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DIAGNOSIS AND FAULT FINDINGS ON POWER TRANSFORMERS

Conference Paper · December 2014

DOI: 10.13140/2.1.3866.7845

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 DIAGNOSIS AND FAULT FINDINGS ON POWER TRANSFORMERS

Michael Krüger, Giorgio Galimberti, OMICRON Austria

Avi Baram, Manbar Tech, Tel Aviv, Israel
[email protected]

With advancing age of power transformers, a regular check of the operative condition becomes more and more
important. The Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) is a proven and meaningful method such that if increased
proportions of H2 and hydrocarbon gases are found in the oil, the fault must be located as soon as possible. In
order to find out the reason for high gas rates, further tests have to be performed. Common methods are: winding
resistance measurement (static), On-Load Tap Changer (OLTC) test (dynamic resistance test), turns ratio and
excitation current measurement, measurement of the leakage reactance and the measurement of capacitances and
dielectric losses.

Innovative new tools like the frequency response of stray losses (FRSL), the measurement of the transfer function
with the Frequency Response Analysis (FRA), capacitance and dissipation factor measurement at different
frequencies, the Dielectric Response Analysis with Polarisation / Depolarisation Current (PDC) and Frequency
Response Spectroscopy (FDS) and the Partial Discharge (PD) measurement with modern synchronous multi-
channel and multi-frequency PD systems enable more detailed diagnostic measurements on transformers. A good
overview of all methods is given in [1].

The paper describes some these new methods and illustrates them with practical case studies for the diagnosis and
fault finding.

mentioned methods was analysed. FDS and PDC

methods give rather reliable results and reflect also the
DIELECTRIC RESPONSE MEASUREMENT influence of the temperature and the geometry by using
a so called X-Y model. The results of the PDC
Water in oil-paper-insulations goes hand in hand with measurement can be transformed from the time domain
transformer aging, it decreases the dielectric withstand into the frequency domain. Although the results of PDC
strength, accelerates cellulose decomposition and causes and FDS methods are comparable and can be
the emission of bubbles at high temperatures. State of the transformed from the time domain into the frequency
art for moisture measurements are equilibrium diagrams, domain and vice versa, both methods have advantages
where one tries to derive the moisture in the solid and disadvantages. If the FDS shall be used down to
insulation (paper, pressboard) from moisture in oil. This 100uHz, a measuring time of up to twelve hours is
method fails for several reasons [2]. To assess the needed for one measurement e.g. the insulation gap
insulation's water content some dielectric diagnostic between HV and LV winding. If also other insulation
methods were widely discussed and occasional used gaps e.g. HV winding to tank or LV to TV winding shall
during the last decade. The multilayer insulation of be measured, even more time is necessary. The PDC
common power transformers consists of oil and paper measurement needs much less time but is limited to
and therefore shows polarization and conductivity frequencies up to about 1Hz. A new approach combines
effects. Dielectric diagnostic methods work in a range both methods [3]. The FDS measurement is replaced by
dominated by interfacial polarization at the boarders the PDC method in the low frequency range and the
between cellulose and oil, cellulose conductivity and oil results are transformed into the frequency domain,
conductivity. Moisture influences these phenomena. whereas the FDS is used for higher frequencies, which
Temperature and the insulation construction have a can be done rather quickly. Two input channels for
strong impact too [2]. In [2] a comparison of the simultaneous measurement of two insulation gaps make
it even faster. New model curves for aged oil-pressboard frequencies different from the line frequency and their
insulation, an outcome of a research project at the harmonics. With this principle, measurements are
University of Stuttgart make the results for aged possible also in the presence of high electromagnetic
transformers much more reliable compared to the interference in high voltage substations.
standard model curves for new oil-pressboard insulation
which were used up to date. Limits for the dissipation factor

In the existing standards limits are given for 50Hz only.

