Power Transformer Diagnostics - Introduction

Rafik Fouad
Rafik.fouad@omicron.at

16 June 2014
Transformer Breakdowns
 Sources of faults in Transformers

Changer
Tap
Accessories
Vessel & Oil
Winding

Bushing
Core

Source: Cigre_WG 12-05 „An international

survey on failures in large power
transformers in service“, Electra No. 88, 1983
 Condition and Time based maintenance

New condition
Insulation strength

Condition based maintenance

Diagnostic level
Time based maintenance

Operating stress

Time

 Condition based maintenance

requires reliable diagnostic tools
 Possible Impacts by lack of maintenance

• Baseline data not recorded

• Problems during warranty period not detected
• OLTC contacts wear
• Oil oxidation begins
• Fan and Pump bearing wear
• Visible effects of weathering and UV
• Oil decay products affect paper insulation
• Miss oportunity to intercept accelerated ageing
• Oxidation and hydrolysis enters accelerated ageing state
• OLTC and bushing failure rates increase
• Dielectric withstand diminishes
• Expensive failure (bushing, OLTC)

Life of the Transformer

 Maintenance Intervals

Action Task Interval Remark

Light Regular Intensive
Visit 6m 1m 1d In service

Detailed inspection 1y 3m 2w In service

(visual)
DGA 2y 1y 3m Task interval may
differ with monitoring
Oil Test 6y 2y 1y

Cooling system Conditional Conditional Any interval Outage may be

cleaning required
Accessories 12 y or 6-8 y 1-2 y Outage required
verification conditional
Electrical basic Conditional Conditional Any interval Outage required
tests
Insulation tests (DF) Conditional 6-8 y 2-4 y Outage required

OLTC inspection 12 y 6-8 y 4y

 Diagnostic Techniques

Type of Problem
Magnetic Circuit Integrity
Magnetic Circuit Insulation
Winding Geometry
Winding/Bushing/OLTC Continuity
Winding/Bushing Insulation
Winding Turn to Turn Insulation

Diagnostic Technique
Winding Ratio x
Basic Electrical

Winding Resistance x
Magnetisation Current x x
Capacitance and DF/PF x x x x
Leakage Reactance x
Insulation Resistance x x
Core Ground Test x
Frequency Response of Stray Losses x x
Advanced Electrical

Frequency Response Analysis x x x x

Polarisation/Depolarisation x
Frequency Domain Spectroscopy x
Recovery Voltage Method x
Electrical Detection of PD x x
Acoustical detection of PD x x
UHF Detection of PD x x
Dissolved Gas Analysis x x x x x
 Overview: Transformer Measurements

> Turns Ratio + Exciting Current

> Winding Resistance (Dynamic and Static) CPC 100

> Short Circuit Impedance (+FRSL)

> C & DF (Winding, Bushing and Oil sample) CPC 100 + CP TD1
> Moisture Determination in liquid and solid insulation (DIRANA)
> Frequency Response Analysis (FRAnalyzer)
> Partial Discharge (MPD 600)
Power Transformer Testing
with CPC 100

Rafik Fouad 16 June 2014

Power Transformer Test Cards
 Ratio and excitation current measurement: Motivation

> Detectable failures

> Shorted winding sections or turns
> Core faults (shorted laminations)

> Indication
> Tripping of the buchholz relays
> Incorrect DGA

> Comment
> Do not perform winding resistance tests before this test
TRRatio (per Tap): Setup

High voltage at the output!!

Do not perform the resistance measurement

before the Ratio test!
TRRatio (per Tap): Vector Group

1. Example: YNd5
V u Corresponding pairs
are in parallel!
w

U W
v
2. Example: Dy5
V No parallel pairs:
u
-> Shorten 2 terminals
w

U W v

Alternative: Look up the

connection in the User Manual.
 TRRatio (per Tap): Test Card

nominal ratio (3-phase) nominal ratio (1-phase)

Test Voltage

Options for
CP SB1
magnitude phase

to Settings
(ratio table)

V prim
Vsec Deviation from
nominal ratio (1-phase)
 TRRatio (per Tap): Test Card Settings

CP SB1
Options
manage Taps

back to Main
Page

nominal voltage
Transformer Ratio: Template
 TRRatio + Exciting Current: Interpretation

> TRRatio:
> meaurement is OK if ± 0,5 % from nominal ratio

> Exciting current:

> difference between the outer phases: +/- 5 %
> results of middle phase could be up to 30 % lower
 Resistance Measurement: Motivation

> Detectable Failures

> Static resistance measurement
> Bad internal contacts (diverter switch and tap selector switch contacts, connection
clamps)
> Short circuits between conductors of a winding
> Damaged conductor (due to overheating, mechanical stress during fault)
> Dynamic Resistance measurement
> Bad, bouncing contacts in the OLTC
> Checks, if the OLTC is operating without interruption

> Indication
> High internal temperatures
> DGA
Resistance Measurement: Setup
 RWinding: Current profile

I R-displayed
Rmax
Dev.
Rmin

Dev.  Rmax  Rmin

∆t = 10 s

time
 RWinding: Test Card

Test is stopped automatically if

Dev. < 0,01 % 0,2mV
Rmin 
I test
10V
Rmax 
I test

Measurement Actual deviation

VDC
Rmeas. 
I DC Main measuring
time

235  Tref .
Rref .  Rmeas.  (IEC 60076-1)
235  Tmeas.
 OLTC Principle

Tap Tap
Selector Selector

Diverter Diverter
Switch Switch
R Commutating R Commutating
Resistors Resistors
A B A B

