Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use

for Condition Assessment Purposes

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle

University of Hannover

Dr.-Ing. Peter Werle has studied Electrical Engineering at the

University of Hannover, where he afterwards received his Dr.-
Ing. degree at the Schering-Institute for High Voltage Technique
and Engineering.

Since 2003 he is with ABB AG, Transformer Service in Halle,

Germany, where he has hold different national and interna-
tional positions. Since 2010 he is the general manager of the
Transformer Service Workshop in Halle with more than 200
employees. He is member of VDE, IEEE, DKE K 182 insulation
liquids and CIGR as liason officer A2 - IEC TC 10 and active
in different working Groups. He is the author or co-author of
more than 100 publications and owner of more than 20 pa-
tents in Asset Management, Diagnostic Methods, Monitoring
and High Voltage Testing.

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 1 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers

and their use for
Condition Assessment Purposes
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Werle
University of Hannover, Germany
Schering-Institute for High Voltage Engineering and Asset Management
Schering-Institut

TLM International - Dubai 2015

October 27th and 28th Dubai, VAE
Page 1

Overview

Motivation

Insulation Fluids
Background and Basics
Schering-Institut

SOT Parameters and DGA

DGA according to IEC / IEEE

Examples, Examples, Examples

Conclusion

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 2

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 2 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Why DGA and Diagnosis ?

Prevent the worst-case
Schering-Institut

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 3

Condition Assessment
Chemical Analysis are the most important starting point,
but alone not enough for a precise condition assessment

Holistic approach
Condition ?
Schering-Institut

Chemical Electrical Optical

Standard oil test Resistances Visual Inspection
DGA Transmission ratio Thermovision scan
Isolation resistances
Furan UV-Camera (Corona
Impedance
detection)
Messungen
DP-Estimation FRA lanalytik
FDS / PDC / RVM
PD and HV Tests
TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 4

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 3 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Automatic Expert Systems

Monitoring

Vision:
Automatic Expert System
Schering-Institut

- Life Time Calculation

- Failure Risk
Alarm
Experts by artificial
Power
Intelligence
Enterprise
Temperature - Fuzzy Logic
- Neural Networks
Environmental - Cluster Analysis
Expert System - Pattern Analysis
etc. - etc.

Diagnostic Results

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 5

Insulation Liquids
Mineral oil
Highly refined oil from raw oil
Parafin (aliphatic, high pour point)
Inhibited/uninhibited
DBPC, BHT*
Naphtenic/parafinic
Schering-Institut

New trend: GtL (Gas to Liquid)

Naphtene (cylco-aliphatic, saturated)
Components
Parafin/Alkanes 40-60%
Naphtenes 30-50%
Aromates 5-20%
Aromates (natural inhibitor)
Olefines/Alkenes <1%

*2,6-ditertiarybutyl para-cresol (DBPC) and 2,6-ditertiary-butyl

phenol (DBP). DBPC also known as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) Olefines (natural inhibitor)

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 6

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 4 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index
Breakdown Voltage
Moisture Content
Particles
Schering-Institut

Clearness
Colour
Inhibitor Content
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Interfacial Tension
Acidity

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 7

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index Type of the Oil

Breakdown Voltage
Moisture Content
Particles
Schering-Institut

Clearness
Colour
Inhibitor Content
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Interfacial Tension
Acidity

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 8

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 5 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index
Breakdown Voltage Critical ! Insulation strength

Moisture Content
Particles
Schering-Institut

Clearness
Colour
Inhibitor Content
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Interfacial Tension
Acidity

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 9

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index
Breakdown Voltage
Moisture Content Critical ! Impact on BV!
Particles
Schering-Institut

Clearness
Colour
Inhibitor Content
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Interfacial Tension
Acidity

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 10

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 6 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index
Breakdown Voltage
Moisture Content
Particles Impact on BV!
Schering-Institut

Clearness
Colour
Inhibitor Content
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Interfacial Tension
Acidity

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 11

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index
Breakdown Voltage
Moisture Content
Particles
Schering-Institut

Clearness Sludge ?
Colour Indicate Ageing
Inhibitor Content
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Interfacial Tension
Acidity

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 12

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 7 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index
Breakdown Voltage
Moisture Content
Particles
Schering-Institut

Clearness
Colour
Inhibitor Content Critical, ageing acceleration!
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Interfacial Tension
Acidity

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 13

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index
Breakdown Voltage
Moisture Content
Particles
Schering-Institut

Clearness
Colour
Inhibitor Content
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Ageing !
Interfacial Tension
Acidity

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 14

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 8 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Oil Analysis
Standard Oil Test

Refraction Index
Breakdown Voltage
Moisture Content
Particles
Schering-Institut

Clearness
Colour
Inhibitor Content
Dielectric Dissipation Factor
Interfacial Tension
Acidity Aggessive to paper !

