DISSOLVED GAS ANALYSIS

OF TRANSFORMER OIL

Mrs. Harsha Shah

Insulation Division
DISSOLVED GAS ANALYSIS
OF TRANSFORMER OIL

 OIL PRODUCES GASES UNDER THERMAL /

ELECTRICAL STRSS.
 TYPES OF GASES AND RATE OF
PRODUCTION DEPENDS ON NATURE AND
EXTENT OF STRESS RESPECTIVELY.
 PROVEN TO DETECT INCIPIENT FAULT.
 FACILITY AVAILABLE, NEEDS EXPERTISE
FOR INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS.
 DGA
• One of the most important technique to indicate
the health of a transformer.
• Analogous to blood testing of Humans to detect
various Bio-Logical Abnormalities. However,
unlike diagnosis of blood, rules are not clearly
established for DGA.
• DGA, An Art & not A Science and interpretation
of results much depends on one’s documented
experience.
 GAS EVOLUATION PROCESS
PRESENCE & QUANTITY OF GASES
DEPENDS ON :
 TYPE /AREA OF FAULT
 SOLUBILITY & DEGREE OF SATURATION OF
VARIOUS GASES
 TYPES & RATE OF OIL CIRCULATION
 TYPE OF OIL PRESERVATION
 KINDS OF MATERIALS IN CONTACT WITH FAULT
 Sampling And Labeling Procedure
Sampling

• Dry Weather, avoid contamination

• Clean, dry, leak proof glass or stainless
steel container.
• Equipment operating normally
• Take safety precautions.
• Sample bottle must be full without any air
trap completely sealed and should be
properly labeled.
 LABELLING PROCEDURE
A] IDENTIFICATION OF TRANSFORMER
1. LOCATION
2. MAKE
3. SERIAL NUMBER / TRANSFORMER

NUMBER
4. TRANSFORMER RATING
5. VOLTAGE RATIO
B] HISTORICAL INFORMATION

1. DATE OF COMMISSIONING
2. DATE OF LAST OIL FILLING
3. DATE OF LAST OIL FILTRATION/ DETANKING /
TOPPING UP / TRANSFORMER REPAIRS
4. DATE OF SAMPLING
5. OIL VOLUME IN SYSTEM
6. ANY ABNORMALITY IN WORKING
C] OPERATIONAL

1. LOAD ON DUTY : MAX & MIN

2. OIL TEPERATURE : MAX & NORMAL

D] PREVIOUS TEST RESULTS

1. TEST REPORT NO. & DATE IF TESTED AT ERDA

2. TEST RESULTS INCLUDING DATE OF TESTING
IF TESTED IN OTHER LAB
 FREQUENCY OF SAMPLING

NEW TRANSFORMERS

 FIRST DGA TEST : BEFORE HEAT RUN TEST ON

TRANSFORMER
 SECOND DGA TEST : AFTER HEAT RUN TEST ON
TRANSFORMER (2&24 HRS)
 THIRD DGA TEST : BEFORE ENERGIZING
TRANSFORMER (B.M.)
 FOURTH DGA TEST : WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF
SERVICE
IN-SERVICE TRANSFORMERS
 ANNUALLY AS A ROUTINE CKECKING
 BEFORE (LATEST DATA) & AFTER FILTRATION
(FRESH B.M.)/TOPPING UP
TRANSFORMERS AFTER OVERHAULING,
REPAIRS, MAINTANANCE
 BEFORE ENERGISING TRANSFORMER
 WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF SERVICE
 Detection Sensitivity Limit
Sr. Gas Detection
No. Sensitivity
(ppm)
1. Hydrogen 5
2. Oxygen 50
3. Nitrogen 50
4. Hydrocarbons 1
5. Carbon Oxide 25
 Interpretation of Results
• Ensure that gas concentrations are high enough to
warrant further investigation.
• Gas being present even in normal operating
condition without any fault being present.
• Gases might have formed on the occasion of
previous faults or during repairs by brazing,
welding etc., and not completely removed.
• Since gases are produced in normal ageing also, the
service duration of the oil has to be taken into
account.
PERMISSIBLE LIMITS OF DISSOLVED GASES IN OIL

OF A HEALTHY TRANSFORMER

GAS <4YRS IN PPM) 4-10 YRS (PPM) >10 YRS (PPM)

H2 100-150 200-300 200-300
CH4 50-70 100-150 200-300
C2H2 20-30 30-50 100-150
C2H4 100-150 150-200 200-400
C2H6 30-50 100-150 800-1000
CO 200-300 400-500 600-700
CO2 3000-3500 4000-5000 9000-12000
 Diagnosis of Health of A
Transformer / Fault

1. Benchmark Results
2. Permissible Limit
3. IS Ratio Method
4. Muller’s Ratio Method
5. Key Gas Method
6. TCG Content
7. Rate of Rise of Gas
 Code of range of ratios
C2H2 CH4 C2H4
C2H4 H2 C2H6

