Distribution Transformer

COS-1
PARTS OF TRANSFORMER

• MAIN TANK
• RADIATORS
• CONSERVATOR
• EXPLOSION VENT
• LIFTING LUGS
• AIR RELEASE PLUG
• OIL LEVEL INDICATOR
• TAP CHANGER
• WHEELS
• HV/LV BUSHINGS
• FILTER VALVES
• OIL FILLING PLUG
• DRAIN PLUG
• CABLE BOX
Types Of Distribution Transformer

Oil Filled Transformer

Dry-Type Transformer
 CAUSES OF DT FAILURES

• Insufficient Oil level.

• Seepage of water in oil.
• Prolonged Over loading.
• Single Phase loading.
• Unbalanced loading.
• Faulty Termination (Improper sized lugs etc)
• Power Theft.
• Prolonged Short Circuit.
• Faulty operation of tap changer switch.
• Lack of installation checks.
 Preventive Maintenance

• HV/LV Bushing
• HV/LV Connections (Palm Connectors)
• Breather
• Conservator & Oil
• Explosion Vent Diaphragm
• IR Tests
• Earthing
 Bushing: HV/LV
Flash mark on HV
HV/LV BUSHING Bushing to be replaced
• Check bushings for cracks, chippings,
over heating marks, flashover marks,
replace the effected bushing.
• Oil leakages if any
- tightness of nuts
- tightness of oil seal caps/replace oil
seal & gasket if required
• Don’t apply M-seal on HV/LV bushing
to stop oil leakage as this may causing
flashover M-Seal applied on LV
• Check the HT/LT rod and replace if Bushing
required.

OIL LEAKAGE FROM TOP PLATE

• Oil leakage from top plate can be
attended by tightening nuts & bolts
diagonally
• Replace gasket if required
 LV/HV CONNECTION (Palm Connectors)

• Nuts, bolts & clamps of H.V.& L.V.

connections should be tight.
Palm connector surface
• Proper size of lugs should be used on pitted due to loose
LV/HV cable as to maintain proper connection
voltage.
• Defected palm connectors should be
replaced. (Pitting on the surface causes
HOT SPOT)
• Check HT & LT cable cleats to avoid
mechanical stress on transformer
bushing.
• LT leads & Neutral earth wire should not
touch radiators.
• During the maintenance, palm & lug
contact surface to be cleaned properly
and petroleum jelly to be applied to
avoid rusting and hot-spots.
Breather & Conservator
Due to
BREATHER improper
• Pink Silica gel should be replaced by blue. coupling there
• Remove seal from breathing hole of oil cup, may be
if Breather is new . breathing point
• Re-activation of used silica gel to avoid
excessive consumptions
• After filling silica gel, Breather should be
tight properly.
• Pour oil in Breather oil cup, if required.
• Breather should be tightly fixed to breather
pipe.
Rust formed due to moisture ingress
• Due to improper coupling of breather bottle
through breather
and flange, breathing points may be formed,
thereby creating a passage for moisture,
which leads to condensation and rusting of
the conservator tank from inside.
• During maintenance , the breather size and
type to be checked & non transparent
breather should be replaced by transparent
breather of recommended size as below:
- < 400 KVA- 0.5 Kg
- > 400 -990 KVA- 1 Kg
 CONSERVATOR & OIL

• Oil sample for BDV test should

be taken in proper oil sample
bottle. In case of low BDV
value take necessary action. Oil level

• Check the cap and surface of

conservator tank for
rusting/holes.

• Check oil level from oil gauge.

• Oil topping should be done if

required.

• Check Oil Gauge for leakage.

Explosion Vent Diaphragm

Check the Diaphragm, if it is

torn then replace it by a new one
 EARHTING

• Check earthing of DT neutral & body, LT ACB, Fence,

LT/HT frames.
• Earth resistance values must be below 1Ω. If the test
values are greater than 1Ω, then new earthing must
be provided as soon as possible.
• Total 6 to 8 earthings should exist in one sub station
- 2 for DT body & fence
- 2 for DT neutral
- 2 for LT frame & LT ACBs,
- 2 for LA in case of P/M DT.
IR Test Values as per CEA Guidelines
 SERIES LAMP / CONTINUITY TEST

Objective:          To check the healthiness of HV and LV windings of the

transformer .

Instruments: 230 volt single phase supply, 40 W lamp and shorting lead.

Procedure:   230 volt single phase supply is fed between each phase of HV
winding ( RY - R, YB – Y , & BR – B ) one by one with a 40 W lamp in
series. The corresponding phase of LV winding ( rn , yn , & bn ) is shorted.

