INSTRUCTION

MANUAL

BREATHERS
SILICAGEL

Instructions for
installation,
operation and
maintenance of
SILICAGEL
BREATHERS

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited

Silica gel Dehydrating Breather for Transfor mer

A dehydrating breather is used to dry the air that enters a transformer as the volume of
oil decreases because of a fall in temperature .
Air entering the breather is first drawn through an oil seal and passes upwards through
the silicagel crystals to the connecting pipe at the top. During this upward passage of
air, any moisture present is absorbed by the dry silicagel.
The oil seal ensures that the gel absorbs moisture only when the transformer is
breathing.

Installation
The breather is usually detached from the tank and shipped separately; the silicagel
charge is shipped in its own sealed container . The breather is sealed at the top with a
plug. To install, it is necessary to:
(1) Remove top cover by unscrewing cap nut and fill with silicagel.
(2) Remove the plug.
(3) Pipe up to the tank or conservator.
(4) Fill the brass oil cap with transformer oil to the indicated level.

Maintenance
Inspect the breather every three months ; more frequently, if found by experience to be
necessary.
When the breather is first installed , the crystals have a blue tint and after a period of
operation, the colour of the tinted crystals gradually changes to pink; this is an
indication that the silicagel is becoming saturated and losing absorbent properties.
When there is a preponderance of pink crystals, the gel should be changed or
reactivated.
Silicagel may be reactivated by heating in a shallow pan at a temperature of 150∞C to
200∞C two to three hours when the crystals should have regained their original blue
tint.
Spare gel crystals ,packed in airtight containers can be supplied from BHARAT
HEAVY ELECTRICALS LIMITED , BHOPAL .Before filling the container with
silicagel clean and dry all parts of the breather. Verify that the oil level in the oil cup is
correct when reassembling.
SECTIONAL VIEW OF A BREATHER
TYPE 1
SILICAGEL BREATHER
TYPE 2
For further information to:

TRANSFORMER SALES DIVISION

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited

Bhopal 462022, India

Registered office: 'BHEL House' Siri Fort

New Delhi 110 049