Life Extension Measures

P.
Ramachandran ,Technical Advisor,ABB India,Vadodara- 2017-02-21
Life Extension Measures for Power

Transformers
Life Extension Measures for Power Transformers
Contents
 Factors for long life

 Killers of Transformers
 Mode &Cause of failures –Bushings &Tap Changers
 Monitoring the Health of accessories
 Life extension of Bushings & Tap Changers
 Short Circuit Forces- Failure modes, monitoring & prevention
 Insulation ageing – Failure modes
 Condition monitoring and condition assessment of insulation to decide
the health of transformers
 Various ‘treatment’ methods to restore the health and get full life out of
transformers
Long Life Factors
 Born Healthy Transformers
 Lived Healthy Transformers
 Treated well Transformers

Killers of Transformers: Equal % share for below items
 Breakdown of Bushings
 Break down of Tap Changers
 Short Circuit Current Forces on windings
 Insulation Ageing by Temperature with moisture

Mode and cause Of Bushing Failures
- Insulation deterioration by
 Ageing
 Water entry
 Abnormal Surge
 Improper storage /transport
 Design/material/ manufacturing - Overheating from poor
current contacts at top/bottom terminals
- Excess mechanical pulling forces on bushing terminals
- Arcing to earth due to poor clearances –design/installation
- Faulty mounting of bottom stress shield

Monitoring of Bushings
 C and Tan delta – Change due to insulation deterioration
Tan delta at different temperatures/ different frequencies (DFR=

FDS)
15-400 Hz at 4 kV
1mHz-1000Hz at 140-200 V ( Frequency Dielectric
Spectroscopy
 DGA of oil in bushing- IEC 60599-2015 Section A.5
 Terminal connector heating – Thermography
 Pull on the bushing terminal (visual)
 Loose connection at tail end of bushing

Extending Life of Bushing
 Proper Storage and transport
 Visual Inspection for oil leaks / breakage or color change of

porcelain insulator
 Change bushing when C changes >5% (72.5 kV) >3 % (245

kV & above) or Tan delta > +0.1 from previous reading in % /
75 % above rating plate value (annual check)
 Avoid pull in the terminal connection
 Avoid heating of terminal pad

Mode and Cause of Tap Changer Failures
 Pyrolitic carbon formation at selector

contacts - temperature run down,
leading to contact failure
 Deterioration of oil in arc chamber-

causing flashover to ground
 Mechanical breakdown
Monitoring of Tap –Changers
 Oil BDV & moisture of oil in arcing chamber
DGA of oil in arc chamber- IEC60599-2015- A.7 / IEEE

C57.139-2015
Drive motor current /torque monitoring
Dynamic resistance measurement

Extending life of Tap –changers
 Wiping of contacts by tap –changer operation
 Reconditioning of oil in arcing chamber
 Maintain silicagel breather in OLTC conservator
 On line oil filters for line end OLTC eg Auto-

Transformers
 Preventive maintenance as per OEM recommendation-

change of contacts
Mode and Cause of Failure from Short Circuit current forces
 Short circuit current –not system fault level, but rated current/ pu
impedance ie 16- 5 times rated current.
 Radial buckling force on inner winding
 Outward bursting force on outer winding
 Axial Forces to clamping Frame
 Axial Compressive forces inside winding

Monitoring Short Circuit with stand Strength
 SFRA –Sweep Frequency Response Analysis –ECG of

windings
 Impedance (leakage reactance ) of winding
 Clamping Pressure in winding(?)

Life Extension from short Circuit Force
Eliminate chances of faults – insulated buses , Limiting

chances for short circuits in line
 Design Review- opening out the stabilizing tertiary winding
 Series Reactors to limit fault current
 Tertiary protection, if required to avoid L-L faults
 Excessivedrying can reduce the clamping pressure leading to

increased dynamic forces
Mode and Cause of Insulation Failure
Moisture:
 Moisture equilibrium between oil & cellulose
 3 killing lines of moisture –
 Rapid Ageing – with every 1 % water content up
,ageing rate of cellulose doubles.
 Lower BDV for oil and paper – Paper creep voltage
breakdown starts > 3 % water content
 Bubble Formation at high temperature . Water
content brings down it.
Temperature:
 32 + 45 + 21 = 980 C (180,000hrs. 20.5years)
 Temperature distribution
 Loading guide – IEC 60076-7
Oil deterioration :
 Low BDV, IFT & high water content, tan delta
 Sludge Formatiom
Monitoring of Insulation
Transformer Oil :
 Oil condition monitoring – limits as per IEC 60422-2013/ C57.106-
2006
 Moisture – Relative saturation in %
RS = water content in oil (ppm)/ saturation limit in oil at that

