Condition Monitoring of power

Transformers
G.A.Jayantha
Deputy General Manager
Generation Projects
 Condition Monitoring of
Transformers
• Power Transformer is a complex and critical
component of Power Transmission and
Distribution System.

• System abnormalities, loading, switching and

ambient condition normally contributes towards
accelerated aging and sudden failure.

• Early fault detection by real time condition

assessment would be an important tool to
minimize the sudden failures.
Monitoring systems
Types of Transformer Oils
Oil Sampling method
Oil Sampling
Oil Sampling
Oil Sampling
Testing of Transformer oil
• DGA
• Furan Testing
Dissolved Gas Analysis
 Dissolved Gas Analysis
• DGA is widely accepted as the most reliable tool
for the earliest detection of incipient faults in
transformers.

• Hydrocarbon (mineral-based) oils are used as

insulation fluids in transformers because of their
high dielectric strength, heat transfer properties
and chemical stability.

• Under normal operating conditions very little

decomposition of the dielectric occurs.
When a thermal or electrical fault develops,
dielectric fluid and solid insulation partially
decompose to liberate fault gases within the
unit.
 Continue……
• The seven fault gases are Hydrogen, Methane,
Ethane, Ethylene, Acetylene, Carbon monoxide
and Carbon dioxide.

• The distribution of these gases can be related to

the type of electrical fault and the rate of gas
generation can indicate the severity of the fault.

• DGA technique involves extracting the fault

gases from the oil using the method of Gas
Chromatography.

• The test is performed in accordance with the

Standard IEC 60599
Temperature Gases Formed Key Gas
0˚C

150˚C Beginning of slow Evolution of

Hydrogen
Methane
300˚C Methane
Ethylene
Ethane
Hydrogen
500˚C Ethylene
Ethane
Methane
Hydrogen
550˚C Major
Gas
is
700˚C Thermal Appearance of Ethylene
Acetylene
1000˚C Carbone
Hydrogen
Acetylene
Methane
Above1000˚C Region of Electric Arc
Dissolved Gas Analysis
 Dissolved Gas Analyzer

• Trade Name : MYRKOS

• S.No. : N 10149
• Equipment Manufacturer: Morgan Shaffer System, Canada.

More Photos
Most commonly used Interpretation
techniques
• IEC 60599 Ratios and Limits

• Key Gas Analysis

• Trend Analysis

• Dornenburg Ratios

• Refined Rogers Ratios

• Dual Triangle
Different Fault types
 IEC 60599 – Ratio fault
Diagnosis

If the Rate of gas increase per month

above the typical levels is greater than
10% then there is a active fault in the
transformer If the Rate of gas increase per week is
greater than 50% then the condition of the
transformer is serious
Dissolved Gas Acceptable Limits
 Key Gas Analysis

• To diagnosis a fault, this method uses 4 different

percentage gas distributions patterns as follows,
Arcing Overheating, Oil

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

Partial Discharge Over heating, Paper

100 100
80 80
60 60
40 40
20 20
0 0
CO H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2 CO H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2
 Example
Test results of Old Generator transformer at
Inginiyagala Power Station

Date of
Sampling H2 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2 CO CO2 CO2/CO
2007-06-27 57 195 77 440 2 533 5424 10.1764
2007-10-02 0 2 0 3 0 39 347 8.89744
2007-10-17 0 3 0 8 0 42 450 10.7143
2007-12-07 50 168 44 329 4 155 1387 8.94839
2008-01-03 65 202 52 395 6 189 1627 8.60847
2008-01-19 55 229 75 494 8 293 2241 7.64846
2008-02-07 48 221 72 491 6 380 2772 7.29474
2008-02-22 23 181 69 467 5 283 2786 9.84452
2008-03-13 16 163 60 420 5 226 2561 11.3319
2008-05-29 41 158 80 455 4 650 5412 8.32615
2008-06-20 30 137 96 407 4 620 7584 12.2323
2008-07-29 40 568 229 1455 16 659 7793 11.8255
 Continue….
• Trend Analysis
H2 C2H6 C2H6

160 250 250

140
200 200
120
100 150 150
80
60 100 100
40
50 50
20
0 0 0

Da t e o f S a mpling Da t e o f S a mpling Da t e o f S a mpling

Test Results – After filtering of oil

C2H4 C2H2 CO2 /CO

14
1600 60
12
1400
50
1200 10
1000 40 8
800 30 6
600
20 4
400
200 10 2
0 0
0

Da t e o f S a mpling Da t e o f S a mpling D a t e o f S a mp ling

 Continue……
• IEC 60599

• Key Gas Analysis – Can not interpret

 Continue……
• Refined Rogers Ratio

• Dornenburg Ratios
Dual Triangle

Conclusion: Thermal Fault in the Transformer Temperature above

700C
Moisture Content Measurement
 Main reasons for increasing moisture content
in the Transformer Oil
• Oxidation of oil
• Ingress from atmosphere
• Aging
• Decomposition of cellulose

