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Application of an Asset Health Management System for High-Voltage

Substations

J. R. JUNG*, H. D. SEO, S. J. KIM, H. S. KIM, J. O. JOO, S. S. RYOO

Hyosung Corporation SK Energy Corporation
Republic of KOREA Republic of KOREA

SUMMARY

The accelerating pace of industrialization has led to an increase in demand for electrical power. A
reliable and stable power supply is required for transmission and distribution apparatuses. In addition,
as economic loss increases due to the failure and deterioration of power systems, an asset health
solution for power system is required to provide a systematic management service for its lifecycle by
combining a product, service and operating system with the prediction of failure occurrence by
analyzing real-time operating data and condition data, optimal maintenance strategy based on exact
condition assessment and decision making for investment of new apparatuses.
In this paper, in light of the above, we developed an Asset Health Management Solution (AHMS). It
has been applied to high-voltage substations of major oil refinery companies in Korea. The AHMS is
able to monitor, collect and save the real-time condition, operation and inspection data in cooperation
with the operator and manufacturer of apparatuses. It consists of a server for the collection of
substation information, a data center, and a web-based operating software. The server for the
collection of substation information collects and saves on-line data such as operating data for
diagnosis and off-line data, such as drawing, specification, on-site inspection data and maintenance
trends, as well as data transmission through security protocol.
The data center is composed of several servers for data collection, user access, application, algorithm
analysis, database, alarm, and control as an integrated system, which collect all the server data of each
substation information. In addition, it transmits the analytical result of algorithm such as lifetime and
reliability model, health assessment, system reliability and maintenance strategy to web-based asset
management software for the facility operator and manufacturer. The asset management software of
AHMS implements asset management, operating work management, as well as the function of
condition monitoring and algorithm result monitoring.
Asset management software is composed of three stages: power apparatus information management
and monitoring, risk assessment, and various visualization for diagnostic result. In the first stage, the
operator registers the power apparatus’s information, manages its maintenance history, and monitors
its status information. In the second stage, the condition of the power apparatus is evaluated by risk
analysis using its status data and history data. Then, maintenance scheduling and estimated costs are
prioritized depending on the result of risk analysis. Work manual is created and it is sent to on-site
engineers. In the last stage, the operator can check on the report of analysis through various
visualization screens.

KEYWORDS
Asset Management, Maintenance Strategies, Risk Assessment, Health Index, Decision Making,
Substation
jrjung@hyosung.com
1. INTRODUCTION
In Korea, the number of power apparatuses has increased dramatically due to rapid industrialization
in the 1990s, but the rate of increase has gradually slowed down since the 2000s. As a result, the
growth rate of outdated power apparatuses built over 20 years ago is on the increase (Figure
1), and customers who operate power apparatuses have a growing need for a stable operation
of old apparatuses, minimization of operating costs, and prolongation of life span, while
manufacturers are expected to support maintenance policies on apparatuses in a systematic
and rational manner. In response to changes in such market situations, we as a power equipment
manufacturer, have been conducting research on monitoring and diagnosis of apparatuses and on
evaluation solutions and services to ensure stability from the time of delivery to customers to the end
of life cycle.

(A) Increase rate of cumulative capacity of (B) Increase rate of new apparatuses and aged
substation apparatuses apparatuses
Figure 1. Increase rate of substation apparatuses of Korea Electric Power Co.

As the results of the research, we have developed a substation resource management solution based
on the risk assessment and life evaluation of a power apparatus named the Asset Health Management
Solution (AHMS), and have installed and is now operating a 154kv substation for SK energy, a large
oil refining company in South Korea. In this paper, we will explain about the system configuration and
algorithm of the AHMS, and application cases.

2. AHMS Architecture
2.1 Overview of AHMS
The AHMS is a total maintenance and repair solution that comprehensively obtains data for
monitoring, controlling and operating of apparatuses and assets from the past experiences of operating
and managing the existing substations and that supports customers’ decision making on maintenance
through computerization, communication and analysis of the data. The AHMS consists of four steps as
follows.(Figure 2)

Step 1: All data are stored and managed in the cloud-based data center by computerizing on-line
and off-line data through real-time monitoring of the status of equipment.
Step 2: Through data analysis by a data center, it will carry out various risk analyses including a
technical risk analysis on the status and lifetime of equipment, an economic risk assessment
from a viewpoint of costs and profits, and a social risk evaluation considering apparatus’
fault impact and environmental risks.
Step 3: It will formulate a maintenance strategy about new investment, replacement, repair and
remodeling of a apparatus based on the results of the risk assessment, and derive decision-
making scenarios.
Step 4: It will store and update data related to the actual execution and implementation of
maintenance & repairs and preventive maintenance of apparatuses through decision-
making.

