Monitoring Oil-Cooled Transformers by Gas Analysis
E. Dörnenburg and W. Strittmatter
Certain defects in transformers cause the insulation to de-
compose and this process generates gases. These can be
either completely dissolved in the insulating oil so that the
Buchholz protection relay cannot respond and indicate the
fault, or they can rise to the Buchholz relay which then indi-
cates that something unusual is occurring inside the trans-
former. Brown Boveri have developed a method of diagnosis
based on chemical analysis of gases dissolved in the oil and
which have collected at the Buchholz relay, that shows
whether there is, in fact, a fault and what the nature of the
fault is. The principles of the diagnostic process are de-
scribed and results obtained are discussed.
Introduction
Discharges or local overheating inside the transformer
often lead to decomposition of the insulation and thus to
the generation of gases. In the case of transformers with
the traditional form of insulation comprising mineral
oil and cellulose materials (paper, transformerboard, etc.)
which are to be dealt with exclusively in the following,
this breakdown generates hydrogen, light hydrocarbons
and carbon oxides. This has been known for some time
and the Buchholz protection system, a gas collector relay
at the transformer, is based on this fact. This well-known
protection device is, without doubt, a useful instrument
although it is clear today that it does not respond to all
forms of breakdown at an early stage.
The Incipient Fault
All gases generated by insulation decomposition are solu-
ble in the transformer oil. If the gases are generated slowly
they are quantitatively dissolved in the oil and therefore
the gas collector relay cannot respond to this form of gas
formation. Typical causes of this form of slow gas forma-
tion are local overheating of conductors or zones in the
iron core, weak discharges in gas pockets within the solid
238
insulation, and other forms of discharge. We will refer in
the following to these often insignificant defects which
can occur in service without being detected by the pro-
tection equipment, as incipient faults. If they are not
discovered they can slowly but steadily attack the insula-
tion to a point where serious damage results.
For this reason there is a general trend, especially with
large and important transformers, to monitor the oil for
degenerate gases in Solution.
Sound and Suspect Transformers
It would be a very simple matter to decide whether a
transformer is operating faultlessly or not if the oil in a
sound transformer contained absolutely no gases due to
decomposition. Unfortunately this is not the case. In
transformers which have been in service the oil always
contains considerable concentrations of carbon dioxide
and carbon monoxide, a certain amount of hydrogen and
small concentrations of light hydrocarbons. These gases
are due, to a certain degree, to natural ageing of the insu-
lation. Consequently there are gas concentrations which
must be regarded as normal and do not necessarily stem
from a defect. The magnitude of these normal concentra-
tions depends largely on the age and Ioading of the trans-
formers but limiting values for the concentrations for the
various decomposition gases can be determined empiri-
cally.
Experience gained to date shows that transformers may be
regarded as faultless if the gas concentrations quoted in
Table I are not exceeded after a few years of operation.
Table 1: Concentration limits
Hydrogen 200 ppm (V/V)
Methane 50 ppm (V/V)
Ethane 15 ppm (V/V)
Ethylene 60 ppm (V/V)
Acetylene 15 ppm (V/V)
Carbon monoxide I 000 ppm (V/V)
Carbon dioxide 11 000 ppm (V/V)
1 p p m (V/V) of a gas denotes that 1 0 - 6 litres (or 1 m m 3 ) of this gas is
dissolved in 1 litre of insulating oil at a pressure of 1 kgf/cm J .
The limiting values quoted are to be regarded as guide-
lines and it is safe to say that their orders of magnitude
are correct. Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the concentra-
tions of these gases as measured in the oil of 72 dilferent
high-power transformers which operate perfectly. The
outer rings represent the limiting values according to
Table I.
Brown Boveri Rev. 5-74
Jf two different gases exceed the concentration limits
shown, the transformer must be regarded as suspect. First
