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DATED: 25-09-07
2.0
The program for assessment of each of the above components is
described below:
2.1
The most important and realistic life assessment of a transformer can be done by
monitoring the health of winding insulation paper. This can be done by testing
either degree of polymerization (DP) of paper sample or by furfural content of
insulating oil. Better judgment of insulation health is possible from the DP test;
however there are certain limitations in this test. The paper sample for this test is
to be taken from the inner layers of windings where maximum heating is
expected which results into maximum aging of insulation paper. But since it is not
possible to take out paper sample from inner layers of windings, the assessment
is not perfect. Normally we take paper sample from the neutral lead and that too
from outer most layers presuming that the transformer internals are generally at
constant temperature after it acquires stability.
The second method of finding the insulation quality or to be more precise, the
residual life of transformer insulation is by way of determining the furfural content
from the transformer oil. Since it is very easy to draw oil sample from a
transformer for furfural content test and also this test can be done without deenergizing the transformer unlike DP test, this method has become more
acceptable. Chemical experts have found out that furfural content in oil does not
change even if the oil is degassed or filtered during routine maintenance of
transformer.
Since furfural content test is indirect method of insulation life assessment, I
Chendong of EPRI China found the relationship between furfural content or 2furfuraldehyde concentration in oil and degree of polymerization of insulation
paper. This relationship is as follows:
1) Log (Fur) = 1.51 - 0.0035 DP
where
(Fur)
DP
With above conversion equations we can find out DP from furfural content test of
oil and thus the residual life of insulation paper can be found.
The norms for residual life assessment were studied and given by Paul J Griffin
during his presentation on Assessment of paper insulation and other cellulose
materials in service - aged transformers at the Southeastern Electric Exchange
on 24-06-1999 as per the following values:
LIMIT OF 2-FURFURALDEHYDE CONTENT:
NORMAL
MID LIFE
ppm
LAST 1/3 rd LIFE
2.2
DP
DP
DP
< 400
DP
< 200
OIL QUALITY
The life of the transformer is actually the life of the internal insulation system.
The most widely used systems are liquid insulation (transformer oil) and solid
insulation (Kraft paper, pressboard, seasoned wood i.e. cellulose products). The
insulating oil provides approximately 80% of the dielectric strength of a transformer. Transformer oil is a good insulating medium and when impregnated in
paper, press board and cloth, increases the dielectric strength of it further. The
low viscosity of oil also allows it to penetrate the solid insulation setting up
convection currents for conveying the heat from the core materials to the
radiators. The liquid insulation therefore also serves as a coolant and its oxidation
stability allows it to operate at high temperatures for long periods. Therefore, it is
essential that the insulating oil inside the transformer is having good dielectric
strength and stability so as to ensure overall adequacy of required dielectric
strength and residual life. The residual life of insulating oil can be determined by
three properties namely specific resistivity, tan delta and acidity. By periodic
monitoring of the trend the requirement of replacement can be estimated and
accordingly the program is to be made to avoid any emergency on account of
aged oil.
2.3
HEALTH OF ACCESSORIES
The transformer is capital equipment and no utility can afford to loose the
transformer since these are very costly. Therefore, a number of protection
devices are used to protect the transformer from damage. It is therefore
necessary to ensure that these protection devices are healthy and do the
necessary function as and when required. Buchholz relay, pressure relief device,
sudden pressure relay, OTI / WTI, MOG etc. are such devices which trip the
transformer in case of internal fault. Current transformers are also provided to
protect the transformer and trip it in case of internal as well as external fault.
Being low cost items, complete replacement is a better option for these
accessories rather than carrying out any residual life assessment. The
replacement decision can be based on the past performance of these
accessories.
2.4
The magnitude of the current during the period when it is feeding the external
fault is very high and the forces that the windings are subjected to because of the
rush of fault current also are quite enormous and cause distortion of transformer
windings. The windings inside a transformer are tightly pressed and securely
clamped in place in order to prevent distortion / deformation. The supporting
system is designed with adequate safety margins to take care of any such
eventuality.
During service life of a transformer, it feeds system faults some of which are very
close to the transformer. Thus the faults inside the switchyard create maximum
short circuit forces because of low impedance and some distant faults on
transmission line create relatively lesser short circuit forces. It is therefore
essential to assess the movement of transformer internals due to each external
fault. The frequency response analysis (FRA) gives the relative movement of
windings with respect to each other and also with respect to magnetic core. The
trend observed during periodic FRA testing can be a good tool to find out the
movement of transformer internals as compared to previous test history.
Effectively, we can assess the degree of susceptibility of the transformer to fail
during next short circuit in the system.
3.0
With above background, the proposed test schedule along with test
frequency and acceptance limits for residual life assessment for aging
transformers is as per Table-1 below:
TABLE-1
RLA TEST SCHEDULE FOR AGING TRANSFORMERS
S.N.
1.
