2011 International Conference on Computer Applications and Industrial Electronics (ICCAIE 2011)
Calculation The Dissipation Factor of Power
Transformers Insulation System Using Genetic
Algorithm
Seyed Amidedin Mousavi
Sama Technical and Vocational Training college
Azad University, Zanjan Branch
Zanjan, Iran
amid_moosavi@yahoo.com
Abstract— Dialectical properties of power transformer system
change during its operation. Therefore, transformers should
necessarily be measured to detect their aging. Nowadays there
are some experiments for identifying status of paper-oil
insulation in transformers and they are done in time and
frequency domains. This article investigates relationship between
time and frequency domain experiments and shows these two
experiments are well correlated. Using polarization and
depolarization current method (PDC) which it belongs to time
domain and estimating parameters of insulation model by genetic
algorithm leads to plot dissipation factor (tan δ ) in term of
frequency.
Keywords-component; PDC; insulation model; genetic
algorithm; complex capacitance)
I. INTRODUCTION
Today, engineer’s most effort is maintenance of electrical
instruments and increase of their useful lifetimes. Proper
monitoring and recognizing on load insulation method can be
impressive in increase of their lifetimes. So optimizing of
detection methods in insulation status of power equipment
especially power transformers are indispensible. This subject is
very important in long term and on load transformers. New
detection methods of insulation status with insulation modeling
and recent analytical signal methods help to determine reliable
approach for proper recognizing of insulation aging.
PDC experiment and measurement of dissipation factor in
time and frequency domains are the recent detecting methods
of power transformers’ insulation status.
In recent years, many researchers have focused on
optimizing detecting methods of insulation status in both
domains independently. However, they always concern about
this question whether they can find effective connection
between both domains independently until using obtained
results, for they achieve an optimized approach.
In this article we try to propose a comprehensive approach
for detection of insulation method. In this method we have
used the relationship between time and frequency domain
experiments. At first we proposed a generalized model for
978-1-4577-2059-8/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE
S.Hajilu, H. Kaboudvand, S.Sabaifard, N.Amini, E.Hasani,
Payam Nour University, Zanjan Branch
Zanjan, Iran
samane.hajilu@yahoo.com
novinrayaneh_k@yahoo.com
simulating of insulation behavior based on PDC experiment.
Parameters of insulation model accompanied with result of
depolarization current and genetic algorithm approach have
been assessed. Finally dissipation factor (tan δ ) which is one of
the parameters in detection of frequency domain has been
calculated simply.
II. THEORY
Experiments on dielectric can be applied in two time and
frequency domains.
• In time domain, we exert step voltage to both ends
of test object; so we can analyze dielectric
response to this input voltage.
• In frequency domain, we exert a sinusoidal
voltage with different frequencies to test object.
Generally sinusoidal amplitude and transmittal
current phase are measured.
If we denote geometrical capacitance C0 (it is derived from
dividing measured capacitor over relative dielectric
coefficient (εr)) and conductivity with σ, thus we obtain the
response of this system to step voltage U0 which it has the
form of f(t) in time domain. So it is possible to calculate
polarization current i pol ( t ) as
⎡σ ⎤
i pol (t ) = C 0U 0 ⎢ + f (t ) ⎥ (1)
⎣⎢ ε 0 ⎦⎥
where ε 0 is dielectric coefficient in vacuum.
If we remove the step voltage, in both ends of dielectric we
will have short circuit; so transmittal depolarization current
can be written as
i depol (t ) = −C 0U 0 ⎡f (t ) − f (t + t p ) ⎤
⎣ ⎦ (2)
where tp is the spent time of applied step voltage U0 during the
polarization. If the polarization takes a long time, the term
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f(t+tp) will be approximately zero and in this case mechanism. This mechanism closely is in connecting of aging
depolarization current is proportional with dielectric respond to and moisture of insulation’s status [6], [11], [12].
step voltage. So we have
Paper and oil are the main components of paper-oil
i depol (t ) = −C 0U 0 f (t ) (3) insulations. In light of time constant, dipole moments of the
paper are different than the oil. So we can express
When we put a dielectric in electric field, dipole moments polarization current based on summation of exponential
try to align ourselves with the mentioned field. With the terms which time constant of each component is different
removal of the field, dipole moments are released and tend to than the other and each component represents its own
return to their previous situation [12], [14]. In polymeric dipole moment’s relaxation mechanism. Therefore, we can
insulations dipole moment groups include different array have depolarization current in every branch of Ri-Ci
toward adjacent groups and this makes that time constant equivalent circuit with corresponded time constant τi=Ri.Ci
(response to electric field) in each group will be different as the form:
considering with other groups [12]. As shown in Fig.1this ⎛ ⎞
response on insulations due to electric field can be modeled by ⎜ −t ⎟
n ⎜τ ⎟
parallel branches which each branch is consisted of one resistor i depol (t ) = ∑ ( A i e ⎝ i ⎠
) (4)
and capacitor in series [4], [5], [7], [12]- [14]. Dipole i =1
moments’ behavior will be determined by existent Ri and Ci;
moreover they form in a completely random arrangement of Where
model circuit. In addition each one has own individual time
constant that can written as τi=Ri.Ci. ⎛ ⎟⎞
⎛ −t p ⎞
⎜
⎜ ⎜ τ
⎝ i ⎠
⎟⎟
Not only has the polarization current created in insulation, A i = U 0 ⎜1 − e ⎟ / Ri (5)
but conductive current also has created due to existent field in ⎜ ⎟
insulation. This current has accompanied with resistor R0 in ⎝ ⎠
Fig. 1 circuit. In the equivalent circuit C0 is called the
geometrical capacitance that it’s measurable through some Fig. 2 shows the sample of depolarization current and its
experiments [7]. exponential components.