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 15

Oil Analysis
Furan Analysis
Decomposition products

Paper 5HMF

Degradation of the
paper due to heat, 2FOL

humidity, oxygen
and acidity 2FAL
+
DP value as
Schering-Institut

function of 2FAL is 2ACF

not precise enough

DP profile 5MEF

depending on temp.
and moisture, but 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5HMF)
typically low DP on 2-furfurylalcohol (2FOL)
top, higher DP on 2-furfural (2FAL)
2-acetylfuran (2ACF)
buttom 5-methyl-2-furfural (5MEF)
TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 16

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 9 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Fault Gas Generation

Schering-Institut

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 17

Considered Gases
Nitrogen N2
Oxygen O2
According to IEEE:
Hydrogen H2
Carbon Monoxyd CO Combustible Gases
Carbon Dioxyd CO2
Methane CH4 Not Combustible Gases
Schering-Institut

Ethane C2H6
Not considered in IEEE
Ethylene C2H4
Acethylene C2H2
Propane C3H8
Propene C3H6

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 18

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 10 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Considered Gases
Nitrogen N2
Oxygen O2
Hydrogen H2
Carbon Monoxyd CO
Carbon Dioxyd CO2 Graphical
Methane CH4
Schering-Institut

Ethane C2H6 IEEE C57.104

Ratios

Ethylene C2H4 IEC 60599

Acethylene C2H2 Other
Propane C3H8
Failure
Propene C3H6
IEC Electrical (PD, Discharges with low or high energy)
FAULTS Thermal (Temperatures < 300C, < 700C or > 700C)
TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 19

Oil Analysis
The basis of any DGA is a correct oil
sampling therefore separate standards
have been developed
If the oil sampling is not performed
exactly, the DGA result will not be reliable
or wrong
Schering-Institut

About 1 Million DGA are performed per

year in approx. 600 labs around the world
In addition 40.000 online monitoring
systems are installed in total (from simple
gas sensors to all gas sensor systems)
The sampling is usually an advantage of
online monitoring systems

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 20

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 11 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

IEC 60599
DGA Interpretation
Performed only if gas amounts or gas rates are
suspicious
Limits are not directly given, only typical values and the
recommendation to develop own limits based on own
operated transformer fleet
Schering-Institut

Beside the main fault gases special gases or ratios are

considered
Carbon Oxides
The ration CO2/CO should be considered
If this ratio is smaller 3 or larger 10 paper involvement
in the failure has to be considered, but has to be
proven by additional measurements (e.g. furans)
High levels of CO is 1000ppm, of CO2 is 10000ppm
TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 21

IEC 60599
Atmospheric gases
O2 and N2 are important indicators for open
transformers (free breathing)
The ratio O2/N2 should be approx. 0,5, where O2 is in a
range of 32000ppm and N2 is in a range of 64000ppm
Ratios smaller than 0,3 indicate strong oxidation
Schering-Institut

OLTC faults
C2H2/H2 ratios higher than 2 to 3 in the main tank are
considered as an indication of OLTC contamination
Cases to be confirmed by additional measurements:
e.g. comparing DGA from tank and conservator
however, interpretation becomes more difficult
C3 hydrocarbons
These hydrocarbons have a very good solubility in oil
and might therefore be useful (thermal history)
TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 22

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 12 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

IEC 60599
Interpretation scheme

If H2 > CH4 electrical failure !

otherwise thermal problem !
Schering-Institut

Source IEC 60599

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 23

IEEE
DGA Interpretation
Also some special gases ratios are mentioned
The ratio CO2/CO often indicate a paper ageing (normally>7)
Levels should have a certain value to improve certainty factor
(CO 500ppm, CO2 5000ppm)
Interpretation only if limits are exceeded (first absolute
values, afterwards rates to be checked)
Schering-Institut

TCG (Total Combustible Gas) and TDCG (Total

Dissolved Combustible Gas) are important parameters

Source IEEE C57.104 - 2008

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 24

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 13 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

