Transformer Health Index (THI) Assessment Terms of Reference (TOR)

The concept of transformer health Index (THI) represents a practical tool to

combine the results of routine inspections, site and laboratory testing to
estimate the health condition of transformer. This health Index calculation
considers not only typical electrical and oil quality testing results and hot spot
temperature estimation, but also dielectric response tests, as a kind of novel
non-destructive testing techniques are also included to estimate the remained
cellulose degree of polymerization (DP).

Oil test results provide information both on the degradation of the oil and the
paper insulation. Internal insulation degradation of transformers results from
oxidation of the oil and paper components. The rate of degradation is very
dependent upon the operating condition, in particular temperature and
loading.
The rate of the oxidation processes increases exponentially with temperature
and therefore a transformer that is heavily loaded for long periods of time will
have a shorter life than a transformer that is subject to moderate loads.
Occasional overload situations in which the temperature of the transformer
may be raised above the normal maximum temperature cause particularly
rapid degradation and therefore significant shorten the transformer life.
The effects of internal oxidation can be sensitively and accurately monitored by
oil tests.
Measurement of moisture, acidity and breakdown strength of the oil directly
indicate the condition of the oil, and also give an indication of the overall
internal condition.
Moisture, acidity and solid contamination are products of the oxidation of the
oil and the paper. Furthermore, moisture and acidity accelerate the ageing of
both the oil and the paper. Maintaining an acceptable oil quality will assist in
reducing the rate of paper degradation and can be used as a means of
prolonging the life of the transformer.

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Dissolved gas analysis provides indication of abnormal electrical or thermal
activity within a transformer. The energy available from overheating or
electrical discharge breaks the oil down into the hydrocarbon gases, which can
be detected by analysis.
The level and ratios of the different gases are a well-established means
detecting and identifying a developing internal fault. By combining the
information available from these different analyses, a very good understanding
of the internal condition of the transformer can be obtained.

Linking Health Index to Probability of Failure

Standard curves are fitted to specific health index profiles in order to calculate
the probability of failure (POF) for each population. A common framework
relating health indices to POF is used allowing comparison of individual
transformers in a population as well as comparison to other populations.
By design the relationship between the health index and the probability of
failure is exponential. Individual transformers with a health index of <4.0 are in
‘good’ condition with a very low probability of failure, that would not be
expected to deteriorate significantly in the short or medium term.
Values in the 4-7 range indicate ‘moderate condition’ with a low current
probability of failure, but at risk of significant deterioration in the medium term.
Values >7 indicate ‘poor’ condition with a significantly increased probability of
failure that will continue increase relatively fast in the short term

NLNG Transformer Demography – Population distribution

Transformers Category – By function, capacity, age and voltage class

The detailed formulation of a health index for each population of equipment is

specific to that population, based on the available condition information and
the background history of the units in the population.

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By Function:

Function Numbers Total

Generator Transformer

Inter-Bus Transformer (IBT)

VSDS Transformer

Motor (MR/PR and others) Transformer

Online Load Tap Changer (OLTC)

Distribution Transformer

Total

By Capacity:

Capacity Numbers Total

Large:
≥ 𝟐𝟎 𝐌𝐕𝐀
Medium:
≥ 𝟓 𝐌𝐕𝐀 & < 𝟐𝟎𝐌𝐕𝐀
Small:
< 𝟓 𝐌𝐕𝐀

Total

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By System voltage level:

System Voltage Numbers Total

Level
132 kV

33 kV

11 kV

6.6 kV

0.4 kV

Total

By Age:

Age group Numbers Total

0 – 10 years

11 - 20 years
21 - 30 years
> 30 years

Total

Standards considered in the Assessment

DEP 63.10.08.11
IEC 60599

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IEC 60159
IEC 60567
IEC 60422:2005
IEEE C57.104
ASTM D974
ASTM D971
IEC Basic Ratio Method
Duval Triangle Method
Rogers Ratio Method
Key Gas Method

References

1. 2nd International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering and

Technology (ICETET'2014), May 30-31, 2014 London (UK) - Priyesh Kumar
Pandey, Harmendra Singh, M Rao, and R K Jarial
2. A Guide To Transformer Oil Analysis By I.A.R. Gray Transformer

Chemistry Services
3. Integrated Transformer Fleet Management (Itfm) System - Audrius
Ilgevicius Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen Gmbh.
4. Transformer diagnostics: Common used and new methods - G. J. Pukel1,
H. M. Muhr1, W. Lick1
5. DGA Interpretation of Oil Filled Transformer Condition Diagnosis - Ali
Saeed Alghamdi

Condition Assessment
Factors considered for THI Assessment
1. General Oil Testing – Tier 1

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 a. Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA)
b. Carbon content
 Carbon monoxide
 Carbon dioxide
 Carbon dioxide/carbon monoxide ratio
c. Ratio Methods
d. Furaldehyde (Furan) Analysis
 Degree of Polymerisation
e. Oil Quality Analysis
 Dielectric breakdown strength

 Acidity or Neutralisation number (NN)

 Colour

 Interfacial Tension (IFT)

 Quality Index System

 Water (moisture) content

f. Thermography – hot-spot temperature difference
g. Transformer history, physical condition and loading

 External conditions – corrosion, installation environment etc.

