysis is applied and consequently
structure of probabilistic neural network for fault diagnostic
is improved. As 90.16 % of data are classified correctly in the
simulation, ten first dimensions of data after applying PCA
are selected and data dimensions are reduced from 99 to 10.

Keywords Transformer fault diagnostic · Principle 1 Introduction

component analysis · Probabilistic neural network
Power transformers have an important role in electrical net-
work. This equipment is a main element in electrical power
transmission, because power source, transmission and distri-
bution lines, and loads are connected to each other in different
voltage levels by transformer. As many kinds of faults may
damage transformer, fault diagnostic is of high importance.
Most of these faults are short-circuit winding fault and tab
changer fault. Internal fault generates heat that causes insu-
lation deterioration and oil decomposition, and releases var-
ious gases such as hydrogen (H2 ), oxygen (O2 ), methane
(CH4 ), ethane (C2 H6 ), ethylene (C2 H4 ), acetylene (C2 H2 ),
H. Paydarnia (B) · S. Hajiaghasi · K. Abbaszadeh
carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2 ) [1]. Winding
Electrical department, K. N. Toosi University of Technology,
Tehran, Iran fault, overheating, and partial discharge are detected through
e-mail: h.paydarnia@gmail.com the dissolved gas analysis (DGA). Released gas ratio is used
S. Hajiaghasi as a fault indicator. DGA results combined with neural net-
e-mail: salmanhajiaghasi@yahoo.com work classifier are widely used for fault detection. IEC ratio

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approach is commonly used because of being effective and In Sects. 2 and 3 principle component analysis and prob-
convenient [2]. In [3] global search ability of improved arti- abilistic neural network are explained respectively. Simula-
ficial fish swarm optimization is applied to optimize weight. tion, classification result and conclusion are investigated in
Structure selection and parameter optimization of neural net- Sects. 4, 5 and 6, respectively.
work are the subject of many papers. In [4] quantum-inspired
particle swarm optimization and fuzzy C means are used
2 PCA
for optimization of the radial basis function neural network
parameters to classify DGA results. Fuzzy characteristics of
Data obtained from sensors have correlation. Furthermore
quantum neural network combinedwith rough set theory are
many sensors cause exceeding computational cost and requi-
used for reducing complexity of training samples [5]. Other
red memory. Therefore, data dimension is reduced by use of
signals used for fault detection include electrical signals such
statistical method such as PCA, LDA, etc. PCA is a use-
as three-phase currents and voltage of the installed search
ful technique for reducing the dimensionality of large data
coils. Differential voltages of the search coils are used for
sets based on the dimension that has the least correlation.
early detection and location of internal winding fault of trans-
Variance of the signal is a good criterion for distribution of
former. In [6], two search coils are installed for fault detec-
information. PCA changes dimension in the direction that
tion. The rectified differential induced voltages are used as
has the most distribution, as shown in Fig. 1. X 1 and X 2 have
a fault indicator. These signals are always used to differenti-
correlation, and distribution of data in both directions shows
ate between inrush and fault. Despite the widely application
the existence of information in both dimensions. After apply-
of DGA, dissolved gas sensors are expensive and compli-
ing PCA, X 1 and X 2 are transformed to Z 1 and Z 2 . As can
cated. In [7] the selected optimization method is differen-
be seen, distribution of data in Z 2 direction is low, so this
tial evolution. By using Jiles Atherton equation variables,
direction can be eliminated.
hysteresis curves are obtained, and inrush and faulty current
After signal normalization, the goal is to generate a feature
parameters are determined for fault diagnosis. In [8] mother
that is optimally uncorrelated.
wavelet ‘sym5’ is used, and the wavelet results are taken as
probabilistic neural network inputs to detect inrush current. Y = AT X (1)
In [9] wavelet ‘rbio’ family is applied, and variance of the
In Eq. (1), Y is an uncorrelated feature, A is the coefficient
wavelet results is used by Learning Vector Quantizer (LVQ)
matrix, and X is raw data of the sensors. Definition of cor-
neural network. In [10], a Fuzzy Neuro classifier is used for
relation matrix that should be equal to diagonal matrix is
fault detection. The key point for fault detection is the fea-
expressed:
ture extraction from raw signals. Discrete Fourier transform,
   
discrete wavelet transform and mathematical morphology R y = E Y Y T = E AT X X T A (2)
described in [11–13] are used for feature extraction. Discrim-
ination between inrush current and internal fault is important  
in fault diagnostic for differential protection. Inrush current AT E X X T A = AT R x A (3)
occurs because of temporary transformer core over-fluxing at
the time of energizing [14]. In [15], a novel method is intro- As mentioned in [11], Rx is symmetrical matrix and its eigen-
duced to detect internal fault by constructing the voltage– vectors are orthogonal.
current locus. Frequency response analysis is used in [16– A−1 = AT (4)
18] for fault diagnostic. In [19], leakage flux is used for fault
location. If eigenvectors are selected as a coefficient matrix, then R y
is diagonal and optimally uncorrelated. This approach is

Fig. 1 a Before applying PCA.

