SCHOOL OF ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONICS

AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

MSc POWER DISTRIBUTION ENGINEERING

POST MODULE ASSIGNMENT ON

DIAGNOSIS OF FAULT IN A FAMILY OF TRANSFORMERS.
MODULE LEADER: Prof D J ALLAN

SUBMITTED BY
NAME: SATHEESH KUMAR NATARAJAN
STUDENT NO: 099120124
DATE: 11TH JAN’ 2010
It is beneficial to perform periodic tests on transformer oil to determine whether it is
capable of fulfilling its role as an insulator and heat transfer medium. Some of the most
Common tests for transformer oil are: Dissolved Gas Analysis, Screen Tests, Water
Content, Metals in Oil, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) content.

Most of the internal faults in a transformer can be detected through oil analysis Under
electrical and thermal stresses, a variety of gases, combustible and non-combustible,
are generated in transformers as a result of dielectric fluid degradation. These
generated gases dissolve in the dielectric fluid . DGA is an effective and reliable tool to
detect incipient faults in oil immersed transformers
Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) is widely accepted as the most reliable tool for the
earliest detection of thermal (overheating) and incipient faults (arcing and/or corona) in
transformers and load tap changers. DGA testing is recommended initially at the start of
the maintenance program, and annually thereafter, or at any time unusual conditions
occur. These conditions include:

• A transformer has been found to have a high-recorded temperature on its

temperature gauge.

• An infrared thermography inspection reveals a “hot spot” at a bushing or tap

changer.

• Electrical testing indicates a breakdown of the insulating fluid or insulations.

• A transformer has been overloaded or subjected to unusual electrical stresses.

• A transformer is not providing quality power.

Oil and oil/paper systems produce different gases in different amounts at different
temperatures. The presence of insulation other than cellulose produces a new spectrum
of gases when heated or when in contact with sparking which further complicates the
diagnosis.

The kinds and amounts of gases produced are indicative of their cause (corona, thermal
effects, sparking, or electric arcing). The results are reported in Parts-Per-Million (PPM)
by volume, the following are the 7 combustible gases that are considered:
Hydrogen (H2) Corona or low energy electrical discharges
Methane (CH4) Corona or overheating /partial discharge
Acetylene (C2H2) low energy sparking
Ethylene (C2H4) Severe localized overheating or high energy arcing
Ethane (C2H6) Thermal fault in oil / Electrical discharge
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Cellulose overheating/Degradation of cellulose
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Cellulose overheating/Degradation of cellulose
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is considered, and the ratio of CO2 to CO (Cellulose Insulation)
is evaluated to understand the condition of the cellulose components (woods and
papers). Nitrogen (N2) and Oxygen (O2) are also considered.

Gas present in the transmission and distribution transformer belonging to a large

overseas utility was collected to carry out the dissolved gas analysis test.

According to the Dissolved gas Analysis of the gas collected from Buchholz relay of
transformer 2 at site E, transformer 2 experiences severe problem which has drew the
engineers to carry the analysis on all ten units in five substations.

By analyzing the result of the dissolved gas analysis conducted on the ten units reveals
that the other transformers are also experiencing the problem even though the problem
is not as severe as the one experienced by transformer 2 at substation E.

The figures representing the percentage of different gases present in each and every
transformers present in the five substations has been interleaved in table-1 exceeds the
accepted level of percentage of gases which may be allowed in a transformer.

The corona type low energy discharge is the inception of partial discharge which is
experienced by each transformer in five substations which is represented by the
hydrogen (H2) gas in the presence of methane (CH4) whose PPM are well above the

accepted value. The presence of acetylene (C 2H2) in the transformer-2 indicate that the

Partial discharge has developed into low energy sparking with higher temperatures. The
suspected identification for the presence of acetylene (C 2H2) is arcing in in-tank tap-

changer. This problem is confined to transformer-2, since the value representing the
amount of acetylene (C2H2) present in all other transformers are well within the
allowable range . When the sparking escalates to arcing then the presence of ethylene
(C2H4) the transformers in all five substations experiences thermal fault in oil which is a

principal indicator for the presence of ethylene (C 2H4) Since the value representing the

amount of ethylene (C2H4) present in each transformer exceeds the allowable range,

all the transformer are subjected to problems associated with the presence of that
particular gas element .The major problem undergone by each transformer is the
overheating of cellulose which is represented by the amount of CO2 and CO gases and
also thermal fault in oil discovered in transformer test analysis.
The major problems experienced by all the transformers is the overheating of cellulose ,
followed by thermal fault in oil, over heating of oil and transformer-2 at substation E in
particular suffer severe partial discharge and arcing additionally.

Partial Discharge:
A partial discharge (PD) is the dissipation of energy caused by the buildup of
Localized electric field intensity. In high voltage devices such as transformers, this
buildup of charge and its release can be symptomatic of problems associated with
aging, such as floating components and insulation breakdown.
Corona is considered to be partial discharge and occurs at areas of high electrical
stress such as sharp points along an electrical path. Partial discharge is commonly
explained as being intermittent unsustained arcs which are shot off of the conducting
material like a stream of electrons. If these arcs contact solid insulating material, they
can cause serious damage .
When partial discharge is initiated, high frequency transient current pulses will appear
and persist for nano-seconds to a micro-second, then disappear and reappear
repeatedly. Pd currents are difficult to measure because of their small magnitude and
short duration. 

