Qurayyah Combined Cycle Power Plant

GSU 5 Transformer Bushing Failure

Operational and failure History
17 June 2014
Transformer was erected,
tested and commissioned
under supervision of AREVA. 28 August 2015
Transformer failed critically within
the warranty period, there was a
flash over in B Phase HV Bushing
03 April 2016 and the Main tank was exploded.
The damaged Transformer sent to
Manufacturer’s (AREVA) workshop at
Turkey for repair.
Received back The repaired 08 May 2016
transformer.

Re-commissioned the repaired

transformer.
06 May 2019

The Transformer tripped again.

18 May 2019
R-Phase bushing found
damaged. Bushing replaced and
Transformer put back in service.
Incidents in The GSU 5 Transformer
May 2015

2015
A fire took place due flashover of transformer bushing
Phase A. Root cause was unknow although ABB and
GE were involved in the investigation.

May 2019
Transformer tripped due to Buchholz relay picked up.
Found only acetone in the main tank 15ppm while taruut was
1211ppm and all other gases were high, Hydrogen was
411ppm.
2019
Maximum Limits:
Acetone: 1ppm
Hydrogen: 100ppm

GSU 5 Transformer
Incidents
Incidents in The GSU 5 Transformer
2015 2015 2019
Facts
Type of bushings installed in QCCP transformer are
01 impogrnated (ABB-RTGK) manufactured in Swaziland
MICAFIL (5F6 to Oil).

When the factory test was done, this bushing was not
02 part of the transformer, Ariva used ( Air to Oil) during the
test.

Facts Corona shields normally supplied along with bushing. Ariva used
03 another model supplied by Swiss Widmmen company as
original can’t fit due to congested designed tank of the
transformer, ABB was informed by Ariva about this.

During this T&I transformers 3,4,6 inspected. Similar

04 trucking not found.
Bushing Inspection - 2019
Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5
Factory Investigation
Trucking was concentrated in one side of the bushing,
Started from top to bottom . In other words, bushing
1 deterioration started from top to bottom due to unknown
force attack such as partial discharge or electrical
conduction.

Observation on Capacitance test found 372pF while it should be 365pF,

The Bushings 2 this indicates that here is defective aluminum foil.

Tan Delta was 1.9% while it should be less than 0.3%

3 this is because bushing is already defective.
Factory Investigation
Digging for the failure cause
Possibilities Causes

1 Strong PD discharge (electromagnetic field)

spot on the outer surface of the bushing.

Electrical conduction from the inside bushing to

Transient Voltage. 3 2 outside.

Harmonics form the transformer

or network.
4
Factory Investigation
Digging for the failure cause

In order to determine the cause two actions have

taken along with ABB:

1
Di-section of the bushing
2
Sustain & Adapt Modeling of effect of variable corona shield position to study
the behavior of partial discharge and consequently the
damage it could impose on the bushing.

The Failure Cause

Di-Sectioning Of the Bushing

Bushing was sliced several pieces either

vertically or horizontally in order to trace the
trucking on the bushing.

Found two pinholes inside the bushings

Di-Sectioning reached the aluminum foils, it is like a ground
Of the Bushing fault. Yet it is not unknown if it started from
outside or inside of bushing.

ABB will conduct CT scan to trace the

trucking inside the bushing to find tunnels to
aluminum foils, it will take around two weeks
to get the results.
Di-Sectioning Of the Bushing
Di-Sectioning Of the Bushing

Pinholes

Aluminum
foils

Pinholes
Modeling the effect of corona positions

There are three awkward positions, corona could

01 be subjected to: Decentralized, Inclination, Long
vertical insertion on position (More than 6cm) .

02 ABB conducted vertical modeling and the

other two will take almost two weeks to be
completed.
Dielectric simulation analysis
Results- Potential Distribution

Potential distribution for shield position 20 mm over

the condenser core and 200 mm over condenser core.
Evaluated at nominal voltage 420kV/1.7320
Probabilities
Protractive This will make high probability

1 There GSUs (3,4,6) inspected and 1 The problem only in GSU5.

their bushings has no problem.
Two incidents took place only in Trouble is not in the manufacturing
2 2
one-unit GSU5. of the bushing.

Observation seen on GSUs and unit 5

Work in corona shield is not identical and non-
1 professional, Unit 5 is the worst as welded sheet is
used.

2 Transient will be investigated.

3 Surge arrester counter will be verified.

On going investigations

1 Wherever unit 5 is shutdown corona shield will be inspected.

Oil sample will be taken for GSU5, GSU3, GSU4.

2 From tank and tarruts, to find out if there is on going activities on the transformer.

3 3D Modeling by ABB.

4 CT Scan by ABB.
Conclusion

Corona shield is the most suspected

1 cause of the failure.

We are trying to prove this

2 cause by doing the following:

 Collecting oil samples by QCCP from different

locations, turret and tank.

 Modeling of corona shield 3 positions by ABB.

 CT scan of failed bushing by ABB.

THANK YOU
Extra inputs can be used …
Make AREVA (Made in Turkey)

Serial number 317554

MVA Rating (ONAN/ONAF) 290 / 386 MVA

Voltage Rating (HV/LV) 400 / 18 KV

Current Rating HV -
418.6 / 557.1 Amps
(ONAN/ONAF)

Current Rating LV - (ONAN/ONAF) 9307.75/ 12380.96 Amps

Phase & Frequency 3 Phase, 60 Hz

Vector Group YNd1

Year of Manufacturing 2011