Onsite measurement on an aged 133 MVA power The measurement of the dissipation factor at other
transformer frequencies should be also included in the standards.
Low frequency results (e.g. 15Hz) allow for a very
The transformer was manufactured in 1967, has a rated sensitive moisture assessment, measurements at high
power of 133 MVA, a transformation ratio of frequencies (e.g. 400Hz) allow a very sensitive detection
230 / 115 / 48 kV. The insulation gaps HV to LV, LV to of contact problems at the measuring tap or at the layer
TV (tertiary winding) and TV to tank were measured connections. Also high resistive partial break downs
separately. The higher moisture content in the TV between grading layers can be detected. The table I
winding insulation agrees well with the service shows indicative limits for new and aged bushings at
conditions of the transformer: the TV winding was not in different frequencies [1,4]. All tests were done with test
use. Cellulose at lower temperatures stores more water in voltages of 2kV. The indicative limits in table I were
a transformer than warmer cellulose. Thus the dielectric extracted out of more than 2000 different measurements.
methods allow for an elementary localization of wet They were calculated as average values plus two times
areas in the insulation. Contrary to this the moisture the standard deviation. That means that 95% of the
content in cellulose as derived from oil samples gives an results were below these values.
average value. The result obtained from the relative
saturation in oil by advanced equilibrium diagram agrees
well with the dielectric analysis. However the
conventional method of deriving the moisture in
cellulose from moisture by weight in oil (ppm) gives a
too high result. Aging of oil and paper makes the
application of equilibrium diagrams from literature
sources impossible in most cases. The transformer was Table I: Indicative limits for bushings
dried with an online drying system for about one and a
half years. After drying the measurements were repeated.
Figure 1 shows the water content in the solid insulation PARTIAL DISCHARGE MEASUREMENT
before and after drying. The moisture of the insulation
HV to LV was reduced from 2.6% to 1.6%, the moisture Partial Discharge (PD) measurement is a worldwide
of the insulation LV to TV was reduced from 4.3% to accepted tool for quality control of high voltage
1.5%. The moisture in the insulation from TV to tank is apparatus. Outside screened laboratories PD signals are
still quite high with 3.3%. To reduce the moisture in the very often superposed by noise pulses, a fact that makes
TV winding the winding should be loaded to the increase a PD data analysis more difficult for both human experts
its temperature. and software expert systems. Therefore the handling of
disturbances is one of the main tasks when measuring
PD.

Modern methods of data evaluation

A new field of evaluation methods is opened by fully

synchronous multi-channel PD acquisition in order to
gain more reliable measuring results combined with
effective noise suppression. A technical overview of
the system is given in [5]. Being able to perform
Fig.1 Water content before and after drying synchronous multi-channel PD measurements, the 3-
Phase-Amplitude-Relation-Diagram (3PARD) was
introduced as a new powerful analysis tool to
CAPACITANCE AND DISSIPATION FACTOR distinguish between different PD sources and noise
(tan ) MEASUREMENT pulses when measuring 3-phase high voltage
equipment such as power transformers, rotating
Modern test systems have the possibility to apply machines and cross-bonded cable systems.
frequency sweeps, measurements can be made at
PD measurement on a repaired transformer software expert systems. Therefore the handling of
disturbances is one of the main tasks when measuring
Figure 2 shows a PD measurement with four PD. PD measurements are often conducted under noisy
simultaneously measuring channels which are conditions. The PD signal is superposed by stochastic
connected to the three HV bushings and the star point. noise pulses or even multiple PD sources, which will
It can be seen in figure 3 that the three different lead to a complex phase-resolved PD pattern that is not
clusters in the 3PARD diagram are generated by three easy to analyse. For DC PD measurements where the
different PD sources: statistical noise, pulse expected PD rate might be very low, even single
disturbances and inner partial discharges. disturbance pulses can influence the test result
significantly.

As an enhancement of 3PARD the 3-Center-

Frequency-Relation-Diagram (3CFRD) was
introduced as an additional tool for PD data analysis
and PD fault separation in real-time on single-phase
test objects [6]. The synchronous consideration of
three different frequency parts of the PD spectrum of
a single PD pulse provides information on its
discharge nature and indicates its possible PD fault
location due to PD signal propagation and attenuation.
The 3CFRD method requires 3 different PD band-pass
filters, measuring every PD event simultaneously at their
predefined centre frequencies. Here the proper selection
of these 3 band-pass positions in the frequency domain
Fig.2 PD measurement on a 110kV transformer is the key to get the optimum benefit from this method.
These 3 filters have to be set in a way that the spectral
differences of PD pulses and other pulses are at their
maximum. Figure 4 shows the spectra of three PD pulses
and the three filters marked as blue bars. The red arrows
indicate the absolute charge values of PD pulse 1 (shown
in red) at the discrete filter frequencies.