 Bushing conditions - Leakage current measurement
 Load Tap Changer (LTC) condition
 Noise

 Vibration
h. Age

2. Electrical Testing – Tier 2

a. Insulation Resistance (IR) measurement and Polarization Index (PI)
b. Winding resistance measurement

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 c. Power factor test
d. Dielectric Dissipation factor - Doble testing to detect dielectric
degradation
e. Transformer Turns Ratio (TTR) Test
f. Excitation current measurement
3. Special Diagnostics Test – Tier 3
a. Frequency Response Analysis
b. Partial discharge measurement

Criteria for Transformer Health Index Assessment

Final THI ranking; 100 = best and 0 = worst

1. Ranking of the test and transformer health index results

2. Benchmarking of different test result categories

3. Benchmarking of stability of test results. (Consistent or rapidly

degrading).

4. Weighting (grading) of the test categories

5. Calculations and graph – per failure rate or probability of failure (pof).

Estimate future condition and performance by using knowledge of

degradation processes to ‘age’ health indices, ageing rates dependent
on initial health index and operating conditions. Future failure rates are
calculated from aged health index profiles and previously defined health
index/POF relationship
1. Transformer Condition Based Ranking

a. Individual Health Index criteria baseline ranking

Rank Ranking Amplified Indicator Description

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 Indicator Ranking Number
HI 1 3 100 Good (Healthy)
HI 2 2 30 Fair (Moderate deterioration)
HI 3 1 10 Poor (Extensive deterioration)
HI 4 0 1 Very Poor (End of Life Criteria)

b. Final Transformer Health Index Assessment score ranking

THI Indication Recommended Mitigating Action

85 ≤ THI ≤ 100 Good Maintain maintenance plan frequency
55 ≤ THI ≤ 85 Fair Revise maintenance plan frequency
10 ≤ THI ≤ 55 Poor Perform next tier tests (2nd priority)
THI < 10 Very Poor Perform next tier tests (1st priority)

2. Benchmarking of test results/findings

a. Dissolved Gas Analysis

Status Dissolved key gas concentration limits {µL/L (ppm)}

Code Hydrogen Methane Acetylene Ethylene Ethane Carbon Carbon TDCG
(H2) (CH4) (C2H2) (C2H4) (C2H6) monoxide dioxide
(CO) (CO2)
HI 1 100 120 1 50 65 350 2500 720

HI 2 101 – 700 121-400 2-9 51 – 100 66 -100 351 – 570 2500 -4000 721 - 1920

HI 3 701 -1800 401-1000 10 - 35 101 - 200 101-150 570 - 1400 4001 -10000 1921 -4630

HI 4 > 1800 > 1000 > 35 > 200 > 150 > 1400 > 10000 > 4630

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b. Thermal Fault

Code Thermal Fault Indication DGA

HI 1 Normal operating temperature Normal gas
HI 2 < 300 deg./C mainly CH4 and C2H6, and
some C2H4 conc. ppm
HI 3 > 300 deg./C High ethylene conc. ppm
HI 4 > 3000 deg./C (Arcing) High acetylene conc. ppm

c. Oil Colour

Code Oil Colour

HI 1 Light Yellow
HI 2 Yellow
HI 3 Dark Yellow
HI 4 Chocolate brown

d. Furaldehyde (Furan) Analysis

Code Furaldehyde content (ppm)

HI 1 0.0 – 0.1
HI 2 0.1 – 1.0
HI 3 1.0 – 10
HI 4 > 10

e. Dielectric strength breakdown – sampling and testing review

Code Breakdown Voltage (kV)

HI 1 > 40
HI 2 35 – 40

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 HI 3 30 – 34.9
HI 4 < 29.9
Each sample shall be tested six (6) times and the arithmetic mean of
the six tests shall be the taken as the dielectric strength breakdown.

f. Water (moisture) content

Code Water content (ppm)

HI 1 0 – 15
HI 2 16 – 25
HI 3 26 – 35
HI 4 > 36

g. Degree of Polymerisation

Code DP value
HI 1 1200 - 700
HI 2 700 - 450
HI 3 450 – 250
HI 4 < 250

h. Acidity or Neutralisation number (NN)

The critical acid number is 0.25mg KOH/g. any value above this

increases deterioration rapidly.

