Online Measurements of Transformer

Fault Gases As Measured Directly

In the Headspace and Oil

Dr. Douglas Ritchie, Physicist

Thomas Waters, Chemist
Kristin Williamson, Chemist
 Agenda

• Objectives of this study

• TrueGas instrumentation
• Subject transformer
• Gas partitioning
• Sampling and data analysis
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgements
 Objectives of This Study

• To compare gas concentrations reported from

TrueGas-Gas Phase instruments to
concentrations reported from TrueGas-Oil
Phase instruments

• To compare gas concentrations as measured

by laboratory DGA to those obtained by
TrueGas online monitoring
 TrueGas Instrumentation

• Field-deployed, online gas chromatography

• Measures eight transformer fault gases
– H2, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, CO, CO2, CH4, O2
• Instruments installed without transformer
downtime or outage
• Data captured by remote telecommunications
• Online DGA sampling done typically every
four (4) hours
 Subject Transformer

• Generator step-up transformer owned and

operated by US Army Corps of
Engineers/Green Peter Dam in Oregon
• GE unit, 1966 vintage, OA-FA, 73,500 KVA-
98,000 KVA
• Hydroelectric power generation facility
 Subject Transformer
US Army Corps of Engineers

Observe:
Transformer with two
TrueGas units installed

TrueGas - Gas Phase

TrueGas - Oil Phase

 Green Peter Instrumentation

• TrueGas – Gas Phase instrument gathers

gas directly from the nitrogen pressurized
headspace of the transformer
• TrueGas – Oil Phase instrument circulates oil
from the bottom of the cooling loop, through
the instrument where the dissolved gases are
collected, and returns the oil to the
transformer at the drain valve
 Gas Partitioning
Gas-in-gas to Gas-in-oil
• Laboratory DGA data are typically calculated
using Ostwald partitioning coefficients at 25ºC
and 1 atmosphere, or by applying an
extraction efficiency correction factor
• TrueGas measures the actual temperature
and pressure at the gas/oil interface, and
uses those values in calculations in
conjunction with partitioning coefficients
 Partitioning Coefficients
As Used in TrueGas

• TrueGas utilizes the partitioning coefficients

as published by Dr. Milton Farber
– US patent # 5,659,126
• These partitioning coefficients are both
temperature and pressure compensated,
necessary to gain accurate measurements
 Three Sampling Procedures

Headspace
Sampling and Analysis
Typical TrueGas
Analysis
Gas
Continuously
Equilibrating
Sequence of Events
Sequence with
Representive
Oil

T1 P1
Farber Results
Gas Partitioning Available
Sample Coefficients PPM Minutes after
Gas Sample Analyzed Temperature Gas in Oil Analysis, up to
Continuously and Pressure SIX
Equilibrating Compenstated Analyses / Day
with
Transformer Representative T 1 P1
Oil

T1 P1

Extraction
Typical Sample
Taken by Efficiency
Results
Sample Available
DGA Syringe,
Can, or
Transported
Extraction
of Gas from
Extracted
Gas
or
Ostwald
PPM hours, but
to Gas in Oil usually
Analysis Pressure Laboratory
Oil Analyzed Coefficient @
25°C 1 atm
days or
Vessel
Sequence weeks later

T1 P1 T 2 P2 T3 P3 T4 P4
 TrueGas Factory Calibration

• Every TrueGas instrument is calibrated to traceable

standards (NIST) using
– Laboratory certification from calibration gas supplier
• Gravimetric concentration measurements
– Precision calibration in gas phase using doped traceable
standards using nitrogen diluent and carefully managed
concentrations of all eight transformer fault gases
• Verification in oil phase
• Each instrument is capable of field-level verification
of the factory gas calibration
 Field Verification Data
Verification Data for Gas Phase

6000 H2-5000 PPM

5000 CO2-3000 PPM

O2-1000 PPM
4000
CO-750 PPM
PPM

3000
CH4-506 PPM
2000
C2H6-500 PPM

1000 C2H4-251 PPM

0 C2H2-100 PPM
/01

/01
1
/00

1
4/0
4/0

3/0
1/4

2/3
/25

1/2
1/1

2/1
12

Date and Time

 Truegas-Oil Phase at Different
Equilibration / Sampling Frequencies
CO2-Oil Sampling Frequency
1600 24

Response of gases is unaffected by sampling frequency

1400 indicating an equilibrium state at both 4 and 12 hours/sample. 20

Sampling Frequency (Hours)

