TRANSFORMER OIL ANALYSIS

Transformer Oil Analysis Can Be Divided into three groups

1.
2. 3.

Dissolved Gas in oil Analysis. Transformer Oil Screening Analysis. Test for monitoring transformer winding condition.

Transformer Dissolve Gas Analysis.

DGA Of Transformer Oil

During normal use, slow degradation of the mineral oil generates certain gases that collects in the oil.
When a transformer begins to function abnormally, the oil gets decomposed/breaksdown and produces the free radicals as shown below. These free radicals subsequently recombine and produce low molecular weight hydrocarbon. This process is largely determined by temperature, but is also influenced by other conditions. H CH CH2 CH3 etc

Equilibrium at Fault temperature H2 CH4 C2H6 C3H8 . C2H4 C3H6 . C2H2

DGA analysis of Transformer oil.

Analyzing these gases and their rate of production is a valuable laboratory tool for evaluating the condition of an operating transformer. There are typically nine fault gases which are analyzed in DGA. Each fault generates certain key gases and a distribution pattern of these gases. There are three major types of electrical faults which differs in their severity. The least severe is a partial discharge or corona, localized hot spots are next in severity, and the most severe is arcing.

Classification of faults.

Electrical faults in transformer can be broadly classified as following: Partial Discharge. Discharge of low energy Discharge of high energy 0 Over heating less then 300 C. Over heating with temp. in between 300 to 7000C. 0 Overheating above 700 C

Faults in Transformer and its Examples.

Sr No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Cause of Fault
Causes Arcing Corona Overheating of cellulose Overheating of oil Winding turn-to-turn short-circuit Winding open circuit Operation of build-in LTC Winding distortion or displacement Lead distortion or displacement Loose connection to bushing terminals, tap leads, terminal boards Free water or excessive moisture in oil Floating metal particles Loose connection to corona shields Loose collars, spacers, core ground straps, core hold down angle (Braces) Through fault Overloading Damaged yoke bolt insulation Rust or other damage on core Damaged shunt packs of tank Jammed oil circulating path Cooling system malfunction

Arcing X X X

Nature of Fault Overheati Overheati Corona ng of ng of Oil Cellulose X X X X X X

X X X

X X X X X

X X

X X X X X X

Structural Formula of Oil and Fault Gases.

Structure of insulating oil and fault gases. Mineral Oil CnH2n+2

Hydrogen Methane

H- H

H2 CH4

Ethane

C2H6

Ethylene Acetylene Carbon Dioxide Carbon Monoxide Oxygen Nitrogen

H - C- C - H O- C- O C-O O- O N- N

C2H4 C2H2 CO2 CO O2 N2

Fault Gas Composition.

Corona in Oil

Arcing in Oil

Pyrolysis in Oil

Pyrolysis of Cellulose

H2 C02 C0 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

88% 1 1 6 1 0.1 0.2

H2 C02 C0 CH4 C2H4 C2H2

39% 2 4 10 6 35

H2 C02 C0 CH4 C2H6 C2H4 C2H2

16% trace trace 16 6 41 trace

H2 C02 C0 CH4 C2H4 C2H2

9% 25 50 8 4 0.3

Gases to be monitored in DGA as per IEC.

Hydrogen Methane Ethane Ethylene Acetylene Carbon Monoxide Carbon Dioxide Nitrogen Oxygen

(H2) (CH4) (C2H6) (C2H4) (C2H2) (CO) (CO2) (N2) (O2)

Significance of Testing of Each Fault Gas

Element
Hydrogen (ppm) Methane (ppm) Ethane (ppm) Ethylene (ppm) Acetylene (ppm)

Purpose of Test
Key indicator of Corona. Secondary indicator of Arcing and Overheated Oil. Secondary indicator of Corona, Arcing, and Overheated Oil. Secondary indicator of Corona and Overheated Oil. Key indicator of Overheated Oil. Secondary indicator of Corona and Arcing. Key indicator of Arcing. Secondary indicator of severely Overheated Oil

Carbon Monoxide (ppm) Key indicator of Overheated Cellulose. Secondary indicator of Arcing if the fault involves cellulose. Carbon Dioxide (ppm) Oxygen (ppm) Nitrogen (ppm) Secondary indicator of Overheated Cellulose. Secondary indicator of Arcing if the fault involves cellulose. Indicator of system leaks, over-pressurization, or changes in pressure or temperature. Indicator of system leaks, over-pressurization, or changes in pressure or temperature.

