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EFFECTS OF LOADED TERTIARY WINDINGS ON
TRANSFORMER LIFE

Hongzhi DING, Simon RYDER
Doble Engineering, UK Office, 5, Weyvern Park, Peasmarsh, Guildford GU31NA

Ruth HOOTON, Paul JARMAN
National Grid, National Grid House, Warwick Technology Park, Gallows Hill,
Warwick, CV34 6DA

ABSTRACT

Many large transmission transformers are fitted with tertiary windings, for a variety of purposes. Some
transformer users choose to load transformer tertiary windings, often to provide reactive compensation.
This paper examines more than 40 years experience of using loaded transformer tertiary windings to
provide reactive compensation in England and Wales. There is a high prevalence of problems related to
leakage flux with such transformers, e.g. core bolt overheating, core/frame/tank circulating currents, and
winding circulating currents. Tertiary loading also seems to accelerate solid insulation ageing, as might
have been expected.

INTRODUCTION

A tertiary winding is usually defined as an additional, not necessarily third, winding fitted to a transformer
with lower rated power and rated voltage than the main windings and not intended to receive active power
from the system.

Tertiary windings may be provided for one or more of the following purposes:
Testing at works
Testing at site
Supplying auxiliary loads, usually via a separate auxiliary transformer
Connecting reactive compensation
Connecting harmonic filters
Reducing zero-sequence impedance

Delta-connected tertiary windings were fitted to most star/star connected autotransformers and
transformers built for use in England and Wales before the mid-1980s, to reduce the zero-sequence
impedance of the two star-connected windings. This had the effect of reducing voltage imbalance when
supplying a mix of single-phase and three-phase loads. This also had the effect of increasing
asymmetrical short-circuit currents. From the mid 1960s onwards the tertiary voltage and rating were
standardized as 13kV 60MVA.

Specifications were revised in the mid-1980s, eliminating the requirement for delta-connected tertiary
windings to be fitted to most star/star connected autotransformers and transformers. They were retained
where necessary for the supply of tertiary loads and for 400/275kV autotransformers, where they were
needed by most manufacturers for testing at works.

In the mid-later 1990s, mobile SVCs were introduced in England and Wales. These were connected to
transformer tertiary windings, and the requirement for them was re-introduced into the specification.



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LOADS

In England and Wales, tertiary windings are used to supply sub-station auxiliary loads at certain locations.
These are invariably small (typical maximum 500kVA), and might reasonably be assumed to have no
effect on transformer life, except in the event of a short-circuit.

In England and Wales, tertiary windings have been used to connect reactive compensation since the
early 1960s. Initially this was in the form of synchronous compensators. These were installed in limited
numbers, and all are believed to have been taken out of service by the mid-late 1990s. They will not be
considered further in this paper. In the late 1960s a large number of tertiary shunt reactors were installed.
These were rated at either 13kV 60Mvar or 13kV 2x30Mvar. At the time of writing approximately 35 of
each type remain in service. Most date from the late 1960s, but a small number have been renewed in
recent years.

As was mentioned above, mobile SVCs were introduced in England and Wales in the mid-late 1990s. At
the time of writing 12 were installed. They are rarely, if ever, moved between locations. At around the
same time, a further 5 static capacitors were also installed.

Information on the different tertiary loads is summarized in Table 1.

Table 1
Tertiary Loads
Type of Tertiary Load Number Installed
(as at September 2012)
Single reactor 37
Twin reactor 35
Mobile SVC 12
Static capacitor 5
TOTAL 89

EFFECTS

Resistance and Other Losses in Tertiary Winding and Leads

One important effect of tertiary loading is to create resistance and eddy current losses in the tertiary
winding and the associated leads. As with other windings and leads, this can result in problems in the
case of defects with the design or its construction. There have been a number of cases of overheated
tertiary busbar joints in England and Wales.

Figure 1 and Figure 2 show examples of overheated tertiary busbar joints. The overheated joint in
Figure 1 was repaired, after an unsuccessful attempt. The overheated joint in Figure 2 was misdiagnosed
and was discovered only when the transformer was scrapped.

