GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd

Monitoring and Diagnostics

GE Make Transfix OLDGA

Introduction to Kelman technology

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
First, What Is Transformer Dissolved
Gas Analysis?

Sample Test Doc

Diagnosis
Doctors extract information about our health from our blood. Technicians extract information about
the health of our transformers from the oil via DGA. Substations are more challenging for this
sampling process than a doctor’s office .

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
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Transformer Dissolved Gas Analysis,
The Process & Logic
Duvall’s Triangle

Sample Test Tech Diagnosis

We prefer a clean sample with no issues detected, just as a blood test in a doctor’s office.

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Full Online Dissolved Gas Analysis

TRANSFIX

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 TRANSFIX MULTITRANS TAPTRANS
Full 9 gas + moisture Full 9 gas + moisture Multi Full 9 gas + moisture online
Single Tank online Tank online DGA DGA for Main Tank &
DGA OLTC

Kelman DGA 900 PLUS

9 gas on-line DGA expandable with add-ons to a Transformer
Monitoring System (TMS)
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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
What does the TRANSFIX Family measure
Using separate oil collection and return points for
sampling, TRANSFIX Family products can collect a
discrete representative oil sample up to once every hour
for analysis
• DGA: Discrete measurement of 8 key gases
o Hydrogen (H2)
o Carbon Monoxide (CO)
o Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
o Methane (CH4)
o Acetylene (C2H2) DGA is measured as follows:
o Ethane (C2H6)
Oil pumped through the TRANSFIX Family unit into a manifold, past
o Ethylene (C2H4) an oil immersed Oxygen and Moisture sensor. Gas extracted from oil
o Oxygen (O2) in manifold via headspace gas extraction and passed to PGA chamber
for analysis using a photo-acoustic spectroscopy
• DGA: Estimation of
o Nitrogen (N2) * Moisture is measured as follows:
• Discrete oil moisture analysis Oil flows over a capacitance moisture sensor and during sampling and
o Moisture (H2O) in ppm together with oil temperature (if recorded) PPM.

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* Estimation of Nitrogen available for free breathing transformers only GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
 TRANSFIX
Full Discrete Online Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA)
TRANSFIX
What is it?
An online system that continuously monitors:
• The discrete concentration of 8 key gases in
the insulating oil of transformers.
• The estimated concentration of Nitrogen.
• The discrete concentration of moisture in
insulating oil.
• Transformer load current and ambient
temperature.
It will alert personnel of fault conditions at an
early stage and provide vital health information
on the transformer.
Differentiated Value
• No consumables or in field calibration required
for operation.
• Oil sampling at regular intervals, increasing up to
every hour when caution level reached.
• Extensive communication and I/O options.
• Supplied with powerful PERCEPTION analysis
and diagnostics software.
• When integrated with other GE M&D products,
such as MO150 for models and BMT330 for
bushing monitoring and partial discharge
detection, provides a unique sole supplier solution
for a more in-depth view of the transformer's
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health. GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
 TRANSFIX
Simplified System Overview
Host Board:
1. Controls unit measurement
scheduling
PGA:
2. Stores records
1. Performs measurement
on extracted gas

Oil Manifold:
1. Takes oil sample from
Transformer
2. Extracts Gas from oil

System Board:
1. Provision of I/O
2. Provision for communications
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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
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 TRANSFIX
Internal view
Host Board:
1. Controls unit measurement
scheduling
PGA: 2. Stores records
1. Performs measurement
on extracted gas

Oil Manifold:
1. Takes oil sample from
Transformer
System Board:
2. Extracts Gas from oil
1. Provision of I/O
2. Provision for communications
modules

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
 TRANSFIX
System Board

Communications:
Relays: 1. RS 232/RS 485
1. System watch 2. GSM/GPRS
2. Service alarm 3. PROFIBUS
3. 6 x Customer 4. DNP 3
configurable alarms 5. IEC 61850

Host Board:
1. Controls unit measurement
scheduling
2. Stores records

System board battery:

1. Maintains system clock
during power outages

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
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TRANSFIX
Input Board

Auxiliary 12 & 24 V
power supply
connections

Input Power
Selector:

110 or 220 V
must be manually
selected

Mains Input connectors and fuses

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Technology Overview – DGA, PAS, Gas
Extraction

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA)
• When a transformer thermal or
electrical fault occurs, oil and paper
insulation will break down generating
gases that dissolve back into the
insulating oil
• DGA is the extraction and analysis of
those gases for monitoring and
diagnostic purposes
DGA is now accepted as
the most effective The type of gas evolved indicates the nature
method of transformer of the fault.
health assessment
The rate of increase in the gases indicate the
severity of the fault.
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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
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Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA)
Fault conditions associated with individual gases
Gas Name Condition resulting is gas production
H2 Hydrogen Nearly all fault conditions, low energy PD
CH4 Methane Oil overheating between 200 and 500ºC
C2H6 Ethane Oil overheating between 300 and 500ºC
C2H4 Ethylene Oil overheating over 500ºC, possible formation of carbon particles
C2H2 Acetylene Electrical arcing, Oil > 800ºC, strong formation of carbon particles,
metal melting
CO Carbon Monoxide Paper insulation overheating
CO2 Carbon Dioxide Severe oil oxidation, paper degradation
O2 Oxygen Oxidation, leak
 Normal paper aging indicated by slow rise in CO2 – Accelerated or abnormal aging indicated by rapid rise in CO
 Local low temperature hot spot indicated by rise in CH4
 Local high temperature hot spots indicated by rise in C2H4
 Detection of increasing quantities of C2H2 show arching occurring within transformer
 Rules available to allow for quick and accurate determination of the presence of a fault and the nature and severity of that fault

