Tan Delta, also called Loss Angle or Dissipation Factor testing, is a diagnostic method of testing electrical equipment to determine

the integrity of the insulation. This is done to try to predict the remaining life expectancy of the equipment. If the insulation free from defects, it approaches the properties of a perfect capacitor. It is very similar to a parallel plate capacitor with the conductor and the neutral being the two plates separated by the insulation material. In a perfect capacitor, the voltage and current are phase shifted 90 degrees and the current through the insulation is capacitive. If there are impurities in the insulation,for example, moisture, the resistance of the insulation decreases, resulting in an increase in resistive current through the insulation. It is no longer a perfect capacitor. The current and voltage will no longer be shifted 90 degrees. It will be something less than 90 degrees. The extent to which the phase shift is less than 90 degrees is indicative of the level of insulation contamination, hence quality/reliability. This "Loss Angle" is measured and analyzed. Below is a representation of an insulation. The tangent of the angle is measured. This will indicate the level of resistance in the insulation. By measuring IR/IC (opposite over adjacent the tangent), we can determine the quality of the insulation. In a perfect insulation, the angle would be nearly zero. An increasing angle indicates an increase in the resistive current through the insulation, meaning contamination. The greater the angle, the worse is the insulation.

Insulation power factor is the angle 90-. If the insulation is excellent, the tan delta or dissipation factor is equal to the power factor. Essentially, both tan delta and power factor are just the same.

WHY to know the TAN DELTA precisely

Every Power electrical appliances in use, undergo stress from Operating Voltage, Mechanical Vibration, Temperature, Gaseous and Solid Metallic Impurities. Under these stress, the degradation of the insulation takes place, in the Electrical equipment. This stress lead to the

continuous ageing of the appliance, with regard to its Electrical Properties. Sometimes there will be an avalanche of Insulation breakdown. In the total complex network of Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution System ageing of a simple insulation may lead to a disastrous breakdown of the system, causing heavy loss. To avoid such unexpected breakdowns and for the un-interrupted service, from electrical power it is very essential to know the insulation quality of the equipment that is going to be used in the power system. And it is also essential to periodically monitor the Insulation property of equipment, that in use in this Power Network. In Electrical AC System the Dissipation Factor Tan or Power Factor Cos is considered as the indicate of quality of insulation. Hence it is very essential to measure the tan of dielectric material of the equipment precisely. The factory pre-despach measurement results are considered to be the most important as these are taken as the reference while determining Aging Effect. A very important factor is that, the instrument that is used for measuring the reference shall be precise and producing the repeatable results for many years. Hence the tan of dielectric materials of High Voltage Electrical Appliances like Power Transformers, Distribution Transformers, High Voltage Bushings, Transformers, Instrument Transformers, Power Capacitors, Power cables, Oil etc is measured precisely using highly reliable methods and instruments. The data on Dielectric Properties of Insulating material used in High Voltage Electrical Appliance gives us an idea of the Insulation Strength of the Appliances. Continuous degradation, ageing due to above mentioned stress will change these data continuously. In practice, to judge the degradation of the system in operation, the periodically recorded data are compared with a reference value, or with the value obtained by studies. WHAT IS DISSIPATION FACTOR? Dissipation Factor Tan Delta is the ratio of useless current in the Electrical system to a useful current in it. That means this is the ratio of Wattloss current to the Reactive current in it. i.e tan = IR/ Ic For the voltage applied V tan = Watt-loss (Active) Power Reactive Power. Hence tan delta is considered as the measure of quality of insulation in dielectric material. In some countries Cos is measured to know the Insulation Quality.

Watt loss in Power System It is required to monitor the watt loss through the insulation of Power System, A Generator, Transformer, Cable even a Power Capacitor used in the Electric circuit of Generation, Transmission and Distribution shall have very low power loss.

Eg1 . The Capacitors, that to be used for Power Factor Correction, or a Power Cable that is used in Electric Power Circuit are very essential to have very low wattloss. i.e. 0.2/ kVAR for Power Capacitors and tan delta of 0.0005 for Power Cables. The Dissipation Factor tan is the direct measure of watt loss (VAcos) in the total reactance of the Power Capacitor. i.e. The nominal tan delta value of 0.0002 shall be kept for Power Capacitor under use. To ensure the correct wattloss /KVAR, the tan delta shall be measured with high precision i.e with the accuracy 0.00005 or better and this measuring system shall be producing repeatable results for many years. Eg2 All over the world for years together the data on Dielectric Material have been recorded and monitored. Normally the Insulating Oil contributes major part as the dielectric material, in a Electrical Power Appliance. Hence it is very essential to precisely know the different Electrical and Chemical properties of Insulating Oil. To know the electrical properties of the Insulating Oil, the tan delta test and to know the chemical impurities the Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) of the oil is conducted. These two tests are considers as is the perfect yard stick for Failure Analysis and also for Aging Effect of the Power Equipment under use. For fresh insulating Oil the Dissipation Factor is noted using very precise instrument. In this case the Dissipation Factor is as less as 0.0001 and this measurement shall be with accuracy of 0.00005 (0.005%) of reading (as per IEC 250). Here under are indicative values of tandelta of different Electrical appliances. Tan for Fresh Tan for Old eqpt Capacitance range eqpt Power Capacitor 0.0002 As agreed up on between 10 uF. 2000 uF Mfr and Purchaser Power Cable 0.0005 0.01 Approx 250 pF/Mtr (XLPE) Power Cable (PVC) 0.01 0.1 Approx 500 pF/Mtr Insulating Oil < 0.0001 0.001 (Capacitor) Depends on Cell as Insulating Oil 0.0001 0.001 per IEC250 (others) Insulating Board 0.01 0.05 Power Transformer 0.01 0.05 500 pF 5 nF Bushing 0.003 0.01 200 pF 1500 pF Rotating Machines 0.01 tan delta is considered 10 nF. 1 u F Contact us -For more details on Failure Analysis of Power Appliances using DGA of Oil