Conference Record of the 1994 IEEE International Symposium on Electrical Insulation, Pittsburgh, PA USA, June 5-8, 1994

Relation Between Power Loss Factor and Insulation Resistance on Measuring

Transformers in On Site Measurement
Ljubomir Nikoloski and Risto Minovski
Elektrotehnicki Fakultet Skopje
University "Sv. K i d and Metodij"
Macedonia

measurements showed that in many cases this insulation is

Abstract - Prophylactic measurements on
subjected to the processes of deterioration in such a measure,
insulating system of high voltage measuring transformers are
that such transformers need to be replaced. Up to now, there
of great importance for reliable operation of electrical
have been measured more than 300 MT for voltage level 110
utilities and for safety of the personnel. These measurements
are preferably made on site. For this reason, the High
--
kV with paper oil insulation. We have used criteria for
'bad or good' found in the literature 111. In this paper we
Voltage Laboratory of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering
present only the results for current measuring transformers
in Skopje, Macedonia, few years ago began a systematic on
(CMT). The measured region on CMT is between the high
site measurements on the measuring transformersfor voltage
voltage winding and all grounded parts with grounded low
level of 110 kV. They are with paper - oil insulation.
voltage windings, fig. 1.
The following two measuring methods were
applied: 1. Power Loss Factor (tgS) measurements of the
entire insulating system between the high voltage winding
and ground; 2. Insulation Resistance measurements between
the high voltage winding and ground. Both measuring
methods have difticulties for on site application. The main
reason is the very small capacitance of the measured objects
and the presence of strong electrostatic interference from the
high voltage conductors in the vicinity of measuring
arrangement. This problem is solved in both measuring
methods. The measuring technique used is fully described
The results obtained with both methods are
compared with each other and good correlation is found. The
results are very useful for discussing criteria for insulation
evaluation.

INTRODUCTION Figure 1. Measured insulation region on current measuring

Someone has said about measuring transformers:
They sewe for protection, but they themselves are not
protected. The falling out of a measuring transformer (MT)
in high voltage substation caused by the reduced dielectric
strength is very often followed by explosion and fire in
which there is damage of neighboring electrical equipment
and sometime the injuries of the personnel. Such accidents
cause high costs on damaged equipment and outage. For this
reason in 1988 the Laboratory for High Voltage at Faculty of
Electrical Engineering (HVL of FEE) began and since then
has made on site prophylactic measurements of basic
properties of the insulation of measuring transformers for
high voltage, namely the power loss factor (PLF) tg6 and
insulation resistance (JR) Rim. The results of the
transformer
DIFFICULTIES WITH ON SITE PROPHYLACTIC
INSULATION MEASUREMENT
Because of high costs of transportation, the
prophylactic measurements are made on site. The MT is
switched off and liberated from high voltage connection. The
neighboring high voltage equipment is still in operation.
Because they are not falr from measuring arrangement, they
cause electromagnetic disturbances, in the first place because
of electrostatic component of the disturbing field. In such
condition, and without additional protective means or

