Pooya Pazhoohesh Arvid Pazh

Online Transformer Insulation Drying Techniques

a Study on T2 Transformer of Behshahr1 Electrical Power Station – Mazandaran Province
Overview

Water in the transformer !?

Physics of drying

Onsite drying techniques

Online Continuous Drying

Online Transformer Dryer – DP100

Practical Story of Online Drying

Introduction
1

A moisture increase of 1% causes a doubling of the depolymerisation speed

4% moisture at 50°C leads to a moisture content in the oil of 50 ppm. Is the oil
quickly cooled down (power failure during winter), is it possible to have free
water already at 20 °C
With a too high moisture content, there is the risk of bubble formation in the
insulation at much lower hot spot temperatures as 140°C as with dry insulation
Paper Degradation
2
Speed of Depolymerization against Water Content
[D(80°C, 0.2% H20) = 1, according to Bouvier]
Moisture Equilibrium
3
Moisture Equilibrium Curve (Oommen Curve)
Sources of Water in Old Transformers
4

Exposure to air (repair)

Broken gaskets
Paper depolymerisation
by-product 0.4 - 2% 0.1 - 0.2% per year with
open expansion tank
Moisture Distribution Paper-Oil
5
Example: 400 MVA Transformer with 15 Tones cellulose insulation
and 60 Tones oil, 3% average moisture in cellulose, 30°C average oil temperature

450 liters
in cellulose

0.6 litres in the oil

Over 99 % of the moisture is collected in the cellulose!

Physics of Drying
6
 Diffusion / Drying speed is influenced by:
Temperature
Humidity
Material properties
Physics of Drying
7

Depolymerisation

Drying time Temperature Drying quality

Temperature is the key parameter in any drying process

Problems with Drying Transformers
8
Drying too short
→ Moisture content too high
→ Accelerated aging
→ Reduced lifetime
Drying too long
→ Energy costs, production speed
→ Paper too long at hot temperature
→ additional Loss of DP
→ Reduced lifetime

Optimal drying time is essential

Monitoring of moisture content necessary
On-Site Drying Methods
9

Oil drying Vacuum drying

Oil Circulation
10
Advantages
 low costs
 simple technique
 low operative expenditure

Disadvantages
 long drying times
 poor drying quality
 shorter drying intervals required
Oil Circulation & Vacuum
11
Advantages
 low costs
 simple technique
 drying improvement
compared to solely oil circulation

Disadvantages
 long drying times
 various cycles required
 tank for oil storage
Hot Oil Spray
12

Advantages
 constant heat feeding under vacuum
 good drying results

Disadvantages
 difficult heating of the internal parts
 location of the spraying nozzle critical
LFH and Hot Oil Spray
13
Advantages
 constant heat feeding under vacuum
 Heat from inside and outside
Short drying time
Excellent drying results

Disadvantages
 larger investment
 only reasonable for
larger transformers
 Rapid Drying Disadvantages
14
Moisture Cellulose Fiber

Heat & Vacuum

Heat & Vacuum

Drying potentially endangers the solid insulation as

the winding coil usually is not re-fastened after drying
(>>> stability in case of short circuit)
Online Continuous Drying
15
Oil Molecules Cellulose Fiber

Moisture Diffusion
Moisture Diffusion
Online Continuous Drying
16
Drying as a continuous procedure:
The liquid insulation is continuously dried during transformer operation.
Through the drying of the liquid insulation the solid components are dried as well.

Such systems are advantageous for already impregnated transformers

with moderate water strain. The drying is performed during regular
transformer operation, thus no outage is required.
Online Continuous Drying
17
Drying as a continuous procedure:
One of the most important advantages of continuous drying procedures in comparison
to other on site drying procedures is the considerate treatment of the insulation

Caution: It should be looked out that the system does not influence
the amount of failure gases as the failure gases are important for
protection and diagnosis purposes in a transformer [Fofana & Borsi 2004]
Online Continuous Drying
18
Online Drying Methods:

• Cellulose Cartridge Filters

• Molecular Sieves
Cellulose Cartridge Filters
19

Cellulose filter cartridge

Cooler
Transformer vessel

Features:

 Reduction in particle count

Pump Gentle,
 Increase in breakdown voltage, but no change
continuous desiccation
in acid number or interfacial tension.
Warm, „wet“ oil
 Removal of furans
 Reduction in dissolved gas concentration
Cooling circuit

Upgraded insulating liquid

Molecular Sieves Dryer
20

Humidity sensor

Features:
 Reduction in particle count
 Some increase in Breakdown Voltage and IFT, and
a decrease in Acid Number
 Removal of furans
 No Reduction in dissolved gas concentration
Online Transformer Dryer
DP-100
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
21
Simple Transformer Dryer Device

Humidity sensor
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
22
Adsorbents – Zeolite Molecular Sieve (BASF CO. Germany)
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
23
Initial Test – Oil Lab
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
24
Initial Test (Oil Lab) – Qualitative Results
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
25
Initial Test (Oil Lab) – Quantitative Results
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
26
Certificate of Oil Antioxidant Adsorption Test
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
27
Primary Design
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
28
Device Manufacturing
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
29
Device Manufacturing
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
30
Device Manufacturing – Electrical Test
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
31
Sensor Calibration on Lab
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
32
DP100 on Exhibition
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
33
Primary Drying Test
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
34
Test Results

Before After
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
35
Test Results

69.6 Moisture (20 oC)

20.9
18
8.3
7.4
7.1
6.9
6.1
0 1 5.4
2 3 4 5
6
7
8
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
36
Test Results

Breakdown Voltage
75.1 75.1
66.8 75.1 75.1 74.8 75.1
57

28

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
37
Test Results

0.015 Acidity

0.002 0.002 0.002

0.001 0.001 0.001
1 0.001
2 0.001
3 4 5 6 7
8
9
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
38
Test Results

Interfacial Tension
38 40.2 40.3 43.7 44.1 45.5 45.9
36
25

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
39
Test Results

9.4 Viscosity

9.2
9.1 9.1
9 9 9.1 9.1 9.1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
40
Test Results

0.037
Tangent Delta

0.0213

0.0137 0.0135

0.0063
0.0061
0.0034
1 0.0023
2 3 0.0019
4 5 6 7
8
9
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
41
Test Results

Special Resistivity
195
188

138
102
67.7
40.5 42.5
6.57 21.3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9
Online Transformer Dryer – DP100
42
Advantages
 Online dehydration of transformer oil
 Raising breakdown Voltage
 Paper insulation dehumidifying
 Removing oil particles
 Reduction of oil insulation loss factor
 Reduction oil acidity
 Increasing transformer load capacity
 Increasing transformer age
 Improve most of chemical parameters and no effect on oil gases
 DP-100
Screen Panel
DP-100 Screen Panel
43
 Home Screen Page
DP-100 Screen Panel
44
 Auto and Manual Operation Pages
DP-100 Screen Panel
45
 Setting Page
DP-100 Screen Panel
46
 Alarms and Warnings Page (Safety Interlock)
DP-100 Screen Panel
47
 Water Absorption Page
DP-100 Screen Panel
48
 Time Sets Page
DP-100 Screen Panel
49
 Calibration Pages
DP-100 Screen Panel
50
 Automatic Pump control Page
DP-100 Screen Panel
51
 Transformer Level Page
DP-100 Screen Panel
52
 Trend Pages
DP-100 Screen Panel
53
 Log table Page
 A True Story of DP-100 on
T2 Transformer of Behshahr1 Electrical Power Station
DP-100 Test on T2-Behshahr1
54
Transformer Location: Behshahr city – Mazandaran Province
DP-100 Test on T2-Behshahr1
55
T2 Transformer of Behshahr1 Station
DP-100 Test on T2-Behshahr1
56
Device Commissioning
DP-100 Test on T2-Behshahr1
57
FDS test before drying
DP-100 Test on T2-Behshahr1
58
Connections
DP-100 Test on T2-Behshahr1
59
Air Trapping
DP-100 Test on T2-Behshahr1
60
Operation and Parameters

SMS Text message

DP-100 Test on T2-Behshahr1
61
Results