Fig. 1: Insulation’s equivalent circuit

In this model the most equivalent circuit parameters have

obtained from polarization and depolarization currents. As
discussed above, we can measure C0 with usage of some
techniques in network frequency. Moreover R0is accessible
through the difference between polarization and depolarization
currents in maximum available time in plots [7].
Depolarization current has written by summation of
exponential terms which each of them shows relaxation
mechanism of dipole moment groups; however, after
disconnecting of bias field, they tend to return to their initial
time constants before putting the field on [6].
Each group of dipole moment in the insulation has the
individual mechanism which depends to its relaxation
Fig. 2: Depolarization current and its exponential components.
To obtain tan δ and complex capacitance in a frequency
domain, a sinusoidal signal applies to the high voltage
transformer and current is measured in the low voltage. It is
worth mentioning in this case, the body of transformer and
its core should be connected to the ground. The frequency
of such voltage can vary between 1 MHz up to 1 kHz and
the voltage can be such a value between 5 up to 200 Volts
(RMS).
When a sinusoidal voltage is not applied to both ends of a
dielectric, a current with initial phase φ flows in the

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insulation. δ is the angle between complex conductance Yc and
imaginary axis.
tanδ is called dissipation factor and it can be obtained from the
following:

Real part of Impedance

tan δ = (6)
Imaginary part of Impedance
The relationship between the geometric structure and the
capacitance is: Fig. 4: Test method (PDC)

A
C =ε (7)
W It should be noted in Fig.4 at t = 0 switch S1 is closed and
where ε is dielectric coefficient, A is cross section of plates switch S2 is open. Therefore, the polarization current flows
and W is the distance between two plates. If the applied voltage through the test object and switch S2 is closed at Tc and switch
to the ends of insulation is varied with frequency, measured S1 is open, so depolarization current will be passed.
capacitance of the insulation will be a complex quantity and we
have:
C (ω ) = C ′(ω ) − jC ′′(ω ) = ( A /W )ε ′ − j ε ′′( A / W ) (8) IV. INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEST OBJECT AND MEASURED
RESULTS
where C'(ω) is common capacitance of insulation and C"(ω) is
In the present article, our test object is Neka1 power
imaginary part of complex capacitance related to dissipation.
Dissipation factor (tan δ) of dielectric is calculated by transformer plant. The step voltage Uc =2Kv is used for the
test and according to Fig. 5; this voltage is applied between
C ′(ω ) high voltage and low voltage winding. Measuring time length
tan δ = (9) of polarization current was Tc=50000[s]. During the test the
C ′′ (ω )
temperature of transformer’s oil is kept constant around 20 °C
If the insulation system is linear, the obtained data in to 25 °C.
frequency and time domains together are equivalent. Thus the
following relationship between the system responses in time
and frequency domains is correct:
∞ − jω
x (ω ) = x (ω ) − jx (ω ) = ∫0 f (t )e dt (10)