we must check whether there has been a previous fault
which has been repaired; this could be the origin of the
gases. The question of whether gas is being generated
at present can be answered by taking oil samples over
a period of time. Constant or reducing gas concen-
trations indicate that the fault has been eliminated; rising
gas concentrations show that an incipient fault is present.
If two or more gas concentrations considerably exceed the
limits quoted in Table I the nature of the fault is deter-
mined according to the process described in the following.
Based on the result of this analysis the decision can then
be made as to whether the degree of gas generation is to
be observed by taking oil samples over a period of several
months of duty, whether it is advisable to gain further In-
formation regarding the location of the fault by operating
with various loads or breaker positions, or whether plans
should be made immediately for eliminating the fault.
Where incipient faults are found at and early stage these
are always more or less insignificant faults and a suitable
time can be selected for carrying out repairs to eliminate
the faults.
D e t e r m i n i n g t h e N a t u r e of t h e D a m a g e
f r o m t h e C o n c e n t r a t i o n s of Gases Dis-
solved in t h e Oil
Analysis of the gases dissolved in the oil indicates the
nature of the fault but does not immediately enable its
location to be established. The method developed at
Fig. 1 - Concentrations of decomposition prod-
ucts dissolved in the oil of 72 transformers in
perfect working order. The lengths of the radial
iines indicate the concentrations according to a
logarithmic scale. The inner circle corresponds
6
to concentrations of 10 Volumetrie parts of
gas (under normal conditions) per volume of
oil [1 ppm (V/V)]. T h e outer circle denotes the
concentration limits according to Table I. Con-
centrations of less than 1 p p m (V/V) have been
rounded off to 1 p p m (V/V).
Brown Boveri Rev. 5 - 7 4
Brown Boveri for fault diagnosis is based on the follow-
ing considerations.
The transformer is füll of insulating oil, therefore oil must
be in the immediate vicinity of the location of the fault.
From the chemical point of view the oil is of a uniform
material class; a mixture of hydrocarbons. If, for any
reason, it becomes decomposed, it breaks down into hy-
drogen, methane, ethylene and acetylene. It depends on
the nature of the fault whether the gas formed comprises
relatively large quantities of hydrogen and small quanti-
ties of methane, or relatively high proportions of acetylene
and less ethane, or vice versa. This depends only on the
particular decomposition process andis virtually unaffect-
ed by the type of insulating oil.
The fault diagnosis is therefore based on mixture ratios,
i.e. on the relative concentration of pairs of gases. From
the gas concentrations determined in ppm (V/V) we derive
the following mixture ratios which have been selected, as
experience shows them to be particularly useful:
Concentration of methane (dissolved) / [CH4j \
Concentration of hydrogen (dissolved) L [H2] )
Concentration of acetylene (dissolved) / [C 2 H 2 ]
2.
Concentration of ethylene (dissolved) \ [C2 H
Concentration of ethane (dissolved) / [ Q H6]
3.
Concentration of acetylene (dissolved) l [C2 H 2 ]
Concentration of acetylene (dissolved) [c2 H2]
4.
Concentration of methane (dissolved) [CH 4 ]
 :1
Fig. 2 - Mixture ratios of gases due to decom-
position dissolved in the gases of transformers
lllllllilll
with faults. The mixture ratios of the pairs of
gases methane and hydrogen, and acetylene and
V ethylene apply to the concentrations of the
volume of gas (under normal conditions) per
volume of oil. The following symbols indicate
the damage discovered when repairs were car-
V
ried o u t :
llllilllllili
V = Local overheating
V
V w = Weak discharges in gas pockets
V 7 = All other forms of discharge
V
* V
•
The limits of the ranges of values according to
Table II are indicated by the heavy lines. The
values measured at hot spots are located in the
upper left sector, the points for transformers
• with internal low-current gas discharges are in
•
• the lower strip and those points for transformers
a i XI j with discharges of any other form are to the
• MlliSi right in the centre strip.
u u

