Maintenance of Transformer

Any equipment in service, specially

electrical equipment needs regular
maintenance.
Electrical equipments in service are
subject to electrical, mechanical and
thermal stresses.
Periodical check necessary to monitor
condition.
Measure to be taken to rectify defects to
avoid total failure.

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 Transformer has two functional parts.
a. Conducting material
b. Insulating material
Conducting material designed to carry rated
current and insulating material designed to
withstand the rated voltage.
Currents and voltages in excess of rated
values are taken care of by protective
devices.
In practice transformer is subjected to
excessive current and voltages due to failure
of protective equipments, leading to
degradation of the material
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 Even during normal operating conditions
the transformer is subjected to stresses
resulting in degradation.
Based on the design the transformers have
normal life expectancy around 25 to 30
years.
In practice transformers operate under
abnormal conditions sometimes knowingly
and many times unknowingly.
This may lead to damage which, unless
checked and corrective action taken may
lead to total failures.
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This process of checking and taking
corrective action is known as
maintenance.
Types of maintenance:
a. Break down maintenance though
not best inevitable.
b. Periodical/preventive maintenance
based on periodical tests.
c. Proactive maintenance The very
cause which affects the transformer
is anticipated and avoided.

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 Predictive maintenance modern technique
consisting of tests done using special
equipments
These tests can be termed as condition
monitoring tests.

No single test can confirm the fault in the

transformer. Hence integrated approach is
required taking into account results of
various tests.

Expertise and experience required to

interpret the test results.
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 Tests recommended for condition monitoring
Dissolved gas analysis of transformer.
Tan and capacitance measurement of the
insulation of the winding and of condenser
type bushings.
Recovery voltage measurement
Insulation resistance and polarization index
tests.
Frequency response analysis.
DC resistance of the winding.
Furan Analysis
Partial discharge tests. 6
 FAILURE OF 100MVA, 220/66/11KV
POWER TRANSFORMER
100 MVA, 220/66/11 KV Crompton Greaves make
Power Transformer at Gowribidanur Station failed.
Physical inspection of the failed transformer
The entire oil of the transformer and the insulation
of the winding are burnt.
All the HV, LV & tertiary bushings are totally
shattered.
The main header connecting the radiator bank to the
transformer tank and the radiator bank including its
support attached to transformer tank have yielded.
Marshalling box including the control cables have
burnt. The conservator support structure has
yielded due to severe heat. 7
 220 KV LAs, conductors of auxiliary bus have also
burnt.

The fire has commenced from the R-phase HV

bushing and then it has spread to other areas.

B-phase HV bushing at the other extreme end is left

only with the lead wire.

LV bushing side is damaged to a much lesser extent

the tap changer appears to be intact.

Load on the transformer was 34 MW (current 80

Amps) on HV side 384A on the LV side.

The voltage was 204 KV on HV side and 67 KV on LV

side tap position at No.8. 8
 OLTC was operated about 3 hours before the
failure.

The oil temperature and the winding temperature

before failure was 420C.

Megger results were good.

Since 2 years there is no interruption due to

trouble in the transformer.
The day of failure was a clear day and no storm
or lightning.

The details of relays provided for protection of the

transformer their settings and the details of
operation of relays. 9
 Details of relays Type & settings of Operation of
relays relays

Main protection:

1) Differential DTH32-bias 30% Operated

2) REFR HV CAG 0.2 Operated
LV CAG 0.2 Not operated
3) Over flux GTTK1.2/Time20 sec Not operated

Back up protection:
1) DOCR HV CDD 1 Not operated
LV CDD 0.5 Not operated
2) DEFR HV CDD 0.3 Not operated
LV CDD 0.3 Not operated
3) OCR Tertiary CDG 1.0 Not operated

Auxiliary
Relays:
1) Winding 30B Trip Operated
Temp 30C High trip Operated
30A Trip Operated
HV 30D High Trip Operated
Trip relay:
Master
LV Trip relay 86 Operated
2) Bucholtz relay 10
3) Oil temperature
 HV & LV side breakers tripped due to
operation of the master trip relay.

Internal fault in the transformer is ruled out.

No Fault in OLTC.

No Fault on 66KV bus and feeders.

Failure of bushings.

Over voltage due to lightning and switching

surge.

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 Due to weakening of the bushing.

Reason for initiation of fire at R-phase bushing

could be due to arcing.

Arcing must have occurred due to shorting of

phase to earth.

Oil of the busing spilled over.

Differential earth fault and transformer

auxiliary relays operated and disconnected
supply but fire spread to other parts.

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 MEASURES TO BE TAKEN:

a) Insulation Resistance and Polarization Index to be

measured periodically.
b) Tests on oil samples including DGA to be conducted
periodically to monitor the condition of insulation
inside the transformer. This is a very good test to
detect incipient fault in their early stages.
c) Tan delta and capacitance test of condenser
bushings and windings to be conducted.
d) Test for furan content in transformer oil.
e) DC resistance test of winding.
f) Check tripping of 220 KV and 66 KV breakers for
their proper functioning.
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 Recovery voltage measurements.

Frequency response analysis.

Degree of Polymerization (D.P.).

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