Interpretation of Results: 

1. The lamp should glow only when the LV winding is shorted.

2. If the lamp glows when LV winding is not shorted, it indicates a short
circuit in the winding.
3. If the lamp does not glow when LV winding is shorted , it indicates open
circuit in the winding.
 BULB 230V AC

Y B n r y b
R

VECTOR GROUP Dyn11

 BULB
230V AC

Y B n r y b
R

VECTOR GROUP Dyn11

230V AC BULB

Y B n r y b
R

VECTOR GROUP Dyn11

Probable Causes of DT failure and Measures
 Continued…
Probable Cause Measure
Monthly load
recording and
balancing of DT
High as well as LT
unbalancing feeders. UBC
current should not
exceed 10% of
Full Load/
Running Load
If possible
transfer load to
Continuous nearby DT/
overloading of augment or
DT swap DT/
provide
additional DT

Probable Cause
Frequent LT cable faults
Improper protection of both
HT and LT side
Loose connection both at HT
and LT side
Development of hot spots
due to passage of time
Poor/defective earthing of
neutral and body of DT
Poor/defective earthing of LT
feeders
Continued…
Measure
- Replace sick cables and reduce length of LT feeders
- Tree trimming should be done to avoid transient faults.
- Get relay setting checked from protection department
- replace defective LT ACBs
- Segregate multiple LT feeders that feed from one ACB
- HT and LT connections should be tight
- Proactive thermo-scanning and urgent compliance to
the observations should be done
- Earth value should be checked during PSDs and
earthing connections should be tightened
- Earthing checked and provided new earthings where
ever required.

Probable Cause Measure
Low oil level due to oil
pilferage
Cat/monkey electrocution
Tampering by miscreants
Low BDV value and
decreasing trend of the same
Poor maintenance of DT
Continued…
- A PL/M Substation should be covered in equipment
theft prone areas where ever feasible
- proactive patrolling
- Drain valves should be sealed
- Top covering of fence of monkey/domestic animal
prone s/s, provision of HT insulation caps
- More proactive patrolling both by security team and
break down team
- Overhauling of the DT/replacement with new/repaired
one
- Pre inspection of scope of work to ensure less down
time of PSD and material required
- Ensure proper maintenance using proper tools and
attention to all the accessories like breather, silica gel
etc…Any leakage also taken care of during PSD
Cat/monkey electrocution
- Top covering of fence of
monkey/domestic animal prone s/s,
provision of HT insulation caps
Tampering by miscreants
- More proactive patrolling both by
security team and break down team
Tempering of radiators for oil theft
Oil theft by breaking drain valve
 Continued…

LT end terminations

Probable Cause Measure

Dead short circuit of LT XLPE cables at - Provision of LT end terminations both at
exposed portion due to UV effect during LT ACB and pole end where ever exposed
rainy season
 Continued…
Probable Cause Measure
- Use of standard tested fuse material (barrel fuses)
Use of higher rating fuse - Avoid the use of open fuses

Tr. Rating (KVA) Voltage Level in No. of Phases Fuse Element Color Code
KV (Amp)
16 11 1 2 Yellow
16 11 3 2 Yellow
25 11 3 2 Yellow
25 11 1 5 Red
63 11 3 5 Red
100 11 3 8 NDPL Blue
160 11 3 10 Green
250 11 3 20 White
315 11 3 20 White
400 11 3 30 Pink
630 and Above 11 3 DT should be controlled through
Circuit Breaker with relay protection
DT health card
 LT ACB/MCCB

LT ACBs/MCCB’s are used in our system for distribution at 415 V level. The
incomer cables from the Distribution transformers are connected to the
incoming terminal of one or more ACBs and the feeder circuits are taken out
from the outgoing terminals of ACBs

ACB’s Ratings used in TPDDL: -

• 400A
• 800A
• 1250A
• 2000 A
Protection features of ACB –
• Over Current – Thermal Relay –
 C&S - 60% to 100% rated current
 L&T – 0.75 to 1.0
• Short Circuit Fault – Magnetic Relays – factory settings

MCCB’s Ratings used in TPDDL: -

40A to 630 A
31
 ACB/MCCB’s

Shunt Release Coil ACB 2000 A LT ACB Accessories

ACB 400 A MCCB DN 1 Relay 32

 ACB

L&T ACB – Outside view L&T ACB – Inside view C&S ACB – Outside view

C&S ACB – Internal

Mechanism

33
THANK YOU