4 Subject

Subject

Transformer oil
flows in his veins
Innovative failure analysis of a 220 kV transformer
with Michael Krüger

The energy generated in power plants has to be transported to consumers. To secu-

re low-loss energy transmission over long distances, the generator voltage (which
is between 6 kV and 27 kV in power plants) must be transformed to the European
voltage levels of 110 kV, 220 kV and 380 kV. This conversion is performed using gene-
rator transformers at power plants and using coupling transformers at transformer
stations. A short circuit was triggered in one of these transformers at the transformer
station in Bürs (Austria) operated by Vorarlberger Illwerke AG. Michael Krüger was
able to use OMICRON testing procedures to demonstrate that repairing this transfor-
mer would be extremely costly and definitely not a viable option. When the transfor-
mer was opened, the extent of the damage became clear.

The destructive force of martens Damage analysis

The transformer in question was used for three voltage
levels: 220 kV, 110 kV, and 10 kV. The 10 kV winding
served as a tertiary winding for covering the transform-
er station's own power requirements. Often bushings
for the 10 kV windings are attached to the cover of the
transformer tank. In the past, the busbars for the ter-
tiary windings were often not protected against direct
contact. Therefore in winter, small animals such as mar-
tens could climb onto the warm transformer tank and
trigger a short circuit between two bars or between
one bar and the tank. This is exactly what happened to
the damaged transformer. The protective relays detect-
ed the short circuit and the circuit breakers shut down
the transformer correctly in about 100 ms. However, a
short-circuit current of 54 kA flowed through the 10 kV
winding for a brief period.
To clarify the extent of the malfunction, OMICRON was
commissioned by Vorarlberger Illwerke to perform
diagnostic measurements on the transformer. The
objective here was to determine whether it would be
possible to repair the system. The resistance measure-
ments of the various insulations showed that the 10 kV
windings, which are connected in a delta configura-
tion, were shorting to both the core and the tank.
In addition to the insulation resistance measurements,
the no-load currents of all phases were measured. The
no-load current of the U phase immediately stood out
here, since it was around 34 times higher than that of
the V and W phases. This indicated a short circuit in
one of the windings of the U phase. The measurement
of the transformer ratios between the high-voltage

Magazine | Volume 3 Issue 2 2012

 Subject 5

windings and the tertiary windings indicated a devia-

tion of -24% for the U phase, which meant that the
measured voltage on the tertiary winding was 24%
too low. This low voltage indicated that parts of the
winding had been rendered ineffective by the high
short-circuit current and were therefore shorted or
burnt. A test of the transfer function, performed using
a frequency response analysis (FRA), confirmed this
assumption. The damage had therefore been localized,
although it had not been determined precisely.

Precise analysis using an innovative process

To gain a more accurate analysis of the damage, a new
kind of testing procedure was used. This involved tak-
ing frequency-dependent measurements of the short-
circuit impedances, an approach first described in 2001
by Hydro Québec, a Canadian electricity company. It
involves short-circuiting one side of the transformer,
e.g. the tertiary winding, and then measuring the source which is capable of supplying the necessary The diagnostic
measurement results
short-circuit impedance from the other side, e.g. the voltage over a wide frequency range. In addition
led the operators to
high-voltage winding. This concept itself is noth- to this, special testing equipment is needed for the the decision to scrap
ing new, although one new aspect of it was that the measurement of complex impedances. OMICRON's the transformer.

measurement was not taken at the usual frequency of CPC 100 is ideally suited for this, since its power
50/60 Hz, but rather over a broad frequency range. The
curves for the three phases were then compared with
one another. Another new aspect of it was that the
impedance was broken down into effective resistance
(real part) and reactance (imaginary part) for the evalu-
ation. To do this, it is necessary not only for the imped-
ance value to be determined from the voltage and CPC 100:  Universal
testing device for
current, but also for the angles to be measured with
electrical diagnostics.
high accuracy. This measurement requires a powerful

Magazine | Volume 3 Issue 2 2012

6 Subject

«When the transformer was opened, it

became clear that the assumptions made
based on the results of the diagnostic tests
were correct—and the extent of the dama-
ge was immediately apparent.»