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 Figure 2. Diagram of function blocks of AHMS

2.2 System Configuration of AHMS

The system configuration of the AHMS applied to high-voltage substations is as seen in
Figure 3. It collects on-line data from main power apparatuses constituting a substation through
preventive diagnosis sensors and SCADA system and collects and computerizes off-line data such as
basic information of equipment, installation and operation data, and on-site inspection result data.
These data are collected at the data acquisition & collection server through the internal communication
network of a substation and transmitted to the AHMS data center using unidirectional communication
through VPN network in preparation against external environment, exposure and security issues.
The acquired data are used to evaluate the lifetime model and health index(HI) of each apparatus
through big data analysis in the cloud environment, to formulate the most optimal maintenance
strategy through reliability and economic analysis of substation systems, and to support customers’
decision making on asset management. These services can monitor and control our customers’ data
center as well as our own in a web-based environment. Also, substation operators can directly check
the main information and maintenance management information of assets in a mobile environment and
can make an immediate response. New data generated through operation and inspection are acquired
and stored at the AHMS data center and will be automatically reflected and updated when a
maintenance decision is made in the next time.

Figure 3. Layout of AHMS

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3. Evaluation and Decision Making Method of AHMS
3.1 Algorithm Overview
The AHMS basically formulates a maintenance strategy by using apparatuses making up a
substation as basic units. The industrial substation apparatus typically consists of a transformer/GIS of
a transmission voltage level(HV) and other apparatuses of a distribution voltage level(MV). If a HV
transformer and GIS has a large size and a high importance, the maintenance is implemented by using
the subsystems comprising each apparatus as units. The following Figure 4 represents a flowchart
from data analysis of apparatuses to maintenance decision making of a substation unit through the
AHMS.

Figure 4. Algorithm of AHMS

The AHMS is implemented through 4 steps.

① Modeling of Equipment’s Reliability
In this step, it performs the reliability estimation through collection and statistical-processing
of the past historical data of a apparatus. The historical data of the apparatus includes the
specifications of the apparatus, basic information related to production, and failure /
inspection data obtained through operation.
② Tr / GIS Health Index Evaluation
The HI assesses the status of each by dividing about 30 evaluation items by function, such as
operation environment, thermal/electrical risks, and mechanical risks of apparatuses. The
assessment of the condition is done based on the data obtained through on/off-line checks.
③ Substation Reliability Evaluation
The target substation is constructed with the Reliability Block Diagram (RBD) and the
reliability of the substation system is evaluated. The reliability of the substation is evaluated
with the reliability indices of the power distribution system including SAIFI (System
Average Interruption Frequency Index), ENS (Energy Not Supplied Index) and CIC
(Customer Interruption Cost) [1-4].
④ Decision Making for Maintenance
The reliability improvement effect of a substation depending on various maintenance
methods of each apparatus is quantitatively evaluated, and priority will be given according to
the level of improvement effect. A maintenance strategy will be established in consideration
of a limited budget and priority, and the reliability improvement effect of a substation after
implementation of the strategy will be assumed, and the cycle of the future maintenance will
be evaluated.

After that, all the data generated by the application of the maintenance will be stored in the AHMS’s
DB and will be updated with new data produced during operation by repeating the above steps.

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3.2 Prediction Method of the failure rate
The database that manages the history information of a power apparatus will include the following
information.

