TRANSFORMER PROTECTOR

4th UPDEA SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

March 12, 2008
Transformer Operations & Failure
Avoidance

Rui Da Silva, SERGI FRANCE

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Introduced Power Factor Testing 1929

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What We Are Trying To Avoid

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Number of Transformer Events/Yr

20

15

10

0
'91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01

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Data Sources (1)
Insurance - Carrier & Industry Sources

Allianz
Munich Re
Swiss Re
Lloyds Syndicates
Factory Mutual Research & Engineering
FM Global, previously
Allendale Mutual
Arkwright Mutual
Protection Mutual
AIG / Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance
Royal Insurance
Industrial Risk Insurers
American Insurance Association

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Data Sources (2)
Power Industry Sources

 Edison Electric Institute

 McCoy Power Reports
 INPO Operational Reliability Program
 IEEE RAM Comm (Reliability Availability & Maintainability
 Utility Data Institute
 Electric Power Reserch Institute
 American Power Conference, extracts 1990 to 2001
 Intl. Joint Power Conference, extracts 1989 to 2001
 MFR’s : GE, Alstom, ABB, Siemens, Westinghouse

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Aging Forecast
latest forecast model ….. f(t) = A + a e bt
1 + µe bt
100%
90%
80%
Hazard Function

70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2

14

20

26

32

38

44

50

56

62

68

74
Age

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Insurer’s Exposure to Losses

32% 10% Rise

SYSTEMS & 
18%
COMPONENTS
START

10% 15%

<2% 4% 18% 63% 8% 5%

Civil Erection Mechanical Testing Performance Operational
Completion
= 15 Year History
= 2002/2006

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Forced Outage
(Unplanned Maintenance/Repair Times)
Time-to-Repair Distributions for Minor, Major
and Catastrophic Events

0.10

0.09

0.08
Catastrophic
(230 hr/event)
0.07 MINOR MAJOR
Probability

0.06
(5 hr/ event) (55 hr / event)
0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0.00

1 10 100 1,000

Time to Repair, Hours

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US Power Plant Fatalities
14

12
Total: 35 people
10

0
1971 1976 1977 1989 1992 1993 1994 1995 1999 2000

Fatalities due to
Explosions and Fires

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Transformer Failure Modes

Thermally induced
Electrically Induced
Mechanically Induced

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Transformer Failure Modes
Electrically
Induced

• Over Voltage
• Surges
• Partial
Discharge
• Static
Electrification

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Transformer Failure Modes
Mechanically Induced

Conductor Conductor Hoop Buckling

Tipping Telescoping
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Mechanical Failure

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Transformer Failure Modes
Thermally Induced
 Overloading
 Failure of cooling system
 Blockage of axial spaces
 Over-excitation (over-voltage or
under-frequency)

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Cause of Failures

Overload Other
2% 2%
Moisture Electrical
7% Disturbances
Loose 29%
Connection
13%

Maintenance
issues Insulation
13% issues
Lightning 18%
16%
20 years of claims

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Types of Transformers

Distribution, for residential service

Generator Step-up Transformers
Autotransformers
Multi-winding transformers(> 2 windings)
Rectifier Transformers--Smelters
Furnace Transformers--Steel Mills
Inverter Transformers-DC
Converter Transformers-DC
Regulating Transformers--Voltage, Current Phase, Angle
Instrument Transformers--Voltage/Current
Other

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Generator Step-Up Transformers

(GSU’S)
Usually (90%+) two-winding transformers
Large KVA (50000kVA and higher, up to 1,300,000 kVA)
Used at Power Plants
Fossil-Coal/Oil/Gas
Nuclear
Hydro
Raises the voltage from the generator voltage (12-26 kV)
to the Transmission System Voltage (69-765kV)
to allow efficient transmission of power from the
energy source to the load.

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Autotransformers
•Primary use is to connect two transmission systems of different voltages
•The two systems must by Y-connected and of the same phasing and polarity
•“Short-ended” autos (re 200/190 kV) or “long-ended” (200/20 kV) are not
practical.
•Autotransformers can step voltage up or down.

Typical voltage ratings of Autotransformers in NA

138/69 kV 765/345 kV
230/115 kV 765/500 kV
345/138 kV 765/138 kV
345/230kV 500/161 kV
500/230kV
500/345kV

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►How to protect your investment?

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Transformer Specification
 Evaluate system requirements
 Evaluate transformer requirements
 Evaluate client standards
 Review or create entire specification
 Design Review – At Factory
 Drawing & Materials Review
 Scheduling Coordination
 Core & Coil – Pretank Inspection
 Factory Test

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Core Form vs Shell Form Transformers
 Core Form  Shell Form
Round Coils( Cylinder) Flat Coils in rectangular shape
Coils Wrapped on a tube then Coils stacked into groups
loaded on core Interleaved windings
Core stacked in legs and then Core stacked around the coils
windings are placed over Core is Horizontal
them Stronger under short circuit
Vertical Core Legs Generally more expensive
Windings Concentric around Major advantages in GSU’s
each other
ABB (Cordoba), IEM (Mexico),
Majority of Transformers in the
world Schneider (France), Mitsubishi
(Japan), Hyosung (Korea),
GE (UNITED STATES!)

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Basic Construction
SHELL FORM CORE FORM

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Core Form Construction

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Shell Form Construction

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Single Phase vs Three Phase Units
 Three Phase  Single Phase
 Most Economical - Min of 3 units
 Smallest footprint - Easier to spare (4th Tx)
 Simplifies station design - Greater
 Most Common Reliability/Availability
- 3-Phase too large to ship
- Larger footprint
- More Expensive

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Field Testing - Oil Diagnostics
 OIL
 Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) Profile (Main Tank, OLTC)
 Furan Analysis
 Moisture Content
 Dielectric Strength
 Oil Condition
 Inhibitor Content
 Metals
 Corrosive Sulfur
 Acidity
 Degree of Polymerization

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The different components of the protection
7
2 6

1 3

1. Depressurization Set 4. Explosive Gas Elimination Pipe

2. OLTC Depressurization Set 5. Cabinet
3. Oil-Gas Separation Tank 6. Explosive Gases Evacuation
7. Conservator Shutter
To create an evacuation opening before the dynamic pressure
becomes uniform static pressure
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THE TRANSFORMER PROTECTION : OPERATION

 1/ The dynamic pressure peak travels at the speed of sound inside oil

 2/ Rupture
of the disk,
depressurisation,
evacuation of the
oil-gases mixture

 3/ Opening of the air

isolation shutter

 4/ Nitrogen injection

 5/ Explosive gases
production is
N2

stopped after 45 min

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COMPUTATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS
Pressure Wave Gas and Oil Complex
Propagation Behaviours Geometry

Compressible Numerical Tool Finite

Two-Phase Flow Model Volume Method on
EM, thermal, viscosity, gravity Unstructured mesh

2002 and 2004 Tests on Numerical Tool

Transformers Validation

Extrapolation to
High Fault Currents Transformers
>100MVA

Protection
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Hydro
 a  
  u .a  0 Effect

 a
t Modelling

 div a g u 
 
 0 Gravity
g

 t Effect
  1  a  l  Modelling
 l u  Modeling
 div 1  aPhysical 0
 t
Energy
 u  div u  u   
 t

P

 
 g  div 
Transfer
Modelling
 E
  div E  P u 
 t
 
  
 g .u  div  .u  E
Viscous
Effect
Modelling

Equation of state : P   1e   P

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Any Questions?

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