FIELD EXPERIENCES WITH SFRA

Tony McGrail, Charles Sweetser

The Doble Engineering Company

INTRODUCTION

This paper presents data from several applications of SFRA in the field where results
have been used to support decisions relating to transformer health and viability. It is not
the aim of this paper to discuss in detail the basic theory of SFRA as this has been
covered in several previous papers [1-14].

We should perhaps reiterate the need in SFRA measurements to gather results which are
of sufficient quality as to provide suitable data to make decisions. This means that the
results are repeatable and independent of test operator, test equipment and lead
arrangement; a good test procedure is key to making good, reliable and repeatable
measurements [9,10].

Null results

An SFRA measurement is a trace which shows resonances at a number of different
frequencies. These resonances are due to combinations of inductances and capacitances
in the complex network which makes up the transformer: series and parallel resonances
between windings, between layers within windings, between windings and ground, and
so on. Clearly if the complex network does not change, then the SFRA trace should not
change.

We can use that information in the reverse manner no change in the SFRA trace means
that it is unlikely that there has been any change in the network being tested. Such a result
is called a null result.

Small variations often do exist between successive traces, but if they can be attributed to
simple and well understood causes such as remnant magnetization or stray impedance at
test lead terminals then they do not present a problem. It is important in SFRA to take in
to account the whole picture, and view data as one element in the analysis of a
transformer.

Relocation of a transformer is a simple example where data may be taken:

before the transformer is moved for example, in the factory
after the transformer has been moved say at the substation

In this case we expect a null result.
FIGURE 1 shows the SFRA results from a Generator Step Up transformer before
relocation and then, some months later, after it has arrived on site. J ust one winding, the
2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

1
LV, and one phase is shown, but the results are typical of all of the SFRA tests performed
on this transformer.


Generator Transformer 23.5/432 kV 800 MVA a to b LV winding
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
Frequency (MHz)
Amplitude (dB)
Scotland 9/1/00

England 10/4/00

Typical SFRA Traces before and after relocation of a
Generator Step Up Transformer
FIGURE 1

Clearly there are no new resonances or shifted resonances the results are acceptable.
Small variations in response at higher frequencies are not uncommon and are associated
with stray impedance in the test lead connections.


FIGURE 2 shows typical results from the HV winding of a distribution transformer
before and after relocation. There is a small offset to the results at low frequencies, below
1 kHz which is associated with remnant magnetism in the core. The remainder of the
traces overlay almost perfectly, and these results are typical for the two tests on the
transformer. This is strong evidence that nothing has moved within the transformer.


2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

2

HV Winding 45 MVA Transformer before and After Relocation
FIGURE 2

In both cases, the null result is useful in deciding whether anything has moved inside the
transformer as a result of relocation.

Null results with no reference results?

It is clearly not possible to have a null result without reference results. However, it is
possible to use results from sister units or similar units to provide an indication of the
expected form of results.

FIGURE 3 shows the results for three phases of a GSU after a bushing failed and had
been replaced. The failed bushing was on H3 and it is this phase which shows some small
variations at high frequencies, above 1 MHz. Higher frequency variations are related to
smaller objects with the transformer and the variation shown here could relate to lead
displacement between the winding and the bushing.


HV Results from GSU after bushing replacement
FIGURE 3
2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

3
There were no previous results from this transformer, but a sister unit in known good
condition was available to act as a reference. FIGURE 4 shows the results of the H3
phase overlaid on the results from the same phase of the sister unit. The two results are
clearly identical.



H3 of GSU results compared with sister unit
FIGURE 4

By comparing the other phases it was possible to conclude that the variation of the H3
phase was related to construction and manufacturing and is part of the design rather than
a feature resulting from the transformer failure. The results helped support the decision to
accept the transformer as healthy despite the bushing failure.

