PROJECT REPORT ON

Diagnostic Of Transformer Oil By Performing Various Tests

On It
SUBMITTED BY:-

Sanchit Bamane

PROJECT GUIDE

Prof. Pranali Athardekar

(DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING)

H.J.THIM TRUST’S

THEEM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

BOISAR, CHILLAR ROAD, BOISAR(E), TAL.DIST:PALGHAR,

PIN:401 501.

(ACADEMIC YEAR 2023-24)

H. J. THIM TRUST’S

Theem College of Engineering

Boisar Chillar Road, Boisar (E), Tal. Palghar Dist. Palghar, Pin- 401501

ACADEMIC YEAR 2023-24

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 CERTIFICATE

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE REPORT HAS BEEN SUBMITED BY

FOLLOWING STUDENTS
(FIRST NAME) (MIDDLE NAME) (LAST NAME) (Enrolment no)

Sanchit Lalit Bamane 221635014

This project work has been completed by 2023-24 Year student of course
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING as a part of teamwork prescribes by Maharashtra
state Board of technical Education, Mumbai. We have guided and assisted the students
for the above work, which has been satisfactory /Good/Very Good.

SIGN OF TEACHER. SIGN OF HEAD OF THE DEPT. SIGN Of PRINCIPAL.

(PROF. PRANALI ATHARDEKAR) (PROF. RASIKH KHAN) (DR.SAYYAD LAYAK)

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 DECLARATION

I declare that this written submission represents my ideas in my own words and where
others’ ideas or words have been included; I have adequately cited and referenced the
original sources. I also declare that I have adhered to all principals of academics
honestly and integrity have not misrepresented or fabricated or falsified any
idea/data/fact/ sources in my submission. I understand that any violation of the above
will be cause for disciplinary action by the institute and can also evoke penal action
from the source which has thus not been properly cited or from whom proper
permission has not been taken when needed.

Date:-

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It’s our pleasure to take this opportunity to thank with deep sense of gratitude to our
guide, staff members of the Department & everyone who have directly or indirectly
contributed to our project as a success. With immense pleasure we express our deep
sense of gratitude & vote of thanks to our project guide Prof. Pranali Athardekar her
constant this project report.

We are very thankful to Prof. Pranali Athardekar and the whole staff of the
Electrical Department for giving us the opportunity to work on this project and for his
extensive cooperation and guidance. We offer sincere thanks to Principal:

Dr.Sayyad Layak and HOD Prof. Rasikh A. Khan for their inspiration and
providing full administrative support and departmental infrastructure facilities for this
report.

We are also very thankful to all those who supported us without which project would
not have been completed successfully.

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 INTRODUCTION

The fault free operation of power transformers is a factor of major economic

importance and safety in power supply utilities and industrial consumers of
electricity.

In the current economic climate, Industries/Supply Utilities tighten their control on

capital spending and make cutbacks in maintenance, an increased awareness is
placed on the reliability of the existing electric power supply. Down time is at a
premium. Often, the loading is increase on present units , as this will defer
purchasing additional plant capacity. Thus the stress on the transformer increases.
The net total effect of the thermal , electrical and mechanical stress brought on by
increased service needs to be monitored to ensure reliability.

Regular sampling and testing of insulation oil taken from transformers is a valuable
technique in a preventative maintenance program. If a proactive approach is adopted
based on the condition of the transformer oil, the life of the transformer can be
extended.

This paper reviews some of the transformer oil tests and there significance.

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WATER CONTENT
Test Method IEC 814
Water, in minute quantities, is harmful in power equipment because it is attracted to
the places of greatest electrical stress and this is where it is the most dangerous. Water
accelerates the deterioration of both the insulating oil and the paper insulation,
liberating more water in the process (heat catalysed).

This is a never ending circle and once the paper insulation has been degraded(loss of
mechanical strength) it can never (unlike the oil) be returned to its original condition.

Origins of Water
Water can originate from two sources.

Atmospheric
 Via the silica gel breather (dry silica gel is always blue).
 Via leaks into the power equipment, i.e. bad gasketing, cracked insulation, a loose
manhole cover, a ruptured explosion diaphragm etc. (if oil can get out, water can
get in).

Internal Sources
 Paper degradation produces water.
 Oil degradation produces water.
 Wet insulation contaminates the oil, (temperature dependent).

DIELECTRIC STRENGTH
Test Method: IEC 156

The dielectric strength of an insulating oil is a measure of the oils ability to withstand
electrical stress without failure.

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The test involves applying a ac voltage at a controlled rate to two electrodes immersed
in the insulating fluid. The gap is a specified distance. When the current arcs across
this gap the voltage recorded at that instant is the dielectric strength breakdown
strength of the insulating liquid.

Contaminants such as water, sediment and conducting particles reduce the dielectric
strength of an insulating oil. Combination of these tend to reduce the dielectric
strength to a greater degree

Clean dry oil has an inherently high dielectric strength but this does not necessarily
indicates the absence of all contaminates, it may merely indicate that the amount of
contaminants present between the electrodes is not large enough to affect the average
breakdown voltage of the liquid.

