METALS TESTING

Northern Technology & Testing began metals testing in-house in

1997. Metals testing is used to provide vital information about
METALS transformer operation and in locating potential fault sites within
the transformer. Not only can the method provide information
HOME needed to pin-point fault locations but it can also detect excessive
wear in oil circulation pumps. We routinely analyze for seven
metals: iron, copper, aluminum, lead, silver, tin and zinc.
Analysis for other metals can be done on request.

NTT has recently introduced state-of-the-art equipment to

analyze your insulating fluids for metals at low concentration
levels. As a result, significant price reductions are now available.
As always, we provide rapid turnaround with NTT’s well-
established QA/QC program.

AA Spectroscopy
High energy faults can generate metal particles, which are then
dispersed in the oil. Identifying the types of metal particles and
their concentrations by atomic absorption (AA) provides answers
that help localize the fault within the tank.

Several methods exist for determining low concentrations of

metals present in a liquid matrix such as transformer oil. Among
them include electromechanical, nuclear-activation analysis, X-
ray fluorescence, emission spectrometry, and atomic absorption
spectroscopy (AA).

AA analysis depends on the selective absorption of discrete

frequencies in the radiation spectrum by free metal atoms.
During the analysis, an oil sample is burned, and the metals are
turned into free metal atoms by this high-temperature
incineration. During incineration, the instantaneous intensity of
the radiation spectrum is measured and compared against
standards to determine the presence and concentration of any free
metal atoms. The most practical way to do this is to burn the oil
sample in a high-temperature graphite furnace. The advantages
of this method are that the oil sample can be placed directly in a
disposable graphite sample tube and burned in the tube without
any further preparation and, more importantly, the detection
levels of this method are better able to determine lower
concentrations of metals. Another, less suitable method is to
dilute the oil with hexane and then burn it.
 Detection Limits
Metals analysis by AA spectroscopy with a graphite furnace:
Aluminum 0.3 ppb
Copper 0.01
Iron 0.1
Lead 0.01
Silver 0.01
Tin 5
Zinc 0.01

Metals and their possible sources in transformers

Aluminum Windings, corona shields, ceramic bushings

Copper Windings, bronze & brass components
Iron Core and tank
Lead Solder joints
Lead, Tin, Silver, Connectors, lugs, bolts and peripheral
Zinc components

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