It is possible to find variation in sister units, even with results at the factory. FIGURE 5
shows variation between corresponding LV windings of transformers with successive
serial numbers. The variation is small and limited to a few points around 100 kHz and
should not be considered a reason to suspect either transformer.

2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

4


Variation in SFRA Results in Sister Units at the Factory
FIGURE 5

In the case of the transformer with the failed bushing, it is the consistent similarity
between all three corresponding phases which gives credibility to the idea that the
variation found at high frequencies on the phase with the replaced failed bushing is not
due to some mechanical movement in response to that failure.

Clearly Identifiable Problems

There are some transformer failure modes which result in such clear SFRA trace formats
that no reference results are required. One such failure mode is a shorted turn on a
winding. The effect of the shorted turn is to remove the inductive effect of that core limb,
resulting in a response which is similar to a standard SFRA short circuit response. This
test allows for direct comparison between results by shorting out the LV windings while
measuring the HV side in a manner akin to leakage reactance.

The series winding results for the 200 MVA shell form autotransformer in FIGURE 6 are
typical of a shorted turn. The responses from the two outer limbs are almost what we
would expect, except that there is only one downward resonance near 100 Hz where we
would normally expect two. The center phase has the shorted turn, resulting a response
which rolls off as per a short circuit test.


2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

5

Results indicating a shorted turn
FIGURE 6

The SFRA results produce a relatively quick and simple diagnosis, or confirmation, of a
severe problem.

Winding Movement: A Suspected Case with References

Previous papers have given examples of axial collapse of a winding and compressive
failure of a winding [2,7]. Two similar sets of results are presented here.

In FIGURE 7 are three responses from the low voltage windings of a transformer they
follow the expected form up to about 100 kHz and above 1 MHz. From 100 kHz to 12
MHz, however, there seems to be a difference for the X3-X0 phase.


Low Voltage Responses for a Suspect Transformer
FIGURE 7

Clearly, in 8, the resonances for the X3-X0 phases have shifted to higher frequencies
when compared to X1-X0 and X2-X0. Such a shift represents a reduction in the
2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

6
capacitance-inductance combination for that resonance. This presents a problem why
would one phase be so different to the other two? It is often the case that the center phase
has some slight differences when compared to the outer phases, explained through
symmetry arrangements of the windings, but it is unlikely that one outer phase would
differ so consistently when compared to the other two.


Detail of Low Voltage Responses for a Suspect Transformer
FIGURE 8

A similar set of results were found for a transformer which had suffered axial collapse of
one winding. The results shown in
FIGURE 9 are for the transformer in 1994; the three phases are very consistent across the
frequency range, having similar shape and occasional dB variations.
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
0 0.5
Frequency in MHz
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

i
n

d
B
1

Previous Example of Results Shifting to Higher Frequencies
FIGURE 9

2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

7
After an incident in 2001 the transformer was retested, giving the results shown in
FIGURE 10. These are quite different for one phase,
though the differences are predominantly above about 300 kHz, as with the suspect
transformer. This transformer was dismantled and the winding collapse found on the
suspect phase.

-70
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
0 0.5
Frequency in MHz
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

i
n

d
B
1


Results after Axial Collapse of Winding
FIGURE 10

At the time of writing the transformer with the new results has not been dismantled; this
may be the subject of a future paper.

SFRA Results Indicating a Resistance Issue

A distribution transformer had suffered a number of faults and was showing a rising
DGA trend. Power factor and capacitance tests were inconclusive, as were excitation and
leakage reactance. SFRA tests were performed to try and identify minor winding
movement.

The results were acceptable for open circuit tests, but the short circuit tests indicated a
problem at low frequencies. FIGURE 11 shows the results below 3 kHz for all three
phases.

2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

8

Short Circuit Results for Suspect Transformer
FIGURE 11

Clearly the results show the expected form with a resistive section close to 0 dB and an
inductive roll off at about 20 dB per decade. This is the advantage of the short circuit test
all three phases should look very similar and have an expected form. In some cases the
winding inductance is so large that there is no clear resistive section, but all three
windings should look the same.