Table 1. Items of Equipment Database

Class Database Item
Project ID, Product ID, Equipment Name, Device classification, Spec.,
Basic Information Customer Classification, Installation Site, Installation Environment (indoor
and outdoor), Date of Production, Date of Installation, Date of Operation Start
Operation
Operating Ratio, Load Factor, Load Regulation
Information
Record Type (Inspection/Failure), Record Number, Occurrence Date of
History Information Shutdown Occurrence, Starting Date of Action, Completion Date of Action,
Date of Operation Re-Start, Details of Action, Cause of Shutdown ,
Diagnostic
PD, DGA, Electrical Test, etc.
information
- Transformer: Tap Switching Method, Insulation Type, Cooling Type,
Others Connection Type
- GIS: CB Applications (TL/TR/Tie), Breaker’s Operation Frequency

Through our DB, we have been able to obtain the history data of about 5,000 apparatuses over the
past 35 years. The history data of our transformer and GIS can be classified by subsystem as seen in
the following
. In case of the GIS, both CB control unit and breaker unit account for approximately 57% of the
total failures, and in case of the transformer, the OLTC and body including winding and core take up
47% of the total failures. Therefore, it is considered that the CB control unit and breaker unit of the
GIS and the OLTC and body of the transformer are the subsystems that cause major failures. Based on
the analysis results of the subsystems that cause major failures can be classified by subsystem into 10
types in case of the GIS and into 7 types in case of the transformer for the purpose of their separate
maintenance.

Figure 5. Failure ratio for GIS and transformers

In order to quantitatively evaluate the lifetime of a apparatus and the reliability of a system, it is
essential to calculate the failure rate of the apparatus. The probability distribution of the apparatus is
assumed with Weibull distribution to calculate the failure rate. The following equations (1) to (3)
represent the reliability function of the Weibull distribution (R (t)), the unreliability function (F (t)),
and the failure function (λ (t)) [5, 6].

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 (1)

(2)

(3)

Here, R(t) is Reliability Function; F(t) is Unreliability Function; λ(t) is Failure Rate Function; m is
Shape Parameter; η is Scale Parameter. The AHMS assesses the reliability of the apparatus based on
the uptime from the start of the operation of a apparatus until the occurrence of the first failure. The
average lifetime calculated through this process is defined as the MTTFF (Mean Time To First
Failure). Figure 6 shows the Weibull analysis results of a subsystem of 170kV GIS, and the
subsequent failure rate and unreliability function. It has been confirmed that degradation occurred over
the use period of the analyzed a subsystem, and the MTTFF was calculated at about 23 years.

Figure 6. Example of failure rate estimation

Each apparatus's respective calculated reliability curve is used as a reference model for the natural
deterioration of the apparatus, and the present state of the apparatus is presumed by reflecting the
acceleration of degradation depending on the HI calculated by the diagnosis of the condition of the
apparatus.

3.3 Health Index(HI)

The HI is a pragmatic index that can easily show the health of each apparatus by evaluating the
operation record results, and on-site inspection and test results of apparatuses in an objective and
quantifiable manner. The HI is utilized to manage the assets in sync with an asset lifetime model and
maintenance decision-making algorithm [7-10]. The detailed evaluation items of the HI of substations’
apparatuses are defined based on on-line data including information collected from preventive
diagnosis sensors and major measurement devices and data obtained through the SCADA, and also
based on off-line data including inspection data collected through periodical inspection activities.
These evaluation items can be measured by giving evaluation scores and weighted values in
accordance with the references defined by the IEC, IEEE, CIGRE standards and recommendations or
in consideration of our experiences of various utilities.
For instance, the HI evaluation process of a transformer can be explained as seen in Figure 7. The
detailed evaluation items of the HI of a transformer HI include the analysis of dissolved gas, the
temperature of insulation oil or winding, the quality test of insulation oil (total acid number, dielectric
strength, moisture in oil), insulation resistance, insulation power factor, winding transformation ratio,
short circuit current, vibration measurement, noise measurement, tap changer test, bushing test, Furan
analysis, and PD measurement.

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 Figure 7. Health Index Evaluation Process

3.4 Decision Making Method of Maintenance

Reliability indices is used to identify and distinguish the severity and importance of each outage
occurring in the system. The reliability indices used for the reliability evaluation of the distribution
system are applied in the AHMS. The applied reliability indices include the System Average
Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI), Energy Not Supplied Index (ENS), and Customer Interruption
Cost (CIC), and the definition of each reliability index is seen in the following equations (4) to (6) [1-4,
11].