1. Step: 2. Step:
Tap Selector changes Diverter Switch moves
tap position from A to B
Definition of Ripple and Slope
 TR Tap Check: Test Card

choose Settings
to edit

Dynamic
Measurement Resistance

to settings

smallest
235  Tref .
Rref .  Rmeas. 
deviation 235  Tmeas.
 TR Tap Check: Test Card Settings

CP SB1
options

back to main
page
Transformer Tap Changer: Template
 Winding Resistance, Ripple and Slope: Interpretation

> Maximum difference of 1 % to factory test report (values corrected to 75

°C)
> Difference between phases < 3 %
> The behavior of ripple and slope of the 3 phases for up is similar
> The behavior of ripple and slope of the 3 phases for down is similar

Ripple Slope

18,0% 0,0A/s
16,0% -2,0A/s
14,0% A UP A UP
12,0% A DOWN -4,0A/s A DOWN
10,0% B UP B UP
-6,0A/s
8,0% B DOWN B DOWN
6,0% C UP -8,0A/s C UP
4,0% C DOWN C DOWN
-10,0A/s
2,0%
0,0% -12,0A/s
000 005 010 015 020 025 030 000 005 010 015 020 025 030
Taps
Taps
 CP SB1 Hardware

Transformer

CPC 100

Tests performed by CP SB1:

• Ratio
• Winding Resistance
• OLTC test
CP SB1 Setup
 Short Circuit Impedance – Leakage Reactance + FRSL

Short Circuit
Z Impedance –
Leakage Rectance
Trans-
former

FRSL

15 50 400 f

2 different measurements:
> Three-phase equivalent test (Short Circuit Impedance)
> Per phase test (For Winding Diagnosis)
Equivalent Circuit: Neglection of the core

L1 R1AC R1DC L2 R2AC R2DC

Lm RFe

n1:n2
Lm || RFe  L2  R2 AC  R2 DC
Core can be neglected!

L1 R1AC R1DC L2 R2AC R2DC

 Simplified Equivalent Circuit

ZSC

Lk Rac Rdc

2
n 
Z SC ,1  jX 1  RAC1  RDC1   1    jX 2  RAC 2  RDC 2  Primary Injection
 n2 
2
n 
Z SC , 2   jX 1  RAC1  RDC1    2   jX 2  RAC 2  RDC 2 Secondary Injection
 n1 
2
Z SC ,1  n1 
  
Z SC , 2  n2 
 Winding design

> Reducing eddy losses in the winding by

> separating and isolating from each other
> twisting parallel strands
 Effect of twisting on induced current

Additional losses by Induced currents are

induced currents compensated

Induced Currents

HV-Winding LV-Winding HV-Winding LV-Winding

Short circuit between strands

Additional Losses by
induced currents

HV-Winding LV-Winding
Setup: Three-phase equivalent test

Measure all combinations:

• H1-H2
• H2-H3
• H3-H1

Short-circuit all 3 phases

Use a big cross-section for low
resistance!!
Setup: Per phase test

Measure all 3 combinations according to ratio measurement!

Short-circuit only the Inject according to

corresponding terminals! ratio measurement
According to ratio measurement.
 TR Short Circuit Impedance – Leakage Reactance: CPC
Template

> TR Data: Comment Test Card

> Add Transformer Data for Comparison

> 3 Phase Test: Comment Test Card

> Connection Scheme for 3-phase test

> Zk AB, Zk BC and Zk AC: Sequencer Test Cards

> Test Cards for 3-phase tests

> Per-Phase Test: Comment Test Card

> Connection Scheme for per-phase test

> Zk A, Zk B and Zk C: Sequencer Test Cards

> Test Cards for per-phase test

> Version: Comment Test Card

 TR Short Circuit Impedance – Leakage Reactance: Excel
Template

> Calculation of Zk
> Comparison with data from 3-phase factory test with W-Meter
> Consideration wether Injection on HV- or LV-side
> Consideration of Vector Group

> Rk(f)
> 3 x three-phase equivalent test in one diagram
> 3 x per phase test in one diagram
> Deviation limits for ∆Lk and ∆Rk

> Lk(f)
> Same structure as Rk(f)
 Interpretation: Short Circuit Impedance

> Measured value should not differ more than 2 % from factory value
> Difference between phases is usually less than 2 %
 Interpretation: FRSL

yes Reference results no

available?
Comparison with
reference results
yes no
3-Phase-Transformer?

∆L (%) 0 - 0,5 0,5 – 1,0 > 1,0

and or or
∆R (%) Comparison with
0-5 5 - 10 > 10 nameplate impedance
No FRSL diagnostic

yes no
Transformer in its Tank?

Comparison between Comparison between

phases phases

∆L (%) 0-1,5 1,5 - 2,5 > 2,5 ∆L (%) 0-1,5 1,5 - 2,5 > 2,5
and or or and or or
∆R (%) 0 - 10 10 - 15 > 15 ∆R (%) 0-5 5 -10 > 10
or
Rb > Ra or
Rb > Rc
 Case Study: FRSL (Description)

After gaz production and analysis which indicated a hot spot involving paper:
> Turns Ratio was correct
> Excitation current was normal
> DC resistance was normal
> Comparison between Short Circuit Impedances was normal (less than 3
%)
Case Study: FRSL (Assessment)
Thank you for your attention!
Questions?

16 June 2014