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Development in
Maintenance of
Insulation Liquid
Copper Dissolution and
Metal Passivators in
Insulating Oil
Adsorption and film
growth of
N-methylamino
substituted triazoles on
copper surfaces in
hydrocarbon media
Factors affecting the
dissolution of copper in
transformer oils
Interaction between
Insulating Paper and
Transformer Oil
Viscosity of oil
important in
transformer cooling
Reducing the risk of
insulation failure
Measuring peroxides in
oil, the clean, clear and
easy way
Transformer oils
Through regular sampling, DGA and Furan analysis can give a good indication of how fast
the degradation of insulation in a transformer is progressing. By doing this one can avoid
extreme situations like this.
Reducing the risk of insulation failure
By monitoring the content of gases and furanic compounds in the
insulation it is possible to reduce the risk of failures in transformers
containing traditional paper and oil insulation systems. The gas content of
the oil can provide an indication of the condition of the transformer. Whilst
measuring furfural gives an indication of the condition of the cellulose
insulation and can provide a basis for estimating the rate of degradation.
The combination of oil and cellulose as insulating material has been used for
almost a century now. When combined they have a much greater electrical
insulating capacity than either of the materials has individually. Together they
have a dielectric strength, or insulating ability, of as much as 64 kV per mm,
considerably more than the sum of the individual value for each material. In spite
of the apparent lack of mechanical strength of the oil-cellulose combination,
together they form a very effective barrier against electrical breakdown.
The problem with using these materials as insulation in electrical equipment is
that both age and decompose over time. Ageing accelerates when they are
exposed to high temperatures and moisture. Electrical equipment often also
contains certain chemical substances that can accelerate the degradation of oil,
among them copper, oxygen, paint and varnish.
To ensure safe and reliable transformer operation, ageing of the oil and cellulose
needs to be carefully and regularly monitored using accurate and established
methods. The results should provide a good basis for estimating the chemical
status of the oil and the cellulose, and preferably also how this status is likely to
develop over time and what maintenance measures might become necessary. A
simplified flowchart of the methodology is given in Figure 1: A condition-based
approach to maintenance methodology for transformers and other equipment of
critical importance.
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There are several methods that can be used in combination to paint a picture of
the condition of the oil and cellulose. But let us take a closer look at the link
between the chemical status of the oil and the degradation of the cellulose.
When oil is exposed to high temperatures and moisture, or some other catalyst,
the oil oxidises. Subsequently substances such as acids and other polar
substances are formed, which in turn accelerate the degradation of the cellulose.
The degree of paper degradation can be estimated through analysis and
monitoring of the gases dissolved in the oil over time. This is a long-established
method, known as Dissolved Gas Analysis or DGA, that has proved to be effective
in preventing failures.
The DGA method remains the best method for detecting various abnormalities in
transformers to date. The procedures for taking samples of the oil and extracting
the gas for this analysis are well laid out in the standard IEC60567. Unfortunately
the interpretation of the data obtained is not equally clear cut, and different ways
of doing this may have the same objective but could lead to different conclusions.
One of the most common methods for interpreting DGA measurements is to study
the gas concentration ratio. This is illustrated in Figure2: When a transformer has
been diagnosed with an abnormality through DGA analysis, the Duval Triangle is
one of the most efficient tools to identify what type of fault condition you may
experience. This is very important in order to decide upon further maintenance or
repair measures.
Figure 1
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Authors
BRUCE PAHLAVANPOUR
Senior Technical Coordinator
DGA is relatively easy and cheap to perform, and has proven to be an efficient way
of reducing the number of transformer accidents but it does not give a complete
picture of the condition of a transformer. However, it can be combined with other
methods that measure the degradation of the cellulose.
Cellulose is made up of long chains of glucose units. The strength of the cellulose
is dependent on how long these chains are. The length of the chain is usually
measured in number of glucose units, and is expressed as degree of
polymerization, DP. When many products of degradation from the oil are present,
the a-1.4 glucosidic bonds between the glucose units are gradually broken down
resulting in the cellulose chains becoming shorter and shorter which leads to a
reduced DP value.
In new cellulose insulation made of kraft paper the DP value is about 1400. In
combination with oil the DP value for new electrical insulating cellulose is usually
about 1000, which gradually drops with age down to about 200. At the same time
the tensile strength of the cellulose also deteriorates, which gradually increases
the risk of faults in the insulation and thereby the risk of breakdown.
The degree cellulose degradation can be determined by measuring the content of
furfural in the oil. Furfural is an aromatic aldehyde with five carbon atoms that is a
product of degradation. The correlation between furfural content and the DP value
is not perfect, but it is sufficiently good to give an indication of how the strength
of the cellulose is deteriorating. It should be noted that depending on the refining
technique some oils might contain traces of 2furfural from the refining process.
Although 2furfural has no known negative effect on the performance of oil
in-service at these concentrations, it is important to measure furfural content of
the oil from the outset and before energisation of the equipment. This enables a
baseline to be established against which increases in 2furfural concentrations can
be monitored in the future.
Combining analysis of the gas content and ratios (DGA) with analysis of furanic
compounds in the insulating oil provides a very good basis from which to take
measures to reduce the risk of breakdowns. The analysis can give information
about whether there is an immediate risk of problems, and if this is the case,
further electrical investigations can indicate where the damage is located. Of
decisive importance for the effectiveness of such analyses is how often
measurements are made and the efficiency of routines that are in place to remedy
any problems that might occur.
Figure 2
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