P 06 Transformer Failures 30 Mar

Introducing Failures- Transformers Do Fail
Knowledge Is Power
SM
Apparatus Maintenance and Power Management for Energy Delivery
FAILURE ANALYSIS FOR POWER TRANSFORMERS

Presentation P 6 Doble 2005 Regional seminars
Doble 2005 regional seminar
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Transformer failures
Doble 2005 regional Seminar
Introducing Failures There are three categories of Transformer Failure 1. Unexpected ones leading to Forced outage 2. Managed failures in a Scheduled outage 3. Removals at end of useful life- rare for
transformers- more for switchgear
Introducing Failures But there are several definitions and no consensus of Failure across plant groups 1. Failure to perform ie a trip, causing an outage but only minor and easily re-instated- more
typical for switchgear
Introducing Failures
WE MUST LEARN
How to avoid unexpected failures
By understanding failure history By linking failures to some indicator By using the indicators to detect potential problems Condition assessment By tracking a worsening condition= asset health review Removing the Transformer just prior to failure = effective asset management =
2. End of useful life failures leading to removal, from plinth for repair at works or scrap
Failure costs
This Presentation
Cost of losses Maintenance cost index Third party costs at failure Cost of constraints Cost of clean-up Cost of secondary damage Cost of replacement Current net worth Bushings and Tap changers
1. Introduction to Failure
2. Asset Life Concepts- what causes physical failure 3. Defining Failure Modes 4. Understand your design groups and their failure modes 5. Distribution and generation/ transmission units 6. Leading to other presentations: -Defining the indicators of those modes -Ranking of your fleet -Managing the risk
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2 The technical Asset life At specification stage Most utilities expect 35-40 years for static plant, although generator transformers were given 25y in UK in 1960s. Experience Now Some transformer design groups, in some applications will last 50-80 years.
2 - Failure rate with age
Hazard Rate %
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2 - Technical Life
2 - The Asset life assigned values When the 400 kV system was built most transformer experts thought their specs were wonderful and their transformers would fail at old age- when the winding paper fell apart. If a unit was held at rated maximum hot spot temperature IEC thought it would last 40y (test tube R&D) IEEE testing on models and distribution units indicated 19y life- but thought it should last 40y since rating not maintained.
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When the condition of any integral part of the unit is beyond both acceptable risk for further service and economic refurbishment.
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2 - The Asset life Realities Experience Now Most transformer failures are not old age mechanisms- except in some 3rd W areas Most failures are due to some limitation in specification/ application/ design/ manufacture/ care, ave age 16-19y. But in some applications some design groups will last 50-80 years.
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2 - Failures Variety of modes and causes Design weaknesses Abnormal system conditions - trigger Aged condition / service loading Pre-existing faults Timescales
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Failure Model
3 - Failure Modes
Reducing Strength with time and after incidents
Insulation Strength Insulation Spare Margin
Thermal Dielectric
Failure Insulation Stress Incidents
Mechanical
Old
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New
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Increasing Age
3 And Three types of Thermal Failure
3 Winding Thermal Failure
1. The so called long term Intrinsic Ageing of winding paper 2. But also early life failures from accelerated local ageing =Same process just different causes 3. Core bolt insulation/ leads/ connections
End of Life of the winding insulationis when the paper is too brittle to withstand mechanical and electrical stresses and shorted turns occur. Transformers are designed to operate under rated conditions of ambient temperatures and load for an acceptable life duration
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3 - Rated temperatures IEEE C57.91-1995 The thermal rating is the steady state current that produces a temperature rise of 650 C under the following conditions. It is a normal test during factory acceptance- although not always done for every transformer. A starting oil temperature of 300 C A final top oil temperature of (30 + 65) = 950 C A presumed hottest spot conductor temperature of 95+ 15 = 1100 C
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3 - Thermal Failure
Most assessments looking at time -at -temperature support the view that lives 60+ years are reasonable. But: Localised hot spots can lead to accelerated
ageing
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3 - Thermal Failure- winding paper
Premature Ageing
Causes of Localised hot spots

