On-Line DGA Monitor Application
Emilio Morales Cruz / Qualitrol Company LLC
Abstract
Transformers are a critical part of an
electrical utility's asset base. Loss of a
transformer due to an unexpected failure in
a utility, generation plant or process can cost
many millions of dollars, depending on the
failure consequences and how long it is out-
of-service.
Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) is a method to
diagnose incipient faults of transformers
through the correlation between the content,
quantity and rate of production of gases
dissolved in transformer oil and a particular
malfunction. Extensive historical data
collected by laboratory analysis over the
years, allows for accurate result
interpretation. Today, the method is
increasingly complemented by on-line
monitoring of transformers.
Introduction
On-line monitoring systems have a special
role in preventing failure of major assets of
the electrical system. They are a useful tool
to help operators to manage their assets
and not only make decisions on continuing
operation, maintenance or replacement, but
also to avoid catastrophic and possible fatal
accidents.
DGA is the heart of on-line monitoring as it
is a well-established method of transformer
diagnosis for timely potential thermal or
electrical faults detection, especially in the
context of the ageing worldwide transformer
fleet. DGA provides a low cost solution for
maximizing transformer life and minimizing
unexpected failures.
Current transformer preventive maintenance
programs and operation practices provide
excellent results, keeping the failure rate of
transformers at a very low level and
resulting in long transformer operating life.
These maintenance programs and operation
practices will not alone address the reliability
concerns of aging transformers. The
implementation of on-line DGA in
transformers has been technically proven to
identify incipient failures and provide
adequate time to respond before a
functional failure occurs.
Beyond the risk of failure, there is a need to
consider preventive replacement of older
transformers. Unfortunately there is not a
clearly identifiable age at which transformer
retirement should take place. The
retirement of older transformers will improve
overall fleet reliability and reduce failure risk,
yet it comes with a significant capital cost.
Experience has shown that DGA can detect
and warn you of about 70% of the most
common failures in power transformers¹.
The failures not being detected by DGA
relate to defects and contamination of
bushing porcelain, oil contamination,
moisture, LTC mechanical problems,
loosening of windings and core clamping,
and tank corrosion. Most of the DGA
knowledge built up over the last 40 years
has been based on mineral oil/paper
insulation systems in transformers and other
static equipment such as bushings and
instrument transformers. In these types of
equipment, the causes and mechanisms of
gassing have been established and the
diagnosis of faults is well documented. The
behavior of evolving gases and their critical
values have been published in the IEEE²
and IEC³ standards.
On-line DGA monitoring reduces the overall
risk of transformer failure even when all
modes of failure and recommended
maintenance practices are included.
Frequent DGA monitoring allows the user to
extract nearly all of the operating life from a
transformer without having to experience a
failure under normal conditions. On-line
DGA monitoring therefore also helps to
avoid catastrophic failures.
Core DGA technologies
The core DGA technologies available on the
market today can be divided into three
primary groups: Composite combustible gas,
single gas, and multi gas.
Composite Combustible Gas
Composite Combustible Gas systems utilize