(4)

(5)

(6)

Here, N is the number of customers; i is the load point; Lavg.i is the average load of the load point i;
SCDF is the sector customer damaged function; U is the unavailability; λ is the failure rate.
Figure 8(a) shows the system of a 154kV substation that is being operated with the application of
the AHMS. Red, blue, and green colors indicate the changing forms in each RBD model configuration.
There are a total of 37 apparatuses with a transmission and transformation scale within the system, and
when they are divided into subsystem units, the system consists of 76 apparatuses. Of these
apparatuses, there are 41 apparatuses in which the deterioration occurs in the reliability lifetime model.
In general, there are three types of maintenance methods (normal inspection, overhaul, and
replacement), while each apparatus consists of 4 selective elements including the continuation of the
current status. And a total of 4.83E+24(441) scenarios can occur in case of 41 apparatuses. As it is
impossible to review all scenarios in reality, the AHMS offers reasonable maintenance strategies to
customers through its optimization algorithm. Figure 8(B) is the graph that shows the comparison
results between the ENS of a system without maintenance (ENS_basic, blue line) and the ENS of a
system with maintenance (ENS_maintenance, orange line). The ENS of the system without
maintenance shows an increasing tendency, but supposing that maintenance were implemented in
2016, the ENS would decrease due to improved reliability and the ENS increase would be
subsequently delayed as much as the ENS increase is reduced, compared with the basic system.

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 Figure 8. AHMS-applied system (SK Energy-154kV S/S) and the assumption of reliability
improvement effect induced by maintenance

The RBD model configuration of the system is completed, and the reliability improvement effect
due to the maintenance of each apparatus can be quantitatively evaluated in the aspect of the system.
Figure 9(A) is a diagram that schematizes the situation of apparatuses depending on the importance
and HI of each apparatus. If it has a higher importance and a lower HI score, it will have a higher
priority when formulating a maintenance strategy. Figure 9(B) shows the maintenance strategy process
of the AHMS according to the order of priority depending on the importance and HI of apparatuses in
Figure 9. The AHMS simulates the implementation of maintenance of each apparatus at the time when
maintenance is required and performs a quantitative evaluation of the subsequent reliability
improvement effect. After that, it derives several combinations of maintenance strategies for
apparatuses with a greater improvement effect and also in terms of maintenance methods, in
consideration of customers’ budgets. Also, the AHMS suggests an appropriate strategy in aspects of
each reliability index and budgets among the maintenance strategies derived in Figure 9(c) an
implements maintenance according to customers’ choices [12-14].

Figure 9. Maintenance strategy derivation process

When a series of processes are completed, the records of the maintenance implementation will be
updated in the AHMS DB, and each apparatus’s improvement effect will be evaluated through the
diagnosis of the condition of the apparatus. Based on the subsequently updated DB, it will update the
lifetime model and implements a continuous maintenance.

4. Case Study of AHMS in Korea

SK Energy, one of the largest refiners in South Korea, has become the first company to install the
AHMS developed for a 154kV substation in 2017 and has been operating it for almost one year. The
following is part of the actual service of the AHMS applied to the154kV substation by SK Energy.
The main screen that can control the entire substation of SK Energy Ulsan factory and the screen that
can monitor the system of the substation can confirm the events and information that occur in the
substation in real time and transmit information through alarm when specific events occur. It can

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quantify the lifetime model and health condition of the individual power apparatuses that make up the
substation, check the reliability of each subsystem comprising a apparatus, and formulates a
maintenance strategy based on the current status of the substation to present it to customers as a
guideline.

(a) SK energy monitoring page (d) Sub-system reliability

(b) P substation Main page

(c) Equipment reliability and Health Index (e) Maintenance Strategy

Figure 10. AHMS installed on a 154kV Substation in the SK Energy

5. Conclusion
The maintenance of the existing power apparatuses has been performed based on users’ experiences,
manufacturers’ manuals, post-accident recovery, etc., and the subsequently selected maintenance
scenario can be hardly selected as the most optimal one among a countless number of candidate
maintenance scenarios (for instance, a total of 441 kinds of scenarios when the number of target
apparatuses is 41).
Therefore, the AHMS obtains and analyzes all on-line and off-line data from installation to operation
and disposal of a apparatus to predict the failure of equipment and to help customers decide on the
most optimal maintenance scenario according to the level of importance and risk in the aspect of the
power system.
In South Korea, one refining company has applied the AHMS to a 154kV S/S in 2017 and has been
operating it for more than one year, and through the optimized maintenance of a power apparatus
through the AHMS, it expects to reduce the failure rate by about 80% and the maintenance costs by
approximately 30%.

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