III. APPROACH TO THE POLARIZATION AND

DEPOLARIZATION CURRENT (PDC) EXPERIMENTS

Fig.3 and fig.4 illustrates test methods of PDC and includes

the following steps:
a) A step voltage Uc at t = 0 is applied on test object and the
polarization current is measured.
b) The applied step voltage is removed at Tc and both ends of
the test object are in short circuit. In this case depolarization
current in the object is tested and it’s measurable.

Fig. 5: Test method (PDC) on the transformer

Depolarization current was measured according to the power

transformer that is shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 3: Timeline of the test (PDC)

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 measured depolarization current. This figure confirms the
accuracy of modeling and simulation results.

Fig. 6: Measured depolarization current of Neka power transformer Fig. 7: Measured and simulated depolarization current

V. ESTIMATING OF ININSULATION MODEL PARAMETER VI. CALCULATION OF DISSIPATION FACTOR FROM

USING GENETIC ALGORITHM AND SIMULATION RESULTS INSULATION MODEL PAREMETERS
With the insulation model parameters it is possible to
Genetic algorithm is known as one of the powerful and simulate the dissipation factor which is dependent on the
most widely used method in optimizing and random searching. frequency. For calculating the dissipation factor we can use :
Firstly, Fitness function is defined and then for the first time i =n ⎛ 2 ⎞
⎜ Ri ⋅ (ω Ci ) ⎟
∑
1
different chromosomes randomly are initialized. Next +
chromosomes are generated as for early chromosomes and R0 i =1 ⎜⎝ 1 + (Ri ω Ci )2 ⎟⎠ (11)
tan δ = i=n ⎛
actions such as Reproduction, Cross over and Mutation helps ⎞
∑ ⎜ ω Ci ⎟
to complete the process. The next generation of chromosomes ω C0 +
⎜ 1 + (R ω C )2 ⎟
from the previous values is done so that the Fitness function to i =1 ⎝ i i ⎠
be close to its appropriate value. With regards to relation (4) In Fig. 8 the dissipation factor versus frequency is
and (5) and the mentioned subject idepol(t) that is derived by presented.
PDC method, chromosomes are selected as follows.

τ6 τ5 τ4 τ3 τ2 τ1 R6 R5 R4 R3 R2 R1

Ri’s and τi’s are estimated to be in such a way that

maximize the Fitness function.
1
Fitness = (11)
∑ ( idepol−actual − idepol−simulation ) 2

It is important to know Ai’s and Ci’s can easily be obtained

from the relation (4) and τi=Ri.Ci, respectively.

TABLE I. PARAMETERS OF INSULATION MODEL ARE ESTIMATED USING

A GENETIC ALGORITHM.

Branch Ai(A) τi(sec) Ri(GΩ) Ci(nF) Fig. 8: Dissipation factor versus frequency
1 5.0642e-8 10161 34.96 290.65
2 1.4811e-7 1408.4 13.5 104.3
3 4.7025e-7 303.5520 4.25 71.373 VII. CONCLUSION
4 2.0102e-6 54.2026 0.9949 54.480
5 3.0120e-6 13.5507 0.2237 24.473 The parameters of power transformer's insulation system have
6 4.1703e-6 2.8214 0.4795 5.883 been determined in this paper. The values of the parameters of
the insulation's equivalent circuit have been evaluated from
After obtaining the parameters of insulation, then idepol(t) time domain (PDC) measurements and Genetic Algorithm
can be simulated. Fig. 7 shows the result of simulated and method. Then the dissipation factor has been calculated in
frequency domain. This paper supports the correlation

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