TILE CHARACTERISTICS OF INSULATION RESISTANCE OF TRANSFOFMERS
W a n g 1sgiqing Chang Fa
Electric Power R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e r Beijing, China
Abstract. A double-layered d i e l e c t r i c model
has been accepted f o r analyzing t h e absorbtion
Qhenomena o f transformer i n s u l a t i o n being t e s t e d
w i t h a Megsrmeter. The phenomenan o f some i n s u l a -
t i o n with high i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e but low
absorbtion ratio(R60,,/R ,,) Owing t o i t s long
15
absorbtion process nas been discussed. In t h i s
c a s e , t n e p o l a r i z a t i o n index(RIO,/R1 ,) is recom-
mended as a b e t t e r c r i t e r i o n .
1. Introduction
For a long time, i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e and
absorbtion r a t i o nave been used as one o f b a s i c
metnods t o i n s p e c t t h e s i t u a t i o n o f transformer
i n s u l a t i o n i n China. Usually it was considered
t n a t absorbtion r a t i o of a transformer dried was
n o t l e s s than 1.3. I n r e c e n t years it was found
i n p r a c t i c e that some new b i g power transformers
had high i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e but low absorbtion
r a t i o ( e v e n l e s s than 1 . 5 ) . Did t h e s e transformers
absoroed moisture or n o t ?
I n e a s t of China, s t a t i s t i c r e s u l t s from 275
p i e c e s o f transformers above llOKV i n operation
showed t h a t absorbtion r a t i o of 7.0% of t h e m w a s
l e s s than 1.3. I n nortn-west of C h m a , l e s s than
1 .5 absorbtion r a t i o i n s t a t i s t i c r e s u l t s of 905
times from 72 pieces o f transformers accounted
for 1j.S. But a l l o f t h e s e transformers were
normally i n -service.
The problems which appeared i n measuring insu-
l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e have been analyzed a n d d i f f e r e -
nces between p o l a r i z a t i o n index and absorbtion
r a t i o have been compared i n t h i s paper.
2. Model study o f absorbtion phenomena o f
transformer i n s u l a t i o n
Because i n s u l a t i o n c o n s t r u c t i o n i n s i d e a trans-
former is very complicated, it is almost impossible
t o c a l c u l a t e t h e o r i c a l l y absorbtion c u r r e n t accor-
d i n g t o its i n s u l a t i o n c o n s t r u c t i o n . When i n s u l a -
t i o n r e a i s t a n c e o f a apparatus is measured, t r a d i -
cmse7-4/ee/oooo- 463
t i o n a l method described i t s absorbtion phenomena
i s by means of a double-layered uniform d i e l e c t r i c
model. A s shown i n Fig.1, i n t h e equivalent c i r -
c u i t , t h e r e i s a c u r r e n t i i n t n e loop as soon as
K i s switched on.
I
Fig.1 d double-layered d i e l e c t r i c a3del
and equivalent c i r c u i t
In o r d e r t o check whetner t h e simple model
could d e s c r i b e t n e absorbtion proce8s o f a t r a n s -
former, d a t a measured w i t h a meggemeter i.e.
p r a c t i c a l absorbtion process o f a transformer a r e
f i t t e d t o curves by computer according t o absorb-
t i o n c u r r e n t equation o f a double-layered d i e l e c -
t r i c model. T y p i c a l d a t a o f 7 pieces o f t r a n s -
formers a r e showed i n Table 1. I n each d a t a group,
r e l e a t i v e e r r o r s between measured p o i n t s and
p o i n t s o f curve f i t are g e n e r a l l y less tnan 5%,
p o i n t s of about 1% r e l e a t i v e e r r o r s are only one
or two(Here include e r r o r s from measuring). Alth-
ough i n s u l a t i o n c o n s t r u c t i o n i n s i d e a transformer
is much more complicated oil-paper i n s u l a t i o n
system tnan a double-layered d i e l e c t r i c model, a
dof!ble-layered d i e l e c t r i c model can be approxima-
t e l y w e d f o r a n a l y s i n g i t s absorbtion Phenomena
i n accordance w i t h e x t r a characteristics of i t s
absorbtion c u r r e n t .
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$01 .oo g, 1988 IKEE
 Table 1. Typical d a t a of s e v e r a l t r a n s f o m r s