,
ii iiiiiii 1

4 6 i 4 6 4 6 8 4 6 8 20 40 > 4 0
< 4 • 10 1 10"' 1 • 10"1 10 _ [C 2 H 2 ]
[C 2 H 4 ]

Table II: Ranges of characteristic values for mixture The combination of mixture ratios
ratios of gases dissolved in transformer oil
[CH4] [C2 H 2 ]
Mixture ratio in [CH4] [C2H2] [C2H6] [C2H2] [H 2 ] a n d
[C2H4]
relation to the [Ha] [C2H4] [C2H2] [CH4]
concentrations of can be used together if
dissolved gases
(volume/volume) [CH 4 ] > 100 ppm (V/V) and, at the same time,
[C2 H 4 ] > 60 ppm (V/V) or if
Type of fault [H 2 ] > 200 ppm (V/V) and
[C2 H 2 ] > 30 ppm (V/V) and so on.
Local overheating >1 <0-7 >0-4 <0-3
Weak discharges ^ , • • [C2 H 6 ] [C2H2]
in gas pockets <0-1 * >0-4 <0-3 The additional mixture ratios —_ and are
[C 2 H 2 J [C H 4 J
All other types of <1
>0-7 <0-4 >0-3 acceptable as additional confirmation of the diagnosis if
discharge >0-1
at least one of each pair of gases in the ratio exceeds the
* Not indicative of this type of discharge, generally not applicable. concentration quoted in the Table I.
If this mixture ratio is applicable and > 1 this indicates that the dis- 3. This method of diagnosis may be used only with ex-
charge is increasing.
treme caution if the gases dissolved in the oil originate
from a fault which has no longer been present for some
considerable time; the various gases of decomposition
The following rules are criteria for the extent to which travel at various speeds towards the surface of the oil in
these mixture ratios are useful in the diagnosis: the expansion tank and escape to atmosphere. When the
generation of gases stops this distorts the mixture ratio.
1. A Single mixture ratio can be used in the diagnosis only
if the concentration of one of the two gases is twice as 4. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are found typi-
high as the limiting value quoted in Table I. cally as a result of decomposition of the solid insulation
and are not used in the characteristic mixture ratios. In
2. Several mixture ratios can be used together in the di-
the case of gradual faults it is generally not possible to
agnosis if at least one of the first and second mixture
decide whether and to what degree the solid insulation
ratios can be used alone according to the first rule above
has been attacked.
and at least one gas of those whose concentrations are
formed by the other ratio, exceeds the limiting value in 5. In the case of transformers with a gas cushion (nitrogen
Table I. cushion) above the oil level, the limiting values quoted in

240 Brown Boveri Rev. 5-74

Fig. 3 - Mixture ratios of gases dissolved in the
oil of transformers with faults; concentrations >40
of gas volumes, under normal conditions, per
volume of oil. The limits of the ranges of values ICH«] 40
are indicated by the heavy lines, symbols as [H 2 ] V
20
Fig. 2.
a : Pairs of gases methane and hydrogen, ethane 10
and acetylene 8 V
b : Pairs of gases methane and hydrogen, acety- 6
lene and methane 4
V
V
2
7
V v
v
1
8
6
4 •
u
0 •

110"
uu " u

110
,4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 8 20 40 > 4 0
<4-10" 1 • 10"' 1-101 10 [C 2 Hs]
[C2 H2]

> 40
[CH. , 4 0 -
~[H 2
20 -

10 -

6
4

1
8
6

1 • 10"1
8
6

I -10
4 6 f 4 6 8 4 6 8 4 6 8 20 40 > 4 0
<4-10 1 10"' 1 • 10"1 10 [C2Hz]
200095.11 [CH 4 ]

Table II for the mixture ratios can be applied only to a
limited extent. If the volumes of oil and gas cushion are
known quantities, the applicable limiting values can be
calculated.
Those ranges of values which are typical for a given type
of fault are given in Table II in relation to the mixture
ratios quoted in the above rules.
A diagnosis is adequately confirmed if two or more of the
mixture ratios used are within the ranges of values which
are typical for the same type of fault.
Figures 2 and 3 show more clearly than any description
the mixture ratios of gases dissolved in the oil of various
transformers. The faults in these transformers were located
by inspection or defined by measurement. The causes
discovered were not exclusively incipient faults in the
transformers but also cases of spontaneous damage caus-
ing gases to collect in the Buchholz relay; the values
quoted, however, refer without exception to the gas con-
centration found in the insulating oil and determined in
units of gas volume per oil volume (e.g. ppm [V/V]).