a membrane and the theory that a molecule
of gas is smaller than a molecule of
transformer oil. Only molecules of a certain
size may pass through the gas extraction
membrane. The method consists of passing
the transformer oil over a special membrane
that hydrogen and other combustible gasses
(CO, C2H2, and C2H4) can permeate. The
gasses then pass into a cell where they are
chemically burned in what is essentially a
fuel cell to create an electric current. The
current generated is measured and is
proportional to the gas content in oil.
Composite combustible gas monitors
typically don’t measure the hydrogen
accurately. They respond to gases other
than H2, some of which exist at much higher
levels and also naturally increase or
decrease ppm levels in a healthy
transformer operating under normal
conditions. Monitors with composite gas
sensors are more likely to produce false gas
level alarms than a monitor that is specific
for H2.
Single Gas Monitors
Gas Extraction
Dissolved hydrogen is continuously
extracted by a specially designed probe
made of PTFE capillary tubes. Hydrogen
diffuses in the capillary tubes to form a gas
sample inside the probe. Any change of H2
concentration in the oil, either increase or
decrease, modifies the equilibrium in the
probe. Hydrogen concentration is measured
using a specially designed detector.
Palladium-nickel (Pd Ni) catalyst
Solid-state Palladium-nickel sensors have
an advantage over alternate technology
hydrogen sensors in that they operate while
immersed in the transformer’s oil. There is
no requirement to extract the gas from the
oil. Palladium-nickel sensors utilize a
catalyst that allows hydrogen to adsorb on
the surface and within its lattice. As more
hydrogen is adsorbed, the sensor’s
resistivity changes signaling a higher
concentration of hydrogen. Electronics
connected to the sensor convert the change
into a hydrogen ppm level. Single gas, Pd Ni
technology, is quite simple, very accurate,
basically maintenance free, cost effective
and is sensitive to Hydrogen only.
Multi Gas
Photo Acoustic Spectroscopy⁴
PAS requires the dissolved gasses to be
removed from the transformer’s oil through
the use of a gas extractor or PTFE capillary
tubes as discussed above. An extracted gas
sample is drawn into the measurement
chamber and the chamber is sealed by
valves. Infrared energy from the IR-source
passes through a chopper and optical filter
into the chamber. The gas sample absorbs
the IR energy causing it to expand. The
system’s chopper wheel blocks the IR
energy, allowing the gas sample to cool and
contract. This rapid expansion and
contraction generates an acoustic wave
which is measured by the microphones.
The microphone signal, proportional to the
gas concentration, is post processed and
the gas concentration calculated. The
typical PAS system utilizes seven filters,
each allow a very specific wavelength of IR
energy to reach the gas sample. The
specific wavelengths allow identification of gas, commonly helium or argon, which acts
gasses: as carrier. The gas stream is passed
through the packed column, through which
1. Carbon monoxide
2. Carbon dioxide the individual gas components of the sample
3. Methane move at velocities that are influenced by the
4. Ethylene degree of interaction of each constituent
5. Ethane + Ethylene + Acetylene with the stationary nonvolatile phase. The
6. Acetylene + Carbon Dioxide gases having the greater interaction with the
7. A seventh filter measures water. stationary phase are retarded to a greater
Water interferes with several of the
extent and consequently separate from
gases and must be compensated for
accurate measurement. those with smaller interaction. As the
individual gas components elute from the
column they are quantified by a detector.