Code NN
HI 1 0.00 – 0.50
HI 2 0.50 – 0.75

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 HI 3 0.75 – 1.00
HI 4 > 1.00

i. Interfacial Tension (IFT)

Good oil has values between 40 and 50 dynes/cm
Badly deteriorated oil has below 15 dynes/cm

Code IFT value

HI 1 > 25.0
HI 2 20 – 25
HI 3 15 – 20
HI 4 < 15

j. Oil Quality Index System

𝐼𝐹𝑇
Ratio of IFT to NN; OQIN =
𝑁𝑁

Code OQIN value

HI 1 300 – 1500
HI 2 271 – 600
HI 3 160 – 318
HI 4 45 – 159

k. Age

Code Age group

HI 1 0 – 10 years
HI 2 11 – 20 years
HI 3 21 – 25 years
HI 4 > 25 years
l. Loading condition

Code Transformer Percentage Loading

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 HI 1 0 – 50 %
HI 2 51 – 75 %
HI 3 76 – 100 %
HI 4 > 100 %

m. Leakage current measurement

Code Condition
HI 1 𝐿𝑐 ≤ 100 𝜇𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (∥ 𝑉𝑎𝑟𝐿 ∥ ≤ 30%)

HI 2 𝐿𝑐 ≤ 100 𝜇𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ( 30% <∥ 𝑉𝑎𝑟𝐿 ∥ < 50%)

HI 3 𝐿𝑐 ≤ 100 𝜇𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (∥ 𝑉𝑎𝑟𝐿 ∥ ≥ 50%)

HI 4 𝐿𝑐 > 100 𝜇𝐴

Lc means leakage current and VarL presents the variation ration of

leakage current.
n. Dissipation factor

Code Condition
HI 1 < 3, Tan𝛿 ≤ 0.8% and (|VarD| ≤ 30%)
HI 2 1.5-3, Tan𝛿 ≤ 0.8% and (30% < |VarD| < 50%)
HI 3 3-4, 0.8%<Tan𝛿≤ 1% and (|VarD| ≥ 50%)
HI 4 ≥ 4, Tan𝛿 > 1%

VarD Presents variation of dissipation factor

o. Insulation Resistance and Polarisation Index

Code Condition: IR (M Ω) and PI

HI 1 > 100, > 10
HI 2 50 – 99.9, 5 -9.9
HI 3 30 – 49.9, 1.6- 4.9
HI 4 < 30, < 1.5

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 Temperature correction applies. Benchmark IR values are taken at 25
℃. Refer to DEP 63.10.08.11
Low PI can be compensated for if IR is > 100(kV +1) MΩ

3. Rate of dissolved gas generation - stability or instability of test result

Linear, cubic exponential factor of failure rate

Gas Stable (Normal) Unstable (Rapidly Degrading)

H2 Less than 0.1 ppm/day More than 2 ppm/day
CH4 0.05 6
C2H2 0.05 6
C2H4 0.05 6
C2H6 0.05 1
CO 2 10
CO2 6 20

4. Calculation

TIER 1
Condition Criteria Weighting Ranking Amplified Total Ranking
Factor (a) (b) Ranking number Score (d) = (a) x (c)
(c)
Dissolved Gas 4 3, 2, 1 or 0 1, 10, 30, 100
Analysis
Oil Quality Analysis 6 3, 2, 1 or 0 1, 10, 30, 100
Furan Analysis 1 3, 2, 1 or 0 1, 10, 30, 100
Age 2 3, 2, 1 or 0 1, 10, 30, 100

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Transformer history 1 3, 2, 1 or 0 1, 10, 30, 100
& loading
Carbon content 1 3, 2, 1 or 0 1, 10, 30, 100
Thermography 1 3, 2, 1 or 0
Ratio Method 1 3, 2, 1 or 0
Tier 1 THI (sum of individual ranking score) THI1
Tier 1 weighting factor 0.5
TIER 2
Resistance & PI
Turns ratio
Winding resistance
Dissipation factor
Power factor
Excitation current
Tier 2 THI (Sum of individual ranking score) THI2
Tier 2 weighting factor 0.5
Total THI (sum of individual indices) ((THI1 X 0.5) + (THI2) X 0.5))
TIER 3
Frequency X
Response Analysis
(FRA)
Partial discharge Y
(PD)
Final Transformer Health Index

Estimated remaining life of transformer asset

𝜆 (𝐻𝐼) = 𝐴. exp(𝐵. 𝐻𝐼) + 𝐶

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Flowchart to develop Transformer health index

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Transformer Replacement Strategy

• Ranking system developed for transformer replacement

• Initial Risk = Health Score X Criticality

Health Score = (Initial Health + Dynamic Health)

• Final Risk = (Initial Risk X Age Factor) + LTC Type Factor

Ranking

Ranking is Done Using the Final Risk

Sample below

NAME Position Equip. MFG_NAME Health Criticality Initial Final Ranking

Class Risk Risk

Substation
A TR01 13KV MFG A 141.7 1.2 170.04 210.04 1

Substation
B TR05 35KV MFG B 71.7 1.9 136.23 203.04 2

Substation

C TR03 13KV MFG C 131.7 1.2 158.04 193.84 3

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