TECH-IT 2010

THERMAL STABILTY TEST OF INSTRUMENT TRANSFORMER

AT SITE.
Mr. B.K.Rakholia
GETCO, Gujarat
SYNOPSIS
There has been a pressing need of
monitoring and diagnostic for HVCT. High rate of
E.H.V. class instrument transformer failure
(particularly current transformer) is observed by
most of the utility in INDIA, in the month of
MARCH-APRIL-MAY due to heat wave every
year.
This failure phenomenon is nothing but
the thermal instability, either due to ageing, poor
design or poor quality of the insulating material.
This paper presents a thermal stability
test set up to simulate the heat wave condition by
developing an induction heating method to check
the thermal stability at site. It is easy and
adoptable. The behavior of the two major
insulation i.e. oil and cellulose paper can be
checked by measuring the capacitance, tan delta
and I.R. value of C1 and C2 at various
temperature, right from the atmospheric to the 80
degree.
Most of the manufactures are not in
favors of oil sample for D.G.A. and routine test of
the oil, as there is small quantity of oil in service.
Secondly there is no provision for oil sampling in
most of the C.T. The on line condition monitoring
is not economically viable.
This method is quite useful to judge the
thermal stability and finally helps to plan for
replacement of the same before it will fail. Finally
prevent the damages of the surrounding
equipments and improves the reliability of the
system.

Here, month wise current transformer failed

during last three years summarized:
MONTH Ap
r
April09 72
2008-09 51
2007-08 39
2006-07 14
Total
17
6

Above data indicates that the failure rate is quite

high during the summer season.
Maximum failure is observed on the hottest days
of the year. It indicates that the thermally
unstable C.T. works normal during normal
atmosphere but became problematic as soon as
atmospheric temperature rises.
G.E.T.C.O. has adopted equipment condition
monitoring for its maintenance planning.
Now
capacitance,
tan delta
and
I.R.
measurement, once in a year is a routine practice
for
instrument
transformer
and
power
transformer.
THERMAL STABILITY TEST FOR C.T. WHY ?
Small volume of apparatus like current
transformer, potential transformer, contain small
amount of oil which could easily contaminated
and greatly reduce it insulation integrity. The
failure of these equipments are usually explosive
and damage to the near by equipments and
person too.
Oil D.G.A. and moisture contain prove to
a good compliment to the other routine test to
provide additional information on the integrity of
the equipment. But above tests are not possible
due to small quantity of oil and no provision for oil
sampling.
There will be change of tan delta ,
capacitance
and
leakage
current
with
temperature, with voltage in case of any internal

INTRODUCTION
Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation is state
transmission
utility
having
66KV.
To
400KV.Transmission network. Voltage class wise
population of current transformer is as under.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

M Ju J Au Se Oc No De Ja Fe Ma Tot
ay n ul g p t v c n b r al
72
3 4 3 2 7 21 6 1 6 6 28 138
20 24 3 4 3 8 2 1 4 7 15 130
40 16 8 11 4 14 4 5 9 4 36 165
63 44 14 17 14 43 12 7 19 17 79 505

400KV class: 248

220KV class: 2015
132KVclass: 1279
66KV class: 11631

TECH-IT 2010
earlier stage of fault or degradation of insulating
oil.
Current transformer being a sealed unit,
thermal stability test becomes a use full tool to
check the integrity of insulation.

TEST RESULTS EVALUTION

(A) Rise of tan delta of C1 with temperature.
1) If ten delta of C1 increase from 0.3 to 0.6
% at 20 degree to 40 degree tempt. And
from 0.3 to 0.9-1 % at 60-70 degree tempt.
indicate water content above 1%.
2) If there is a significant rise of tan delta of
C1 indicate water content above 2 to 2.5%.

SYSTEM SET UP
(A) MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENTS REQUIRE.
1) 3 to 4 inch wide thermally insulated belt,
approximately 10 to 15 meter in length.
2) 4 mm 2 core
P.V.C. insulated cable
approximately 200 meter.
3) Single phase variac 20A capacity.
4) Digital volt meter and ammeter.
5) Digital temperature meter with probe.
6) 0 to 66 KV. High voltage source.
7) clip-on meter ( ma. range)
8) tan delta kit
9) MEGGER.

(B) Change in leakage current I0 is not

linearly rise with voltage,
change in
capacitance.
1) Short circuit of two or more layers.
(C) Rise in tan delta of C2 from 5 to 60% with
rise in temperature at 90 degree.
1) Formation of oil decay products,
particularly oil contain metal residue with
non uniform coagulation. Practically tan
delta of C2 is nothing but the tan delta of
the uppermost layers after C1 test tap
terminated metal foil, support press pan
papers and insulating oil. Looking to the
construction of the instrument transformer
insulating oil is the major part. Thus the
tan delta of C2 is reflection of oil quality.

(B) PROCEDURE.
1) First fix up the temperature probe with the
tank of the C.T. under test.
2) Cover the complete body with thermally
insulated belt.
3) Wind the single phase cable according to the
requirement on this belt.
4) Supply this cable through variac. Adjust the
current according to the size of
Current transformer.
5) Arrangement for the following tests.