Arcing:

Arcing is the most severe condition in a transformer because it indicates a breakdown of

the insulation. The presence of acetylene is an indicator of arcing; and even low levels
of this gas should cause concern. Normally, arcing occurs only after other problems
surface which show up through DGA testing. However, the high energy required to
produce an arc will cause all combustibles to be elevated, and if the arc occurs in an
area of cellulosic insulation, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide will also be elevated.

Insulation Overheating:
Cellulose is normally used to insulate transformer windings. If a transformer becomes
overloaded for any reason, the windings will generate excessive heat and deteriorate
the cellulose. A DGA test can identify an overloaded transformer when high carbon
monoxide, high carbon dioxide, and in extreme cases elevated methane and ethylene
levels are detected. If a transformer is operated in an overloaded manner for a long
period of time, the deteriorating condition of the cellulose will shorten its life. By
detecting insulation breakdown at an early stage.

OIL Overheating:
Overheating of the oil liquid is a different problem. A DGA test will indicate high thermal
gases (methane, ethane, ethylene) as a result of overheating of the oil these gases are
formed from the breakdown of the oil caused by heat Heating maybe caused by poor
contacts on a tap changer. or loose connections on a bushing or a grounding strap, or
circulating currents in the core due to an unintended core ground.

SERVICE
All the transformers are left to service,With effective result from the DGA test we can
come to conclusion about the problems that occurred or can occur in near future , by
using the specific method to pin point every problems which are known to us through
DGA test and taking effective measures to rectify each problems.
In general actions that can be taken once a problem is detected would depend on the
severity of the problem. If conditions are not severe the transformer should simply be
monitored closely. If the condition becomes worse and thermal combustibles elevate,
the transformer will need to be taken out of service. If the combustibles are stable and
remain present, then the transformer should be inspected at the next outage or a
scheduling of downtime should result.
If the measures are not taken effectively it may get worse because Each and every
problems experienced by the transformers mentioned in table -1 has their own demerits
with each one leading to another if the corrective work are not been executed
effectively.

Worst case scenario due to presence of partial discharge

.
In power transformers, Partial Discharge can lead to corrosion on solid insulating
materials, which may lead to a breakdown of the concerned operating component. PD
can also decompose and pollute the insulating oil, so that the insulation properties of
the oil can no longer be guaranteed. Partial Discharge Measuring of transformers is
therefore essential at the beginning of their life-cycle and at the time of major repairs.

Arcing
Arcing can be generated in many areas of a transformer. Insulation breakdown in the
windings, from coil to coil or coil to ground. will result in arcing. A portion of the
insulation may become deteriorated to the point that it can no longer sustain any
difference in electrical potential. If a winding shorts from turn to turn, or phase to phase,
or phase to ground, arcing will occur and the transformer could fail. If windings are
involved in an arcing condition, the transformer usually will be de-tanked and repaired.
A loose connection may also cause arcing but of greater significance would be arcing
due to insulation breakdown.

Insulation/oil Overheating

The amount of loss due to a malfunctioning of a transformer depends on a number of

factors primarily the circuit in which it was connected for instance
When the transformer which has to be reconditioned when disconnected to repair
because as it was connected in parallel circuit in a system the adjacent transformer will
be overloaded and it may be creating inception point for another transformer failure.
When the transformer was disconnected for repair works we need to provide backup for
uninterrupted supply costing backup transformer or disconnection of line associated
with that transformer resulting in blackout for respective period until the reconditioning
work gets over.
There is also chance of loss of life and equipment if the transformer blows because of
the unattended problems due to poor maintenance.
If we do not quickly react to the problems associated with the transformer immediately
after pin pointing the problems the aging of the respective transformer equipment will be
accelerated in such a way that reconditioning will cost more than or approximately equal
to the new one without the quality with which the new transformer can offer.

Transformer-2 at substation E experience corona type partial discharge which has

severe corona overheating leading to partial discharge (presence of hydrogen and
methane with higher value)
In power transformers, Partial Discharge can lead to corrosion on solid insulating
materials, which may lead to a breakdown of the concerned operating component. PD
can also decompose and pollute the insulating oil, so that the insulation properties of
the oil can no longer be guaranteed.
The presence of ethane confirms the overheating of oil the insulation liquid because of
the heat generated in oil generate breakdown of insulation leading to arcing which occur
due to high energy discharge, resulting in overheating of cellulose there by it create
inception point of degradation of cellulose as a result carbon monoxide and carbon
dioxide are dissolved in oil.

The result of DGA associated with all other transformer suffer partial discharge even
though it is not as severe as the transformer-2 at substation E still effective
measurements are needed to rectify the fault. Most of the transformer suffer thermal
fault in oil which indicated the high temperature in the oil.
Transformer-1 at substation D is the least suffer compared with all other transformers
with only one major problem which is overheating of cellulose which turned out to be a
common problem among all the transformers.