Interview Questions on Transformer Protection

Q. What parameters or technical particulars are important to be

considered while designing protection scheme of the transformer?
Answer:

1. Network Diagram showing the position of the transformer in the system

2. kVA or MVA rating of the transformer
3. Fault Level at the transformer
4. Voltage Ratio
5. Winding Connections
6. Per Unit Impedance
7. Neutral Point Earthing Resistance
8. Value of the System Earthing Resistance
9. Whether Indoor or Outdoor
10. Dry or Oil Filled
11. Length and area of cross section of the connecting leads between CTs and
Relay Panel

Q. What can be the reasons for the failure of the transformer? Answer:
Transformer is one of the most expensive equipments in the Power
System. Failure of the transformer can cause outage of power supply for
even days. However, multiple things can go wrong with the transformer:
There can be two types of failure - Internal Faults and External Faults.
Internal Faults (the faults within the transformer):

1. Core Failure
2. Winding Failure
3. Lamination Failure
4. Bushing Failure
5. Terminal Board Failure
6. Tap Changer Failure (OLTC failures)
7. Transformer Oil
8. Oil level low
9. Moisture absorption
10. Transformer cooling system
11. Failure of insulation between Lamination and Core Bolt
12. Badly made joints and connections.
13. Frequent exposure to Lightning strokes

External Faults (the faults outside the transformer):

1. OverLoad ... increases copper losses and consequence temperature rise.

2. Through Faults or System Faults ... not detected by differential protection
of transformer, however, if through faults persist for longer duration,
transformer gets damaged by thermal and electromagnetic mechanical
stress ... detected by overcurrent relays.
3. Short Circuits

4.
5.
6.
7.

Open Circuits
Earth Faults
Over Voltage
Reduced system frequency

Q. How Transformer Protection provided for internal faults? Answer:

1. Bucholz Relay (1st Stage Alarm and 2nd Stage Trip)

2. Sudden Pressure Relay (1st Stage Alarm and 2nd Stage Trip)
3. Pressure Relief Valve (1st Stage Alarm and 2nd Stage Trip)
4. Pressure Switch (1st Stage Alarm and 2nd Stage Trip)
5. Oil level Gauge Indicator (Alarm)
6. Vacuum Level Indicator (Alarm)
7. Oil Temperature Indicator (Alarm)
8. Gas Temperature Indicator (Alarm)
9. Silicon Breather (Passive - no alarm)
10. Smoke Detector (Alarm)

Q. How Transformer Protection provided for external faults? Answer:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Differential Protection
Restriced EarthFault Protection
Over Current Protection
Over Fluxing Protection
Over current relays with under voltage blocking
Zero sequence protection.
Negative phase sequence protection

Q. What are the tests done to minimize internal faults? Answer:

1. Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA): Faults due to arcing, high current

breakdown of oil, localized sparking, partial discharge of oil, localized
overheating or hot spots, etc. causes thermal degradation of oil and used
for analysis.
2. Thermography of Transformer: Hot Spots on the transformer bushing,
circulation of oil in radiator tubes, distribution of heat on transformer
body, etc.
3. Capacitance Tan Delta: to detect oil degradation.
4. Oil Sample Test: to check the oil quality.

Q. What are the reasons for Oil degradation? Answer:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Degradation
Oxidation
Contamination
a) Dielectric breakdown voltage indicates the presence of electrically
conductive contaminants in oil.

b) Interfacial tension and acid number (sometimes called neutralization

number or acidity) are affected by oxidation and contamination.
c) Water content is temperature dependent.
d) Power factor is also temperature dependent.

Q. What protection are provided to transformer depending on their kVA

or MVA ratings?

Protection

Transformer Rated Transformer Rated Transformer Rated

below 500 kVA
between 500 kVA - above 500 kVA
5MVA

Differential

No

No

Yes

Restricted Earth
Fault

No

No

Yes

Back Up Over
Current

No

Yes

Yes

Back Up Earth
Fault

No

Yes

Yes

Over Fluxing

No

No

Yes

Fuses

Yes

No

No

Bucholz, PRV, OSR No

Yes

Yes

Oil and Winding

Temperature
Indicator

No

Yes

Yes

Oil level
monitoring
equipment

No

Yes

Yes

References:

1. Basler: Transformer Protection Application Guide