CONDITION MONITORING

IN
HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER STATION
 OFF-LINE CONDITION MONITORING

• Analysis of Lubricating Oil

• Analysis of Transformer Oil
• Tan & Power Factor of Bushings & Wdgs
• Partial Discharge Analysis
ONLINE CONDITION MONITORING

• Vibration ( Turbine & Generator )

• Air gap
• Temperature of bearing , oil & winding
• Inflow
• Efficiency
• Cavitation
• Silt
• Partial discharge
• Gas & moisture
• Vibration & noise of transformer
• Thermo Graphic Analysis
 VIBRATION MONITORING
• Watchdog for Turbine and Generator
• Problem traced
Unbalance
Misalignment
Mechanical Looseness
Bearing Defects
Resonance
Rough Load Zone
Shear Pin Failure
Debris in Guide Vanes
• Correlation for complete assessment with
wicket gate opening
air gap
head
discharge
load etc.
 VIBARATION MONITORING
• On-line System, Real Time Monitoring
• Vibration Parameters
Amplitude
Frequency
Phase
• Vibration Measurements
Vibration Displacement
Velocity
Acceleration.
• Sensor Positions
X & Y direction at UGB , LGB & TGB
TB ( Axial Vibration )
• Sensor Types
Displacement
Acceleration
Capacitive sensors
( Superior to Eddy Current Type Probes )
 AIR GAP MONITORING

• Dynamic changes in Air Gap between Stator

& Rotor reflects Machine Condition
• Comprehensive Analysis with Air Gap &
Vibration Data
• Dynamic Air Gap Variation Sensor
Capacitive Sensor
• Problems Covered
(Electrical,Mechanical & Structural)
Stator/rotor Circularity
Magnetic Pull
Unbalance
Alignment
Winding Fault
Concrete Growth
 TEMPERATURE MONITORING

• Integrating Temperature Monitoring with

SCADA & On-line Condition Monitoring System
• Process Data Correlation
• Alarms set for Rate of Change of Temperature
• Alarm Levels for varying conditions
INFLOW MONITORING & FORECASTING
• Inflow forecasting for the operational planning
• System Input Data
(Geographical , metrological and historical Inflow data)
Temperature
Precipitation
Evaporation
Storage
10 Daily Discharge
Pond Level
• Forecasting
Hourly, Day Ahead, Week and Month
• Traditional inflow measurement techniques
Velocity Area Method
Structural Method
Dilution Method
• New inflow measurement techniques
Ultrasonic
Electromagnetic
Moving Boat Method.
 EFFICIENCY OF TURBINE & GENERATOR

• System Inputs
Inflow to Turbine
Power
Inlet & Tail Water Pressure
• Ultrasonic Sensor
Mounted on Penstock for Inflow measurement
Measured Inflow: Transit Time of Ultrasonic Wave
• System Output
Unit Efficiency in Real Time
(All Unit in a Plant do not have same Efficiency)
• Important Aspects
Merit Order Dispatch in ABT Regime
Optimization of Plant Operation
 CAVITATION IN TURBINE

• System Requirement
Avoids Excessive Cavitation
Reduce Erosion
Identify Best Operating Zone
Assess Cumulative Damage
• Bursting of Air Bubbles Generates High
frequency Acoustic Signals
• Sensor- Non-Intrusive Acoustic Sensor
• Latest Technology- Vibro-Acoustic method
of monitoring
 SILT MONITORING
• Himalayan rivers highly laden with silt.
• Silt Monitoring provides the information on:
Records Ongoing & Cumulative Damage to
Underwater Component
Decides Operation of Units accordingly
• Infrared Sensor
Silt Measurement in ppm
• The limit values of silt in reservoir for some
Power Stations when machine should be stopped:

SALAL 3500 ppm

RANGIT 8000 ppm
BAIRA SIUL 3000 ppm
TANAKPUR 5000 ppm
ANALYSIS OF LUBRICATING OIL

No online monitoring is required

Offline Oil Analysis data
Appearance
Viscosity
Moisture Content
Total Acid Number
Wear Metal Analysis
Oil filtration in 3 months keeping unit
operational can be done.
 PARTIAL DISCHARGE ANALYSIS

• Partial discharge
Electrical discharge due to stressing of
insulation above critical limit. It do not
bridge distance between electrodes.