Result Interpretations as per IEC code

IEC method looks at the dissolved gas in oil ppm ratio of C2H2 / C2H4, CH4 / H2 , C2H2 / C2H4 and assigns a code for each gas pair. For some of the code combinations, an analysis/probable cause is defined.
IEC Ratio Code resulting ratio < 0.1 0.1 -<1.0 1.0 - <=3.0 > 3.0 C2H2 C2H4 0 1 1 2 CH4 H2 1 0 2 2 C2H4 C2H6 0 0 1 2

Result Interpretations as per IEC code

IEC DGA Ratios C2H2 Case C2H4 0 1 2 3 3 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 CH4 C2H4 H2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 C2H6 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 0 1 2 No Fault, Norm al Partial discharges of low energy Partial discharges of high energy density Discharges of low energy, Arcing Discharges of low energy, Arcing Discharges of low energy, Arcing Discharges of high energy, Arcing Thermal Fault, 150 C, Conductor Overheating Thermal Fault, 150 - 300 C, Oil Overheating, Mild Thermal Fault, 300 - 700 C, Oil Overheating, Moderate Thermal Fault, 700 C, Oil Overheating, Severe

Transformer Oil Screening Analysis

Transformer oil Filtration & reclamation

Transformer oil Filtration: It is a process of removing moisture and mechanical impurities form the transformer oil. Transformer oil reclamation: It is a process of removing chemical impurities form the transformer oil.

Function Of Transformer Oil.

1) Provides insulation. 2) Provides cooling, 3) Helps in extinguishing arcs.

4) Dissolves gases generated by oil & winding degradation.

Transformer oil Degradation.

Transformer Oil

Oxidation

Carboxylic Acids (Acids)+Oil

New oil contains little or no acidic material. As the acidic material start to form, the small amount of acidic material is soluble in oil. However, as more of acidic material forms it would reach to a separation point and further formation would result in separation of solid material. This material would settle at the bottom as sludge. Acidic material in the oil reacts with various metals present in the transformer and form salts; another form of sludge, which is also insoluble in the insulating oil. Effect of the sludge formation on transformer is very detrimental for its continued service. It is therefore essential to monitor this process. For Monitoring oil condition following test are to be done on oil.

Test to be conducted on oil .

Sr No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 ASTM Test Name Standard Ref. No. Dielectric Test ASTM D-877 Moisture Content ASTM D-4928 Interfacial Tension ASTM D-2285 Acidity Test ASTM D-644 Pow er Factor/Tan Delta Test ASTM D-924 Test for O2 Inhibitor ASTM D-2268 IS Standard Ref. No. IS - 6972 IS - 1866 IS - 1866 IS - 1866 IS - 1866 -- -- -- --

Dielectric Test Of Oil

This test measures the ability of the oil to withstand electrical stress at power frequencies without failure. A low value for the dielectric-breakdown voltage generally indicates the presence of contaminants in the oil. Dielectric strength of oil is affected by the presence of moisture, foreign contaminants and particles generated due to oil degradation. Significantly oxidized oil may show high dielectric strength in absence of moisture. It is therefore not advisable to rely solely on dielectric strength of insulating oil without performing other test on oil. Table -1 specifies limit of dielectric strength of oil for various class of transformer (based on operating voltage of transformer).

Limit of Dielectric Strength

Table - 1
Requirement Before Energizing After Energizing Property/Test Method Equipment Voltage Transformer With Transformer and New Oil in Normal service Dielectric Test > 145 KV Min 60 KV Min 50 KV (Breakdow n Voltage) 72.5 & < 145 KV Min 50 KV Min 40 KV in KV (IS:6972:1972) < 72.5 KV Min 40 KV Min 30 KV

Moisture in Oil.

Affects the dielectric properties of the oil. Affects winding insulation due to its hygroscopic nature. At normal temp. winding insulation absorbs moisture from oil, thus affecting its insulation property adversely and may reduce its life. At increased transformer temp. winding insulation releases the moisture and due to increased solubility of moisture in oil at this temp, it will absorb the moisture. Ageing of oil produces acids, which increases the solubility of water in oil. Acid coupled with water further decompose the oil and forms more acid and water.

Water solubility V/S Temperature.

Limits of Water Content in oil As Per IS 1866.

