Monitoring & Diagnostics

On-Load Tap Changer DGA

Load Tap Changer Types
Understanding The Difference

• Reactive (Arcing in oil & Vacuum)

• Resistive (Arcing in oil & Vacuum)

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Tap Changer Characteristics
Understanding The Difference

• Dual Compartment
Transfer (Diverter)
Selector

• Single Compartment
Both Transfer and Selector housed in the same
compartment

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Why Perform Dissolved Gas Analysis on Load
Tap Changers?

1. It can be done.
2. It can be done more cost effectively with greater frequency than that of
internal inspections. In other words, it normally takes 3 employees “1” full 8-
hour day to investigate (not repair) the condition of “1” LTC, or there could be
information at their fingertips via on-line monitoring (a much safer
option), since hot spots in LTCs tend to accelerate quickly once they’ve
begun.
3. Problems that once had to either be “stumbled upon” during routine internal
inspections, or discovered during the event of a transformer relay operation,
can now be better managed and more readily identified.
4. With the right tools and training it is simple to perform.
5. Why spend valuable time on something that doesn’t have a problem?

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What Should We Expect To See When
Diagnosing LTC DGA?

• Evidence of Arcing ☺
• A bandwidth appropriately set
• A functional control relay
• For breathing LTCs, correctly breathing

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Hot Metal
Gasses

August 9, 2021

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Solubility of H2

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Arcing Experiment - Breathing
What does A Typical Arc Look Like?

H2 quickly
90% escaping

80%

70%

60%

H2
50%
CH4
C2H6
40%
C2H4
C2H2
30%

20%

10%

0%
Oil kV Breakdown
1 Arc 10 Arcs 20 Arcs 10 Arcs w/Water Test Cup

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TLH21 Breathing OLTC & Arcing Tests

TLH21 OLTC - Breathing Oil kV Breakdown Arcing Test - Breathing - 20 Arcs

60% 60%

50% 50%

40% H2 40% H2
CH4 CH4
30% 30%
C2H6 C2H6
20% C2H4 20% C2H4
C2H2 C2H2
10% 10%

0% 0%
H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2 H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

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Arcing - Breathing vs. Sealed
Understanding The Difference

TLH21 OLTC - Breathing 1964 WH URT OLTC Diverter

w/PRD
60%

50%
60%
40% H2 50%
CH4 H2
30% 40%
C2H6 CH4

20% C2H4 30% C2H6

C2H2 C2H4
20%
10% C2H2
10%
0%
H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2 0%
H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

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Example Reactive LTC – TLH 21
Values too low? Apparently not
H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

30% 5% 1% 6% 58%
24 ppm 4 ppm 1 ppm 5 ppm 47 ppm

TLH21 OLTC

60%

50%

40%
H2
CH4
30%
C2H6
C2H4
20%
C2H2

10%

0%
H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

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Example Resistive LTC – UZD
Identifying Key Points

Sample Date Aug 20, 2014 Sept 26, 2013 June 11, 2013 Nov 7, 2012 Feb 15, 2012
Fluid temp 33 40 35 30 30
Hydrogen (H2) 96 69 70 61 112
Methane (CH4) 54 35 66 34 66
Ethane (C2H6) 36 19 36 12 36
Ethylene (C2H4) 354 103 374 142 314
Acetylene (C2H2) 1477 907 1347 672 1102
Carbon Monoxide
(CO) 56 15 113 86 210
Carbon Dioxide
(CO2) 1094 650 1175 550 1112
Oxygen (O2) 25527 23899 16849 18890 26199
Nitrogen (N2) 58113 56015 52714 52171 67409
TDCG 2073 1151 2007 1008 1842
Oxygen/Nitrogen
(O2/N2) 0.439 0.427 0.32 0.362 0.389
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Example – Resistive OLTC - Breathing or Sealed?
Understanding The Difference

Resistive OLTC Oil kV Breakdown Arcing Test - Breathing - 20 Arcs

80% 60%
70%
50%
60%
H2 40% H2
50%
CH4 CH4
40% 30%
C2H6 C2H6
30% 20%
C2H4 C2H4
20% C2H2 C2H2
10%
10%
0%
0%
H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2
H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

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OLTCs With Pressure Relief Devices (PRD)
Understanding The Difference

1964 WH URT OLTC Diverter % Gas Generation Chart - Arcing in Oil

w/PRD Reference: IEEE Std C57.104-2008

60%
60%
50%
50%
40%
40%
30% 30%
20% 20%
10% 10%
0% 0%
H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2 H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

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Critical LTC DGA Ratios
Key Ratios

Ethylene/Acetylene (C2H4/C2H2)
Ethane/Methane (C2H6/CH4)

• As ethylene values increase to exceed acetylene values, a high temperature hot

spot has developed, and coking is inevitable.
• As ethane values increase to exceed methane values, a lower temperature hot
spot has developed, and will in all probability develop into a higher temperature
hot spot.