Fig. 2 Laboratory Grade Gas

Chromatography Method⁵

Single Gas vs. Multi Gas

Fig. 1 Principle of photo acoustic⁴
Hydrogen is formed in abundance during
Gas Chromatography⁵
almost all incipient fault situations that occur
Gas Chromatography (GC) is a technique in a transformer. Other generated gases
for separating chemical substances that primarily depend on the type and
relies on differences in partitioning behavior temperature range of the fault.
between a flowing mobile phase and a
stationary phase to separate the
components in a mixture. The sample is
carried by a moving gas stream through a
tube packed with a finely divided solid or
may be coated with a film of a liquid. The
method consists of, first, introducing the
sample gas mixture into a stream of an inert

Taken from IEEE and IEC Codes to Interpret Incipient
Faults in Transformers, Using Gas in Oil Analysis, by
R.R. Rogers
Fig. 3 Hydrogen is produced in almost all
fault conditions
Hydrogen as a single Gas DGA will alert the
end user that there is an incipient fault
occurring within the transformer which
requires attention. However, Hydrogen as a
single gas does not allow analysis of the
fault type. Complete diagnosis of the fault
requires analysis of multiple gases. An oil
sample can then be drawn and sent to a
certified laboratory for complete and
comprehensive analysis.
Multi-Gas DGA monitors measure multiple
dissolved gasses in transformer oil. The
measured gas levels can be used to provide
an alarm if they reach a user specified
concentration and used to diagnose the
specific fault that created formation of the
gasses. Multi Gas DGA technology is
individually sensitive to various gases. It is
also very accurate. Once there is an alarm,
an oil sample is frequently drawn and sent to
a certified laboratory for confirmation.
Application
The recommendation of CIGRE⁶ is to install
hydrogen monitors on healthy transformers,
and multi gas monitors on critical or already
gassing transformers.
On-line hydrogen monitors are useful for
detecting rapidly and slowly developing
faults. Hydrogen concentration varies
significantly even among healthy
transformers. Until a baseline hydrogen level
for your healthy transformer is known, it is
recommended to rely on a rate of change
alarm, and set the hydrogen concentration
level (ppm) alarm above the current
measured hydrogen level to eliminate trigger
of a false alarm. This will provide early
protection against rapidly developing faults
(rapid rate of change increase) as well as
protection against slowly developing faults
that cause the hydrogen to slowly climb to
alarm thresholds. IEEE² and IEC³ standards
can be used to select relevant and proper
rate of change and concentration level alarm
values.
An approach could be to install on-line
hydrogen monitors on new or healthy
transformers. When an alarm actuates, a
sample can be drawn and sent to a
laboratory for a complete DGA analysis.
Once there is a confirmation of an incipient
fault, a decision can be made about the
course of action to take. One action could be
to install a multi gas monitor to keep the
transformer under close surveillance. This
process will help avoid a failure until the
transformer is fixed or replaced.
Gas monitor application considerations
Single gas monitors cost a fraction of the
average cost of multi gas monitors. In
addition to the basic cost of gas monitors,
other costs associated with their installation
and operation in service should be taken
into consideration for their application, e.g.:
retrofitting them on transformers, data
communication infrastructure, personnel
required for analyzing data and evaluating
the condition of monitored transformers, and
maintenance and repair of the monitor. ⁶.
Conclusion:
If the application of a DGA monitor is to
have a warning of an internal incipient fault
in the transformer, a solution is to install
maintenance free hydrogen monitors on
noncritical new or healthy transformers.
Critical or non-healthy transformers can be
monitored more effectively with multi gas
monitors. Note that multiple single gas H2
monitors can be deployed on multiple
transformers for the same price as one multi
gas monitor installed on a single
transformer.
industry. He has over 30 years of
experience in design which includes
transformers up to 500 MVA and 500 kV as
well as furnace and rectifier transformers
and different type of reactors. He is member
of the IEEE/PES Transformer Committee,
IEC TC 14 USNC Technical Advisory Group
(TAG) and CIGRE, and actively participating
in different task forces. He previously
worked with GE-Prolec, Ohio Transformer,
Sunbelt Transformer and EFACEC Power
Transformers. He may be reached at 1385
Fairport Rd., Fairport, NY 14450, USA or at
emorales@qualitrolcorp.com

References:

[1] CIGRE Technical Brochure 227 “Life

management techniques for power
transformers. June 2003.

[2] (IEEE C57.104-2008. IEEE Guide for the

Interpretation of Gases Generated in Oil-
Immersed transformers.

[3] IEC 60599-2007. Mineral oil-impregnated

electrical equipment in service – Guide to
the interpretation of dissolved and free
gases analysis.

[4] Light and sound – photoacoustic

spectroscopy. C Haisch and R. Niessner.
Spectroscopy Europe 2002

[5] Gas Chromatography. Linde AG.

Retrieved 14 March 2013

[6] CIGRE Technical Brochure # 409

“Report on Gas Monitors for Oil-Filled
Electrical Equipment” 2010.

About the author

Emilio attended Nuevo Leon State

University in Mexico from 1975 to 1979,
receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in
Electro Mechanical Engineering in 1980.
Emilio has spent his entire career in design
in the power transformer manufacturing