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
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The two most important elements in insulation
oil analysis are:
Dissolved gas-in-oil:
The change in gas concentration:
This may be indicative that there is an active fault. If concentrations are changing faster
than normal aging would result in, a fault may be present.
The change in relative gas concentrations:
If gas concentration changes indicate that there is a fault a look at the relative
concentrations of one gas to an other can be used to diagnose the nature of the fault

Moisture-in-oil content:
The relative saturation level of moisture in the oil:
As a general rule, for every doubling of moisture in oil (and by inference moisture in the
paper) the life of the transformer will be halved. Additionally increased moisture exposes
the transformer to increased risk of short circuit by reducing the dielectric strength of the
paper and oil

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
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Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (PAS)
History

• Photo-acoustic affect discovered by A. G. Bell in 1890

• 1960s environmental monitoring (CO, NOx, SOx)
• 1970s Operating theatre (Nitrous Oxide, CO2)
• 1990s Auto and construction industry (Sox, Nox, CO, CO2,
H2O, Hydrocarbons)

• 2000s Dissolved Gas Analysis - KELMAN (CO, CO2, CH4, C2H2,

C2H4, C2H6, H2O)

• There are 12000+ GE PAS instruments currently

operational in over 100 countries

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
Photoacoustics - Basics
• Modern systems measure individual gases in a mixture
without need for physical separation.
• “Infra Red Spectral absorption identification”
• “Photo-acoustic effect quantification”
• No consumable carrier gases required - operates in
ambient environment

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (PAS)
Components of GE’s Implementation of PAS
• IR source (heated filament)
• Parabolic mirror - focuses IR energy into
analysis chamber
• Chopper wheel pulses radiation at nominal
29.5hz
• Wavelength selection filters optically
isolate one gas in a mixture by selective IR
filtering
• Gas sample delivered to and sealed in
analysis chamber for quantification
• Mirror in bottom of measurement chamber
reflects IR back on the sample to intensify
effect by double pass effect
• Microphones measure intensity of pressure
pulse

Analytical Equation: Acoustic Intensity + Filter selected = Gas Concentration (ppm)

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
Infrared absorption
• Almost every compound will absorb (and emit) IR
energy:
Each molecule has a unique absorption profile – like a finger
print
If you target a region of the IR energy spectrum that is unique
for a compound it is possible to measure its concentration by
employing a suitable detector (such as a microphone in a PAS
system)
For the DGA application the compounds to be analysed are
simple molecules with distinct spectral absorbance – perfect for
the PAS.
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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
Evolution of Photoacoustic Signal
IR Absorption by
target molecule

Heating of target
Microphone
gas by convection
detection of
in analysis
pressure pulse Single “PAS effect” chamber
cycle. Full cycle
occurs at a rate of
29.5Hz (Transfix
family)

Thermal
Pressure spike expansion of
sample gas
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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
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The Photoacoustic Gas Analyser (PGA)

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
Gas Extraction Techniques
• No current technique allows for measurement of the gas while it is still a
component of the oil.
• The gas must be removed from the oil prior to quantification.
• After removal from the oil the gas sample is passed to the chosen
detector such as a Photoacoustic spectrometer.
• Measured quantities of gas are then related back to gas-in-oil according
to standard calculations based around the particular gas extraction
technique employed.
 GE have adapted the ASTM and IEC headspace technique for
this component of the analysis.

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GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd – Product Training
03/01/2023
TRANSFIX family
 Fixed on-line dissolved gas analyser
 For a single transformer oil compartment
 Uses Photo-Acoustic technology
 Extracts gases from oil using head space technique
 Measure individual gases in oil without physical separation
 Measures 8 gases + moisture
 Measures load current and ambient temperature
 Discrete measurement at customer configurable intervals,
automatically increased using alarm settings (every 1hr – 4wks)
 Provides accurate and repeatable results
 Does not use carrier gases or require regular recalibration
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Multigas Monitor – Value proposition 2

 Diagnostics help decide if unplanned

outage can be deferred and rescheduled
 Reduces associated costs
 Extend asset life by detecting early and
correcting any stress causing situation
 Delay capital expenditure
 Provide insight into asset condition
 Focuses effort and operating budget
where it’s most urgently needed

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TRANSFIX – Specs 1

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TRANSFIX – Specs 2

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TRANSFIX – Communications Options
1
Standard
USB for local communication
Ethernet (allows 3 concurrent users)

Options (2 channels)
RS232 (isolated)
RS485 (2 or 4 wire)
GSM / GPRS modem
PSTN analogue modem
CDMA modem
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TRANSFIX – Communications Options
2
Protocols
Standard
– Modbus is standard
Options (using integrated protocol converters)
– IEC 61850

Other options
– Optional conversion to Fibre-Optic output
– Optional conversion to Analog outputs

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Alarms
 Discrete (ppm)
 Configurable Gas ratios
 User Configurable Modes
• Normal mode
• Caution mode
• Alarm mode
 Measurement frequency
increases automatically as
mode changes (when enabled)

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GE /
3/1/23
 Thank You!
PON PANDIAN
Field Service Engineer for GE Make M&D Products
+91-9787682125

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GE Title or job number /
03/01/2023