temperature

560 1 220
('c)
31

31

/
.2000

1200

1200

1300
+
1700 2250

2700 5050

2500 2600
3400

2900
5600
4300
3800
5000
6000 ,6500

4650

/
/
4900
4100
3300
120 220 18 1zM- 5250 000 .6500 7000 1250 8ooo
120 220 34 1850 3300 3600 3800 4000 4150 4250
1000 1100 I1160 ~ 1190 1121011220 1225 1227 1228

measured d a t a and.
results calculated
I I

I 7000 I 7300

7 1128 1128
Note: The i n s u l a t i o n r'8rsistances were measured by JKV Ueggexmeter.

3. T h e o r i t e c a l a n a l y s i s of absorbtion rstiO(K) i s approximately 1.

and p o l a r i z a t i o n fndex(P1) (2) I n s u l a t i o n is very d r y , i . e . Ito,% are very
When absorbtion process of a transformer i s large, also r = -mp-(C,+c,) very l a r g e . I n t h i s
R, + R,
analysed by a double-leyered d i e l e c t r i c model, c a s e , e - ' 5 / ~ i s approximately e q u a l t o e -6m,
R1 ,C1 and %,C2 in Pig.1 are s e p a r a t e l y replaced K a l s o is low. For exemple, when~115Os,
with cortesponding parements of i n s u l a t i o n oil, e-1 5h-0.905, e60h 4.670

In p r a c t i c e IR can not be neglected. Corputa-

t i o n s show that absorbtion r a t i o may be l e s s than
1.3 w h e n ~ ~ j 5 0and
8 W0.1131a.
From equation(2) following r e s u l t s can be Becauee d r y i n g procedures o f transformers and
getten: i n s u l a t i o n m a t e r i a l ( o i 1 , paper) we= improved and
3.1 Absorbtion r a t i o K power of transformera became larger, it could be
Absorbtion r a t i o i s r a t i o value. o f 6- insu- explained t h a t some i n s u l a t i o n with hign i n s u l a -
l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e t o 15s i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e , t i o n r e s i s t a n c e but l e s s than 1.3 absorbtion r a t i o
d i d n ' t absorbed moisture. Therefore, w&n i n s u l a -
(3) t i o n r e s i a t a n c e i s higher than certain v a l u e ,
(1) i n s u l a t i o n is m o i s t , i n this case, leakage requirements for absorbtion r a t i o may be reduced
c u r r e n t IR is very l a r g e , the p a r t of absorbtion properly.
c u r r e n t i s covered with Ig. So absorbtion r a t i o 3.2 P o l a r i x a t i o n index PI

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 P o l a r i z a t i o n index is r a t i o value o f l O m i n
i n s u l a t i P n r e s i s t a n c e t o lmin i n s u l a t i o n resis-
The p r i n c i p l e o f p o l a r i z a t i o n index i s same as
absorbtion r a t i o , but its time measured i n s u l a t i o n
r e s i s t a n c e i s longer. When absorbtion process o f
a transformer is long, absorbtion r a t i o c a n ' t
i t can be known that l o w absorbtion r a t i o is c a w -
ed by long absorbtion process. According t o P I
c r i t e r i o n it i s sure that i n s u l a t i o n is good.
3 ) I n s u l a t i o n o f transformer No.7 is moist, so
K and P I are low.
5. Model test of oil-paper i n s u l a t i o n
The p r a c t i c a l experience showed t h a t q u a l i t y '

completely give the s i t u a t i o n o f i t s i n s u l a t i o n . of i n s u l a t i o n o i l had a large influence on i n s u l a -

AS we know, the method o f absorbtion r a t i o is bas-
ed on absorbtion process, i n t h i s w a y , absorbtion
process is described by i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e s of
two p o i n t s R1511,R60,,. If p o i n t R l O l i s added, i t
w i l l be more reasonable that aosorbtion process
is described by t h r e e points. As shown i n Fig.2,
t i o n r e s i s t a n c e o f transformers; A o i l - p a p e r
i n s u l a t i o n model w a s designed t o i n v e s t i g a t e it.
A s shown in Fig.3, i n the model, ordinary o i l
No.25, c a b l e paper of0.12mm i h i c k n e s s and round-
p l a t e pole with p r o t e c t i v e r i n g were used.

