Authors: Supervisor:

Sanad Mehyar 20190158 Eng. Jumana Abu Hamad

Kareem Farwagi 20190078

Waed albarghouthi 20170605

18 November 2023
 Abstract
This paper will introduce transformers and insulators and discuss how they might be utilized in
tests. Transformers and insulators, in their various types and properties, play a signi cant part in the
world of electricity. Four experiments were conducted, with the rst and the second focusing on the
tests of transformers with particular insulations and the last two are focused on insulators tests in
general. These tests were conducted at the National electricity company of Jordan NEPCO in its
electric training center.

Table of content :

1 INTRODUCTION 3
2 PROCEDURE AND METHOD 5
2.1 EXP 1: Breakdown voltage test for transformer insulating oil. 5
2.2 EXP 2: Insulation resistance test. 7
2.3 EXP3: Air dielectric test by spark gap. 9
2.4 EXP 4: voltage distribution in series insulators. 11
3 RESULTS 12
3.1 results for EXP 1: Breakdown voltage test for transformer insulating oil. 12
3.2 Results for EXP 2: Insulation resistance test. 12
3.3 Results for EXP3: Air dielectric test by spark gap. 13
4 discussion 14
5 Conclusion 15
6 References : 16
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 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Objectives:
• To be familiar with the di erent surfaces (Flat head, hemisphere and pointed head) that will be
used for air dielectric test by spark gap, and to nd the rela onship between the surface shape and
its area with the breakdown voltage of air dielectric.

• To nd the percentage of the voltage distribu on on di erent insulators (VDR = V/Vgn *100%).

• To be familiar with transformers and voltages are used in Jordan for both step up and step-down
transformers. Also, to know how they could be used in di erent insula ng tests and to classify the
results based on the tables will be introduced in this report.

• To know what IEC with its di erent categories and their classi ca ons is.