Heating of Tertiary Winding and Leads

The resistance and eddy current losses in the tertiary winding must be dissipated into the oil;
consequently there must be a temperature difference between the tertiary winding and the oil. As with
other windings and leads, this can result in problems in the case of defects with the design or its
construction. If the tertiary winding is particularly heavily loaded, then it may result in severe solid
insulation ageing. There have been a number of cases of severe solid insulation ageing on tertiary
windings in England and Wales.


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Overheated Tertiary Busbar Joint Overheated Tertiary Busbar Joint
Figure 1 Figure 2


Overheated Tertiary Lead Exit Overheated Tertiary Winding
Figure 3 Figure 4

Figure 3 shows an example of an overheated tertiary winding lead exit. Figure 4 shows an example of an
overheated tertiary winding. In both cases, the tertiary winding was found to be the most aged part of the
transformer. This was especially pronounced in the case of the transformer shown in Figure 3. Selected
degree of polymerisation (DP) results for the transformer shown in Figure 3 are listed in Table 2.
Likewise selected DP results for the transformer shown in Figure 4 are listed in Table 3.

Table 2
Selected DP Results (for transformer shown in Figure 3)
Phase Winding Location DP Results
A Tertiary Top lead exit 126/146
B Series Top disc, outside 405/429
C Series Top disc, outside 328/340
Common Top disc, outside 368/390
Worst (A ph, tertiary, top lead exit) 126/146
Second worst (C ph, series, top disc, outside) 328/340



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Table 3
Selected DP Results (for transformer shown in Figure 4)
Phase Winding Location DP Results
C Series Top shield ring 249/260
Top disc, outside 275/283
Top disc, inside 236/248
Common Top disc, outside 381/387
Taps Outer layer, top 394/404
Tertiary Top 229/247
Worst (C ph, tertiary, top) 229/247
Second worst (C ph, series, top shield ring) 249/260

Heating of Main Windings and Leads

Supplying a tertiary load also results in additional resistance and especially eddy current losses in the
main windings. This can result in problems in the case of defects with the design or its construction.

A spectacular case of this took place in 1996. The transformer concerned developed a severe thermal
fault owing to localised conductor damage as a transposition on the inside layer of the common winding.
The fault was active whenever the tertiary was loaded, as otherwise no leakage flux linked the strands on
the inside layer. The damage is shown in Figure 5.

Another slightly less spectacular case might have taken place more recently in 2011. The transformer
failed suddenly, having previously seemed to be in good condition and only moderately aged. It was
found to have suffered from a short-circuited turn in the common winding approximately 8 discs above the
bottom shield ring. The solid insulation did not seem to be severely aged, so it was decided to make an
investigation of the ageing along the winding in detail using a spectrographic method. There seemed to
be increased ageing at the analogous point in the common winding on an undamaged phase, probably as
a results of eddy current losses. The damage is shown in Figure 6. The DP results using the
spectrographic measurement are shown in graphical form in Figure 7.



Failed Transformer Failed Transformer
Figure 5 Figure 6


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Degree of Polymerisation Results for Common Winding
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Spectrographic DP Results
Figure 7

Leakage Flux Heating of Core, Frame, and Tank

Another important effect of tertiary loading is changes in leakage flux. Impedances between main
windings and the tertiary tend to be rather large, especially as it is standard practice in England and
Wales for them to be sufficient to limit the tertiary short-circuit current to 50kA. Increased leakage flux
can lead to increased eddy current losses, not just in windings but also in the core, frame, and tank.
There have been a number of cases of overheated core bolts on transformers with loaded tertiary
windings in England and Wales. There have also been a number of reported cases of a core/frame/tank
circulating current on a transformer with a loaded tertiary winding in England and Wales.

Figure 8 shows some overheated core bolt from a transformer with a loaded tertiary winding. The
overheating was worse towards the end of the wound limbs, i.e. in the area most likely to be affected by
increased leakage flux from tertiary loading.