Johannes Berthold
Director of the Bürs transformer station
operated by Vorarlberger Illwerken. Conductor damaged by a short circuit.

B
amplifier is capable of generating frequencies from 15 Hz to
HV winding
400 Hz and its measuring electronics are not only capable of
induced measuring voltages and currents with complete accuracy, but
currents are
compensated also the accompanying phase angles. As such, this compact
testing device includes all the functions necessary for the new

LV winding
measuring process.

The FRSL method

The real part of the short circuit impedance is highly fre-
quency-dependent. At low frequencies of just a few Hz, the
The use of drill conductors allows induced circular currents and the losses real part is determined by the winding resistances. At high
associated with them to be avoided.
frequencies, however, the losses in the gaps between the
windings also play an important role. This is also the reason
B why this measurement is used when strands of windings con-
HV winding
nected in parallel are suspected of shorting to one another.
additional These strands are normally insulated from one another to
losses
by induced prevent circular currents. However, if this insulation fails, high
currents circular currents can occur which in the worst-case-scenario
are capable of destroying a transformer.
LV winding

Since this measurement method evaluates the losses in the

When a short circuit occurs between the parallel conductors, this leads to
losses caused by induced circular currents. However, the transformer ratio
and the winding resistance remain constant. It is not possible to detect a
fault of this nature either through ratio or resistance measurements.
gap, it is referred to as the Frequency Response of Stray
Losses (FRSL) method. In addition to this, the frequency
response of the short-circuit impedance's reactance was also
measured. The plot of the short-circuit inductance relative
to frequency raised a number of questions. The value of the
U phase was completely different from the measurements of

Magazine | Volume 3 Issue 2 2012

 Subject 7

0.10 U
V
«Our knowledge and W
0.09
experience are always

Inductivity in H
available to our customers.» 0.08

0.07

0.06
0 100 200 300 400

Frequency in Hz

Dr. Michael Krüger The short-circuit inductance changes based on the frequency.

the V and W phases at low frequencies. On the other
hand, at high frequencies the impedance values of all
phases were almost identical.
A curve of this nature indicates the following issue: The
turns of the tertiary winding of the U phase are broken
and in contact with various sections of the core. As
such, when measuring the short-circuit impedance the
test current must flow via the core. At low frequencies,
the entire cross section of the core is available for this,
which in turn leads to an increased inductance value.
However, at higher frequencies the skin effect forces
the magnetic flux toward the surface of the iron core.
This explains why the short circuit inductance is similar
to that of the undamaged V and W phases.
Partnership with bright future
Vorarlberger Illwerke were very happy with the ac-
curate results of the diagnostic measurements. The
measurement procedures allow the extent of damage
in defective transformers to be assessed accurately.
Vorarlberger Illwerke are sure of one thing: They will
definitely continue to rely on OMICRON's knowledge
and experience in the future.
Dr. Michael Krüger
Head of Engineering Services
Test & Diagnostics Solutions for Primary Assets

Clear results: Repairs not recommended

Based on the available data, Michael Krüger, head
of the Engineering Services Primary Testing depart-
Vorarlberger Illwerke AG
ment at OMICRON, ruled out an easy and affordable
repair. "The diagnostic measurements performed by The company was founded in 1924, since
OMICRON using a completely new measurement pro- which time it has been supplying peak load
cedure proved extremely helpful. Due to the age of the and control energy to cover the requirements
transformer and the costs associated with transport- that occur in day-to-day operations. The
ing it to the manufacturer's facility, we decided not to company's headquarters is located in the
repair it," comments Johannes Berthold. Austrian town of Bregenz.

Magazine | Volume 3 Issue 2 2012