Brown Boveri Rev. 5-74

Gas S e p a r a t i o n in t h e Buchholz Relay
Gas Separated in the Buchholz Relay in Equilibrium with the measured values of the individual free gases in the Buch-
Gas in the Oil
The special case where gas separates out in the Buchholz
relay and is in equilibrium with the gas dissolved in the
oil, occurs in two forms:
1. Supersaturation of the oil with dissolved gas because
the gas absorption capacity of the oil has been exceeded
due to the formation of decomposition gases, i.e. as a
result of an incipient fault.
2. Approximate Saturation of the oil with air and favoura-
ble conditions for the formation of nascent bubbles, i.e.
even without incipient faults.
Separation of Free Gas in the Buchholz Relay in Equilibri- to absorbtion of additional decomposition gases. The
um with the Gas Dissolved in the Oil as the Culmination of question of whether this form of gas generation is present
Gas Formation over a Long Period due to Incipient Faults can be answered only by measuring the dissolved gas con-
The Statement 'the insulating oil is saturated with gas' is
synonymous with the following, more accurate, defini-
tion: Insulating oil is saturated with a given gas mixture
if the oil cannot absorb any more of this gas mixture
2
above the oil level at a pressure of 1 kgf/cm at constant
temperature. This can be stated briefly as: the gas above
the oil level is in equilibrium with the gas dissolved in
the oil.
Provided there is not a flexible membrane in the expansion
tank to prevent ingress of air, the insulating oil in a
transformer is in constant contact with atmospheric air.
Even so, under normal circumstances the oil is not saturat-
ed with air even after many years of operation, as is to
be expected. The ageing process of the oil requires a
continuous supply of atmospheric oxygen and therefore
the amount of atmospheric gases in the oil after a long
period of operation is mostly only about 90% Saturation.
Consequently, the transformer oil can absorb gases created
by an incipient internal fault until their contribution
towards Saturation is about 10%. Only then is the oil
saturated with gas and further formation of gases due to
decomposition inside the transformer will necessarily lead
to supersaturation of the oil.
As the surface of the oil in the expansion Chamber is under
atmospheric pressure the concentration of decomposition
gases in the oil can be increased appreciably only if, at the
same time, some of the dissolved gas is dissipated as free
gas in the Buchholz relay. This gas must remain in equilib-
rium with that dissolved in the oil if the gradual fault
continues to generate gas. Assuming that the oil is just
saturated, i.e. contains 90% Saturation of atmospheric
gases and 10% gases due to decomposition, the gas col-
lecting in the Buchholz relay comprises 90% by volume
of 'air' and 10% by volume of gases due to decomposi-
tion. The 'air' is starved of oxygen if the transformer has formation the dissolved and free gases are in equilibrium
been in operation for a long time.
If we extract the gases dissolved in the oil we find that the are always lower than the limits quoted in Table 1.
composition of the dissolved gas is by no means identical
to that of those in the Buchholz relay. However, if we
determine the proportion contributed by each individual
gas dissolved in the oil towards Saturation expressed in
2 during ageing and, apparently, by cavitation phenomena
kgf/cm , we find that these values are numerically identi-
cal with the partial pressures of the corresponding gases
in the Buchholz relay.
242
If the gas separated in the Buchholz relay is in equilibrium
with the dissolved gas wefind close agreement between the
holz relay and of the gas concentration dissolved in the
oil, on condition that the dissolved gas concentrations
are converted into percentage Saturation and the concen-
trations of free gases in the Buchholz relay are determined
in percentage volume.
Examples of gas formations measured in several trans-
formers are shown in Fig. 4a, b and c. These confirm
that gas Separation in the Buchholz relay in equilibrium
