2017 Electrical Insulation Conference (EIC), Baltimore, MD, USA, 11 - 14 June 2017

The New Duval Pentagons Available for DGA

Diagnosis in Transformers Filled with Mineral and
Ester Oils
Michel Duval Laurent Lamarre
Hydro-Québec Institute of Research Consultant
(IREQ) (formerly at IREQ)
Varennes, Qc. CANADA CANADA
duvalm@ireq.ca Dr.Laurent.Lamarre@ieee.org

Abstract— The new Duval Pentagons available for DGA
diagnosis in transformers filled with mineral and ester oils are
presented in this paper. More than 300 data points were used
to define the different fault “zones” within the Pentagons,
either coming from inspected faulty transformers (mineral
oils) or laboratory tests (ester oils).
Keywords; DGA (Dissolved Gas Analysis); Duval Triangles;
Duval Pentagons; Transformers; Faults; Insulation Oil.
temperature of the fault that has generated the given gas: H2,
C2H2, C2H4, CH4, C2H6. Details of the way each data point is
positioned is explained in detail in [1]. CO and CO2 are left
out, since they may be due to many other reasons than faults
and would bring more confusion than help.
Table 1 shows the different types of faults that can be
identified by the Triangles and Pentagons.
TABLE 1

I. INTRODUCTION PD: Partial Discharges (Corona)

Internal faults in transformers generate 7 gases (H2, C2H2, D1: Discharges of Low Energy
C2H4, CH4, C2H6, CO, CO2) that are dissolved in the insulating (including Spark type)
oil. The Duval Triangles [1, 2, 7] were developed to diagnose
various types of faults in transformers, The Duval Triangle 1 D2: Discharges of High Energy
uses three gases: CH4, C2H4 and C2H2, to distinguish mainly T3: Thermal Fault > 700°C
between different types of electrical and thermal faults. The
Duval Triangle 4 uses three gases: H2, CH4 and C2H6 to get T2: Thermal Fault 300°C to 700°C
more information about low temperature faults. The Duval
Triangle 5 uses three gases: CH4, C2H4 and C2H6 to get more T1: Thermal Fault < 300°C
information about high temperature faults. The Duval Triangle S-120 Stray Gassing of Oil at 120°C
2 uses the same gases as Duval Triangle 1 for application to and 200°C
load tap changers (LTC). The Duval Triangles 3 are used for and S-200
non-mineral oils (esters and silicone oils).
O: Overheating (< 250°C)
More recently, the Duval pentagons have been introduced
[3]. The pentagons use the 5 hydrocarbon gases (H2, C2H2, T3-H: Thermal Fault T3 or T2 in Oil
C2H4, CH4, and C2H6)) placed clockwise in a carefully selected only
order at the summits of the pentagons. Another pentagon C: Possible Carbonization of Paper
representation has been proposed in [4].
In this paper, the various pentagons available are presented
for applications in mineral oils (Pentagons 1 and 2) and ester The first 6 faults are the basic faults identified with Duval
oils (Pentagons 3 for FR3, Rapeseed, Sunflower, Midel). Triangle 1 and with Duval Pentagon 1. The 4 following sub-
Algorithms are available for free (from duvalm@ireq.ca) for types of thermal faults can be detected with Duval Triangles 4
using all the Duval Triangles and Pentagons. They will and 5 [5] and with Duval Pentagon 2.
automatically calculate the position of DGA points in the
Triangles and Pentagons by simply entering the gas
concentrations in ppm.
In the Pentagons, the five gases are placed clockwise on the
pentagon summits, according to the level of energy or

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 II. THE DUVAL PENTAGONS FOR MINERAL AND
ESTER OILS NATURAL/ESTER OILS
Figures 1 and 2 are presented the Duval Pentagons 1 and 2
for mineral oils.
In Figures 3 to 6 are presented the Duval Pentagons for
ester oils.

Figure 1 The Duval Pentagon 1 for the 6 basic types of faults. Figure 3 The Duval Pentagon 3 for Sun Flower natural ester oils.

Figure 2 The Duval Pentagon 2 for the 4 sub-types of thermal faults Figure 4 The Duval Pentagon 3 for rapeseed natural ester oils

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 III. WHEN TO USE THE TRIANGLES AND
PENTAGONS ?

Recommendations as to when to use the different Triangles

and Pentagons are indicated in [6].

In the case of a single fault, the DGA points can be placed

in either Triangle 1 or Pentagon 1. This is sufficient, if the
interest of the analysis is only for identification of one of the 6
basic types of faults.

However, if there is a need to identify additional sub types

of thermal faults, use Pentagon 2 or Triangle 4 or 5.
. When more than one fault is present, it becomes necessary
to compare the diagnosis from the Pentagons to that of the
Triangles. If there is a disagreement, it may be due the
Figure 5 The Duval Pentagon 3 for Midel synthetic ester oils presence of more than one fault.

In the case of multiple faults, a more complex approach is

necessary. The use of “delta” values become useful. The DGA
points may also be found to “travel” trough different zones of
the Pentagons (or of the Triangles), as the faults might evolve
with time (i.e. the evolution of the degradation mechanism).

REFERENCES

[1] M. Duval, “A review of faults detectable by gas-in-oil analysis in

transformers,” IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, vol. 18, p. 8-17,
2002.
[2] M. Duval, “The Duval Triangle for load tap changers, non-mineral oils
and low temperature faults in transformers,” IEEE Electrical Insulation
Figure 6 The Duval Pentagon 3 for FR3 soybean natural ester oils Magazine, vol. 24, no 6, p 22-29, 2008.
[3] M. Duval and L. Lamarre, “The Duval Pentagon – A new
complementary tool for the interpretatioin of dissolved gas analysis in
transformers,” IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, vol. 30,
November/Decembert 2014, p. 9–12.
[4] Diaa-Eldin A. Mansour, “Development of a new graphical technique for
dissolved gas ansalysis in power transformers based on the five
combustible gases,” IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical
Insulation, vol. 22, no 5, October 2015, p. 2507–2512.
[5] M. Duval, “State of the art of technical diagnosis through interpretation
of dissolved gas analysis”, in Proceedings of My Transformer
conference, Torino, Novemberr 21-22, 2012.
[6] M.Duval, “Use of Duval Pentagons and Triangles for the Interpretation
of DGA in Electrical equipment”, TechCon North America Conference,
Albuquerque, 2016.
[7] Norazhar Abu Bakar, Abu-Siada and S. Islam, IEEE Electrical
Insulation Magazine, vol. 30, No 3, p. 39-49, May/June 2014.

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