1.2 Theory:
During our visit to NEPCO, several experiments have been conducted using a wide variety of power
systems components, and to make clear conclusions from the results taken from these experiments, a
theore cal overview would facilitate the understanding and analysis of the results.
The rst experiment consisted of two parts; both were targe ng to test the level of insula on. The
rst part was intended to test the insula on level for power transformers. These types of transformers
which are considered an irreplaceable piece in any power system, either in its genera on, transmission, or
distribu on stage. The main func on of power transformers is the transfer of electrical energy between
di erent voltage levels, in addi on to much more key aspects that will be men oned below. One of the
most bene cial func onali es power transformers provide is their ability to change voltage levels, where
depending on the turns ra o or the number of windings in the primary and secondary windings, voltage is
transferred from a certain level to another. Also, beside voltage transforma on, power transformers are
able to perform impedance transforma on. This can be done by matching the source impedance with that
of the load, thus providing an e cient energy transfer. Regarding the safety part, power transformers o er
an isola on characteris c between the primary and secondary windings; this will prevent the direct
electrical contact between di erent parts of the system, thus minimizing the risk of electric shock.
Given the mul tude of bene ts that power transformers bring to electrical systems, ranging from
voltage transforma on to impedance matching and electrical isola on, it becomes impera ve to rigorously
assess and test their insula on levels, ensuring the reliability and safety of these crucial components in the
energy transmission and distribu on infrastructure. Therefore, to test the electrical insula on for power
transformers, there are numerous of advantages that will ensure the con nued and e cient opera ons of
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 power transformers. One of the advantages of tes ng the electrical insula on for these crucial devices,
which is considered the most important one, is the preven on of electric failures, which can signi cantly aid
in iden fying any weaknesses and deteriora ons in the insula on system, leading to unknown future
problems. In addi on, when tes ng a power transformer for its electrical insula on, reliability level is
ensured, thus checking that the transformer can withstand the stresses and voltage levels during normal
opera on. Also, this procedure can extremely extend the transformer lifespan by preven ng aging. Last but
not least, it is quite vital to ensure that regulatory standards are met, as o en electrical equipment are
subjected to several standards that must be implemented on all electrical devices.
The second part of the rst experiment was targe ng the test for both air and oil insula on of
power transformers. This procedure will have its bene ts on the performance of the transformer, and the
reliability and safety of the power system as a whole. Tes ng air and oil insula on is a clear assessment for
the dielectric strength, as performing air insula on test can help reduce the percentage of ashovers
occurrence, so the test is performed to make sure that the air gap of the transformer can withstand the
electric stress. Regarding the dielectric strength of oil, it is used to iden fy any contaminants or impuri es
that compromise its insula ng proper es. Another advantage for implemen ng the oil and air insula on
test, is to prevent insula on breakdowns, and this can be advantageous for detec ng reduced insula on
resistance and poten al breakdowns in the case of air insula on test, while on the other hand, the oil
insula on test can inves gate the purity of the oil, checking the presence of any contaminants that could
help in arising such breakdowns.
The second experiment involves the implementa on of several tests that are applied on the high-
voltage scope of the power system, to ensure the protec on of electrical equipment along the genera on,
transmission, and distribu on stages. The experiment has also included two parts, in a similar manner to
the rst experiment, in which di erent HV aspects were examined. In the rst part, voltage gradient on
insulator strings was targeted, by measuring the voltage level a er raising the number of insulators used,
and calcula ng the voltage drop in each case. The insulator strings are considered a vital component in the
high-voltage transmission lines for a set of advantages which include, their ability to provide the necessary
electrical insula on between the high-voltage conductors and the suppor ng structures; this is done by
preven ng any short-circuit currents to pass from the conductors to the grounded structures. Talking about
currents, insulator strings work on limi ng the passing leakage current which can lead to power losses along
the line, hence compromising the e ciency. It is known that high-voltage transmission lines carry high
amounts of voltages over extremely long distances, so it is signi cantly crucial to withstand these high
voltages, a func on that insulator strings can perform in a safe manner. Other advantages for insulator
strings include the physical support provided to the conductors, reducing stress on conductors, preven ng
contamina on, enhancing system reliability, and facilita ng the maintenance procedures.
To dive deep into this part of the experiment, it is quite important to clarify the importance of
tes ng the voltage gradient on insulator strings. Experimen ng such details will de nitely have its bene ts
re ected on the high-voltage transmission line. Mainly, tes ng the voltage gradient on insulator strings
helps op mize the design of insulators for high-voltage applica ons. It allows engineers to determine the
most e ec ve con gura ons and materials to ensure reliable electrical insula on. Second, it works on
preven ng electrical breakdowns, in other words, it detects condi ons in which voltage could become non-
uniform, poten ally leading to par al discharges that will have its impact on the grid stability. Moreover, an
experiment of this type will aid power system planners in the design and planning steps to help them
understand the performance nature of insulators under di erent condi ons, which will allow more
informed decisions of system con gura ons, voltages, and overall system architecture to be taken.
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2 PROCEDURE AND METHOD

For transformers tests experiments one and two were conducted.

2.1 EXP 1: Breakdown voltage test for transformer

insulating oil.

Figure (1) Breakdown voltage test for

transformer insulating oil

Based on the IEC the gap distance must be 2.5 mm:

1- In this test Oil was used. The voltage was increased till the Breakdown
occurred.

2- According to the IEC the value of breakdown voltage must be recorded six
times using the the device in gure (1).

3- Calculating the average of the six readings.

4- Based on the transformer’s oil will be used, there is a speci c category and
according to that category it must achieve the least breakdown value. The
following tables shows more details for these categories and their classi cations.
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- Interpretation of test results according to IEC 60422:

Table (1) IEC 60422 categories and their classi cations.

Based on the breakdown voltage value the category is classi ed.

Key:

Table (2): Categories key based on different voltages.

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2.2 EXP 2: Insulation resistance test.
1-The following gures shows the components were used in this experiment:

Figure (2) Transformer with high and low voltage

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 Figure (3) High voltage insulation tester

As it is shown above there are high and low voltage in the transformer, the
connections were done based on the required in the table.

2- The insulation measurement device was used to measure the resistance value
by applying a voltage on the device then a current was read and gave the value of
the resistor. The time required was set by this device. The values of dielectric
absorption ratio (DAR) and polarization index (PI) were found as follows:
Both DAR and PI will be classi ed based on the following tables:

Dielectric absorption ratio (DAR):

Value of DAR Transformer isolation condition

Less than 1 Dangerous

1-1.25 Not enough

1.25-1.6 Good

Greater than 1.6 Excellent

Table (3) DAR classi cation.

