INSTALLATION COMMISSIONING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF TRANSFORMERS

by C.P.DESHMUKH SR.DGM BHEL BHOPAL

ERECTION AND COMMISSIONING OF TRANSFORMERS

Site establishment. Infrastructures and T/P mobilization. Receipt storage and inspection. Placement on plinth and installation. Erection of fittings and accessories. Dry out & pre-commissioning checks. Commissioning. Monitoring performance.

AVAILABILITY OF SITE FRONT

Identification and allotment of land for Site establishment & construction of stores. Documents like shipping list, drawings and leaflets for site reference. Infrastructures and T/P mobilization. Extensive site co-ordination.

RECEIPT HANDLING STORAGE & INSPECTION

Receipt of material, unloading and proper storage. Physical inspection of material and tank for shortages / damages if any. Shortages identification for re-plenishment Indoor Storage of sensitive instrument accessories in well protected store. Storage of accessories outdoor on compacted land to prevent against rusting.

INSPECTION OF TRANSFORMER ON RECEIPT AT SITE

Check N2 pressure. Identify external damages/ dents on various locations. Internal inspection to check movement of core and winding during handling / shunting / unloading en route transportation. Discrepancy if any to be reported to manufacturer. Healthiness of core and winding to be ascertained by testing if necessary. After inspection transformer tank to be pressurized to 2.0 psi and maintained till erection is taken up.

INFRASTRUCTURE TOOL & PLANTS

Long boom crane for bushing mounting. Vinch and pulley for dragging. High vac filter machine (4000lph min. cap.) Oil storage tank (20kL cap.) Current injection kit for CT testing. Testing instruments for LV test on the trfr. Vacuum pump suitable for 1mm vacuum. Dew point meter if required. Oil BDV and PPM testing kit. Tan delta / Cap. Testing kit.

ERECTION/ INSTALLATION

Ensure healthiness of transformer fittings and accessories. Clean oil storage tank and filter machine to remove old / contaminated oil / dirt in it. Availability of site front near /

around transformer plinth.

Requisite power supplier near foundation.

LONGER STORAGE OF TRANSFORMER

If storage without oil more that 6 months dryness of winding insulation must be assessed. Dry nitrogen (-55C) to be used to determine dew point of insulation. Higher dew point indicates moisture ingress in solid insulation. Nitrogen purging to remove moisture till desire dew point achieved.

DESIRED DEW POINT IN TRANSFORMER

Trfr temp. 25 31 33 36 Dew point( C) -24 -19 -17 -15

Use pure and dry N2 (-55 C) dew point. Pressurize tank upto 2.0 psi N2 filling after vacuuming for 48 hrs. Measure dew point after 24hrs of filling.

PLACEMENT OF TRANSFORMER ON PLINTH

Inspection of plinth as per center line of main tank and cooling bank/ pockets. Placement of main tank on plinth. Start cooling bank erection after installation of A frame / headers after correct marking as per drawing. All the pipe works and fittings to ensure in healthy condition. Welding rectification /painting of pipe work.

TURRET ERECTION

Turret CTs to be cleaned and dried with heater to remove moisture if any. Turret CT testing for IR value, mag. Current, ratio and polarity. Results to be compared with works values. Variations in test results to be reported and concurred by manufacturer. Turrets erection to be carried out as per reference mark to ensure correct installation.

BUSHING HANDLING

Make bushings vertical on a temporary stand. Observe leakages if any. Clean porcelain with dry cloth. Tighten oil filling plugs and test tap assembly for adequacy. Check oil loss if any from MOG & retighten. If oil loss is from porcelain/ flanges joint manufacturer to be consulted. Bushings mounting after testing for tan delta / cap. Values.

BUSHING TESTING AND ERECTION

Capacitance and Tan delta testing at 10kV. Tan delta value < 0.007. Capacitance to be comparable with factory results. Adequacy of oil in the bushing. Minor damages on the bushing despite good test results to be shared with manufacturer. Bushing to be erected with immense care. Lead orientation inside the bushing tube and terminal connection must be well tighten.

TRANSFORMER TESTING BEFORE OIL FILLING

Polarity, vector group and ratio measurement on all tap positions. winding resistance measurement on normal, minimum and maximum tap positions. Isolation test between core, end frame and tank. Continuity during tap change operation. magnetization current.

Note: Consult manufacturer if results do not match with works values for corrective action.

VACUUM PULLING
Erection of all fittings and accessories. Internal inspection to remove all the dirt and dust from the transformer tank. Retightening of cleat nuts and bolts. Re-tightening of on load tap changer leads connected to the selector. Blanking all the openings and tightening. Vacuuming upto 1mm of HG. Checking of leakages and tightening. Final vacuuming for the period specified (48hrs min).