Fig.3 Use of 3PARD filtering

ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENT OF PARTIAL

DISCHARGES Fig. 4 FFT of three different PD pulses

Partial Discharge (PD) measurement is a proven tool for

quality control of high voltage apparatus in the factory
and on site. Different PD measuring techniques are using The charge values are drawn into the star diagram as
different physical peculiarities of the PD phenomenon, shown in figure 5. The lengths of the vectors represent
e.g. electric discharge currents (acc. to IEC 60270), gas the measured charge and the axes indicate the respective
formation (DGA - dissolved gas analysis), filter. By geometrically adding the PD responses one
electromagnetic (UHF Measurement) or acoustic single dot is the final representation of the initial triplet.
radiation (some tens of kHz). Partial discharge The use of this principle is shown in two examples.
measurements according to IEC60270 standard are
often the basis for acceptance tests of the insulation The first example is the 3CFRD measurement on a high
system of high voltage (HV) equipment voltage bushing. Figure 6 shows the phase resolved
pattern of different PD sources. The overlaying of
different patterns doesn't allow a detailed analysis.
Outside screened laboratories PD signals are very often Figure 7 shows a separated pattern of one source by
superposed by noise pulses, a fact that makes a PD data 3CFRD filtering.
analysis more difficult for both human experts and
 Fig. 7 PRPD of one PD source with 3CFRD filtering

Fig. 5 3CFRD of the red spectrum in figure 13

Fig. 8 PRPD of one PD source without 3CFRD filtering

Fig. 6 PRPD pattern without 3CFRD filtering

PD measurement on a Dry-Type transformer

A second example for 3CFRD filtering is a measurement

on a Dry-Type Epoxy transformer. Figure 8 shows the
PRPD at app. 40kV. The noise is about 10pC. An
analysis with the 3CFRD is shown in figure 9. The
filtered signal (figure 10) shows a clear pattern of
internal void discharges with 5pC, although the PD’s are Fig. 9 3CFRD of the measurement in fig. 7
below the noise level.
 source to sensor can be used for localization (figure 11).
The exact timing of the emission of the PD signal can be
estimated e.g. by an electrical PD measurement
according to IEC 60270 or a measurement in the ultra-
high frequency (UHF) range. In the latter case, sensors
within the transformer walls can be used to collect the
high frequency electromagnetic wave that is emitted
during PD. The principle and a measurement setup are
shown in figures 12, 13 and 14.

Fig. 10 PD pattern of voids with 3CFRD filtering

The measurable direct oil signal at the sensor position

depends on the intensity of the PD event and on the
damping in the propagation path. Therefore, the
attenuation by core, winding, transformer board, flux
shielding etc. should be as low as possible. For that
reason, the search for sensor positions that ensure good
signal quality is essential during measurement
procedure. The knowledge about the inner structure of
the transformer is helpful for a good positioning and
repositioning of the sensors.

Localization of PD
Fig. 12 UHF sensor setup for triggering
Different algorithms can be used to perform a time-based
localization of PD. The input information used by the
algorithms is the time of arrival of the signals
propagating on direct oil path wave at multiple sensors.
The exact time of arrival has to be determined by
evaluating the measured signal. A criterion for the
starting point can be found e.g. by investigation of
energy steps or by threshold criteria.