Polarization index (PI):

PI value Transformer isolation condition

Less than 1 Dangerous

1-1.1 Weak

1.1-1.25 Doubted

1.25-2 Accepted

Greater than 2 Good

Table (4) PI classi cation

2.3 EXP3: Air dielectric test by spark gap.

Different surfaces were utilized in this test: Hemisphere, at head and pointed
head:

Figure (4) Hemisphere

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 Figure (5) Flat head Figure (6) pointed head

Figure (7) Testing transformer Figure (8) Control box

 1. These are the main elements used in the circuit that was conducted in order to perform this
experiment .
2. Di erent distances were applied between each two surfaces (from the same type).

3. The voltage was increased using control box till the breakdown occurred in each case (spark
was noticed). Three readings were recorded and the average for them was found as a nal
reading.
4. The results were recorded in the table.
5. The previous step were repeated for each one of the three surfaces.
6. The gap was varied according to the table given in the results section.

2.4 EXP 4: voltage distribution in series insulators.

• Air insulating (sphere gap) was done on 2mm space and gave the value of
the gap voltage (Vg = 5KV).

Note: sphere gap was used to ensure that the insulator took the required and enough voltage.

• The circuit was disconnected and discharging was applied.

• The required circuit was built as shown bellow:

• The voltage was increasing till the breakdown occurred on the air gap through the testing
insulator.

• The insulating voltage was recorded at Vgn. [n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5] and the values were recorded in the
table.

• The voltage on di erent insulators was found.

A chain of insulators were used to conduct this experiment.

Figure (9) Isolators chain (series

insulators)
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3 RESULTS
3.1 results for EXP 1: Breakdown voltage test for transformer insulating
oil.

Breakdown 1 2 3 4 5 6
number

Breakdown 46 30.1 28.8 28.0 44.7 48.2

voltage (KV)

Mean value 37.6 KV Sample standard 9.6

deviation S

Table (5) poles con guration results

3.2 Results for EXP 2: Insulation resistance test.

-Spot Test (1 minute):

Connection (HV+LV)-GND HV-(LV+GND) LV-(HV+GND)

Test Voltage (V) 2790 V 2790 V 2790 V

Resistance (Ω) 4.096 Ω 6.336 Ω 6.606 Ω

Table (6) spot test results

Connection (HV+LV)-GND HV-(LV+GND) LV-(HV+GND)

Test Voltage (V) 2790 V 2790 V 2790 V

DAR 1.21 1.23 1.43

Results Not enough Not enough Good

Table (7) spot test results

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Connection (HV+LV)-GND HV-(LV+GND) LV-(HV+GND)

Test Voltage (V) …. …. 2970

PI …. …. 1.97

Results …. …. Acceptable

Table (8) spot test results

3.3 Results for EXP3: Air dielectric test by spark gap.

Distance V1 V2 V3 Average

5 12KV 11.7KV 11KV 11.567KV

10 21KV 20.8KV 20.9KV 20.9KV

15 29KV 29KV 29KV 29KV

20 37KV 37.5KV 38KV 37.5KV

Table (9) breakdown voltage on hemisphere surface

Distance V1 V2 V3 Average

5 12KV 12KV 12KV 12KV

10 20KV 20KV 19.5KV 19.83KV

15 25KV 25KV 24.5KV 24.83KV

20 30KV 30KV 30KV 30KV

Table (10) breakdown voltage on at head surface

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Distance V1 V2 V3 Average

5 8KV 8KV 8KV 8KV

10 11KV 11KV 10.5KV 10.83KV

15 11.5KV 12KV 12KV 11.83KV

20 13.5KV 13KV 13KV 13.166KV

Table (11) breakdown voltage on pointed head surface

3.4 Results for EXP4: voltage distribution in series insulators.

Number of insulator Voltage applied on the VDR=V/Vgn*100%
insulator (Vgn) KV

1 11KV 5/11*100% = 45.5%

2 21KV 5/21*100% = 23.8%

3 34KV 5/34*100% = 14.7%

4 43KV 5/43*100% = 11.6%

5 39KV 5/39*100% = 12.8%

Table (12) Breakdown voltages on different surfaces and distances.