(D) Reduction of tan delta of C1 with

temperature rise.

FOLLOWING TESTS CAN BE TAKEN AT SITE

FOR THERMAL STABILTY CONFERMATION.
(1) Tan delta of C1 in UST mode (from
atmospheric to 80. degree tempt)
(2) Tan delta of C1 in GSTg mode (from
atmospheric to 80. degree tempt)
(3) Tan delta of C2 in GSTg mode (from
atmospheric to 80. degree tempt)
(4) C1, leakage current measurement
(atmospheric temp. but at various
voltage,3kv to 66kv.)
(5) C1, leakage current measurement at
varying temperature and varying voltages.
(6) Leakage current measurement for
insulating oil at varying temperature and
varying voltages.

Contamination of inner surface of the

porcelain housing due to deposition of
conducting /semi-conducting material.
Surface current effect the di- electrical
characteristic, which lead to the surface
discharge

.
(E) Rise in leakage current for insulating oil
at varying temperature and varying voltage.

Degradation
of
insulating
oil.
COMPARISON OF THE RESULT WITH
THE OTHER UNIT OF THE SAME MAKE
IS QUITE IMPORTANT FOR THE
JUDGMENT.

TECH-IT 2010

(A) C2-P.F. & Tan (guard mode)

No.

Temp.

Capacitance Tan
Leakage
current

.
.
(B) C1-P.F.Tan & leakage current(UST mode)
No.

Temp.

Capacitance Tan
Leakage
current

THERMAL BELT ON TANK

.
.
(C) C1-Capacitence, Tan measurement & leakage
current (guard mode)
No.

Temp.

Capacitance Tan
Leakage
current

.
.

WINDING ON TANK

(D) Leakage current measurement at diff.voltage

And at diff. tempt.
No. Voltage Leakage
tempt Leakage
current
current
.

COMPLETE SETUP

TANK WITH TEMP. PROBE

TECH-IT 2010
As this is a new concept for C.T. site testing, at
present very few test results are available. It is as
under.
(1) Voltage class:-220kv. C.T.
Make :HBB
Type:Dead tank
S
r
n
o
1
2
3
4
5
6

Temp
t.
(degcent)
37
50
55
60
65
70

C1(10kv) UST
tan capacitan
%
ce

C2(0.5kv) GST
tan capacitan
%
ce

0.14
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.21

1.58
0.5
0.55
0.6
0.63
0.85

560PF
560PF
560PF
560PF
560PF
560PF

(4) Voltage class:-66kv. C.T.

Make :12047
Type:S
r
n
o
1
2
3
4
5

656.8PF
661.7PF
661.93PF
661.11PF
660.74PF
662.79PF

(2) Voltage class:-132kv. C.T.

Make :AE Co.
Type:Live tank
Tempt
.

1
2
3
4
5
6

36
46
56
66
76
86

(degcent)

C1(10kv.) UST
tan
capacitanc
%
e

C2 (0.5kv.)GST
tan
capacitanc
%
e

2.59

518PF

2.68

430PF

16.19
17.34
20.01
20.58
21.13
20.82

S
r
n
o
1
2
3
4
5

1009PF
1019PF
875.85PF
879.78PF
884PF
882.66PF

(degcent)
44
50
60
70
80

C1(10kv) UST
tan
capacitan
%
ce

C2 (0.5 kv.) GST

tan
capacitanc
%.
e

3.56

391.91PF

5.16

397.13PF

5.88
6.48
8.22
11.65
17.36

C2(1kv) GST
tan
capacitanc
%.
e

0.208
0.208
0.203
0.202
0.201

0.56
0.64
0.7
0.75
0.85

285.3PF
285.3PF
285PF
285.2PF
284.8PF

407.5PF
406.8PF
405.3PF
405PF
404.8PF

Tempt
.

(degcent)
40
50
60
70
80

C1(10kv) UST
tan
capacitan
%
ce

C2(1kv) GST
tan
capacitanc
%.
e

0.26
0.26
0.25
0.24
0.24

0.57
0.64
0.71
0.80
0.95

338.68PF
307.24PF
307.32PF
307.03PF
306.9PF

396.03PF
395.26PF
395.14PF
394.91PF
395.18PF

A paper from Victor Sokolov on Statistics,

failure mode & cause of transformer bushing &
H.VC.T.

(3) Voltage class:-66kv. C.T.

Make :I.T.C.
Type:Dead tank
Tempt
.

40
50
60
70
80

C1(10kv) UST
tan
capacitan
%
ce

REFERENCE

Remark:- This C.T. was replace due to high tan

delta.

S
r
n
o
1
2
3
4
5

(degcent)

Dead tank

(5) Voltage class:-66kv. C.T.(new)

Make :JSL. Sr. No 09-12028
Type:Dead tank

Remark:- This C.T. is in service

Sr
n
o

Tempt
.

JSL, (New) Sr.No:09-

725P.5PF
730.06PF
741.32PF
760PF
793PF

Remark:- This C.T. was replaced due to high Tan

delta