1200 16
PPM (CO2)

1000 12

800 8

600 4

400 0
1

1
1

1
00

00

00

00
00

00

00

00
4/2

0/2

2/2

8/2
6/2

8/2

4/2

6/2
1/1

1/2

1/2

1/2
1/1

1/1

1/2

1/2

Date and Time

 Data Comparison

• TrueGas – Gas Phase

• TrueGas – Oil Phase

• Laboratory Dissolved Gas Analysis
 TrueGas and DGA Data
Hydrogen and Oxygen
O2 Gas Phase O2 Oil Phase O2 DGA
H2 Gas Phase H2 Oil Phase H2 DGA

100
90
80
70
60
PPM

50
40
30
20
10
0
/01
/01

/01

/01
1

1
1

1
1
/00

4/0

9/0

8/0
4/0

3/0
9/0
1/9
1/4

2/3

2/8
/30

1/1

1/2

2/1
1/2

2/1
1/1
12

Date
 TrueGas and DGA Data
Hydrogen and Oxygen (Scaled for DGA)
O2 Gas Phase O2 Oil Phase O2 DGA
H2 Gas Phase H2 Oil Phase H2 DGA

2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
PPM

1000
800
600
400
200
0
/01
/01

/01

/01
1

1
1

1
1
/00

4/0

9/0

8/0
4/0

3/0
9/0
1/9
1/4

2/3

2/8
/30

1/1

1/2

2/1
1/2

2/1
1/1
12

Date
 TrueGas and DGA Data
Carbon Dioxide

CO2 Gas Phase CO2 Oil Phase CO2 DGA

1200

1000

800
PPM

600

400

200

0
/01

/01

/01
/01

1
1

1
1
/00

9/0

4/0

3/0
4/0

8/0
9/0
1/4

2/3

2/8
1/9
/30

1/1

1/2

2/1
1/1

2/1
1/2
12

Date
 TrueGas and DGA Data
Carbon Monoxide and Ethane
CO Gas Phase CO Oil Phase CO DGA
C2H6 Gas Phase C2H6 Oil Phase C2H6 DGA

80

70

60

50
PPM

40

30

20

10

0
/01
/01

/01

/01
1

1
1

1
1
/00

4/0

9/0

8/0
4/0

3/0
9/0
1/9
1/4

2/3

2/8
/30

1/1

1/2

2/1
1/2

2/1
1/1
12

Date
 TrueGas and DGA Data
Ethylene and Acetylene
C2H4 Gas Phase C2H4 Oil Phase C2H4 DGA
C2H2 Gas Phase C2H2 Oil Phase C2H2 DGA

25

20

15
PPM

10

0
/01
/01

/01

/01
1

1
1

1
1
/00

4/0

9/0

8/0
4/0

3/0
9/0
1/9
1/4

2/3

2/8
/30

1/1

1/2

2/1
1/2

2/1
1/1
12

Date
 DGA Data
Methane (CH4)

CH4 Gas Phase CH4 Oil Phase CH4 DGA

50
45 DGA Values range from 7 PPM to 44 PPM
40
35
30
PPM

25
20
15
10
5
0
/01

/01

/01

/01

1
1

1
1

1
1
/00

3/0
9/0

8/0
4/0

9/0
4/0
1/4

1/9

2/3

2/8
/30

2/1
1/1

2/1
1/1

1/2
1/2
12

Date
 Regarding Methane (CH4)

• The subject transformer has very small

concentrations of CH4 (7 - 44 PPM)
• The current resolution limit for CH4 for
TrueGas is ~70 PPM
• However, new firmware developments are
well underway to improve this lower limit of
resolution
• All future firmware improvements are capable
of being applied to all instruments remotely
 Conclusions

• TrueGas – Oil Phase and TrueGas – Gas

Phase report measured concentrations that
agree very well
– Absolute values of PPM vs. time
– Trending values of PPM with time
• TrueGas measurements correlate well with
independent laboratory DGA measurements
 Conclusions (continued)

• Only TrueGas online instruments will give

near real time visibility to changing
transformer conditions – gas by gas
• Data show that use of a four-hour sampling
frequency is valid
– Four-hour equilibration time results in same values
as twelve-hour equilibration time
 Acknowledgements

• United States Army Corps of Engineers

• Dr. Milton Farber
• Serveron personnel