62
without specialized measuring equipment, it is impossible to of this measuring equipment that makes it useful for on site
get useful measuring results [I], [21,[31. measurement, is the possibility of disturbancesuppression.
The most simple explanation of this problem is the With fully connected measuring circuit but
following: d i ~ c o ~ e c t emeasuring
d voltage, the induced disturbing
voltage is measured and monitored. At the same time an
1. Because of relative small capacitance C, of the
opposite voltage is generated and the disturbing voltage is
-
measured object (&= 100 500 pF) in PLF measurement,
fully suppressed. This opposite voltage is memorized and
the measuring currents are very small, and they are of the
stays in the circuit when the “ r i n g voltage is switched
same order as the current induced by the disturbing field. In
on. In this way the disturbingvoltage is fully suppressed.
most cases the bridge with which the PLF is measured
cannot be balanced. Without additional preventive measures 2. The insulation resistance is measured by
or specialized measuring equipment, the following arrangement based on U-I principle, fig. 2. This is simple
measuring results can be expected: and cheap arrangement and can be composed of the
equipment present in every laboratory.
a) The measured PLF is with a positive error; b)
The measured PLF is with a negative error, c) It is
impossible to balance the bridge and get measured value.
2. Because of the high insulation resistance Rim of
the measured objects, which is of the order of several
hundred GOhm (50-1000)109~ the measuring direct
current is very small and of the order of the induced
disturbance current through the parasitic capacitance, and
again the measurement of the insulation resistance cannot be
done. The induced disturbing current is alternated by the
frequency of 50 (or 60) Hz, and is superimposed on the
measuring current. Now, there are two possible results:
a) The measured resistance Rins oscillates with
small superimposed oscillations around a positive medium
value; it is possible to read the measured resistance with figure 2. Measuring arrangement based on U-I principle for
visual integration; insulation resistancemeasurement.
b) The measured resistance Rins oscillates between
positive and negative values (great superimposed
oscillations) and it is impossible to read reasonable The measuring arrangement consists of:
measuring result. 1- stabilized rectifier for lo00 V DC or battery;
2- Insulation current measuring arrangementbased
on DC voltage drop AUn measurement across known
MEASURING METHODS resistance R,. The voltage drop is measured by common
purpose digital multimeter mV. The arrangement 2 is double
1. The suppression of the disturbances in the screened with two metal boxes, insulated from each other. In
measurements of PLF and capacitance measurements are the inner box is the resistance R,, the multimeter mV and
possible with methods based on optimal time lag between the capacitor C
,. All these elements are at the high voltage
measured and disturbing voltages [l], [3]. This method is potential U.
complicated and difficult to apply for on site measurement. 3- The connecting cable 3, double screened and
Because the whole method for PLF measurement is with enough length for connection to measuring object.
complicated and uses sophisticated equipment, we have
decided to use specialized commercial equipment intended The measured insulation resistance Rim is:
for on site measurement. The Laboratory for HV of the FEE U-AUn RnRi
uses measuring system from the firm Tettex type 2818/5283. Rim =
This equipment belongs to transformer type bridges and AUn R n + R i
consists of all necessary apparatus and accessories for speedy
Here Ri is the input resistance of the instrument mV. In our
on site measurement The whole measuring process is
case isU=lOOO V, Ri = 10 Ma,Rn = 5 M n . In the most
controlled by a microprocessor. The most important feature

63
cases is AUn<<V and the relation (1) can be simplified, i.e. Here y = R d and x=l/tg6 . The straight line (3) will be
the member A V , in the numerator of (1) can be neglected. drawn between measured points with the least square
technique. We replace two values for Itins:
The analysis shows that the parasitic resistances
between two boxes, in connecting cable and capacitor Cn are -
The value Rims, the insulation resistance 5
of such a value, that the error can be kept within 2%. This is minutes after switching on the measuring voltage;
enough for insulation resistance measurement. The
measuring irmgement is tested and found satisfactory by
-
The value R ~ o the. insulation resistance 60
seconds after switchingon the measuring voltage.
measuring resistance of high resistance standards.
In the fig. 3-4 there are 2 groups of measured values grouped
The measuring arrangement works very well in according to the type of the MCT that are in operation in
laboratory conditions in the absence of electromagnetic Republic of Macedonia. In table 1 and 2 are given the
disturbances. When high resistances are measured, objects
parameters from equation (3) for four such groups, the
and people are not permitted to move in the vicinity of number of items for each group, the designation of each
measuring arrangement. In such conditions it is possible to
group and the correlation factor Kk of the regression line.
measure resistances up to 3 1012 Q. The measured values in the diagram and table 1 are not
In on site measurement in the measuring reduced to the constant temperature, but shown as they are
arrangement and specially in the measured object that is measured. Both values, tg6 and Rim are measured at the
unshielded, there are induced disturbing voltages. This same time.
problem we have solved for the first time using a fine mesh
metal Screen that we placed insulated on the measuring
object and grounded. This screen had dimensions
0.8xO.Sx1.2 m. This procedure was not simple for on site
application. Later we found out a very simple and effective
mean for disturbance suppression. With the capacitor
--
Cn=(0.05 0.1) pF placed parallel to Rn, it is possible to
'integrate' the disturbing voltage, or to suppress it to a small
amplitude.