IEEE
Interpretation
Ratios are defined according to Drnenburg (R1, R2,
R3, R4) and Rogers (R1, R2, R5 similar to IEC 60599)
Based on these ratios tables and flow charts are given
Schering-Institut

Source IEEE C57.104 - 2008

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 25

Example 1
110kV / 40MVA YoM 2013
DGA after 1,5 years
Fehlergas Wert
H2 [ppm] 3
O2 [ppm] 28354
N2 [ppm] 97150
Schering-Institut

CO2 [ppm] 453 Is this

CO [ppm] 44 Transformer
CH4 [ppm] 2 be OK ?
C2H6 [ppm] 1
C2H4 [ppm] 1
C2H2 [ppm] 0
C3H8 [ppm] 2
C3H6 [ppm] 3
Total Gas Content [%] 9,5

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 26

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 14 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Example 2
110kV / 40MVA Measurement Result
SOT OK
Furans None
What about this
Resistance No deviations
Transformer ? Insulation resistance good
DGA No deviations

Gas ppm
Schering-Institut

H2 [ppm] <1
O2 [ppm] 25354
N2 [ppm] 67143
CO2 [ppm] 253
CO [ppm] 54
Transformer has CH4 [ppm] <1
a membrane C2H6 [ppm] <1
broken ! C2H4 [ppm] <1
C2H2 [ppm] <1

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 27

Example 3
Reactor Property Value
Voltage 120 kV
YoM 1979
Reactive Power 60 MVAr

Measurement Result
SOT normal
Schering-Institut

Furans low
Resistances No deviations
Insuation Resistances good
FDS Middle moisture
FRA No deviations
DGA increased

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 28

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 15 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Example 3
Reactor Gas ppm
H2 [ppm] 60
CO2 [ppm] 5229
CO [ppm] 769
CH4 [ppm] 406
C2H6 [ppm] 116
Schering-Institut

C2H4 [ppm] 439

C2H2 [ppm] 1
C3H8 [ppm] 16
C3H6 [ppm] 177

According to IEC thermal problem between 300 and 700C

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 29

Example 3
Investigation in the Workshop
Dissassembly of windings necessary
Schering-Institut

DGA Interpretation was correct, but even a more detailed

analysis could be possible using experience !

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 30

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 16 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Example 4
Lab experiment using different mineral oils
Identical failures and failure energies
Gas content in ppm A B
CO 2 153 222
C2H4 1602 1766
Schering-Institut

C2H2 7418 10712

C2H6 <1 5,3
C3H6 585 807
C3H8 32,8 35,6
CH 4 811 1126
CO 2,4 3,1
H2 7830 9064

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 31

Example 4
Lab experiment using different mineral oils
Identical failures and failure energies
Schering-Institut

A
B

TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 32

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 17 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes

Example 5
Lab experiment using identical mineral oils
Oil aged and degassed (A) and in addition reclaimed (B)
Thermal stress of 140C for 72h
A in ppm B in ppm
Methane 78 0
Carbon monoxid 98 70
Schering-Institut

Carbon dioxid 1772 693

Ethylene 162 17
Ethane 47 5
Acetylen 0 0
Hydrogen 0 0
Duval Thermal problem Thermal problem
Dornenburg Thermal problem No failure
Thermal problem Thermal problem low
Rogers
>700C temperature
TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 33

Conclusion
Oil Analysis is one of the most important tools for
condition assessment of power transformers
For DGA different standards using different limits
and different evaluation criteria
Different mineral oils / different ageing states show
Schering-Institut

different gassing and stray gassing behavior thus

SOT parameters might be used in addition to DGA
Actual DGA interpretation algorithms can lead to a
wrong or not precise enough result
Research work is still necessary in order to optimize
DGA interpretation (all liquids, free breathing,
hermetic, stray gassing, oil condition, etc.)
TLM Dubai 2015 - Insulation Liquids used for Condition Assessment - Peter Werle Page 34

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 18 S7

 Insulating Liquids for Power Transformers and their use
for Condition Assessment Purposes
Schering-Institut

Thank You !

Source: ETH Zrich Solid State Transformer Concepts in Traction and Smart Grid Applications J.W. Kolar,Page
G.I. 35
Ortiz

Prof.Dr.Ing. Peter Werle, University of Hannover 19 S7