with the dissolved gas is a special case of gas formation
which is important in practice.
Summarizing, it can be stated that gas Separation in the
Buchholz relay comprising dissolved air and gases due to
decomposition (in concentrations of at least several per-
cent by volume) can result in supersaturation of the oil due
centrations, by Converting these gas concentrations into
degrees of Saturation, and by comparing the composition
of the gas in the Buchholz relay with these values. A gas
Separation of this nature is always the final condition oc-
curring as a result of a gradual fault over a long period. In
any case the faults, whose nature can be established easily
by comparing the concentration ratios of dissolved gases
with the figures quoted in Table II, should be rectified to
avoid subsequent damage due to gas bubbles rising in
insulation zones subject to high electrical stresses. It is
essential that the oil be degassed following the repair.
Separation of Free Gas in the Buchholz Relay in Equilib-
rium with Dissolved Gas not Caused by Gases due to
Decomposition
The Buchholz relay sometimes gives alarm signals due to
the fact that gases dissolved in the oil separate out without
there being excessive concentrations of gases due to de-
composition in the oil. This form of gas Separation with-
out an internal fault is observed:
- only if the insulating oil is largely saturated with air,
- mostly only if the insulating oil is aged only slightly,
- niainly in transformers whose operating temperatures
fluctuate over a wide ränge and whose average oil
temperatures are low and
- primarily in transformers which generate a lot of noise.
The phenomenon of air separating out occurs fairly ra-
rely, most often in winter, and generally occurs repeatedly
in the same transformer. The question of whether the gas
is generated by an internal fault or is of the harmless form
quoted above can be answered only by analysis of the
dissolved and free gases. Even in the case of harmless gas
and the concentrations of gases due to decomposition
The Separation of this dissolved air is obviously assisted
by supersaturation of the oil during temperature fluctua-
tions (the solubility of the individual gases varies with
temperature), by the low oxygen consumption of the oil
in vibrating parts of the transformer which form nascent
bubbles.
Brown Boveri Rev. 5-74
By way of an example, Figure 4d shows the values for
dissolved gases in percentage Saturation and for separated
gas in percentage volume. Many similar cases have been
observed over the last few years.
This gas Separation, which is troublesome for operation,
can be overcome at least for a short time by degassing the
insulating oil. This false alarm can be completely elimi-
nated by degassing the oil and Utting a membrane seal in the
expansion Chamber.
Gas Separation in the Buchholz Relay without the Gases
Dissolved in the Oil Being in Equilibrium with the Free
Gases in the Relay
In the majority of cases of alarm issued by the Buchholz
relay, analysis of the gas dissolved in a sample of the oil
and the free gases in the relay shows that the gases are not
in equilibrium. The Buchholz relay contains gas with
high concentrations of gases due to decomposition and
also large proportions of atmospheric gases. In almost
every case it can be clearly established that the atmos-
pheric gas components were originally dissolved in the
oil; this is confirmed by the lack of oxygen in the 'air'. 1
Also, the concentrations of gases due to decomposition
dissolved in the oil are almost always lower than would
be required for equilibrium with the gas in the Buchholz
relay.
From this it must not be assumed that only a little of the
gas due to decomposition originally formed at the location
'On taking samples of gases from the Buchholz relay and also on tak-
ing samples of the oil from the transformer tank attention must be paid
that these samples be protected from light. Light acting on the oil causes
it to age and consume oxygen and would lead one to assume oxygen
starvation in the sample.