OIL PREPARATION & FILLING

Oil supplied to confirm IS:335.

Clean oil storage tank using good oil to remove residual. Recondition & clean filter machine. Preparation of oil in separate tank to achieve BDV more than 60kV. Evacuation of main tank and maintaining vacuum up to 1 torr. For min 48 hrs. Filling of oil under vacuum.

OIL FILLING IN CONSERVATOR

Check functioning of MOG with float arm movement. Inflating rubber bellow of conservator for 0.1psi and check leakages. Topping oil in the conservator from bottom and releasing air from valves . Pressure testing of transformer for 12 hrs at 5 psi & attend leakages if any.

DRY OUT AND TESTING

Oil filtration through high VAC filter machine under vacuum and 55 C temperature of transformer. Continue dry out till BDV > 70kV and PPM < 10 for 400kV class transformers (IS1866). Continuous filtration till desired values by uninterrupted power supply availability. Check PI > 1.25 IR values comparable with factory results.

TRANSFORMER TESTING

Measurement of magnetizing current. Resistance measurement of the windings. Ratio test on all tap position. Magnetic balance test. IR value of the winding (60 sec and 600 sec) Isolation of core and end frame. OLTC manual and electrical operation. Tan delta and cap. of bushing and wdg. Dissolve gas analysis of the oil sample. FRA of the transformer.

PRE-COMMISSIONING CHECKS

Compare all low voltage test results and short out discrepancy if any. Releasing of air from different pockets after allowing 24 hrs. settling time. Ensure proper earthing of tank, turret, bushings flanges and test tap assembly. Ensure perfect earthing of tank to mother earthing. Ensure perfect bushing top terminal connections to avoid heating. Commissioning the transformer and monitoring performance for 24 hrs.

BENCH MARKING PARAMETERS

Description Ratio, Resistance, Mag.current & isolation testing Tan delta and capacitance of bushing. BDV & PPM Remarks Bench marking reference for future testing / maintenance. Increase in tan delta (> 0.007) & increase in capacitance is warning. Increase in PPM and reduction in BDV indicate moisture. Before & after charging. 24hrs and 7 days after charging & analyze for incipient fault if any.

DGA of oil

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE OF TRANSFORMER

Inspection Transformer oil Oil conservator Buchholz relay Gasket joints On load tap changer diverter Bushing top connectors OTI WTI pockets Remarks Ensure value as per IS: 1866 and filter if required. Check MOG and air cell functioning Check gas and release if dry air. Retighten leaking bolts Draw out diverter, clean and tighten contacts. Replace oil. Check contact joints and retighten. Top up oil in the pockets

METHODOLOGY FOR OVERHAULING OF TRANSFORMER IN OPERATION FOR MORE THAN 7 YEARS

SL NO
1. 2. 3. 4.

ACTIVITIES
DISMANTLING OF BUSHINGS & ACCESSORIES AFTER DRAINING OIL. INTERNAL INSPECTION & TIGHTENING OF BOLTED JOINTS. OVERHAULING OF OLTC/OFF CKT. TAP SWITCH REPLACEMENT OF DAMAGED CLEAT OF TERMINAL GEAR.

5.
6. 7.

CLEANING & REMOVAL OF SLUDGE FROM TANK.

BOXING TRFR. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF GASKET. ERECTION OF BUSHING, ACCESSORIES & BOXING THE TRFRS.

8.
9.. 10.

DRY OUT OF TRFR. BY VACUUMING / N2 FILLING & HEATING METHOD.

OIL FILLING, HOT OIL CIRCULATION & PAINTING TESTING & RECHARGING.

PROBLEMS DURING FIRST COMMISSIONING AND LIQUIDATION

PROBLEMS
Buchholz alarm / tripping due to accumulation of trapped air evolution OLTC surge relay operation due to bad / moist oil and moisture in diverter components. PRV tripping due to oil blockade or excessive oil in conservator . Oil leakage from bushing top due to excess oil / plug looseness. MOG alarm due to float / air cell Buchholz trip on pump starting due to low oil in conservator

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS
Release air and identified air ingress locations from pump flanges. Re-tighten the flange joints. Cleaning of diverter with hot oil and topping up with high BDV oil. Ensure opening of valves and lower oil in the conservator upto 35C level. Drain 2/3 liters of oil and tighten the plugs. Check float arm and replace air cell if found punctual. Pump flanges to be tightened and oil in conservator to be topped up (35C level). Introduce time delay between starting of pumps.

THANK YOU