MEASURED RESULTS AND RELATION

BETWEEN THEM

The PLF tgS is an integral parameter that includes all

losses. There are two processes that produce losses: , l/tg8) for CMT Type "PE
figure 3. The dependence It,,,=f(
11B
a) -- Joule's losses because of the insulation resistance Rins ;
b) -- Polarization losses.
If we present the measured values for tg6 and Rim in a
diagram, it would be a nonlinear function. There are non
polar dielectrics where tg8 is fully determined solely by the
value of Rim and vice versa:

tg6= -
comt
ErfP
1
lE# 1 1
In a diagram the dependence Rins= f(l/tg8 ) would be a e t'
straight line. Although in paper -- oil insulation we have E 1.5 i 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
both polarization losses and Joule's losses, we shall search
the dependence between Rins and l/tgS as a straight line
(linear regression line):
figure 4. The dependence 5,= f(l/tg6) for CMT Type
y=kx+b (3 1
M U 1 10

64
Table 1: The dependence Rims = f( 1/ tg6 ) for
various types of current measuring transformers. The
Table 2: The dependence R i d 0 = f(l/ tg6 ) for
the same groups CMT as in table 1. The
From the table 1 and 2 and fig. 3-4 we draw the
following conclusions:
-- The supposed linear dependence of Rins on I/ tgS
is in a good agreement with measured values. Only for
tg6 + 00 (l/tg6 +O) the discrepancies are great. The
agreement is good enough for the region of values that are
expected in senice.
-- The dividing of measuring objects in various
groups according to type and fabrication is fully jllstifed.
There are indeed differences in technology that have an
impact on the relation between tg6 and Rins
-- The use of RindO instead of Rims is of a great
importance. The on site measurements must be carried out
in short time, because the time for measurement and helping
personnel are expensive. The use of RindO as a criterion has
advantages against the use of Rims, Also, the quality of the
measured results is not worse than the result using Rims
(see table 1 and 2 and fig. 3-4)
65
-
The criterion 'good bad' is most important in
prophylactic insulation measurement. This question has not
been fully answered yet, but nevertheless there are criteria.
For instance, in literature [l] is said that t g W . 6 is the
upper limit for PLF accepted in Switzerland for MT with
paper - oil insulation, and t g W . 8 is accepted in FR.
Germany. According to these values in table 1 and 2 the
corresponding values are computed for Rims and R i h O by
the equation (3). The criterion according to the upper limit
of tg6 is traditionally mostly used for insulation evaluation.
The only disadvantage of this criterion is the use of
expensive and sophisticated equipment. On the contrary, in
the insulation resistance measurement only inexpensive and
simple equipment is used, and the measuring process is
simple and not so time consuming. It is very useful to use
this method for prophylactic measurement for insulation
evaluation as an alternative to the method with tg6.
One can use the method with Rim instead of tgS for
the given type of CMT if the relation between Rim and tgS is
known for this type of CMT, like in fugures 3-4.
CONCLUSION
The results of on site prophylactic insulation
measurements of great number of current measuring
transformers show obvious relation between power loss
factor tg6 and insulation resistance Rim This relation can
be used for completing the criterion for insulation evaluation
if both methods are used together. Also this relation can be
used for searching an alternative criterion , with the lowest
value of Rim, which needs much simpler measurement. The
relation between both values must be found separately for
every type of Ch4T.
LITERATURE
[ 11 M.Aguet, Ph. Blech, M. Ianovici, B.Shadaeli, "Controle
de qualite des isolations haute tension dans les postes de
couplage en exploatation", Cigre session 1980,
communication No 23-02.
[2] Tettex information No 26.
[3] R. Minovski, Lj. Nikoloski, V. Jankov, "Teorijska i
eksperimentalna analiza elektrostatskih smetnji kod
merenja na terenu faktora tg6". Proceeding ofthe third
International symposium of applied electrostatics, pp.
214 - 219 Nis, Yugoslavia 1990.