Knowledge Is Power SM

Apparatus Maintenance and Power Management

for Energy Delivery

Sweep Frequency Response

Analysis (SFRA) and Transformer
Diagnostics
M5100 Product Series
Doble Engineering
 Introduction
 This is an Sweep Frequency Response Analysis presentation:
 A tool to investigate mechanical integrity of transformers
 When: after relocation, after an incident, or to get a baseline
Test
lead

Signal &
Reference
Leads
M5100

Shield
Ground
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 Bushing failure….
This bushing failed
catastrophically

SFRA showed
that the The transformer
transformer did not need to
windings were in be scrapped.
good shape.
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 Bridge Impact
Paint scrapes on delivery are suspicious?

How did the

scrapes get
there, and what
does the impact
recorder say?

Do we know if anything moved inside the

transformer? SFRA helps you decide...
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 Overview
SFRA is really a lot of measurements...
0

-1 0

-2 0
Am p litu d e in d B

-3 0

-4 0

-5 0 =

-6 0
Some individual resonances
-7 0
0 0 .5 1 1 .5 2
Frequency in MHz

Individual measurement made at each frequency of F re q u e n c y in M H z

interest to produce a fingerprint

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 Overview of test
If we can measure:
Bulge in winding caused
changes in the by electrical fault
frequency
response
of a winding caused by
winding movement
then we can
detect winding A good repeatable SFRA
movement. measurement will detect
this problem
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 Interpretation
 Experience: Certain Frequency Bands
Indicate Different Problem Conditions
<2kHz: Core 400kHz to
Deformation, Open 2MHz:
Circuits, Shorted Movement of
Turns & Residual main and tap
Magnetism winding leads

2kHz to 20kHz:
Bulk Winding
20 kHz to 400kHz:
Movement Relative
Deformation Within
to Each Other,
the main and tap
clamping structure
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 Transformer: Normal Response
Three normal open circuit responses

Three phases
respond
differently at
low
Results as expected and acceptable
frequencies

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 One year later
After an incident - one year later...
One phase has clear
inductive roll off associated
with short circuit
measurement

Variation is clear indicator of shorted

turn on A phase
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 Null result has value
Drax GT4 GEC A phase HV Tap 1
0

-10 Four results overlaid on this

-20 graph from four different years
-30
Amplitude in dB

-40

-50
1994, 1997, 1999, 2002
-60

-70

-80
Clearly - the transformer
-90 has not changed
-100
0 50 100 150 200
Frequency in kHz
21/07/94 N to HV, #1 LV terminals earthed 20/05/97 N to HV, #1 LV terminals earthed
6/4/99 N to HV, #1 LV terminals earthed G0322 9/7/02 a1 earthed. All others floating

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 Bushing Failure
There are two traces here - suspect
phase of suspect unit and same
phase of sister transformer

The two traces are

clearly very similar -
can just see one trace
behind the other Sister unit has exactly
the same shape
No variation between traces implies this
phase is OK, despite bushing failure
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 Method Comparison
One winding tested twice with each method

Two impulse responses Two SFRA responses

The impulse responses are ‘roughly’ OK but the
huge variability loses the value of the test
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 10. Conclusions

The VALUE of an SFRA measurement is in the

Repeatability: we can avoid false positives and false
negatives in decision making
The Range and Resolution, from 10 Hz to 2 MHz, and
+/- 1dB, means we can make confident diagnoses
Used as a decision making tool, SFRA can bring a lot of
value in practice

Decision making with respect to transformers is not an

easy job: SFRA helps

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 Thank You.

Any questions?

http://www.doble.com/products/SFRA_Center/

m5100support@doble.com

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 Doble’s Application Support
 SFRA User Group meets twice a year
 On-line User Forum
 On-line Client Reference Library
 On-line resource center
 Telephone application support
 Interpretation of all results during first year
 Client training

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 Support - User Forum

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 Support - on line results library

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 Difficult Technical Questions?
 Here are some technical questions which
informed clients may ask

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 Difficult Technical Questions?
 Does your test set guarantee repeatability to
+/- 1 dB?
 Yes - it means we can trust the results
 Does your test set give a resolution of less
than 10 Hz below 1 kHz?
 Yes - so we can see shorted turns and see the
detail in short circuit measurements
 Does your test set measure up to 2 MHz?
 Yes - so we can see variation caused by tap and
winding lead movement

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 Difficult Technical Questions?
 Does your test set have an interference band
width of less than 1/5 of frequency?
 Yes - so we minimize effects of noise at each frequency
we measure
 Does your test set give a response measured
down to -80 dB within 1 dB?
 Yes - so we can see details of large HV windings
 Does your test set use three leads?
 Yes - to remove effects of leads on the measurements

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 Difficult Technical Questions?
 Does your test set use coax all the way to the
bushing terminals
 Yes - so we can remove the effect of incorrect
terminations
 Do different M5100’s give the same results?
 Yes - so we don’t have to use the same test set on
each transformer each time
 Do results change if you move the test set or
rearrange test leads?
 No - the results are independent test set location and
lead disposition

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