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Northern Technology & Testing began metals testing in-house in 1997. Metals testing is used to provide vital
information about transformer operation and in locating potential fault sites within the transformer. Not only
can the method provide information needed to pin-point fault locations but it can also detect excessive wear in
oil circulation pumps. We routinely analyze for seven metals: iron, copper, aluminum, lead, silver, tin and
zinc. Analysis for other metals can be done on request.
NTT has recently introduced state-of-the-art equipment to analyze your insulating fluids for metals at low
concentration levels. As a result, significant price reductions are now available. As always, we provide rapid
turnaround with NTTs well-established QA/QC program.

High energy faults can generate metal particles, which are then dispersed in the oil. Identifying the types of
metal particles and their concentrations by atomic absorption (AA) provides answers that help localize the
fault within the tank.
Several methods exist for determining low concentrations of metals present in a liquid matrix such as
transformer oil. Among them include electrochemical, nuclear-activation analysis, X-ray fluorescence,
emission spectrometry, and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA).
AA analysis depends on the selective absorption of descrete frequencies in the radiation spectrum by free
metal atoms. During the analysis, an oil sample is burned, and the metals are turned into free metal atoms by
this high-temperature incineration. During incineration, the instantaneous intensity of the radiation spectrum
is measured and compared against standards to determine the presence and concentration of any free metal
atoms. The most practical way to do this is to burn the oil sample in a high-temperature graphite furnace. The
advantage of this method is that the oil sample can be place directly in a disposable graphite sample tube and
burned in the tube without any further preparation and, more importantly, the detection levels of this method
are better able to determine lower concentrations of metals. Another, less suitable method is to dilute the oil
with hexane and then burn it.

Metals analysis by AA spectroscopy with a graphite furnace:

Aluminum 0.3 ppb
Copper

0.01

Iron

0.1

Lead

0.01

Silver

0.01

Tin

Zinc

0.01

Aluminum

windings, corona shields, ceramic bushings

Copper

Windings, bronze & brass components

Iron

Core and tank

Lead

Solder joints

Lead, Tin, Silver, Zinc Connectors, lugs, bolts and peripheral components