Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on A-10

Properties and Applications of Dielectric Materials

July 19-23, 2009, Harbin, China

POWER TRANSFORMER COOLING SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION

Indera ARIFIANTO1*, Bambang CAHYONO2

1 PT. PLN P3B Jawa – Bali, West Java Region,
Bandung, INDONESIA
2 PT. PLN P3B Jawa – Bali, Headquarter,
Jakarta, INDONESIA
*E-mail: indera@pln-jawa-bali.co.id

Abstract: Transformer is the most important and with cellulose condition.

critical equipment in Transmission Line Grid.
Maintaining power system reliability can be done by The increasing of CO concentration is the early
maintaining transformer in its normal ageing. indication of this phenomenon. Based on CIGRE ratio
Transformers are designed according to its operation method, ratio CO2/CO higher than 10 indicates thermal
environment. As the result of global warming, cellulose degradation.
maximum hotspot winding temperature of the
transformer will exceed its normal ageing limit. In order to be able to maintain the dielectric temperature
Thermal monitoring is one of methods performed by within safe working range by means of cooling system
PLN P3B Jawa - Bali to acquire thermal characteristic operation, transformer thermal characteristic should be
of power transformer. It is used to recognize whether met the standard operational condition.
transformer is in normal condition or tend to exceed its
maximum temperature limit, especially at its nominal TRANSFORMER THERMAL CHARACTERISTIC
load. Once its limit is exceeded, external cooling
optimization must be carried out to sustain transformer Parameters for thermal design aspect on power
normal ageing. The optimization is performed with transformer are:
existing cooling system. It have been carried out at PLN 1. Ambient temperature
P3B Jawa - Bali inter bus transformer 500/150 kV 500 2. Top oil temperature rise
MVA. (top oil temperature – ambient temperature)
3. Average winding rise
Keywords: Cooling system, aging rate, thermal, (mean winding – ambient temperature)
transformer lifetime 4. Hot spot rise
(hot spot – ambient temperature)
INTRODUCTION 5. Winding gradient
(mean winding temperature–mean oil temperature)
Nowadays, electricity demand in Indonesia increased 6. Hot spot factor
significantly especially during PLN vision that in 2020 (hot spot gradient / average winding gradient)
all Indonesia region will be supplied. Up to now, PLN is
faced investment limitation of new high voltage Hf x gradient
equipment that will cause the utilization of our asset, in core
particular transformers, becomes higher and will work
at its maximum capacity. In order to fulfill consumer’s cooler
demand in high quality electrical power, the existing Gradient
equipment has to be optimally utilized. To this purpose winding
an appropriate operation and maintenance strategy
should be applied.

Based on PLN’s FMECA results, dielectric is one of the

Hot spot
Bottom oil

Mean oil

Top oil

critical sub-systems. Thermal stress is recognized as one

that caused the transformer failures in PLN P3B Jawa -
Bali. The heat transfer process and the characteristic of
cooling system are the point of interests. Any peculiar
heat generation is often considered as an early sign of
transformer’s thermal aspect. Dielectric subsystem
performance is influenced by its operating temperature.
Higher operation temperature would drive cellulose
degradation and also would accelerate aging rate of the
transformer, since transformer age is more correlating
Figure 1. Temperature rise identification
Aging factor of the transformer is mainly determined by
hot spot (hottest temperature) in the cellulose. IEC
recommends absolute hot spot temperature not more
than 98°C. 6°C deviations on the hot spot will double
the aging rate, as shown at table follows:

978-1-4244-4368-0/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE 57

 phase S
Hot Spot Temperature (oC) Aging Rate Fan ON
Fan OFF Fan ON
95
92 0.50
90
94 0.63
85
96 0.79

Temperature
98 1.00 80 Winding
Oil
100 1.25 75 Load

102 1.58 70
104 2.00
65
106 2.51
60
108 3.17

18 0
19 0
20 0
21 0
22 0
23 0
0: 0

11 0
12 0
13 0
14 0
15 0
16 0
17 0
0
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0

:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
110 4.00

17

10
% Load
Table 1. Insulation aging rate
Figure 3. Phase S daily thermal characteristic
THERMAL MONITORING ON TRANSFORMER
500/150 KV 500 MVA phase T

95

The transformer being monitored is a single phase - 90

Fan ON

Inter Bus Transformer (IBT) 500/150 kV 500 MVA. It 85

was manufactured in 1993 and operated in 1994.

Temperature
80 Winding
Oil

Average daily load for this transformer is about 80%. 75 Load

This load caused the top oil temperature monitored 70

would reached its guaranteed value (oil temperature rise 65

+ ambient temperature = 80°C) although winding hot 60

spot temperature monitored still below 98°C.