Basically there are two methods to measure the

moisture content
1. Karl-Fischer method
2. Method of measuring capacitance of the Oil

The test is performed accordance with the standard

IEC 814
Moisture content Measurement
Water from the insulation
Methods of measuring moisture in
oil
Moisture estimation –field testing
Equilibrium of oil in water and
Paper
 Moisture Content Measuring
Equipment
• Domino TM PORTA SAMPLER
S.No. A4650013

Container

Valve

Measuring
Instrument
Moisture Content Test Results & Evaluation
Unit Operating Moisture
Temp. of Oil C Content ,(ppm)

TF 1 38 15
TF 2 63 15

Percent saturation water in oil, adjusted to 20 °C,

Correction factor, f = 2.24 * ℮(-0.04*ts) ts – Operating temperature of the
Oil in °C
Solubility of water in mineral oil, Ws
Log Ws = 7.0895 – (1567 / T) T – Absolute temp. of the oil in Kelvin
% Saturation = (mg/kg of water / Ws) * 100 at 20 °C

Ex: TF 1 15 ppm at 38 °C
F = 2.24 * ℮(-0.04*38) = 0.49
Ws = 55.13
% Saturation = (15 * 0.49 / 55.13) * 100 = 13.3 => Moderate wet insulation
For TF2
% Saturation = 4.9 => Dry insulation
 Evaluation
Percent Saturation water in Condition of Cellulosic
oil, adjusted to 20 C insulation
0-5% Dry insulation

6 - 20 % Moderate wet, low numbers

indicate fairly dry to moderate
levels of water in insulation.
Values towards the upper limit
indicate moderately wet insulation.
21 - 30 % Wet insulation

> 30 % Extremely wet insulation

Monitoring of Oxidation of oil
Monitoring the colour of oil
Dielectric Breakdown Strenght
Measurement
 Dielectric Breakdown Strength

• Breakdown Strength is a measure of an

insulating fluids ability to withstand a high
electric field stress without breaking down.

• Test result can indicate the presence of

water or other contaminants in the oil.

• The test is performed accordance with IEC

156 or BS 148.
 The Equipment

• Instrument details:
Megger OTS 80 AF/2 (UK)
Interfacial Tension
Measurement (IFT)
 Interfacial Tension (IFT)
• Interfacial tension of a mineral oil is related to
the deterioration of the sample

• When a sample undergoes oxidative

degradation, it is formed carboxylic acids, which
are hydrophilic in nature.

• The presence of these hydrophilic materials can

affect the Chemical (acidity), Electrical
(Breakdown Strength) and Physical (Interfacial
Tension) properties of the fluid.

• Low values of IFT is a indication of sludge

formation.
 Evaluation

Oil Condition IFT (mN/m)

Good oils 30.0 – 45.0

Proposition A oils 27.1 – 29.9

Marginal oils 24.0 – 27.0

Bad oils 18.0 – 23.9

Very bad oils 14.0 – 17.9

Extremely bad oils 9.0 – 13.9

 The Test equipment
• EasyDyne
Tensiometer
Winding Resistance
Measurement
 Winding Resistance
• Winding resistance measurements in
transformers are very important to assess the
possible damages and to do required
maintenance to minimize the failures.

• Reasons for the failures could be due to poor

design, assembly, poor environmental
conditions, overloading or poor maintenance.

• Measuring the resistance of the windings

assures that the connections are correct and the
resistance measurements indicates that there
are no severe mismatches or opens.
 Continue….

• Many Transformers have taps built into

them. These taps allow ratio to be
increased or decreased by fractions of a
percent. Any of the ratio changes involve a
mechanical movement of a contact from
one position to another. These tap
positions will also be checked during the
test.
 Principles of operation
• The basic idea is to inject a DC current through
the winding to be measured, and then read the
voltage drop across the winding.

• Formula for DC voltage across a transformer

winding,
v = I * R + L (di/dt)
DC current source must be extremely stable,
then di/dt is zero. Resistance of the transformer
winding, R can be found.
 The Test Equipment
• Model : AVTM830280
Brand : Megger

Test Report
Furan Analysis
Furan Analysis
Furan Analysis
END