b After applying PCA

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Arab J Sci Eng (2014) 39:4845–4851
Fig. 2 Probabilistic neural network structure
named principal component analysis (PCA). Small eigen-
values demonstrate the dimension that should be eliminated
because of low containing information. By selecting cumu-
lated eigenvalues, redundant data can be eliminated. In this
paper, FFT is used for feature extraction from search coil
voltage. If x is a vector with N samples then FFT of x is
expressed as X:

N
2πi
X (k) = x( j)e− N (k−1)( j−1) (5)
j=1
Margin of k is determined by Nyquist frequency. In this study,
corresponding dimensions of this frequency is equal to 33.
Three signals consisting of two search coil voltages and their
differential voltage are selected for classification. So, total
dimensions of data are 99. To reduce dimension in this paper,
PCA is applied.
In [20] PCA is used to discriminate between internal fault
and inrush current, but in this paper the aim is fault location
diagnostic.
3 PNN
Neural network can be considered as a general function appr-
oximation. Structure selection and training of neural network
parameters are challenging issues in this approach. Gradient
decent (GD), genetic algorithm (GA), and PSO are optimiza-
tion methods that are used for training neural network. The
probabilistic neural network is a type of radial basis net-
work that was proposed in 1989. Probabilistic neural network
structure is illustrated in Fig. 2.
This neural network is based on Bayesian strategy for deci-
sion making with nonparametric Parzen of probabilistic den-
sity function (PDF) [21]. Layers of this structure are input
layer, pattern layer and competitive layer. If training data are
sufficient, this structure is the optimal solution in Bayesian
criterion. Input layer normalizes input data, so this layer’s
4847
neuron number is equal to the sample dimension. There is
one pattern neuron for each category, in which their transfer
function is Gaussian and can be expressed as below:
 
(X − Wi )T (X − Wi )
f (X t , Wt ) = exp − (6)
2δ 2
Center of bell-shaped function, weights and standard devia-
tion are determined by training sample. There are commonly
three methods to train radial basis function neurons.
(a) GD is a general training method for neural network.
Minimizing squared error can be selected as an opti-
mization function.
(b) Centers are randomly selected. Standard deviation is
chosen by normalization
Maximum distance between any two centers
σ = √ (7)
Number of center
Weights are computed by pseudo-inverse matrix.
(c) Clustering algorithm is used to find the center. Spread
or standard deviation is chosen through normalization
in (7) and weights are found by least-squared method.
In clustering algorithm, centers are chosen randomly
at first. Then distance of new sample and centers are
investigated. Finally, nearest center is shifted to sam-
ple location. After training, each sample is compared
with trained center, and the nearest center to the sam-
ple will have maximum probabilistic density function
value. The output layer can calculate largest PDF and
yields output of the related neuron to be 1, while output
of the other neurons to be 0.
4 Simulation
200 KVA 20 KV/400 v distributed transformer is simulated
with finite element approach using 2D Maxwell software.
Dimensions of electrical machines can be input to graphi-
cal interface in this software. After computation of magnetic
field in every point, other variables such as induced volt-
age, winding current and flux line are obtained. Maxwell
circuit software is used for simulating different connections
and modeling various winding faults in transformer. In order
to measure flux leakage in the air gap between transformer
winding and transformer tank, two search coil voltages are
installed vertically on the transformer tank. Distribution of
flux leakage line depends on winding structure, and magni-
tude of this flux depends on the distance between winding
and tank. Flux distribution is symmetric with respect to hor-
izontal center line in normal state. Internal fault causes local
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Fig. 3 Location of the faults

2 3 4 17 11 12
Fault
location
No fault (class)
18 13 14
5 6 7
1

8 9 10 19 15 16

High voltage winding Low voltage winding

Fig. 4 From up to below: 150 50

up coil
induced voltage in search coils
down coil
and differences of them for class 100

Differential voltage
1, class 2, and class 11
inducted voltage

50

0 0

-50

-100

-150 -50
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
time(sec) time(sec)

150 20
up coil
down coil
100
15
inducted voltage (V)

diffirential voltage(V)

50
10
0
5
-50

0
-100

-150 -5
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
time(sec) time(sec)

150 20
up coil
down coil
100 0
inducted voltage(V)
inducted voltage(V)

50 -20

0 -40

-50 -60

-100 -80

-150 -100
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
time(sec) time(sec)

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Fig. 5 Four first features after 100 50