Poor design of conductor sizing/ transpositions Joints defective Leakage flux heating due to poor stress shield/ shunts Blocked cooling ducts
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Localised overheating
3 - Thermal Failure elsewhere
Causes of Localised hot spots

Joints defective Defective earth insulation leading to Circulating currents- frame or core and tank Eddy currents from Defective core bolt insulation
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Core bolt insulation
Frame- Earth Fault Overheating Frame-
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3 - Dielectric failures
A properly designed transformer should withstand normal and transient voltages Causes of dielectric failure
Inter Phase Barrier Board Failure
Incorrect stress distribution calculation and turn over-stresses with impulse ( a factory test) Inadequate phase to phase insulation,(winding or bushing to tank, tap changer clearance) Moisture leading to tracking in phase-to-phase barrier boards and flashover Bubble formation at overloading a wet unit Static electrification at high flow rates Debris from sludge and carbon due to degraded oil, paper fibres and metal from pumps Turn faults following mechanical and thermal ageing
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3 - Inter-winding insulation
Note the insulation in the 2 previous slides

Inter phase boards
Interwinding wrap
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Inter-turn failure
Sparking at clamping bolt

Not all arcing leads to a failure
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3 - Mechanical Failure A Properly specified and designed unit should withstand system fault levels and frequency Causes of mechanical failure 1. Poor design tools used for older units 2. Design not proven by test or service 3. Clamping pressure deterioration 4. Fault levels higher and/ or frequency higher than specified
3 Mechanical Failure Ageing Effects As a transformer ages the insulation shrinks and clamping pressure is lost.-reduces strength. Any minor winding deformation usually results in electromagnetic imbalance increases stresses during subsequent faults.
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3 - Mechanical Failure Service Issues The number and severity of short-circuit events suffered are important. Close-up short circuits are a common cause of winding movement failures. Tap-changer faults can cause tap winding failures. Faulty synchronisations can cause winding damage and failures.
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3 - Mechanical Failure Detection Problems DGA will only indicate a problem when the insulation has been damaged ( usually too late to repair ). Internal visual inspections often inconclusive Winding failures can usually be diagnosed by various electrical tests ( but not always ). But interim damage is much harder to detect. Your transformer may be critically damaged without you being aware of it !
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3 - Mechanical Failure Modes Hoop buckling of inner winding Conductor tipping Conductor telescoping Coil clamping failure End insulation collapse Spiral tightening Lead displacement
Buckled windings
Capacitance detected movement and deformation of transformer windings.
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Twisted Winding- not much seen externally
3 - Mechanical Failure Winding damage seen now
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3 - Mechanical Failure -Core Frame
Part 4
Understanding your design families
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Understanding your design families Your company data National Associations, eg CEA, EA Collaborative Groups, eg Doble International surveys, eg CIGRE
Two questions 1. What are the failure rates for your design groups? 2. What aspects cause troubles and failures for each family
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4 - Hazard Rates Where mathematical techniques have been applied to failure and population statistics identify future hazardrates and modes. Examples are shown for two design families of transformer, A & B in the next two slides.
4- Company A- Two design families
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4 - Failure Probability density function
4 - Company A - Hazard Rates Type B has a high random failure rate and a very ill defined end of life for this poor design family. Type A has a very low failure rate until true ageing effects begin after 30+ years, so allowing effective asset life planning.
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THE SUMMARIES OF ASK DOBLE
Company X had plenty of data of its own Company Y didnt, and so they filed a question on the Ask Doble forum about failures of one type of design. They got 10 replies and a data set from someone who did have data- company X.
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Substation Distribution Transformer Failure Rate
Distribution Transformer Failure Rates

1 9 98
1
Failure Rate
.90 .88 .84 .75
1 9 99
.71
0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2

1998 1999 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
2 0 00 2 0 01 2 0 02
The best international survey is that by Cigre done in the 1970s and published in 1983 But that was a long time ago
.24 .24
. 2 2 . 2 0 . 18
. 18
. 18
. 16 . 14
. 12 .023 .022 . 0 19 . 0 2 2 .020
2000
2001
2002
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
1998
1999
2000
2001
3ph
w/ o FP E X
FP E only X
1ph
0.13 = Industry Avg.
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2002
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Dobles Trouble and Failure Reporting System