temperature (%)
Water saturation limit in Mineral oil (ppm)
At 20 C – 50 ppm (new Oil) 150 ppm (aged oil)
At 70C - 360 ppm (new Oil) 800 ppm (aged oil)
(Ref. Table II CIGRE Brochure 349-2008 Moisture Migration in
Insulation)
Water Solubility (as per Oommen/Griffin) – 10C -35ppm, 20C-55 ppm,
30C-85 ppm, 40C-125 ppm, 50C-180 ppm, 60C-255 ppm.
Transformer Oil (contd)
 Water concentration ratio in cellulose: oil
20C - 3000:1
40C - 1000:1
60 C- 400:1
 BDV (good limits)

400 kV - 60 kV
220 kV – 60 kV
132 kV - 50 kV
72.5 kV- 40 kV
• IFT >28 mN /m
• Tan Delta - <0.1 (limit 0.2)
• Resistivity
Cellulose:
 Furan in oil - < 1ppm in healthy condition. Limit -10 ppm
 CO2/CO ratio ( 6- 10 :Healthy condition; ratio significant

only if CO2 >5000 ppm & CO > 500 ppm)
(Refer to IEC TR 62874-2015 Guidance on interpretation of CO2
&Furan)
 Humidity level in paper - < 1-2 % in transformers with dry insulation
Relative Cellulose
moisture condition
Saturation in
oil(%)
 DGA
<5 Dry
5-20 Moderately wet
20-30 Wet
>30 Extremely wet
Monitoring Insulation (continued)
Cellulose:
 PF of winding insulation –at power frequency & various
frequencies (DFR- Dielectric Frequency response analysis) –
Limit 0.5 % (new) 1.0 % (aged units)
 PDC (polarization /depolarization current)
 IR &PI ( Insulation resistance & polarization index)

General:
 DGA –may detect almost 70 % of faults in a transformer
- blood test of transformer
 LV single phase excitation current (Doble test)– sensitive test

for inter turn & core faults
 Ratio & winding resistance

Extending Life Of Insulation:

Transformer Oil
 Oil Re-Conditioning - vacuum filtration- improves BDV &
dryness
 Oil Reclamation -Vacuum filtration + flow
thorough Fullers Earth bed +adding synthetic
inhibitors (DBPC)
Cellulose Insulation
 Deterioration of mechanical strength- avoid invasive
testing/maintenance procedures
 Avoid Overloading
Moisture Management
 Care during installation- avoid exposure ;dry insulation greedy for
moisture
 Stop oil leakages-path for water ingress
 Welding – weld with oil, but with vacuum over it

 Use of Epoxy sealants- stop oil seepage during curing period
 Change of gasket
 Before reenergizing remove all air bubbles ( oil carry 8-10%
air by volume)
 Maintain air cell – improper air cell can result direct breathing,
bypassing the silica gel breather.
 Silica gel (dry out before turning red)
 Dehydration by HOC – limitations
 Draw lead bushing connection at top - potential water entry point
Insulation Rehabilitation:
 Cause of deterioration (ageing)
 Temperature
 Moisture
 Saturation with air
 Particles
 Ageing of Oil
 Contamination of paper with oil ageing products
 Cause of ‘sickness’ (Defect)

 Gas generation (localized heating, arcing)
 Particle generation (Carbon, metal, fibers)
 Moisture Contamination of paper & PB (through leaks)
 Insulation contamination with sludge or other
aggressive oil ageing products (Copper sulphide)
 ‘Treatment’ (Rehabilitation measures)

 Degassing and dehydration of oil
 Filtering (Removing particles)
 Drying out solid insulation
 Oil reclamation – To remove ageing products
 Insulation (Paper) regeneration / Desludging
 Degassing and re-impregnation of the insulation
 Measures for reducing the insulation deterioration

 Remove water & ageing products (acids)
 Maintain low oxygen level by modifying preservation
system (Membrane, sealed system)
 Reduce operating oil/ winding. Temperature by
augmenting cooler system
 Reduce operational stresses (Fault current, over

voltage, number of transient conditions)
 Protection against external stresses – ZnO arresters to
protect over voltages. Line / neutral reactors to reduce
over current.
 Supports for Life Extension

 Design review to find weak points, if any
 Analysis of operational history and unusual events
 Life assessment based on condition monitoring
 Replacement / up gradation of accessories & fittings

Oil degassing and Hydration
 Oil can contain 9 ~ 11% air and 0.003 ~0 .05% water
 20 ppm water in oil means 20 mg. moisture / kg. of oil
 Sufficient capacity for vacuum pump
 Hose conductivity (i.e. small dia hose) or higher length of hose can
reduce the displacement of vacuum pump and effectiveness of
processing.
 Filter machine size 1000 ~ 12000 litres / hr. capacity