COMPONENT
Winding
insulation
TEST
Furan
Analysis
FREQUENCY
First Test: After
5
years
of
service
Second Test:
After 10 years of
service
Third
Test:
After 15 years of
service
Fourth
Test:
After 20 years of
service
Fifth Test: After
25 years of
service
Subsequent
Tests: Yearly
LIMITS
NORMAL
10 ppb OR
0.01 ppm
MID LIFE
10 to 1000
ppb
OR 0.01
ppm to 1.0
ppm
LAST 1/3rd
LIFE >1000
ppb OR >1
ppm
REMARKS
The
test
standard
for
Furan
Analysis
is
IEC-1198-993.
S.N.
2.
COMPONENT
Winding
insulation
TEST
FREQUENCY
Degree of
First Test: After
Polymerization 10 years of
service
Second Test:
After 20 years of
service
Third
Test:
After 25 years of
service
Subsequent
Tests: 5 Yearly
LIMITS
DP 800
Good
condition of
insulation
DP < 800
400 Mid life
of insulation
DP < 400
Last 1/3rd
life
DP < 200
End of
insulation life
3.
Winding
insulation
Tan test
4.
Winding
insulation
Winding
Capacitance
Measurement
5.
OIP Bushing
Yearly
Tan <
1%
Yearly
Tan and
Yearly
Capacitance
Measurement
test
Measurement
should be
done at 2 kV,
5 kV and 10
kV.
Also calculate
tan delta tip up
Max.
capacitance
110% of
factory test
value
1. Compare
the
test
result
with
factory
test/previous
site
test
results.
2.
Max.
allowable
Tan for
OIP
REMARKS
The
test
schedule
is
subject to the
opportunity
available
at
the time of any
transformer
internal work.
Location:
Insulation
paper for DP
test is to be
taken out from
neutral
lead
taking care not
to
affect
transformer
healthiness.
Tan is to be
checked
for
all
winding
configurations
and trend is to
be compared
in similar test
conditions
Comparison of
capacitance is
to be done in
same winding
configuration
and at same
test voltage
Trend is to be
compared in
similar
test
conditions.
If the value
exceeds, the
bushing
should
be
replaced
at
the earliest.
S.N.
6.
7.
COMPONENT
TEST
value where:
Tan delta tip
value = Tan
delta at 10 kV
Tan delta at
2 kV
.
FREQUENCY
Transformer
clamping
structure
Sweep
Frequency
Response
Analysis
(SFRA)
First Test: At
factory
by
supplier
Second Test:
During
commissioning
at
site
by
supplier
Third
Test:
During suitable
opportunity
before expiry of
warrantee
by
NTPC
Subsequent
Tests: 5 Yearly
till 25 years of
service
Subsequent
Tests after 25
years: Yearly
Normal
frequency: Six
Monthly
In case value
exceeds
the
limit:
Three
monthly
Insulating Oil
Dielectric
dissipation
factor at 90oC
and 40 to 60
Hz
LIMITS
bushings is
0.7%.
3.
Max.
allowable
Tan tip up
value for OIP
bushings is
0.001
or
0.1%.
4.
Max.
allowable
capacitance
is 110% of
factory test
results.
Comparison
of frequency
v/s
percentage
impedance
variation for
frequency
band from
10 Hz to 10
MHz gives
any
distortion of
windings or
core from
the original
signature
REMARKS
Care needs to
be taken to
ensure
bushings are
clean and free
of dust and
moisture.
Also
ensure
that
the
transformer is
disconnected
from
other
associated
equipment.
If
the
transformer
feeds
short
circuit current
due to fault in
the
near
vicinity,
additional
SFRA test is
to be planned
during
next
unit overhaul.
Test record is
to be kept for
any
future
reference and
comparison.
If the value of
any
two
parameters
out of three
indicated
at
S.N.8, 9 and
10 exceed the
limit; the oil
S.N.
8.
COMPONENT
Insulating Oil
TEST
Resisitivity
9.
Insulating Oil
Acidity or
Neutralization
Value
10.
Comprehensive
RLA study
As given in
section 4.0
FOR
FREQUENCY
Normal
frequency: Six
Monthly
In case value is
beyond
the
permissible
limit:
Three
monthly
Normal
frequency: Six
Monthly
In case value
exceeds
the
limit:
Three
monthly
10 Yearly
COMPREHENSIVE
LIMITS
Min. 0.1 X
1012 ohmcm at 90oC
REMARKS
should
be
replaced
at
the earliest.
Max. 0.25
mg KOH/gm
As per
applicable
standards
RLA
STUDIES
OF
4.1
10
11
Checks on OLTC and Off circuit tap changer including continuity from first
to last tap
12
4.2
TESTS ON BUSHINGS
4.3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
BDV
Moisture
Tan Delta
Specific Resistivity
Acidity
IFT
DGA
4.4
1
2
3
4
5
(Prakash Hirani)
AGM (COS)
AGM (COS-Elec)
GM (COS)