Mechanical Faults:

2. Buchholz Relay:
Serves for the protection of power transformers against
Gas accumulation
Loss of insulation liquid
Flow of insulation liquid
caused by flow of high eddy currents, local over heating, Arcing or Partial
discharges occurring within the tank.
Buchholz relay consists of
An Upper Float
A Lower Float
A damper

2. Buchholz Relay (Cont)

Buchholz relay two oil filled chambers with two floats + relays
arranged vertically over one another.
Upper float alarms operator
lower float trips the transformer from external supply/load.

High eddy currents + local overheating + Leakage of insulation liquid occur

within the tank bubbles of resultant gas rise to the top of the tank
gas moves to the pipe between the conservator and the tank, and goes to
the Buchholz relay chamber gas builds up in the chamber oil Level
decreases to a level produce an alarm.

2. Buchholz Relay (Cont)

Buchholz relay also serves protection of excessive pressure in the
oil tank.
It happens when the decomposition gasses are produced vigorously or
rapidly as a result of high energy discharges

2. Buchholz Relay: (Cont)

Buchholz Relay Functionality:
Upper float switch for alarm.
Acts when local overheating gradual decomposition of liquid +
solid insulation material + formation of gasses
Lower float switch for tripping.
Acts when local overheating gradual decomposition of liquid + solid
insulation material + formation of gasses or loss of insulation liquid
crosses alarming float and reach to the tripping float.

2. Buchholz Relay: (Cont)

Buchholz Relay Functionality:
Damper mechanical switch which force the lower float to generate
tripping.
Acts when
high energy discharges gases decomposition rapid and vigorous
high pressure waves generation flow of insulation liquid towards
expansion vessel.
These pressure waves pushes the damper towards the lower float
which in turn produces tripping.

a. Buchholz Relay Working:

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.. . . ......
_____________
_____________
_____________
._____________
.Conservator
. .. ... ..
_____________
_____________
__
__
__
__
Trip
ALARM
__
__
__
__
__
__
__________
__ Upper Float
__________
__________
__
__
__________
__
__
_____________________________________________
Damper
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
__________
__
Lower Float
__________
__
__
__
__
__
__
Buchholz Relay
__________
__
__________
______________
___________
LOAD
___________ _
___________________
___________
_______
Formation
pressure
of gasses
waves caused
are produced
by local
due
overheating,
to very highorenergy
loss
____________ _ High
_______________
discharges.
of insulation
reaches
a point
Itmaterial
causes
forcing
(oil)
the
upper
flow
causes
float
of insulation
decrease
to generate
material
in oil
ALARM.
level
towards the
_____________
expansion
reach trip level,
vesselforcing
pushing
lower
thefloat
damper
to generate
which inTRIP
turns pushes
lower float to generate TRIP.
6