< 0.1 0 1 0
0.1 – 1 1 0 0
1–3 1 2 1
>3 2 2 2
BEFORE & AFTER HEAT RUN TEST

EXISTING METHOD OF INTERPRETATION

 NOT SUITABLE FOR NEW TRANSFORMER

 INITIALLY SMALL QUANTITY OF GASES
DISSOLVED IN OIL
 DURATION OF TEST IS VERY SHORT
 VERY SMALL RISE IN GAS CONCENTRATION
NEW GUIDELINE

NEW GUIDELINE IS SUGGESTED BY

CIGRE WORKING GROUP FOR THE
INTERPRETATION OF DGA RESULTS
BEFORE & AFTER HEAT RUN TESTS.
 TABLE -4
GAS CONCENTRATION IN OIL B.H.R.T.
MIN. DETECTION SENSITIVITY OF EQUIPMENT(Sd)
MAX.PERMISSIBLE VALUE OF GASES (X1)
S.NO. GAS Sd PPM (V/V) (X1) PPM (V/V)
1. CO2 10.0 200.0
2. CO 5.0 80.0
3. H2 2.0 15.0
4. CH4 0.1 2.5
5. C2H6 0.1 2.0
6. C2H4 0.1 2.0
7. C2H2 0.1 1.0
Maximum Analytical Spread (Sa)

 Sa (x) = 0.1 (x)1 + 2 Sd (x)

 x = ANY GAS
 (x)1 = ORIGINAL QUANTITY OF GAS X
 Sd (x) CAN BE TAKEN FROM TABLE - 4
 DIFFERENCE IN CONC. OF ANY GAS BHRT &
AHRT IS LESS THAN Sa OF GAS - TR. IS HEALTY.
No. Criteria Range 1 Range 2
1. (C2H2)2 – (C2H2)1 <Sa (C2H2) <Sa(C2H2)
2. 1/t {[H2)2] – (H2)1 + <2 ppm (v/v)/hr. <5 ppm (v / v) hr
{[CH4)2 – (CH4)1] +
{[C2H4)2 – (C2H4)1] +
{[C2H6)2 – (C2H6)1]} +
3. 1/t [(CO)2 – (CO)1] < 5 ppm (v/v) / hr. < 25 ppm (v / v)
hr
4. 1/t [(CO2)2 – (CO2)1] < 20 ppm (v/v) / < 100 ppm (v /
hr. v) hr
5. (C2H4)2 – (C2H4)1 < 1 ppm (v/v) / hr. < 3 ppm (v/v) /
(C2H6)2 – (C2H6)1 hr.

• Here t is duration of heat run test in hours, (X)2 and (X)1 are
concentrations of gas X, after and before the test.
• 5 th criteria may only be used if increase in gas concentration of C2H4
& C2H6 BHRT & AHRT are > 10 Sa
 INTERPRETATION

• All in Range 1 – No Thermal fault

• One or more are > Range 1 < Range 2 –
Fault caused by Load current or Leakage
flux * Close monitoring required for oil
during service.
• One or more are > Range 2 –*more analysis
during heat run test.
 FAULT DIAG:THERMAL FAULT OF HIGH TEMP(700oC)
FAULT OBSERVED:HOT SPOT IN ONE OF THE
CONNECTING LEADS HAVING JOINT

3.64 MVA, 22.5/1.73 kV

DATE OF COMM. 5-2-88
RATIOS : 0 2 2
H2 1049
CH4 6986
C2H2 1476
C2H4 39998
C2H6 6462
CO 40773
CO2 94998
No Sign of any abnormality from out side.

Fault diagnosis : Thermal Fault

Observation : Presence of hot sport in one of

the connecting leads having joint

 F.DIAG:THERMAL FAULT OF MED.TEMP(3000C-7000C)
FAULT OBSERVED:BOLT ON STAMPING OF
TRANSFORMER WINDING GOT MELTED

3.22 MVA, 22.5/1.73 kV

DATE OF COMM. 28-5-82
RATIOS : 0 2 1
H2 45
CH4 296
C2H2 4
C2H4 2228
C2H6 1292
CO 68
CO2 1458
No Sign of any abnormality from out side.
Fault diagnosis : Thermal Fault
Observation : Top as well as bottom metallic
bolts used to hold
stamping of the
transformer winding got melted.
 FAULT DIAG : ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES
F.OBSERVED:ELECTRICAL SPARKING ON H.T.LEADS

18.4 MVA, 33/0.173 kV

DATE OF COMM.OCT `76
RATIOS : 1 0 2
H2 2113
CH4 319
C2H2 408
C2H4 469
C2H6 82
CO 1632
CO2 4190
Fault diagnosis : Electrical discharges
Observation : Electrical discharges on high
voltage leads inside the main tank
was observed. The wooden planks
used to isolate HV leads clearly
show sign of electrical discharges.
 F.DIAG:ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES OF LOW ENERGY
F.OBSERVED:WINDING FAILURE

33 kV
DATE OF COMM. 1984
RATIOS : 2 0 2
H2 240
CH4 26
C2H2 202
C2H4 51
C2H6 3
CO 199
CO2 64
Fault diagnosis : Presence of severe electrical
discharges
Observation : Total winding was damaged
significantly
Thank you