4 discussion
Insulation Resistance Test (Megger Test): The findings of the spot test show
that the insulating system is functioning properly. The observed resistance
values show that the insulation can tolerate the rated voltage even though
they are higher than the equipment's lowest permitted limit. These findings
verify that the insulating system of the equipment continuously demonstrates
great resistance to leakage current.

DAR Test: When conducting the DAR test, it was apparent that there was an
issue on the high voltage side. This was apparent because the first two
connections which share the high voltage side gave results that are considered
insufficient, whereas the third and final connection where the high voltage side
was not considered gave good results.
PI Test: The results of the PI test show that the isolation of the transformer for
that certain connection was sufficient and acceptable.

Breakdown Voltage Test for Transformer Insulating Oil: When testing the
insulating oil of the transformer it was seen that the oil was in good condition.
The mean and standard deviation respectively show that it is above the
required minimum value. Inspecting each individual test shows only one
problem in the reading that gave 58.8 kV for the breakdown voltage. If only
one experiment had been conducted this value would have been taken
significantly however after conducting multiple experiments, it is an outlier.

Insulation Test by Spark Gap: After conducting the spark gap test it is seen
that electrical charges are distributed over the surface area of the conductors.
As such it was seen that the optimal shape is the semi-spherical shape for
withstanding high breakdown voltages. However pointed head shapes were
better if low breakdown voltage is needed this is because all charges
accumulate on one point. So, depending on the application a different shape
would be required. However, a common aspect of the three shapes is that with
an increase in distance between conductors breakdown voltage increases.

Voltage Distribution Over Series Insulators: This experiment made it obvious

that voltage stress distribution over series insulators is uneven. With the first
insulator taking most of the stress at about 45.5%. Going up we see a trend of
a decrease in VDR with the lower insulator taking more of the stress. This is
true except for the fifth insulator where the percentage increases, this shows
the capacitive effect which leads to the increase and makes it more obvious as
the number of insulators increases. This experiment is extremely important
and gives important insights into the design of insulators for transmission
systems.

5 Conclusion
In summary, the trip to Nepco shows the importance of gaining both hands-on
experience and seeing large power system equipment closeup. The trip focused
on insulation and the importance of insulation in power systems. Equipment in
power systems is expensive and crucial to life as electricity is extremely
important and losing a component in the system could have devastating
effects. Therefore, learning about insulation and how to protect this equipment
is extremely important.

To learn about insulation, it is important to learn about the threats to power

systems, factors such as weather conditions impose serious threats to power
systems. This could include lightning, pollution, and so on. Insulation and
protection from these conditions is essential. However, the problem arises that
the insulators themselves must also be protected from these conditions, and so
learning about insulators and how they work is extremely important.

Other than testing insulators an important aspect of the trip was testing the
breakdown voltage of transformer oil. This oil is extremely important to
provide electrical isolation between the primary and secondary of the
transformer and the transformer functioning properly depends on this oil. In
addition to the breakdown voltage of this oil, the breakdown voltage for
conductors was studied to deduce how different shapes of conductors behave
differently, these conductors could be used for many different applications and
the use of a specific shape depends on the application. So, one shape could be
used for one application but not another one. Again, here it is seen how the
hands on experience of visiting Nepco is important to get more familiar with
power systems and their components.

For power systems to work properly all these factors must be studied.
Studying such factors must not be sidelined, because for future generations to
improve efficiency and prevent harm to electrical components these factors
must not be ignored. The importance of hands-on experience must not be
understated.

6 References :
1. Nationl Electric Power Company - NEPCO HomePage

2. . ‫ الصفحة الرئيسية‬- ‫( شركة الكهرباء الوطنية‬nepco.com.jo)

3. https://powerelectronical.com/dielectric-strength-of-transformer-oil/#:~:text=Breakdown voltage
is measured by,conducting substances in the oil.

4. https://www.directindustry.com/prod/buckleys-uvral-limited/product-161303-2250124.html