Requirement AfterEnergizing Before Energizing Equipment Voltage The Transformer Transformer With and in Normal New Oil Service > 145 KV Max 15 ppm Max 25 ppm 72.5 KV & < 145 KV Max 20 ppm Max 35 ppm < 72.5 KV Max 25 ppm Max 35 ppm

Interfacial Tension (IFT)

IFT can be defined as the amount of force required (in N/m) to pull a small wire ring upward a distance of 1 centimeter through water/ oil. The new oil before it is accepted for service shall have IFT value over 0.040 N/m. As oil ages IFT value start decreasing. IFT value less then 0.015 N/m indicates sludging. IFT value in between 0.015 to 0.022 N/m shows an uncertain condition. IFT value more then 0.022 N/m indicates no sludging. IFT value in between 0.015 to 0.022 N/M should be scheduled for reclaiming.

Acidity Test (Acid Number)

Acid number can be defined as amount of KOH required in mg to neutralize the acid in 1 gram of transformer oil. New insulating oil has acid number less then 0.05. An acid number of 0.15 or higher indicates accelerated acid formation. When acid number reaches to 0.15 then oil should be reclaimed. An acid number of 0.4 indicates sludging in oil.

Relationship Between IFT and Acid Number.

Power Factor/ Tan Delta Test.

It is the measure of imperfection of dielectric nature of oil. In an ideal dielectric oil, the current flowing through it should lead the voltage by 90 degrees when sinusoidal AC voltage is applied. But it is not the case in reality. The angle by which it is short of 90 degree is called loss angle. The cosine of the angle (90 - loss angle) is called power factor and the tangent of the loss angle is called dissipation factor. The loss factor (angle) relates to the inability of molecules in the oil to reorient themselves with an alternating electric field. This ability is dependent on the temperature of the sample, the size of the molecules involved, and their polarity. It is also dependent on the frequency of the alternating field.

Power Factor/ Tan Delta Test.

The power factor and the tan delta are both affected by the molecular size, composition, and relative orientation of functional groups within the molecules. In general within a series of similar molecules, the tan delta will increase as the molecular weight increases. It is therefore essential to monitor this process through either Tan Delta or Power Factor Test. IEEE suggested to monitor Power factor of Insulating oil while IS-1866 suggest to monitor Tan Delta of Insulating oil. Some representative values are given in the below table.

Limit values of Power Factor and Tan Delta.

As per IEC Standard
Type of oil/Unit @25 C New Oil New oil received in new equipment < or = 69 KV 69 288 KV >345 KV Suggested Limit for oil Used max 0.05% Power Factor @100 C max 0.3%

max 0.15% max 0.10% max 0.05% max 0.10%

max 0.15% max 0.10% max 0.30% not specified

As per IS standard
Tan Delta Type Of Unit Before Charging After Charging (Max) (Max) < or = 72.5 KV 0.05 1.00 72.5 - 145 KV 0.05 1.00 > 145 KV 0.05 0.20

Test For Oxygen Inhibitor.

Formation of acids and sludge is caused by oxidation of oil. Prime importance is to be given to the exclusion of oxygen from oil. To remove oxygen from the oil, oxygen inhibitor is added. This will act like sacrificial electrode. Inhibitor presently used in transformer oil is Ditertiary Butyal Peracresol (DBPC). The ideal amount of DBPC is 0.3% by total weight of the oil. Inhibitor amount falls below 0.08% then oxygen freely attacks the transformer insulation system. Inhibitor amount less then 0.1% in oil is scheduled for re-inhabitation.

Test for monitoring transformer winding condition.

Why It Is Required??

Life of transformer is Life of Solid Insulation. Transformer Insulation is made up from Cellulose. Cellulose is a polymeric material of Cellobiose,-[C12H14(OH)6]n-, where n is in the range of 300 to 700 units. Cellobiose it self made up of two glucose units, C6H7O(OH)5 called monomer. The number of monomer units in polymer is known as degree of polymerization (DP). . The new transformer insulation having DP in the range of 1000 to 1400 and at the end of life its DP value is less then 200. As paper ages or deteriorates due to heat, acids, oxygen and water, will produce water, CO, CO2, furan derivatives and Cellulose with reduce chain length. In furan derivatives 2 furaldehyde (FFT) is more stable and often found in oil as paper degrades.

How to Monitor Paper Degradation from Oil Analysis?

Paper condition can be monitoring by monitoring following parameters. CO2 and CO concentration in oil. CO2/CO ratio. FFT level in oil.

Monitoring of CO2 and CO concentration in oil.