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250 deg. C+, Example – 550B
Pre-Coking Temperatures – Overheating in Progress

McGraw Ed 550B

H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

Aug-11 424 215 123 1061 2861

Mar-12 150 127 229 870 2333

70%

60%

50%
Hydrogen

40% Methane

Ethane
30%
Ethylene
20%
Acetylene
10%

0%
Aug-11 Mar-12

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250 deg. C Converting to 350 deg. C
Understanding Coking Signatures

IEEE C57.139 2010 - Table C.5, Example 3 Gas Concentrations

H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

November 9, 2004 11 11 5 53 163

April 25, 2006 45 139 302 1390 77

80%

70%

60%
Hydrogen
50%
Methane
40%
Ethane
30% Ethylene
20% Acetylene

10%

0%
Nov-04 Apr-06

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Example of Ethylene (C2H4) Dominating Acetylene (C2H2)
A Closer Look @ Coking

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18
Vacuum OLTCs
Does Monitoring Make Sense?

• Vacuum LTCs run the same “risk of failure” as reactive/resistive arcing in oil LTCs.
• Just because the arc in a vacuum LTC is contained in the vacuum bottle, doesn’t
mean that it is free from failure detection. In fact, it’s easier to see a vacuum LTC
in trouble.
• There are many types of vacuum LTCs. One of those types, Reinhausen RMVII,
actually may have acetylene in small quantities present in the oil as a norm. The
values are typically less than 10 ppm and are due to light arcing on the bypass
switches, and this can be considered a normal condition for this vacuum OLTC.

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 Vacuum OLTCs:
Understanding The Difference

Overheating contacts in a vacuum LTC are easier to

see, since the gases are typically minimal. Since the
first signs of overheating can be measured by the
presence of hydrogen and methane (150 deg. C),
then the cycle of this unfolding overheating will be
clearly seen.

• Methane – 150 deg. C

• Ethane – 250 deg. C
• Ethylene – 350 deg. C
• Acetylene – 500 deg. C
• Hydrogen – 150 deg. C & Partial Discharge

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 Facts vs Myths
Statement
The most common problem found in
LTCs is contact wear
Most problems are found during
routine maintenance
Some LTC problems are actually
reported by the general public
A lack of operation through neutral
is a common problem that can be
found via DGA
LTCs can and do present consistent
arcing signatures
Control cabinet problems can show
up in DGA results
LTC DGA will solve all problems
Fact Myth Comments
While contact wear can and is a problem that will arise at some point in the
P
life of the LTC, the majority of issues develop well in advance of contact wear.
Most problems are discovered between maintenance cycles for a variety of
P
reasons. Routing maintenance will not always yield needed corrective action.
There have been instances where the general public has reported events
P such as, smoke coming from the transformer (turned out to be steam coming
from the vent of the LTC), distribution voltage problems, etc..
This may well be the number 1 reason for LTC overheating. While many have
a procedure to operate the LTC through neutral, most find it difficult to
P
perform. As a result of this, inaction of the reversing switch frequently
creates localized overheating.
P Arcing under oil can and will produce consistent signatures related to DGA.
Issues within the control circuit of the LTC can cause the LTC to either operate
P continually, or not at all, both of which will show up in the DGA. Normal
operation can also be detected via DGA.
There’s nothing out there that solves all problems related to substation
P operations. There are only helpful solutions to the difficult day to day
challenges related to operating a successful transformer fleet.
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 Thank you for your participation

GE M&D Sales Manager GE M&D Authorised Channel

Partner – Malaysia
Name : Chong Soon Peng Company : Grid Vision T&D Sdn. Bhd.

Email : soon-peng.chong@ge.com Email : info@gridvisiontnd.com

Tel : +6019 271 2921 Tel : +6011 7220 4682

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