Authorities now agree that careless sampling and testing technique has been the source
of 99 percent of “bad “dielectric readings.

ACIDITY OR NEUTRALISATION NUMBER(NN)

Test Method: ASTM D974

Acids in the oil originate from oil decomposition/oxidation products. Acids can also
come from external sources such as atmospheric contamination.
These organic acids are detrimental to the insulation system and can induce
corrosion inside the transformer when water is present. An increase in the acidity
is an indication of the rate of deterioration of the oil with SLUDGE as the
inevitable by-product of an acid situation which is neglected.
The acidity of oil in a transformer should never be allowed to exceed 0.25mg
KOH/g oil. This is the CRITICAL ACID NUMBER and deterioration increases
rapidly once this level is exceed.

INTERFACIAL TENSION(IFT)
Test Method : ASTM D971

The Interfacial Tension (IFT) measures the tension at the interface between two
liquid (oil and water) which do not mix and is expressed in dyne/cm.

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 The test is sensitive to the presence of oil decay products and soluble polar
contaminants from solid insulating materials.

Good oil will have an interfacial tension of between 40 and 50 dynes/cm. Oil
oxidation products lower the interfacial tension and have an affinity for both water
(hydrophilic) and oil. This affinity for both substances lowers the IFT. The greater
the concentration of contaminants, the lower the IFT, with a badly deteriorated oil
having an IFT of 18 dynes/cm or less.

IFT-NN Relationship
Studies have shown that a definite relationship exists between acid number(NN) and
Interfacial Tension(IFT). An increase in NN should normally be followed by a drop in
IFT. The IFT test is a powerful tool for determining how an insulating oil has
performed and how much life is left in the oil before maintenance is required to
prevent sludge.

The IFT provided an excellent back up test for the NN.

IFT not accompanied by a corresponding increase in NN indicates polar contamination

which have not come from normal oxidation.

Although a low IFT with a low NN is an unusual situation , it does occur because of
contamination such as solid insulation materials, compounds from leaky pot heads or
bushings, or from a source outside the transformer.

QUALITY INDEX SYSTEM

Dividing the Interfacial Tension(IFT) by the Neutralisation Number(NN) provides a
numerical value that is an excellent means of evaluating oil condition. This value is
known as the Oil Quality Index(OQIN) or Myers Index Number(MIN).

A new oil , for example has a OQIN of 1500.

OQIN = IFT = 1500 = 45.0(typical new oil)

NN 0.03(typical new oil)

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 TRANSFORMER OIL CLASSIFICATIONS*
1. Good Oils
NN0.00 - 0.10
IFT 30.0 - 45.0
Colour Pale Yellow
OQIN300-1500
2. Proposition A Oils
NN 0.05 - 0.10
IFT 27.1 - 29.9
Colour Yellow
OQIN271 - 600
3. Marginal Oils
NN 0.11 - 0.15
IFT 24.0 - 27.0
Colour Bright Yellow
OQIN160 - 318
4. Bad Oils
NN 0.16 - 0.40
IFT 18.0 - 23.9
Colour Amber
OQIN45 - 159

The four functions of insulating oil is to provide cooling, insulation, protection against chemical
attack and prevention of sludge build-up. The first category is Good in which these functions are
efficiently provided.

The second category Proposition A provides all the required function , a drop in IFT to 27.0 may
signal the beginning of sludge in solution.

The insulating oil in the third category, Marginal Oils is not providing proper cooling and winding
protection. Organic acids are beginning to coat winding insulation, sludge in insulation voids is
highly probable.

The categories 4 to 6 Bad Oils, sludge has already been deposited in and on transformer parts in
almost 100 percent of these units.

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Once the oil colour changes from the yellows into amber’s and browns, the oil has degraded to the
point where the insulation system has been affected Radical colour changes may be caused by:
Electrical problem, Pot head or bushing compounds, uncured varnishes or polymers, new oil in a
dirty unit.

The situation where NN and IFT were bad , but the colour was light may indicate contamination
from sources other than oxidation i.e. a refining problem.

DISSIPATION FACTOR
Test Method: IEC 247
The Dissipation test measures the leakage current through an oil, which is the measure
of the contamination or deterioration i.e. Reveals the presence of moisture resin,
varnishes or other products of oxidation oil or of foreign contaminants such as motor
oil or fuel oil. The test is not specific in what it detects i.e. is more a screening test.

POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL
Polychlorinated biphenyl’s (PCB) is a synthetic transformer insulating fluid, that has
found its way into mineral insulating oil via cross contamination .

POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL: Non-specific methods that determines

Chlorine in oil, as all PCBs contain some amount of Chlorine.

This test is susceptible to false positive results, i.e. the test indicates the presence of
PCB when actually there is none present.

POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL: Specific method (ASTM D4059-Gas

chromatography/Electron Capture) that differentiates between PCBs and a related
compound e.g. trichloro-benzene.

All commercially produced PCB are complex mixtures of many different congeners
(A congener is a PCB molecule containing a specific number of chlorine molecules at
specific sites).