Flow rate of oil shall be less than 1/8th volume of the vacuum chamber
to avoid oil foam (due to extraction of air & water from oil) getting out of
the vacuum chamber.
 Indirect heating of oil, low treatment density (w/cm2 preferably <0.5) on

heater surface
Types of filters
 Paper filter (Blotter paper, cartridge type)
 Micro fibre glass filter (advantage: No particle generation)
 Molecular sieves (Nax)
Better adsorbent
Disadvantage: Need for regeneration
crumbling of granules
 Filter as above + Vacuum degassing
 New methods of oil degassing under development
 Enhance the foam build up by ultrasonic nozzles and saturating with

nitrogen. At low temp. & medium vacuum, gassing occurs.
 By bubbling through dry nitrogen (Quicker).
 Oil / Insulation cleaning
 Particle contamination decreases dielectric strength
 Beta ratio rating of filters
 Selection of filter size
 Insulation Drying out:

 Thin insulation structure carry more water than thick structures
 Stages of drying:
 Heating
 Surface vaporizing (drying at a constant extraction rate)
 Diffusion (drying with reducing rate of extraction)
 Moisture gradient (isothermal diffusion)
 Temperature gradient (Thermo diffusion)
 Pressure difference (correction diffusion, viscous)
movement of moisture in macro capillaries
Transformer heating methods

 Hot air (100 °C) over core-coil assembly. Hot air
required:
 10 m3 / minute / m2 of tank base area
 Hot oil (60 ~ 90 °C) circulation. Suck from bottom
and deliver at top.
 Hot oil bath
 Hot oil spray – Continuous fine spraying in to partly
oil filled transformer, under vacuum
 Winding heating
 By DC current in HV windings Max. winding
temp. 95 °C
 Short circuit current heating
 (Short LV, feed from HV)
 AC or low frequency AC (1 ~ 2 Hz)
Methods of Dry out:

 Circulation of hot dry oil(Drying of oil in filter machines)
 Vacuum treatment only (cold trap)
 Vacuum of 0.05 mm Hg at 30 °C
 Heat / Vacuum cycles
 Hot oil Spray
 Oil spray at 3~5 m3/hr at 90-120 °C with vacuum of 5

~ 10 mm Hg
 Combined oil spray / hot oil / vacuum / oil circulation /
cycles process
 Combined LFH (Low Frequency Heating) and oil
circulation / vacuum drying technology
 Effect of drying out on compression forces of the winding
Insulation Regeneration (Desludging)
 Sludge-Reduce oil BDV

 Reduce impulse withstand strength
 Damages new oil and paper insulation
 Sludge removed by
 Hot oil washing (use high aromatic, less viscous oil)

 Circulate with special regenerative oil (detergent like – Trf. Oil with
cleaning agent) for 10~20 months
 Desludging as a part of rehabilitation process use regenerative oil for
oil spray – vacuum cycles
 Circulating through Fullers Earth
 To dissolve sludge from paper a higher oil temp. is required (more
than aniline point of oil)
On line processing
 Permanent regeneration system (cartridge filled with

silicagel, thermo syphon filters) Passive component
 Permanent filters for degassing, on-line drying (e.g. Velcon,

Altamann – transformer.com)
 Treatment methods on energized transformer

 Drying & degassing of oil
 Drying of paper by drying oil.Higher temperature and

time are required
 Oil filtering
 Oil reclaiming
On line processing (Continued)
 Precautions
 No air entry into tank

 No vacuum process in the system
 No introduction of foreign impurities
 No oil foam ingress into tank
 Reduce flow rate to settle the foam
 No oil turbulence
 Consider static electrification / esp. for 220 kV & above

transformers.
 Life extension for accessories:
 Gaskets - Use fresh gaskets after opening any cover on tank
 Temperature indicators
 Painting – Importance of touch up painting during installation

- Radiator storage to prevent edge rusting: Flood paint
coating, Type of existing painting.
 On-Line Monitors:
 Comprehensive on-line monitoring, cooler control, life assessment
tools ( on line DGA, moisture content in oil) are available today
Transformer Maintenance: Reference Documents
r. CIGRE Brochures IEEE Standard IEC Standard

o
Operation 170-2000 Static C57.91-2011 Loading 60076-7:2005

al Electrification Guide for Oil Immersed Loading Guide for
Problems Transformers oil immersed
228-2002 Ageing Transformers
Process
323-2007 Ageing of C57.96-1999 Loading 60905-1987
Loading Guide for
Cellulose Guide for Dry Type
Dry Type
Transformers Transformers
349-2008 Moisture
Equilibrium and
migration in
C57.153-2015 – 600076-8 -1997-
insulation system Paralleling
Paralleling
378-2009 Copper
sulfide in insulation
393-2009 Thermal
Sr. CIGRE Brochures IEEE Standard IEC Standard

