Maintenance of „OILTAP®“

On-Load Tap-Changers

Naim Mahmoudi
Andreas Luger
Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH
Transformer and OLTC

Transformer equiped with On-Load Tap-Changer and accessories

Star point application

Delta application

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Switching Sequence

What happens inside the transformer if the Motor Drive Unit will be operated?

Start operation

Contact system

Diverter Switch:

Complete OLTC Switching operation

operation (Selector under load in
and diverter):
40 – 50 ms
5 sec.
Diverter switch insert
(M OLTC)
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Why Maintenance ?

Switching arc

Arcs produced during a switching

operation
Contact wear

Carbonization of the
switching oil

Requirements for breakdown voltage of on-load tap-changer oils:

- at least 40 KV/2.5 mm* for OLTCs in delta or line-end application
- at least 30 kV/2.5 mm* for OLTCs in starpoint application

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Why Maintenance
Maintenance criteria : ?

Mechanical stress

Springs

Braided contact leads

Screw connections

Energy accumulator etc.

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Why Maintenance
Why Maintenance ? ?

Subject to weather

Tap changer head

Protective relay

drive shafts

Motor drive unit

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Maintenance criteria :

Time in service Number of operations

or

whichever comes first!

Usually applying for Usually applying for

OLTCs in network OLTCs in industrial
application application
Approx.: 70 000 to 100 000 operations

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Maintenance criteria :

Time in service Usually applying for OLTCs in network application

Maintenance intervals (rough overview):

OILTAP® OLTCs in starpoint application after every 5 to 7 years in service

OILTAP® OLTCs in delta application after every 2 to 4 years in service

Detailed Maintenance intervals are stated in the OLTC’s operating instructions

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Maintenance criteria :

Number of switching operations Usually applying for OLTCs in industrial application

Mechanical stress for OLTC components during tap change operation (especially for
diverter switch parts in carbonized oil)

Updating measures

Tap changers of same type have been produced for periods of approx. 25 years.
During such a long period each product is subject to an innovation process (new materials, field
experience, etc.)

- Keep the operation reliability

- Take your equipment to the latest technical state

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Scope of Work: (rough overview)

Which measures have to be carried out while a routine OLTC maintenance?

Shutdown of Transformer

Safety measures prior to the service work such as grounding.

Draining of tap changer oil

Withdrawal of diverter switch insert

Cleaning of OLTC components

Visual check of insulating material (oil compartment, suction

pipe and indicating rod) and of sliding contacts

Disassembling, cleaning and visual inspection of diverter switch

Measurement of contact wear

Measurement of transition resistors

Check of pressure tightness of diverter switch oil compartment

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Scope of Work: (rough overview)

Which measures have to be carried out while a routine OLTC maintenance?

Opening, cleaning and testing the OLTC protective relay

Replacement of spare parts

Assembling and re-installation of the OLTC components

Filling in new transformer oil with sufficient dielectric strength

Completion of oil filling and bleeding of OLTC

Check symmetry of coupling between motor drive and OLTC

Check of overall condition and function of motor drive

Comparison of position indicated on OLTC and motor drive

Trial operations across the regulating range by hand crank operation

Writing inspection report with all relevant data

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Spare part replacement

Spare parts requirement during routine maintenance

Spare parts which depend on the number of operations: Energy

accumulator springs, flexible leads, contact carrier etc.

Spare parts which are subject to wear: arcing contacts, drive shaft
coupling bolts etc.

Consumable spare parts: cover gaskets (tap changer head cover,

protective relay), small parts

Spare parts to up-date the tap-changer to the lates state of

manufacture

Spare parts requirment selected according to specific OLTC type

(OLTC files), production and field experiance (60 years)
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MR Technical Service

The MR service also applies to tap changers like:

On-load tap changer manufactured by Siemens,

AEG & Trafo Union
On-load tap changers manufactured under the MR
licence (e.g. Toshiba, Mitsubishi etc.)

MR service team:

Approx. 100 Engineers and Service Specialists at

the MR service department in Germany and at
Reinhausen Middle East FZE in Dubai.

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MR Technical Service
As per the orignal manufacturers (MR) maintenance instruction, the OILTAP® tap
changing equipment should be maintained at regular intervals
to keep the high level of operation reliability.

Disregard of the maintenance intervals

puts at risk the trouble free operation
of the whole TRANSFORMER!

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