Features Web-Based Access Who has access to the reports Simplified Data-entry Form Pick Lists for Standardized Info Monthly Reports Containing Anonymous Details Reports are clearly understandable Partnering With Other Organizations = more involvement, more entries = more knowledge for you!
Dobles Trouble and Failure Reporting System
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Fault & Defects for Transformers

CIGRE Substation WINDINGS CORE TANK& OIL TAP CHANGER BUSHINGS OTHER
Period Number of failures
Visual Inspection at tear down

DOBLE
ONE
DOBLE
ALL DESIGN
19% 3 13 41 12 12
1968-78 1000
43% 4 8 16 19 10
1993-8 1500
47% 7 12 8 8
1980-2000 100
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Fault and defects - LTCs

1993-98 analysis of 300 failures Opinions of two experts
Simple stats can confuse
CONTACTS MECHANISM INSULATION LEADS REACTOR OTHER
44% 18% 12% 7% 4% 15%
80% 20%
25% 75%
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Distribution of Power Transformer Failures Per Year of Manufacture 9 8 7 6
Percentage

Failures Versus Age, Adjusted for Quantities in the Database Manufactured in the Year.
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% of Failures
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Percentage
5 4 3 2 1 0
4 3 2 1
All Major
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12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
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YEAR
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AGE
60
40
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
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5 What about Distribution units?
What is the age of Distribution Units in USA?

Ave age oldest 47y 53y 77y 60-70y (25% >50y) 65-70y (5 units) 51y 77y 62y 34% >40y 77y 45-50y replace on failure
Comment
69kV and Below
30y 29y 36y 42y 30y 23y 36y 32y 35y 38y 30y
replace on failure ave age at fail= 14y Evaluation prog replace on failure replace on failure replace on failure replace on failure Health index
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Where is the site of the fault?

CIGRE Substation WINDINGS CORE TANK& OIL LTC BUSHINGS OTHER UNKNOWN Period Number of failures
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Distribution Transformers
DOBLE ALL 43% 4 8 16 19 10 DOBLE 69 kV 47% 6 3 11 3 4 28
Email forum and Doble data indicatesThere are a lot of old units out there working well at 40+ years Failures tend to be at 15-20y and main initiating causes are lightning and through faults But are failure rates higher?
19% 3 13 41 12 12
1968-78 1000
1993-8 1500
1955-85 955
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Causes of thru-faults
-
Thermal Overload
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Distribution Transformers 2003 Doble conference paper- Prout & Wilson Have more but lower intensity through faults More tolerant to poorer dielectric Have poorer preservation systems Flush bushing flanges can allow water ingress Failure of fans/ gauges more consequential Fewer LTCs below 69 kV/ NLTCs reliable Old fleet well designed >1970s units more unreliable
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Moving forward
Looking at Failures is all very interesting but we need to move forward
1. Assess the Risk 2. Create a failure tree 3. Link an assessment program to tree
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Introducing Failures- Transformers Do Fail

Apparatus Maintenance and Power Management for Energy Delivery

FAILURE ANALYSIS FOR POWER TRANSFORMERS

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

2 - Failure rate with age

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Insulation Strength Insulation Spare Margin

Failure Insulation Stress Incidents

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

3 And Three types of Thermal Failure

3 Winding Thermal Failure

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

3 - Thermal Failure- winding paper

Causes of Localised hot spots

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

3 - Thermal Failure elsewhere

Causes of Localised hot spots

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Core bolt insulation

Frame- Earth Fault Overheating Frame-

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Inter Phase Barrier Board Failure

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Note the insulation in the 2 previous slides

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Sparking at clamping bolt

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Capacitance detected movement and deformation of transformer windings.

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Twisted Winding- not much seen externally

3 - Mechanical Failure Winding damage seen now

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

3 - Mechanical Failure -Core Frame

Understanding your design families

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Doble 2005 regional Seminar

Understanding your design families