No.
2 Life 227-2003 Life C57.93-2007
Assessment Management Installation &
Techniques Maintenance of
Transformer
248-2004
Economics of C57.106-2002 60422-2005
Management Maintenance of Oil Maintenance
of Oil
298-2006 Life time C57.140-2006
Data Management Evaluation &
Reconditioning
413-2010 Oil
regeneration and 637-1985 (R2007)
Dehalogenation Reclamation of Oil
Sr. CIGRE IEEE Standard IEC Standard

No. Brochures
3 Diagnostics 254-2002 Dielectric
Frequency
Response (DFR)
342-2008 SFRA C57.149-2012 –SFRA 60076-18-2012

SFRA
343-2008 Condition
Monitoring and C57.104-2008 DGA 60567-2005
Condition Facilities Interpretaion of oil Sampling for
DGA
409-2010 Gas
Monitors C57.139-2015- DGA of 60599-2015
OLTC oil DGA
445-2011 Interpretation
Maintenance Guide
Sr. CIGRE IEEE Standard IEC Standard

No. Brochures
3 Diagnostics 414-2010 Life Time C57.125-2015 –Site
(contd) Condition Failure Investigation
assessment
C57.143-2012-
436 -2010 Monitoring equipment
Experiences in for Transformers
service with new
insulating liquids C57.152-2013 –
Diagnostic Field testing
494-2012 Furanic of Transformers
Compounds for
Diagnosis C57.200-2000- PD
Detection by Acoustic
Monitoring

Life Extension Measures

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Life Extension Measures

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

P.

Ramachandran ,Technical Advisor,ABB India,Vadodara- 2017-02-21

Life Extension Measures for Power

 Factors for long life

Long Life Factors

 Born Healthy Transformers

 Lived Healthy Transformers

 Treated well Transformers

Killers of Transformers: Equal % share for below items

 Break down of Tap Changers

 Short Circuit Current Forces on windings

 Insulation Ageing by Temperature with moisture

Mode and cause Of Bushing Failures

- Excess mechanical pulling forces on bushing terminals

- Arcing to earth due to poor clearances –design/installation

- Faulty mounting of bottom stress shield

 C and Tan delta – Change due to insulation deterioration

Tan delta at different temperatures/ different frequencies (DFR=

 Terminal connector heating – Thermography

 Pull on the bushing terminal (visual)

 Loose connection at tail end of bushing

Extending Life of Bushing

 Proper Storage and transport

 Visual Inspection for oil leaks / breakage or color change of

 Change bushing when C changes >5% (72.5 kV) >3 % (245

 Avoid pull in the terminal connection

 Avoid heating of terminal pad

Mode and Cause of Tap Changer Failures

 Pyrolitic carbon formation at selector

 Deterioration of oil in arc chamber-

Monitoring of Tap –Changers

 Oil BDV & moisture of oil in arcing chamber

DGA of oil in arc chamber- IEC60599-2015- A.7 / IEEE

Drive motor current /torque monitoring

Dynamic resistance measurement

Extending life of Tap –changers

 Wiping of contacts by tap –changer operation

 Reconditioning of oil in arcing chamber

 Maintain silicagel breather in OLTC conservator

 On line oil filters for line end OLTC eg Auto-

 Preventive maintenance as per OEM recommendation-

Mode and Cause of Failure from Short Circuit current forces

 Radial buckling force on inner winding

 Outward bursting force on outer winding

 Axial Forces to clamping Frame

 Axial Compressive forces inside winding

Monitoring Short Circuit with stand Strength

 SFRA –Sweep Frequency Response Analysis –ECG of

 Impedance (leakage reactance ) of winding

 Clamping Pressure in winding(?)

Life Extension from short Circuit Force

Eliminate chances of faults – insulated buses , Limiting

 Design Review- opening out the stabilizing tertiary winding

 Series Reactors to limit fault current

 Tertiary protection, if required to avoid L-L faults

 Excessivedrying can reduce the clamping pressure leading to

 Low BDV, IFT & high water content, tan delta

RS = water content in oil (ppm)/ saturation limit in oil at that

 Water concentration ratio in cellulose: oil

 BDV (good limits)

 CO2/CO ratio ( 6- 10 :Healthy condition; ratio significant

Monitoring Insulation (continued)

 PDC (polarization /depolarization current)

 IR &PI ( Insulation resistance & polarization index)