Fig.3 Schematic diagram of model taat

Table 2. R e l a t i o n between moisture content o f

'7, I oil-paper i n s u l a t i o n and i t s i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e
I

of paper
Fig.2 Absorbtion curves o f transformers R-t

i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o d i s t i n g u i s h which i n s u l a t i o n 1 7 I 1.54 60 550 Y.17

i s o e t t e r w i t h absorbtion ratio(R60,1/R15,,) But i t 2 11 68 450 6.62
.-
i s easy t o say t h a t i n s u l a t i o n 1 i s b e t t e r Ghan 5 16 2.74 3Y 157 4-05
i n s u l a t i o n 2 by means o f a d d i t i o n a l point R l O l . So
4 22 2 .d2 29 82 2.83
p o l a r i s a t i o n index c r i t e r i o n can compensate some
5 29 1 .40 19 70 3.68
d e f e c t s o f absorbtion r a t i o t o a c e r t a i n e x t e n t . -
t 58 5.15 26 60 2.51
4 . Discussion f o r d a t a measured o f transformers 7 61 9.02 3.2 5.6 1.12
i
Table 1 snow t y p i c a l d a t a of 7 pieces of tra-
nsformers. From t h e r e l a t i o n among absorbtion
The t e s t r e s u l t s are given i n Table 2. From
r a t i o , p o l a r i z a t i o n index, and t i q e c o n s t a n t ( 7 ) o f
N o . 1 t o No.7, i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e decreases
a b s o r b t i o n process, following r e s u l t s can be get-
gradually as moisture content o f o i l i n c r e a s e s .
ten:
Altnougn moisture content o f paper No.5(1.4%) is
1 ) When absorbtion process o f a trarisfonner i s
approximately 1 time less than that o f paper No.3,
long, absorbtion r a t i o is much l e s s than p o l a r i z a -
No.5(separately 2.8296, 2.7%), i n s u l a t i o n resis-
t i o n index. E s p e c i a l l y absorbtion r a t i o of JJOKV
tance a l s o d e c r e a s e s , i.e. insulation resistance
and 525- t r a n s f o m e r i s approximately 1.3. It i s
value o f oil-paper i n s u l a t i o n system is mainly
e a s i l y thought that i n s u l a t i o n has problem, but
influenced by o i l q u a l i t y .
from p o l a r i s a t i o n index it i s s u r e that i n s u l a t j o n
i s good.
2 ) por transformer No .5, R6011'395anl RI 511=320Q¶n 6. Errors o f measurements
K=l .23, it i s d i f f i c u l t t o give a conclusion accor- When i n s u l a t i o n resistance o f a transformer

d h g t o R60" a d K. With t h i r d point R,01L875CMCl w a s measured, p o i n t e r o f a Megge-ter moved faet

