Water in

Transformer

Rich Simonelli
Service Manager East Region
919-581-1673
Rich.Simonelli@SPX.com

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Company Confidential
 Agenda

> Water in Transformer is BAD

> How the water gets in?
> How to estimate water content in transformers?
> What can you do about it?
Lets make this
interactive!
Please stop me and ask
questions during the
presentation if you have
them.

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer is Bad
It lowers dielectric strength of oil.

Source: FM Clark, Engineering

Guide Book for Electrical
Insulation, 1958

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer is Bad
It lowers dielectric strength of solid insulation.

Source: Tom Prevost, EHV Weidmann, 2006

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer is Bad
It raises the dielectric power factor and increases the risk of thermal
breakdown of solid insulation.

Source: Tom Prevost, EHV Weidmann, 2006

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer is Bad
It lowers lowers hot-spot temperatures of possible bubble formation.

Source: TV Oommen, EPRI Reports

EL-6761, March 1990
EL-7291, March 1992

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer is Bad
It lowers lowers hot-spot temperatures of possible bubble formation.

190
Kobayashi rapid heating
Kobayashi slow heating
170

150
Davydov
Temperature

130
Oommen gas free
110
Oommen gas saturated
90

70

50
0 2 4 6 8 10
WCP % w/w

Comparison of critical bubble temperature v.s. Water Content in Paper by three researchers

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer is Bad

It accelerates thermal ageing of the paper insulation.

IEEE Std C57.91-
10 1995
9
Aging Acceleration Factor

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0 .5 1 .5 2 .5 3 .5 4 .5 5 .5
M o is ture in P a p e r (% )

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer is Bad
It accelerates thermal ageing of the paper insulation.
100

Source: Sam Mehta, Tom

Golner, Waukesha Electric
Systems, 2000 Tjh2b
presentation
10

1
0.1 1 10
Moisture in Paper (%)

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 How Does The Water Get In?

> Inadequate dry-out at Factory

> Leaks Gaskets and welds
> Breathing in outside air during oil temperature changes
> Defective oil preservation system
> Poor Maintenance Practices
> Etc
Even if none of the above is the case, it is
PRODUCED inside as a by-product of normal
ageing of cellulose material!

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 How Does The Water Get In?

Degradation of Cellulose
Carbon Monoxide Carbon Dioxide
C O O C O

Heating

H OH CH2OH
O
OH H H H
Section of
Cellulose O O
Molecule
H H O OH H H
O
CH2O H O
Heating

O
H H
Water

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer
Once the water is inside, they are stored in various parts of insulation.

Thin
Winding
Thick 2%
3%
5% Oil
1%
Winding
22%

Thick
Thin 55%
22%
Oil
90%

Water Distribution
Insulation Weight Distribution

Source: J. Aubin, 2005 Weidmann-ACTI Conference, San Antonio, TX

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 Water in Transformer
How to estimate water content in transformer?
Oommen 1983/2003
Moisture in Paper ( %)

Temperature ( C )
Moisture in Oil (ppm)

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer
How to estimate water content in transformer?

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer
How to estimate water content in transformer?

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer
How to estimate water content in transformer?

Problems with dew point to moisture content conversion;

> At best, it is an average surface moisture content

> Difficult to get equilibrium due to temperature changes
> Conversion is Temperature sensitive
difficult to measure/estimate the insulation temperature
> Moisture distribution is not uniform in insulation

However, it is widely used as an acceptance test because it is

done without having to open the transformer.

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 How to estimate water content in transformer?
Recovery Voltage Method

The Recovery Voltage Method relies on the dielectric properties of the oil-paper insulation. A
DC voltage (usually 2000V) is applied across the insulation for a period called the charge
time. This DC voltage causes polarization of the molecules in the insulation material. The test
piece is then discharged for a period of time equal to half the charge time, by applying a short
circuit. The polarized insulation material then tries to revert to the original state, which gives a
characteristic response, known as the recovery voltage. This recovery voltage is measured, and
key points are noted. The specimen is then discharged ready for the next cycle of the test.

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 How to estimate water content in transformer?
Recovery Voltage Method - continued
This cycle is repeated for values of charge time ranging from 20 ms up to 10000 seconds. These
points can then be plotted on a series of graphs with varying charge times. The most important
of these graphs is called the polarization spectrum. The polarization spectrum is obtained by
plotting the peak recovery voltage versus the charge time. The time at which this peak occurs is
known as a dominant time constant, and is dependent on the properties of the insulating
materials, this value can directly reflects the moisture content of the oil-paper insulation
system The RVM test provides an accurate means of determining the absolute moisture content
of an insulation system and can also provide a long term condition monitoring program for
transformers.
Problems with Recovery Voltage Method ;
RVM suffers similar limits of other more traditional methods, such as equilibrium, moisture and
temperature distribution within a real transformer.
Plus, the conductivities of the oil and the paper have substantial influence on the shape of the
dielectric response of the insulation.
The RVM method requires the transformer to be de-energized and wait for a long time to reach
the equilibrium

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 Water in Transformer
How to estimate water content in transformer?
So, what do we do?
Select most suitable method that you can minimize error
producing variables and continue using the same method
over a long period of time to monitor changes.

Support industry-wide R&D to develop ways to measure

moisture contents of working transformer accurately and
reliably.

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 Water in Transformer
What can you do about it?
For a new unit:
> Specify Proper oil preservation system

> Specify maximum moisture content at delivery and method

to determine

> Specify raised flange for all openings

> Specify gasket material and suitable seal design

> Consider specifying optional accessories that help maintain

the integrity of the unit

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 Water in Transformer
What can you do about it?
For an existing unit:

> Maintain the integrity of the unit, keep it sealed

> Monitor, Observe, Record.

> Find a way to monitor the moisture contents

> Implement loading policy to minimize aging process

> Consider adding accessories that help maintain the integrity

of the unit.

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 Water in Transformer
What can you do about it?
For an existing unit:
>If it is found wet for your application,
dry it out!
Off-line field drying; Fast but costly
Effectively removes the moisture
from the insulation structures and
oil
Abrupt changes my result
insulation shrinking and a loss of
clamping pressure.

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Waukesha Electric Systems - 2008
 Water in Transformer
What can you do about it?
On-line field drying; Slow but
economical
On line methods typically only
remove water from the oil.
a large percentage of the total
water in the system will still
remain
Gradual Process.
Water in the insulation will
migrate to the drier oil until
equilibrium is met. This may take
as along as 18 months

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 Water in Transformer
What can you do about it?
Natural Ester Fluid Retrofill
Water Absorption of Dielectric Fluids

Paper Moisture Reduction 600

Exposed to Ambient Air (1 of 2)

Extension of Remaining 500

Absolute W ater Content (ppm)

Insulation Life/Unit Life
400

100% Saturation = FR3, 1200 ppm

300
Mineral Oil, 80 ppm
Envirotemp FR3 fluid
200 conventional transformer oil

100

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500

Exposure Time (hrs)

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 PRESENTATION TITLE
Questions?

THANK YOU!
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