Fig. 4 - Separation of gas in the Buchholz relay

in equilibrium with the gas dissolved in the oil
Concentrations in the Buchholz relay in partial
pressures, and those dissolved in the oil in 10"
degrees of Saturation. Limiting values converted
into degrees of Saturation according to Table I
are shown as horizontal lines.
10"'
a: Local overheating
b: Weak discharges
c: All other forms of discharge
d: Supersaturation 10'
<7 = Degree of Saturation
^ Buchholz relay
• = Oil 10"

10"

10"'

10"
H, ch4 c2h6 c2h4 c2h2 co co2 h2 ch4 c2h6 c2h4 c2h2 C O'2 CO.
200096.1

10"'

10"'

10"- t /
/ /
/ /
: / /
/ / /
10 - / -
/
/ /
/ /

f
/
10"- X /

/
/ /
/
;
10"'
- 7* _
/
/

f /
/

10" /
/
/ /
2 /
h2 ch4 c 2 h 6 c 2 h 4 c 2 h 2 CO CO H2 C H 4 C 2 H & C2H4 C2H2 C O CO2

Brown Boveri Rev. 5 - 7 4 243


k A
a A
A A
A *
A Table III are shown by heavy lines. The values
A measured at hot spots are located in the upper
O left sector, the points for transformers with
A
o >
4 6 8 , 2 468 2 468
<4-10 110" 2 MO'1 1 10
2000881.
of the fault has gone into Solution in the oil. On the con-
trary, as a general rule a much higher proportion of the
gases formed in this way are dissolved in the oil than that
which isfinally discovered at the Buchholz relay. However,
the oil volume in a transformer tank is so large in com-
parison with the gas volume in the Buchholz relay that
the dissolved concentrations of gases due to decomposi-
tion found in the oil are small and the concentration of
free gases in the Buchholz relay are relatively high.
A simple calculation of the quantities of dissolved and
free gases — concentration of dissolved gases X the oil
volume in the transformer and concentrations of free
gases X the gas volume in the Buchholz — shows that the
majority of the gaseous products due to decomposition
are, in fact, dissolved in the oil. In other words: as the
gas rises to the Buchholz relay considerable gas exchange
takes place between the gas bubble and the column of oil
through which the bubble passes. The quantity of oil in-
volved in this exchange represents only a fraction of the
total oil volume in the transformer. However, the volume
of gas involved is large in comparison to the gas volume
which reaches the Buchholz relay without going into Solu-
tion. This portion of the oil involved in the exchange mixes
with the major volume of the transformer oil 2 and this,
in turn, naturally contains only small concentrations of the
gases originating from the process of decomposition.
It can thus be established that a considerable exchange has
taken place between the original gas and the oil and only
a small proportion of the gas has reached the Buchholz
1 Attention must be paid that the oil is well mixed before taking samples.
Samples should therefore be taken as rapidly as possible following an
alarm from the Buchholz relay. Oil samples should be taken as long as
possible after such an alarm and, if possible, the oil pumps should be set
in motion and the fans left operating.
244
Fig. 5 - Mixture ratios of gases in the Buchholz
relay for the pairs of gases methane and hydro-
gen, and acetylene and ethylene, applicable for
concentrations in partial pressures. The symbols
indicate the nature of the fault discovered when
repairs were carried out:
= Local overheating
= Low-current discharges in gas pockets
^ = All other forms of discharge
The limits of the ranges of values according to
internal low-current discharges are in the lower
o strip and those points for transformers with
- 8
-0 any other form of discharge are to the right in
0«
o the centre strip, as in Fig. 2.
o o
o
o
•
2 468 20 40 >40
[Ca H 2 ]
^[C 2 H 4 ]
relay. It is known from the exchange with the oil that it
takes place fundamentally only in one direction: in the
direction of establishing equilibrium between the dissolved
and free gas. We also know that equilibrium must be
reached provided that sufficient time is available. Our
method of fault diagnosis is based on two facts for the
case of gas Separation in the Buchholz relay which is not
in equilibrium with the gas concentration in the oil as
described in this section:
1. on the facts determined experimentally that a partial
quantity of oil is directly involved with the exchange
which is large in comparison with the volume of free
gas in the Buchholz relay, and
2. on the principle that the objective of the gas exchange
with the oil is to establish equilibrium.
From this we immediately have the following conditions
which form the basis for diagnosing the fault from the
gases present in the Buchholz relay: We assume that the
gas separated in the Buchholz relay is of a composition
such as if it had been in contact with an unknown quantity
of oil with which it would have continued to exchange gas
until equilibrium had been reached, and of this unknown
quantity of oil we further assume that its volume is large
in comparison with the remainder of the gas which finally
reaches the Buchholz relay.
From these assumptions simple calculations bring us to a
set of formulae with which we can approximately deter-
mine the original mixture ratios of the individual com-
ponents of the gas created by the fault if these gases are
found in any given mixture ratio in the Buchholz relay.
These formulae thus render information concerning how
the gas composition has changed during its journey from
the fault location to the Buchholz relay by means of ex-
change with the oil.
Brown Boveri Rev. 5-74
Fig. 6 - Mixture ratios of gases in the Buchholz
relay. Concentrations in partial pressures. The
limits of the ranges of values are indicated by >4
the heavy lines (Table III). [CHtl 4
a: Pairs of gases methane and hydrogen, and [H 2 ]
ethane and acetylene &
b: Pairs of gases methane and hydrogen, and
acetylene and methane A
A
Symbols as Fig. 5.
A
A
O« O A
1 • 10 0 6 v
0 CK <J
0 0 0
0
0
Ö 0
«
110 0