• Partial discharge Effects

Degradation & Ageing of the insulation
system.

• Condition Monitoring to assess the insulation

condition & equipment health
 PD ANALYSIS METHODS

• Electrical methods
Differentiated by Frequency Range ,
Place & Method of Acquiring Signal.
• Acoustic methods
• Chemical methods
Ozone Monitoring in Generators or
Dissolved Gas in Transformer Oil
 PDA IN GENERATOR

• Stator winding insulation

Mica and Epoxy Resin
• Damage due to PD
Mica is largely resistant to damage
Epoxy Resin is very susceptible
• Deterioration rate is slow.
• PD major indicator of generator
insulation condition.

( Inter-strand fault in Generator at Uri Power Station )

 PDA IN GENERATOR

• Capacitive Couplers for PD monitoring

Monitors severity & nature of PD

• Partial Discharge signal parameters

Vmax or Qmax
Pulse height distribution
PRPD
PD intensity or power
Repetition rate
NQN etc.
PARTIAL DISCHARGE INTERPRETATION
Place /type of Typical pattern Remarks
PD
Between outer Asymmetric (In Often caused
surface of the magnitude & no of by vibration of
coil and stator pulses) between bars inside slot.
iron (“Slot positive & negative
discharges”) cycles. Positive
discharges during
negative cycles are
more.
In internal Symmetric in Normally
voids of the positive and present even in
ground wall negative cycles. good insulation.
insulation
 PARTIAL DISCHARGE INTERPRETATION
Place /type of Typical pattern Remarks
PD
Discharges Negative Due to bad
adjacent to polarity impregnation
copper discharges /bonding of copper
exceed the conductor with coil
positive polarity insulation
charges.
Discharges on Round shape It is normally at
the end turns distribution. transition of semi-
(Corona) Larger no & conducting paint
magnitude of inside slot portion
positive of bar & stress
discharges grading paint used
in end arm portion
 PARTIAL DISCHARGE INTERPRETATION

Place /type of Typical pattern Remarks

PD
Bar to Bar Almost constant
discharge in amplitude
end arm discharges in both
portion half cycles.
Surface Asymmetric Caused by dust
tracking at between positive & or other
overhang negative cycles. contaminants/p
portion Large negative ollution at
discharge during overhang. Poor
positive cycle at performance of
around 300 phase stress grading
angle. paint.
 PD IN TRANSFORMERS

Oil filled transformer has self healing insulation system

Less susceptible to the PD activity

Overall Monitoring using Dissolved Gas method

Ultrasonic detection for localizing PD

 PD IN GIS

• Monitored by Ultrasonic or UHF method

• Method is less susceptible to noise

• PD monitoring recommended for aged GIS

 DGA INTERPRETATION

Case Characteristic C2H2/ C2H4 CH4/H2 C2H4/ C2H6

fault
1 Partial discharge NS <0.1 <0.2

2 Discharges of >1 0.1 – 0.5 >1

low energy
3 Discharges of 0.6 – 2.5 0.1 - 1 >2
high energy
4 Partial discharge NS <0.1 <0.2

5 Discharges of >1 0.1 – 0.5 >1

low energy
6 Discharges of 0.6 – 2.5 0.1 - 1 >2
high energy
 DETECTION OF GASES IN
TRANSFORMER OIL

Transformer failure prediction through detection of

generated gases ( H2,CO,CO2 ,CH4, C2H4, C2H6,C2H2 ) in
transformer tank.
Electro-chemical Gas Detector : Gases in oil permeate
through membrane and react with atmospheric oxygen.
Heating of resistive element that is measured as
voltage drop.
Electronic Buchholz Relay : It employs oil filled
capacitive sensor. The electronic sensor stores
Time of Gas Detection
Amount of Gas
Temperature
Pressure or Load Condition.
 PERMISSIBLE CONCENTRATION OF DISSOLVED GASES
IN THE OIL OF A HEALTHY TRANSFORMER

ALL THE VALUES ARE IN PPM

GAS YEARS IN SERVICE

< 4 Yrs 4-10 Yrs >10 Yrs
H2 100/150 200/300 200/300
CH4 50/70 100/150 200/300
C2H2 20/30 30/50 200/150
C2H4 100/150 150/200 200/400
C2H6 30/50 100/150 800/1000
CO 300/300 400/500 600/700
CO2 3000/3500 4000/5000 9000/12000
 MOISTURE IN TRANSFORMER OIL

The Change in moisture content indicate leakage

from cooler or moisture absorption from atmosphere,
not any active fault.