class1 class1
applying PCA class2 class2
80 class11 40 class11

30

feature 2
feature 1
60
20
40
10
20
0

0 -10
0 50 100 0 50 100
sample sample
10 30
class1
0 25 class2
class11
-10 20
15

feature 4
-20
class1
feature 3

-30 class2 10
class11
-40 5

-50 0

-60 -5

-70 -10
0 50 100 0 50 100
sample sample

saturation and hence the flux line passes through the air gap.
So, density and disturbance of leakage flux can be used as an
indicator of fault location. If fault occurs in winding, shorted
turn current will raise and then flux density will raise based
on magnetizing curve in the core near the shorted turn. This
causes local saturation in part of the core near the shorted
winding, and flux passes through air between core and tank.
Search coil voltage shows flux density and disturbance in flux
distribution based on B–H curve, and then through search coil
voltage analysis, fault location can be determined. Induced
voltages of the search coils are good criteria for this approach.
Two search coils are installed vertically on the outermost
high-voltage layers beside the tank. So, upper leakage flux
lines pass through upper search coil and downer lines pass
through downer coil. Difference between induced voltages in
two windings in normal state is zero. In asymmetric internal
fault, this voltage is nonzero. Impulse shape of differential
voltage signal in healthy state occurs due to the unavoidable
slight asymmetry in simulation. As the aim of this study is
fault location diagnostic, classes are selected with respect to
Fig. 3 consisting of nine points in high-voltage winding, six
points in low-voltage winding, three points between high-
voltage winding and low-voltage winding, and finally one
class devoted to the normal operation. Normal operation cor-
responds to class 1, and other fault locations correspond to
class with the same name. Figure 3 illustrates location of the
fault and its related class number.
In each point, three cases with the same resistance per turn
of the shorted circuit winding are simulated, thus intensity of
fault is constant in every case. This resistance value in low-
voltage winding is equal to .0076 ohm per turn, and num-
bers of the shorted turns are equal to three, five, and seven
in each case. Selected resistance between two windings is
3 kilo ohm. The resistance per turn of the shorted circuit
winding in high-voltage winding is equal to 1.125 ohm per
turn, and numbers of shorted turns are equal to 5, 10, and
20 in each case. Sample time in the study is equal to .0005
and fundamental frequency of signals is 50 Hz. So num-
ber of data in every sample cycle is 40. Every sample cycle
is selected in order to extract features for fault diagnosis.
Figure 4 illustrates induced voltage in search coils and dif-
ference of them.
5 Classification Result
Main feature of search coil voltage and their difference are
extracted using FFT. Based on Nyquist frequency, the extrac-
ted feature has 33 dimensions. So dimensions of the total
data are equal to 99. For reducing dimension of data, prin-
ciple component analysis approach is selected. Redundant
data are eliminated and main feature is selected for classi-
fication state of data. Probabilistic neural network classified
features obtained from PCA, which simplified the structure

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Table 1 Number of correct

detections Number of Class 2 Class 3 Class 6 Class 7 Class 9 Class 12 Class 13 Class 14 Accurate
dimensions detection (%)

1 17 24 55 14 1 72 74 145 32.16
2 20 59 123 15 52 92 123 253 58.96
3 42 99 124 25 71 121 125 339 75.68
4 89 119 123 36 71 125 124 360 83.76
5 104 121 124 36 70 125 125 369 85.92
6 105 121 124 39 70 125 125 369 86.24
7 111 121 124 44 71 125 125 370 87.28
8 120 122 124 40 70 125 125 373 87.92
9 121 123 124 51 71 125 125 373 89.04
10 118 123 124 66 72 125 125 374 90.16
11 118 123 124 62 71 125 125 374 89.76
12 119 123 124 62 72 125 125 374 89.92
13 119 123 124 63 72 125 125 374 90
14 119 123 124 59 74 125 125 374 89.84
15 124 123 124 60 72 125 125 374 90.16
16 124 124 124 79 73 125 125 374 91.84
17 125 123 124 81 75 125 125 373 92.08
18 124 122 124 89 75 125 125 374 92.64
19 124 122 124 94 74 125 125 373 92.88
20 125 122 124 101 74 125 125 373 93.52
99 125 125 125 121 75 125 125 374 95.60

of this neural network and improved the efficiency of classifi-
cation. Four first features obtained from PCA are illustrated
in Fig. 5. Three different classes of normal state: class 1,
fault in high-voltage state, class 2, and fault in low-voltage
state, class 11, are plotted to show features that have to be
classified. If four first features are selected for classification,
83 % of data are correctly classified. By using PCA, dimen-
sions are sorted from highest to lowest eigenvalues respec-
tively. If ten first features are selected for classification, 90.16
% of total data are classified correctly. So by eliminating
redundant data, PNN structure is simplified and classifica-
tion occurs quickly. With applying PCA and not eliminating
any dimension, 95.6 % of total data are classified correctly.
Every row of Table 1 shows the main diameter of confu-
sion matrix obtained from each dimension reduction caused
by applying PCA. In Fig. 5, features are produced from lin-
ear combination of FFT output that is based on PCA. These
coefficients are equal to eigenvectors. Values of features in
low-voltage winding fault and high-voltage winding fault are
determined by this process.
6 Conclusion
A new approach for fault classification is presented. PCA
combined with PNN has a good efficiency in transformer
fault classification. Dimension of FFT results is reduced with
PCA, and then fault state is classified by PNN. Main diam-
eter of confusion matrix and graphical representation show
that the new approach has a suitable result. High sensitiv-
ity of the proposed approach to fault location and its ability
of detecting weak faults which are hardly detected by con-
ventional methods make the new approach suitable for fault
diagnosis. 99 dimensions of the total data are reduced to 10
by applying PCA and eliminating redundant data. Structure
of probabilistic neural network is simplified and features are
classified correctly.
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