110"
4 68 4 68 4 6 4 6 20 40 > 4 0
< 4 • 10 1 • 10"' 1 • 10"1 10 ^ [C2 H 6 ]
[C2 H 2 ]
200099.1

>4
[CHi]4
[H 2 ] 2
Ai
1 A
A

A A
A
A
A
0 « 0
I 10"
O 0 6
O O 00
6
« < « 0
4

2 O
O O
2 O
110r8 . 0
6
4

2
1 • 10
3
,4 6 4 6 8 2 4 6 4 6 ! 20 40 > 4 0
< 4 • 10" 1 • 10"' I • 10'1 H> ^ [C2 H 2 ]
200100.1
[CHI]

The following symbols are used: •TI

— = Mixture (concentration) ratio of gas component i to

p r = Partial pressure of gas r in the free gas collected at ' gas component j in the original gas produced
the Buchholz relay

Pi
--- = Mixture ratio of gas component / to gas component
P.i j in the free gas collected at the Buchholz relay
Kr = Solubility of gas component r in the insulating oil
C,
— = Mixture (concentration) ratio of the gas dissolved in
Cj the insulating oil of the complete transformer after
a sufficient time has elapsed from the alarm given by
the Buchholz relay

Brown Boveri Rev. 5 - 7 4

 Fig. 7 - Gases collected in the Buchholz relay
not in equilibrium with the gases dissolved in
the oil. Concentrations of gases in the Buchholz
relay are in partial pressures, those in the oil
are in degrees of Saturation. The limit values
according to Table I are converted into degrees
v\ of Saturation and indicated by the horizontal
_/_ lines.
/ a: Local overheating
/
b: Weak internal gas discharges
/
-7~ a = Degree of Saturation
H Buchholz relay
/ • = Oil
/ /
/
/
/
/ / /
/
•
/
"
/
- A -
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ / /
/ / /
/
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
C O C O , -I C H C H C H C H C O c o
2 4 2 6 2 4 2 2 2

Fig. 8 - Mixture ratios of gases dissolved in the

oil of transformers with faults and gases collect-
ed in the Buchholz relay for pairs of gases meth-
ane and hydrogen, and acetylene and ethylene.
The mixture ratios of the dissolved gases apply
if the concentrations have been converted into
& degrees of Saturation and the concentrations of
free gases in the relay are referred to partial
A A pressures. The symbols indicate the nature of
the damage discovered when repairs were car-
A ried out.
V
A V A A* A
V V Gases in the Buchholz relay
V AV V A = Local overheating
t
O V> Weak discharges in gas pockets
V p = All other types of discharge
!>c Gases dissolved in the oil
• • V = Local overheating
o w Weak discharges in gas pockets
•
o ] All other types of discharge
<
o o
c
u
o

4 68 4 6 8 4 68 4 68 20 40 > 4 0
< 4 - 10" 1 • 10"' MO"1 1 10
| [C 2 H 2 ]
[C 2 H„]