Limit value of Moisture : 50 ppm

On-Line Moisture in Oil Sensor

Sensor relies on movement of water content to and
from thin polymer film (between two-electrode
plates). The change in dielectric constant, therefore
capacitance with change in water content will be
measure of moisture content .
 POWER FACTOR

Power factor test conducted on

Generator
Transformer
Bushing
PF test results insulation condition regarding
moisture
contamination
deterioration and ageing.
Deterioration of insulation is gauged
according to its every day change in
operating condition.
 THERMOGRAPHIC IMAGING
Thermographic Methods
Infrared-based Spot Temperature Measurement
Infrared Camera (Temperature
Scanning/Imaging)
Infrared camera for Detection of
Loose Joins
Cable Terminations
Overloading
Cooling Failures
Insulation Failures
Infrared cameras for prevention of failures of
Circuit Breaker
Bushing
Transformer
Bus Duct
*Equipment exhibit evidence of internal problems by increase in
external temperature
TRANSFORMER VIBRATION AND NOISE

• Vibration spectrum with odd frequency or

multiple of odd frequencies ( 3X, 5X..) and high
amplitude shows internal looseness.
• Noise level describes performance condition of
transformer and its support equipment.
• Noise Measurements Methods
Sound Pressure level Measurement
Time Averaged SPL Measurement
Measurement of Directional Nature of
Sound Wave
 CONDITION MONITORING BENEFITS

• Provides early detection of machinery problem

• Lower machine maintenance cost
• Higher availability
• Improve operational safety
• Reduce the quantity & severity of in service
machine failure
• Reduction inn spares inventories
• Reduced planned outage durations
• Avoid revenue loss
• Overall profitability
 CONDITION MONITORING STRATEGY
EQUIPMENT MONITORED PARAMETER TYPE OF MONITORING
TURBINE VIBRATION ON-LINE, REAL TIME
EFFICIENCY & CAVITATION UNDER STUDY
GENERATOR VIBRATION ON-LINE, REAL TIME
AIR GAP UNDER STUDY
PARTIAL DISCHARGE ON-LINE, REAL TIME
TRANSFORMER TOTAL DISSOLVED GAS ON-LINE, REAL-TIME
DGA EVERY 6 - MONTH
VIBE. & NOISE PERIODIC
MOISTURE PERIODIC
DGA INDICATES PD,
PARTIAL DISCHARGE ON-LINE PD NOT
CONSIDERED
GIS PARTIAL DISCHARGE UNDER STUDY
OFC / XLPE CABLE INSULATION RESISTANCE OFF-LINE, PERIODIC
COMMON : CAPACITANCE & TAN OFF-LINE, PERIODIC
GEN, TR, GIS, CABLE
OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE THERMAL CAMERA, PERIODIC
SWITCH YARD
 CONDITION MONITORING
OTHER TECNIQUES

• STATOR BAR VIBRATION

• MAGNETIC FLUX
• STRESS WAVE ANALYSIS
• ROTOR MOUNTED SCANNERS
• STRUCTURE BORNE SOUND
• AUTOMATED WEDGING VERIFICATION SYSTEM
• END WINDING VIBRATION
• RUNNER TIP CLEARANCE
• STATION BATTERY ( INTERNAL RESISTANCE )
• HV BREAKERS ( TIME TRAVEL, CONTACT
RESISTANCE, TRIP/CLOSE COIL CURRENT )
SHAFT CURRENT & VOLTAGE
MONITORING

• Detection of faults through shaft

current and voltage monitoring

Rotor Earth Fault

Rotor Inter-turn Fault

Magnetic Imbalance

Excitation snubber circuit problem