Fig. 13 UHF sensor mounted on the main drain valve

Fig. 11 Absolute and relative times in a 2 sensor

setup

The relative arrival times at different sensor positions

lead to time differences (Δt 1,2). These time lags are the
only available data in all-acoustic measurements, when
the data acquisition is triggered by the acoustic signal at
one of the sensors. If the time delay between occurrence
of a PD and the arrival of the associated acoustic wave Fig. 14 Piezoelectric sensors on the tank wall
is available, the absolute propagation times (t1, t2) from
The distance between sensor and source is calculated For a precise capacitance and tan  measurement a
using the available absolute or relative propagation times reliable reference is needed. In high voltage laboratories
and an assumptive average propagation speed. With the pressured gas capacitors are well proven to give stable
determined distances and the sensor positions a and precise results. In the literature air capacitors
geometrical localization of the PD source can be between the bushing head electrode and auxiliary
performed in several steps. Another advantage of the electrodes are mentioned as reference. Those capacitors
UHF triggering is the possibility of using average out of have values in the order of a few pF. So the measured
many equally triggered signals to reduce the randomly signals are extremely small compared to the received
occurring noise. electromagnetic interference. A better choice is the use
of voltage transformers or of bushings on other
transformers which are directly connected to the same
phase (figure 16).
ON-LINE MEASUREMENT OF PD,
CAPACITANCE & DISSIPATION FACTOR
AND TRANSIENT OVER_VOLTAGES ON
HIGH VOLTAGE BUSHINGS

Some commercial C-tan  systems are using the sum of

the currents through C1 of the bushings of all phases to
detect any abnormal changes in the capacitances C1 and
the dielectric losses. The voltages of the three phases can
be very unsymmetrical (figure 15). This makes it
impossible to use this method for a sensitive monitoring
of capacitances and losses of the bushings.

Fig. 17 Bushing monitoring system MONTRANO

Fig. 15 Sum of the voltages in a 3 Phase 400kV system

Figure 17 shows the monitoring system MONTRANO
mounted on an old transformer which showed a strong
increase of H2 (red trace in figure 18).

Fig. 18 Gas development H2 = red trace

Fig. 16 Voltage transformer as reference
The PD intensity measured with MONTRANO (figure
19) showed a good correlation to the PD measurement
which was repeated with MPD 600 (figure 20). The fault
could be located with the acoustic PD system PDL600 at
the oil end of the 1V and 1W bushings (figures 21 and
22).

Fig. 22 PD location with PDL600

Fig. 19 PD measurement with MONTRANO

Fig. 23 Fault at the connection leads to the bushings

Fig. 20 On-site PD measurement with MPD600

Fig. 24 Fault at the connection leads to the bushings

The bushings were removed and the damage at the leads

between windings and bushing cold be seen (figures 23
and 24). Due to overheating X-wax was generated at the
insulation paper and inside the windings.

Fig. 21 PD locator PDL600

 REFERENCES
An additional interesting feature of MONTRANO is the
monitoring of transient over-voltages at the bushings. [1] Cigre Brochure 445: "Guide for Transformer
The capacitance C1 of the bushing has a very small Maintenance" February 2011, ISBN: 978- 2-
inductance and can be ideally used for the measurement 85873- 134-3
of fast transient signals. Transient over-voltages can
harm the bushings or the transformer windings and they [2] M. Koch “Improved Determination of Moisture
deliver also interesting information about the other assets in Oil-Paper-Insulations by Specialised
of the surrounding grid. Figure 25 shows an auto- Moisture Equilibrium Charts” Proceedings of
reclosure of one phase. The transient voltage signal of the XIVth International Symposium on High
channel L2 shows some irregularities during the Voltage Engineering, p. 508, Beijing, China,
switching process. 2005

[3] H. Borsi, E. Gockenbach, M. Krüger "Method

and apparatus for measuring a dielectric
response of an electrical insulating system"
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[4] M. Krüger, A. Kraetge, M. Koch,

K. Rethmeier, M. Pütter, L. Hulka, M. Muhr,
C. Summereder: "NEW DIAGNOSTIC
TOOLS FOR HIGH VOLTAGE BUSHINGS",
VI WORKSPOT, 2010, FOZ DO IGUACU,
Brasil
Fig. 25 Transient voltage signals on transformer bushings
– L2 (blue trace) after auto-reclosure [5] K. Rethmeier, M. Krüger, A. Kraetge, R. Plath,
W. Koltunowicz, A. Obralic, W. Kalkner,
Experiences in On-site Partial Discharge
Measurements and Prospects for PD
Monitoring, CMD Beijing 2008

[6] K. Rethmeier, A. Obralic, A. Kraetge, M.

Krüger, W. Kalkner , R. Plath. "Improved
Noise Suppression by real-time pulse-
waveform analysis of PD pulses and pulse-
shaped disturbances", International
Symposium on High Voltage on High Voltage
Engineering (ISH), Cape Town, August 2009

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