Analysing for PCB, therefore, is not a case of simply finding an easily quantifiable
compound, but of quantifying a complex mixture of compounds.

The main reasons for stopping further use are the environmental risks. PCB is very
stable and its degradation process is slow, it is also Biological accumulative in the
food chain.

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 Chemical LD50
PCB g/Kg
8.7
Trichloroethylene 5.2
Acetone 9.8
PCB liquid is not more Methyl alcohol 12.9 toxic than many other
common fluids. The Polychlorinated <0.0 lower the figure, the
dibenzofuranes 01
higher the toxicity

Far more serious are the risks of a fire or an explosion. At temperatures around 500
degrees C extremely toxic compounds Polychlorinated dibenzofuranes are formed.
Small amounts of these compounds have been found at accidents where transformers
and capacitors have been exposed to fire or have exploded. Even if the amounts have
been extremely small and have caused no personal injuries, it has been necessary to
perform very extensive and costly decontamination work.

Evaluation of Transformer Solid Insulation

Direct Evaluation

The mechanical properties of insulating paper can be established by direct

measurement of its tensile strength or degree of polymerization (DP). These properties
are used to evaluate the end of reliable life of paper insulation. It is generally
suggested that DP values of 150-250 represent the lower limits for end-of-life criteria
for paper insulation; for values below 150, the paper is without mechanical strength.

Analysis of paper insulation for its DP value requires removal of a few strips of paper
from suspect sites. This procedure can conveniently be carried out during transformer

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repairs. The results of these tests will be a deciding factor in rebuilding or scrapping a
transformer.

Furaldehyde Analysis

Direct measurement of these properties is not practical for in-service transformers.

However, it has been shown that the amount of 2- furaldehyde in oil (usually the most
prominent component of paper decomposition) is directly related to the DP of the
paper inside the transformer.

Paper in a transformer does not age uniformly and variations are expected with
temperature, moisture distribution, oxygen levels and other operating conditions. The
levels of 2-furaldehyde in oil relate to the average deterioration of the insulating paper.
Consequently, the extent of paper deterioration resulting from a “hot spot” will be
greater than indicated by levels of 2-furaldehyde in the oil.

Furaldehyde Analysis
Direct measurement of these properties is not practical for in-service
transformers. However, it has been shown that the amount of 2- furaldehyde in
oil (usually the most prominent component of paper decomposition) is directly
related to the DP of the paper inside the transformer.

Paper in a transformer does not age uniformly and variations are expected with
temperature, moisture distribution, oxygen levels and other operating conditions.
The levels of 2-furaldehyde in oil relate to the average deterioration of the insulating
paper. Consequently, the extent of paper deterioration resulting from a "hot spot"
will be greater than indicated by levels of 2-furaldehyde in the oil.

For typical power transformer, with an oil to paper ratio of 20:1, the 2-furaldehyde
levels have the following significance:

Furaldehyde
Content (ppm) DP Value Significance

0-0.1 1200-700 Healthy transformer

0.1-1.0 700-450 Moderate deterioration

1-10 450-250 Extensive deterioration

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 >10 <250 End of life criteria
Other Diagnostic Compounds

The presence of phenols and cresols in concentrations greater than 1 ppm indicate that
solid components containing phenolic resin (laminates, spacers, etc.) are involved in
overheating.

INTERPRETATION
The “predicted” DP (degree of polymerisation) indicates an average paper condition
over the whole transformer (subject to factors such as effective circulation). New Kraft
paper has a DP in excess of 1200, and paper with a DP of 200 or less is considered to
be unfit (subject to interpretation).

The values can be optimistic if the oil has been regenerated within the last two years.
This data should be evaluated in conjunction with routine chemical analysis and
transformer history.

DP Range Remark

<200 Test indicates extensive paper degradation exceeding the critical

point. Strongly recommend that the transformer be taken out of service immediately
and visually inspected.

200-250 The paper is near or at the critical condition. Recommend that the
transformer be taken out of service as soon as possible and thoroughly inspected.
Paper samples can be taken for direct DP testing.

260-350 The paper is approaching the critical condition. Suggest inspection be

scheduled and/or re-sample within 1 year to reassess condition.

360-450 The paper is starting to approach the critical condition. Suggest a re-
sample in 1-2 years time.

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460-600 Significant paper deterioration but still well away from the critical point.
610-900 Mild to minimal paper ageing.

>900 No detectable paper degradation

CONCLUSION

Analysing insulating oil taken from transformers is a unique way of identifying

problems occurring within a transformer. By identifying and quantifying the gases
found in transformer oil, the condition of the transformer can be monitored.

If faults are found to be occurring, outages can be planned ant the fault can be rectified
before major damage can occur.

The interpretation of transformer oil gas analysis is still an art and not an exact
science. The interpretation should be left to a specialist and his advice and
recommendations should be followed. Samples should be taken regularly and records
kept.

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REFRENCE
WWW.GOOGLE.COM/wikipedia
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/4049911_Evaluati
ng_transformer_condition_using_DGA_oil_analysis
https://www.resapower.com/services/oil-testing-and-
analysis/

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