IEEE standard C57.104 Guide for the Interpretation of Gases Generated in OilImmersed Transformer gives insulation status condition based on accumulated values of CO2 and CO in oil. Accumulated dissolved gas (CO2 and CO) level provides four status condition as listed in following table:

Condition 1 Condition 2 Condition 3 Condition 4

Normal Modest Concern Major Concern Imminent Risk

CO2 concentration in oil in ppm 0 - 2500 2500 - 4000 4001 - 10000 > 10000

CO concentration in oil in ppm 0 - 350 351 - 570 571 - 1400 > 1400

Monitoring of CO2/CO ratio.

Calculate CO2/CO ratio from each DGA. It has been observed that with normal loading and temperature, the rate of generation of CO2 runs 3 to 10 times higher then CO. Normally CO2/CO ratio is around 7. CO2/CO ration is less then 3 indicate rapid deterioration of transformer insulation by electrical fault (Hi-temperature Fault). Ratio of CO2/CO around 2 indicates extreme over heating of transformer and it is strongly recommended that transformer should de-energized and internal inspection is to be carried out. If ration of CO2/CO is greater then 10 generally indicate thermal fault with

involvement of cellulose (Low Temperature Thermal Fault Involving Cellulose).

Monitoring of FFT Level In Oil.

As paper ages furan derivatives are produced in oil. Some of furan derivatives are stable and some are highly unstable in oil. In furan derivatives 2 Furaldehyde (FFA) is most stable and often found in oil due to degradation of paper. FFA measurement in transformer oil gives the average decay integrates over the entire volume of the transformer insulation. In healthy transformer, there are no detectable furans in oil, or they are less then 100 ppb.

Monitoring of FFT Level In Oil.

When transformer ageing starts or significant damage to paper insulation from heat occurs, furan levels in oil can go up to at least 1000 ppb and maximum to 70000 ppb. Table -2 can be used for the assessment of insulation condition in which First column in table is used for the transformer with non-thermally upgraded paper and second column is for the transformer with thermally upgraded paper. From furan analysis & from the table-2 it is easy to identify the insulation condition and estimate the residual life of the transformer.

Table -2- Furans, DP, Percentage of life Used, of paper insulation.

2-Furaldehyde Furans (ppb) Estimated Estimated % of (ppb) Thermally DP Remaining Life Non thermal Paper upgreaded paper 58 51 800 100 130 100 700 90 292 195 600 79 654 381 500 66 1464 745 400 50 1720 852 380 46 2021 974 360 42 2374 1113 340 38 2789 1273 320 33 3277 1455 300 29 3851 1664 280 24 4524 1902 260 19 5315 2175 240 13 6245 2487 220 7 7337 2843 200 0

Interpretation

Normal Aging Rate

Accelerated Aging Rate Excessive Aging Danger Zone High Risk Of Failure End of Expected Life of Paper Insulation and of The Transformer

Recommended Test

EHV TRANSFORMERS/REACTORS (132 KV AND ABOVE BUT INCLUDING UNIT AUXILIARY TRANSFORMERS):DGA, BDV and Moisture in oil to be done once in six month. Acidity, IFT, PF/Tan Delta and Furan analysis to be done once in year. Test for oxygen inhibitor to be done in once in two year.

If possible metal particle analysis also to be done once in year.

Contd.

Transformer Below 132 KV ...

DGA, BDV and Moisture analysis in oil to be done once in year. Acidity, IFT, PF/Tan Delta and Furan analysis to be done once in year.

Test for oxygen inhibitor to be done in once in three year.

Some Examples
Case I Hydrogen 2/27/75 231 ppm Ratio C2H2/C2H4 Value 0 IEC Ratio code 0

Oxygen
Carbon Dioxide Ethylene Ethane Acetylene Nitrogen Methane Carbon Monoxide

1043
2194 CH/H2 5584* 1726* 0 71,154 3997* 0 C2H4/C2H6 3.2 2 17.3 2

Conclusion : Thermal Fault, 700 C, Oil Overheating, Severe not involving cellulose.

Some Examples
Case II Hydrogen Oxygen Carbon Dioxide Ethylene Ethane Acetylene Nitrogen 7/23/74 127 ppm 1947 2024 32 1 81* 78,887 C2H4/C2H6 32 2 CH/H2 0.18 0 C2H2/C2H4 2.5 1

Ratio

Value

IEC Ratio code

Methane
Carbon Monoxide

24
0

Conclusion: Discharges of high energy, Arcing not involving cellulose.

Limitations of Oil Analysis.

No homogeneous condition with in the transformer due to which system is never at true equilibrium. Pinpointing of problem is not possible. Extremely difficult to reach on any conclusion based on single Analysis. When fault is detected other techniques are also required for assistance.

Thank you