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in t h e beginning. It w a s d i f f i c u l t that value of r e s i s t a n c e out low absorbtion r a t i o appaared.
R15,' w a s read acc.Wately. T h e r e f o r e , e r r o r s f o r 5 ) Accuracy of i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e and absoro-
measuring absorbtion r a t i o WPB big. P i n a l l y t h e t i o n r a t i o measured with a n e g g e r m e t e r is low,
value which compared with s t a n d a r d w a s n o t real According t o e r r o r s a n a l y s i s it may be explained
absorbtion r a t i o of a t r a n s f o r m e r , it w a s a mea- t n a t absorbtion r a t i o of some t r a n s f o n u e r s
suring result. (?*2%) is l e s s t h a n 1.3, but they are s a f e l y
Generally speaking, e r r o m Of measurements i n service.
obey n o p a l d i s t r i b u t i o n . A @up of absorbtion
r a t i o r e s u i t s being t e s t e d d u r i n g dryingprocees of a Refehnces
transformer is analysed f o r t h e i r e r r o r s . It is ( 1 ) Chang a," C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of i n s u l a t i o n
suyposed that absorbtion r a t i o i8 approximately r e s i s t a n c e of transformers" proceeding o f
c o n s t a n t d u r i n g the period of end of drying. Dif- E l e c t r i c power Research I n s t i t u t e , 1985
f e r e n c e s o f a b s o r b t i o n r a t i o a r e only caused by ( i n Chinese)
measuring. Max. variance(d) and Min. v a r i a n c e ( a ) ( 2 ) Pong Ciu X i a n , "Insulation resistance of
c a l c u l a t e d by s t a t i s t i c r e s u l t s are s e p a r a t e l y transformer winding t o e a r t h , " Transformer,
0.155 and 0.055. I f average o f v a r i a n c e i s taken, ~ 0 . 6 , 1983 ( i n Chinese)
i.e. ,pS.1, suppose K=1.4, measuring r e s u l t s ( 3 ) ttMoisture e q u i l i b r i u m in p a p e r - o i l i n s u l a t i o n
of absorbtion r a t i o obey normal d i s t r i b u t i o n of system," proceeding of t h e 1 6 t h e l e c t r i c a l -
average 1.4 and variance 0.1, i.e. Kd(1.4,O.l). e l e c t r o n i c s i n s u l a t i o n conf. 1983
Because of a c c i d e n t errors p o s s i b i l i t y o f l e s s ( 4 ) " I n s u l a t i o n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f oil-immersed
th- 1.3 absorbtion r a t i o i n measuring r e s u l t s is: transformers ,It Report o f Sheng Y a n t r a n s -
P (K < 1 -5)' @ ( w ) = l 5 fortner r e s e a r c h i n s t i t u t e , No.7, 1985
(in Chinese)
From t n i s d a t a supposed it can be known t h a t
a b s o r b t i o n r a t i o of some transformers i n p r a c t i c e
w i l l be l e s s than 1.3 because o f t e s t d i s p e r s i t y ,
but they are normal completely.

7. Conclusions
1 ) Although o i l - p a p e r i n s u l a t i o n c o n s t r u c t i o n of
a transformer i s complicated, it has been proved
t h a t a double-layered d i e l e c t r i c model could app-
roximately d e s c r i b e and e x p l a i n its absorbtion
phenomena a f t e r d a t a measured with a Meggermetex
was f i t t e d t o curves.

2 ) It can be known by a b s o r b t i o n c u r r e n t equation

and t e s t r e s u l t s t h a t a b s o r b t i o n r a t i o may be l e s s
than 1.3 because i n s u l a t i o n is very d r y , i.e. high
i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e . T h e r e f o r e , when i n s u l a t i o n
r e s i s t a n c e i s higher than c e r t a i n v a l u e , r e q u i r e -
ments f o r a b s o r b t i o n r a t i o may properly be reduced.

3 ) For b i g Power and high v o l t a g e t r a n s f o n n e r s ,

a b s o r b t i o n r a t i o c a n ' t completely give s i t u s t i o n
of t h e i r insulation, SO i t i s recommended t h a t
l b i n i n s u l a t i o n r e s i s t a n c e is added besides absor-
b t i o n r a t i o . P o l a r i z a t i o n i n d e x ( R l O l / q ,) ud
a b s o r b t i o n ratio(R60,,/R15") are used t o g e t h e r t o
i n s p e c t s i t u a t i o n of tneir i n s u l a t i o n .

4 ) The q u a l i t y of o i l w a s a main reason w h y the

yhenomenan of some i n s u l a t i o n with high i n s u l a t i o n

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