Applying these simple rules the formulae for calculating for determining the mixture ratios of the components in
the various mixture ratios are as follows: the original gas from the gas dissolved in the insulating
oil.
Pi Ki Pi The equation (1) is important because the partial pres-
K,
(1) sures of the gases due to decomposition in the Buchholz
Pi relay are generally relatively high and easily measured
whereas the concentrations in the oil are often low and oil
for determining the mixture ratios of the components in samples should be taken only after a considerably time
the original gas from the analysis of the gas in the Buch- has elapsed from discovery of the fault, while the gas
holz relay; taken from the Buchholz relay can be sampled immediate-
ly the alarm has been given and should be analysed im-
mediately. Using equation (1) we can now convert the
Pi Ci values in Table II with the solubility Kr so that the ranges
(2)
Pi of values for the gases in the Buchholz relay can be used in

246 Brown Boveri Rev. 5-74

Table III: Ranges of characteristic values for mixture Uniform Diagnosis Pattern for Gases
ratios of free gases in the Buchholz relay in t h e B u c h h o l z R e l a y a n d D i s s o l v e d in
the Oil
Mixture ratio of [CH 4 ] [C 2 H 2 ] [C 2 H 6 ] [C 2 H 2 ]
free gases in the [H 2 ] [C 2 H 4 ] [C 2 H 2 ] [CH 4 ] The pattern in Table III can be applied with the same
Buchholz relay numerical values for the limits of the ränge of values for
related to partial both the free gases in the Buchholz relay and the gases
pressures of the dissolved in the oil if the concentrations of the dissolved
individual gases gases are first converted. First of all the concentrations
are determined in the usual manner in units of gas volume
Type of fault per oil volume. The applicability rules as discussed in the
foregoing for fault diagnosis are then consulted.
Local overheating >0-1 <1 >0-2 <0-1 To obtain the applicable mixture ratios the values of Ci/Cj
Weak discharges <0-01 >0-2 <0-1 are calculated and from this the ratios Pi */Pj *, the mixture
All other types of <01 <0-2 >0-1 ratios for the concentrations in degrees of Saturation, are
>1
discharge >001 determined, in that we form

* Not indicative of this type of discharge

Ki Ci Pr

for these converted concentration ratios the ranges of

values in Table III must naturally be correct if the approx-
Table IV: Ranges of characteristic values for mixture imations are reasonable. We thus arrive at the uniform
ratios of free gases in the Buchholz relay and dissolved diagnosis pattern in Table IV.
gases Figure 8 contains the converted measured values quoted
in Fig. 5 and also those measured directly (free gases in
Mixture ratio of [CH 4 ] [C 2 H 2 ] [C 2 H 6 ] [C 2 H 2 ] the Buchholz relay) and confirms that the uniform pattern
free gases in the [H 2 ] [C 2 H 4 ] [C 2 H 2 ] [CH 4 ] in the Table provides useful diagnosis, as the diagnosis
Buchholz relay agrees largely with the fault.
related to partial
pressures of the
individual gases Possible D a m a g e to the Solid Insulation
and mixture ratio D u e to Faults
of the dissolved
gases related to It is possible to estimate the degree of damage suffered by
their degree of the solid insulation from the gases collected in the Buch-
Saturation holz relay which are not in equilibrium with the gases dis-
solved in the oil. The method used is based on the princi-
ple that comparing the dissolved and free gases shows the
Type of fault
extent to which there has been exchange between the de-
Local overheating >0-1 <1 >0-2 <0-1 composition gases and the dissolved atmospheric gases.
Weak discharges <0-01 *
>0-2 <0-1 From this the quantity of carbon monoxide is calculated,
All other types of <0-1 which has arrived in the free gas in the Buchholz relay not
>1 <0-2 >0-1 as a result of this exchange and has originated from a
discharge >001 fault. It would be beyond the scope of this contribution to
* Not indicative of this type of discharge deal with this process in detail.

the evaluation pattern. The results are applicable for the

gas concentrations Pr found in the Buchholz relay are
compiled in Table III.
It must be emphasized that these ranges of values apply
regardless of whether the gas formation is in equilibrium
or not. In the latter case the limits quoted are approxi-
mately values which are adequate for practical purposes as
shown in Fig. 5 and 6. Figures 7a and b demonstrate
that the degrees of Saturation of the individual gases due
to decomposition are very small in relation to the partial
pressures in the Buchholz relay.

Brown Boveri Rev. 5-74