18 0
19 0
20 0
21 0
22 0
23 0
0: 0

11 0
12 0
13 0
14 0
15 0
16 0
17 0
0
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00

10 0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0

:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
0
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
17

% Load

Maximum winding temperature is reached 95°C when Figure 4. Phase T daily thermal characteristic
load 90% it’s nominal. High winding and oil
temperature is caused by high cooling system setting. TEST RESULTS

Existing transformer cooling system setting is shown Dissolved Gasses Analysis (DGA)
below:
On Off IBT 2 IBT 2
Gases R S T Gases R S T
Fan 90°C 80°C CO 1289 167 1145 CO 684 69 708
Oil Pump CO2 9395 2709 7563 CO2 7256 2153 6405
95°C 82°C Ratio 7,29 6,61 Ratio 10,61 9,05

IBT 2 IBT 2
Daily load and temperature of transformer is shown Gases R S T Gases R S T
below: CO
CO2
970
10657
126
3623
1102
9579
CO
CO2
385
6732
63
4561
443
5983
Ratio 10,99 8,69 Ratio 17,49 13,51
phase R
Pump ON Pump OFF
IBT 2 IBT 2
100
Gases R S T Gases R S T
95 Fan ON CO 530 104 898 CO 510 88 440
CO2 9336 3267 8603 CO2 3998 2766 3539
90 Ratio 17,61509 9,580178 Ratio 7,84 8,04
85 Table 2. CO & CO2 concentration
Temperature

Winding
80 Oil
Load
75 Based on periodic DGA test results, it is indicated that
70 CO concentration is exceed normal value for
65 transformer phase R and phase T. Ratio CO2 and CO
60 also confirms that cellulose insulation deteriorated much
more due to thermal stress.
11 0
12 0
13 0
14 0
15 0
16 0
17 0
0
18 0
19 0
20 0
21 0
22 0
23 0
0
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00

10 0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0
:0

0
0:
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
17

% Load

Figure 2. Phase R daily thermal characteristic On one hand, based on CO concentration of transformer
phase S, we may see that the cellulose insulation has not
deteriorated yet. Hence, fan operation would have
effective enough decreasing temperature.

58
On the other hand, CO concentration of transformer On
phase R and T has indicated cellulose deterioration. On Setting Resetting
phase R, high ratio of CO2 and CO would cause fan Fan 90°C 70°C
operation has not effective yet decreasing temperature. Oil Pump 95°C 80°C
The temperature still increase until reach the pump Table 4. Cooling system resetting
operation setting and then it start to decrease.
Thermal characteristic
Ratio of CO2 and CO on phase T lower than phase R,
100
fan operation would decrease temperature but we may
80
see that the derivation of the temperature is not as good % Beban
60
as phase S. Setting

40 Resetting
Delta
20
Furan Test
0

17

19

21

23

11

13

15

17
Kandungan
NO TRAFO 2 – Furfural (2FAL) Comment
Ppb
Figure 6. Thermal characteristic after resetting
End of expected life
1 IBT 2 R 6477 Estimated percentage of remaining life 6 %
Overheating caused high concentration 2FAL
Normal Ageing rate Based on thermal characteristic on Fig. 6, transformer
2 IBT 2 S <10
Estimated percentage of remaining life 100 %
End of expected life
temperature has decreased in average 20°C.
3 IBT 2 T 5494 Estimated percentage of remaining life 13 %
Overheating caused high concentration 2FAL
Above figure was made from data taken from 2 IBT
Table 3. Furan test – lifetime estimation
works in parallel, so the data compared is in the same
percentage load. 1 IBT still use existing cooling setting
This test is done to obtain the level of cellulose
(setting), while the other used the new one (resetting).
degradation by estimating the lifetime, based on
previous DGA result. It confirm that phase R has the
CONCLUSION
worst cellulose degradation condition. Its estimated life
time only 6% means that the cellulose would be more
High temperature operation would accelerate
susceptible to mechanical and electrical force, much
transformer aging rate, since it would deteriorate the
more
cellulose condition.
9000 120
The transformer is designed for 30 years normal
8000
100 operation. In normal aging rate, this transformer should
7000
have calculated percentage of remaining life about 53%
6000 80
in 2008. Estimated percentage of remaining life
2F A P (p p b )

5000 Phase R Phase R

decreased rapidly due to indication of thermal stress.
% lif e

Phase S 60 Phase S
4000 Phase T Phase T

3000 40

2000
Resetting the transformer cooling system would
1000
20 minimize thermal stress. Hence, it is expected to
0 0
prolong the transformer lifetime.
Oct-07 Dec-07 Feb-08 Oct-07 Dec-07 Feb-08

Figure 5. Furan periodical test results REFERENCES

Periodic test results shows only phase R and phase T [1] S.D.Myers, “A Guide to Transformer Maintenance”,
indicates cellulose deteriorated, by increment of 2FAL 1981.
concentration. Hence, the estimated percentage of [2] Dugan, Roger C, “Electrical Power Systems
remaining life would decrease as shown on Fig. 5. Quality“, Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2002.
[3] CIGRÉ working group WG a2.18, “Life
TRANSFORMER OPERATION CONSIDERATION Management techniques for transformer”, January
2003.
PLN’s management policy state that the transformer [4] IEC 60599, “Mineral oil-impregnated electrical
should still operates because of the load demand and equipment in service - Guide to the interpretation of
since we don’t have any suitable spare. Hence, PLN dissolved and free gases analysis”, 1999.
decide to operate this transformer by reducing thermal [5] IEC 60354, “Loading guide for oil-immersed power
stress. We hope it can prolong the transformer life time. transformer”, 1991.
To implement it, we decide to optimize the transformer
external cooling system by resetting it.

59