Zooming in on the inductive section showed all three results within 0.1 dB which is
acceptable. The resistive section, however, showed variation for all three phases, as
shown in
FIGURE 12. The effect is small, but the close pattern of the inductive roll off is not
reflected in the resistive section.



Resistive Component of Short Circuit Test Results
FIGURE 12

2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

9
What does this variation mean? As we use a reliable test instrument, we can deduce that
something in the measurement circuit is adding resistance to that phase; this could be
something in the transformer or it could be a result of the shorting leads. All shorting
leads and connections were checked and tightened, cleaned and reapplied. The results
remained the same. Consequently the variation is due to the transformer in some way. A
DC resistance set was obtained and measurements made which confirmed the indications
of the SFRA results right down to which winding had the lowest resistance and which
had the highest. On inspection, the transformer was found to have coking on the tap
changer which had lead to the increased resistance.

No significant winding movement and/or distortion was found.

In this case SFRA was useful in confirming that the transformer was probably
mechanically sound, but indicated a need for further testing to removed the resistance
issue.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of SFRA for decision support in factory and field applications is increasing. It is
informative to discuss results and learn from them where possible so that knowledge
generated may be applied in other cases. Results presented here are from practical
application and we believe they will be both useful and informative.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work is published with permission of the Doble Engineering Company. The
assistance of colleagues both within Doble and within the industry is acknowledged and
greatly appreciated.

REFERENCES

1. "Transformer Diagnostic Testing by Frequency Response Analysis"
Dick, E. P. and Erven, C. C, IEEE Trans PAS-97, No. 6, pp 2144-2153, 1978.

2. Substation Diagnostics with SFRA: Transformers, Line Traps and Synchronous
Compensators
Phil Prout & Matt Lawrence, National Grid USA; Charles Sweetser & Tony McGrail,
Doble Engineering, USA
2004 EPRI Substations and Diagnostics Conference, New Orleans, LA

3. Transformer Winding Movement Detection by Frequency Response Analysis
J ohn Lapworth & Tony McGrail
1999 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

4. Developments in Substation SFRA Application
Greg Bennett & J ack Eitzel, Xcel Energy; Tony McGrail & Charles Sweetser, Doble
2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

10
Engineering
2005 EPRI Substations and Diagnostics Conference, New Orleans, LA

5. SFRA: An Efficient Tool for Decision Making
Harry Fridman, Elco Industries Ltd., Israel
2004 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

6. Experience with SFRA for Transformer Diagnostics
Tony McGrail, Doble Engineering Company
2004 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

7. Transformer Fails Seven Years After Close Up Faults - FRA Diagnoses the Problem
J ohn Lapworth, National Grid
2002 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

8. The Need for and Use of Techniques to Assess the Mechanical Integrity of Transformer
Windings
Alan Wilson, Doble Engineering Company; Tony McGrail, National Grid
2002 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

9. Experimental Investigations of the Repeatability of FRA Measurements: Experience
with Sweep Frequency Response Analysis Measurements
Charles L. Sweetser, Doble
2002 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

10. Testing Practices for Frequency Response Analysis
Charles L. Sweetser, Doble
2001 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

11. Recent Developments Relating to the Detection of Winding Movement in Transformers
by Frequency Response Analysis
J ohn Lapworth, National Grid
2001 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

12. ESBI Experiences with SFRA
Tim Noonan, ESBI
2001 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

13. Frequency Response Analysis of the Leakage Impedance Used as a Power Transformer
Diagnostic Tool
Librado Magallanes R., Ernesto Lpez Azamar, Isa Gallardo F., CFE
2001 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

14. Experience in the Application Of Frequency Response Analysis
Sokom An, BPA
1999 Annual Conference of Doble Clients, Boston MA

2005 Doble Engineering Company
All Rights Reserved

11