Figure 9 shows overheating damage to the frame of a transformer with a loaded tertiary winding. In this
case the overheating developed so rapidly that the transformer had to be replaced urgently.


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Overheated Core Bolts Overheated Frame
Figure 8 Figure 9

Increased Solid Insulation Ageing

All other factors being equal, one would expect tertiary loading to increase overall losses, and hence
operating temperatures and solid insulation ageing. There are two recent cases of two transformers of
the same design at the same installation being replaced, one of which had a loaded tertiary winding and
the other did not. These provide an opportunity to study the effect of tertiary loading on solid insulation
ageing in the absence of other factors.

DP results from the first installation are listed in Table 4. Fully compatible DP results are only available
for the top disc of the series winding. Results from the transformer with the loaded tertiary winding are
substantially lower.

DP results for the second installation are listed in Table 5. Fully compatible DP results are available for a
number of locations. In every case but one, results for the transformer with the loaded tertiary winding
are lower than for the transformer without the tertiary winding. The difference is largest for the common
winding, which was probably most affected by the tertiary loading.

Table 4
Selected DP Results for Transformers of Same Design at Same Installation
Phase Winding Location DP Results
TV not
Loaded
TV Loaded
A Series Top disc, outside 538/572
B Series Top shield ring 285/313
Top disc, outside 525/549 359/388
Top disc, inside 349/381
Taps Top 517/538
Common Top disc, inside 396/412
C Series Top disc, outside 509/547



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Table 5
Selected DP Results for Transformers of Same Design at Same Installation
Phase Winding Location DP Results
TV not
Loaded
TV Loaded
A Series Bottom 733/757
Common Top disc 431/477 349/366
Bottom disc 431/459
B Common Top disc 441/467 370/387
Bottom disc 717/730 493/509
C Series Top 711/724
Bottom 723/735 729/739
Common Top shield ring 92/122 80/112
Top disc 681/708 433/449
Centre disc 762/774 705/713
Bottom disc 738/756

Short-Circuit Withstand

As was noted above, one of the main reasons that most star/star connected autotransformers and
transformers in England and Wales are fitted with delta-connected tertiary windings is to reduce the zero-
sequence impedance of the two star-connected windings. This had the effect of increasing asymmetrical
short-circuit currents.

A short-circuit on the tertiary terminals can be fed from both systems connected to the other windings,
and so short-circuit currents can be quite large. As was noted in passing above, it is standard practice in
England and Wales for the impedances to the tertiary to be sufficient to limit the tertiary short-circuit
current to 50kA.

A spectacular tertiary-short circuit took place earlier in 2014, when the tertiary shunt reactor circuit
breaker failed during an open operation. The short-circuit current caused damage to the tertiary busbars
of the autotransformer connected to the circuit breaker, which was too difficult to repair at site and so the
autotransformer was scrapped. The windings were not seriously damaged. The damage to the tertiary
busbars is shown in Figure 10. The three tertiary windings are shown in Figure 11, with no obvious
damage from the short-circuit.

Although this case is in unusual in a number of ways, it is not the only example in England and Wales of a
star/star connected transformer or autotransformer being destroyed by a tertiary short-circuit.

CONCLUSIONS

Many large transmission transformers are fitted with tertiary windings, for a variety of purposes. This
practice has generally been favored in England and Wales, although it lapsed for some time in the 1980s
and 1990s. Tertiary windings have been used to connect various forms of reactive compensation since
the early 1960s.

Using tertiary windings to connect reactive compensation has some effects on the transformer. Effects
considered in this paper are as follows:
Resistance and other losses in the tertiary winding and leads
Heating of tertiary winding and leads
Heating of main windings and leads
Leakage flux heating of core, frame, and tank
Increased solid insulation ageing.
Short-circuit withstand


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Damaged Tertiary Busbars Undamaged Tertiary Busbars
Figure 10 Figure 11

There have been widespread problems in England and Wales with overheated tertiary busbar joints;
localized overheating of main windings by eddy currents; overheating of through-core bolts by eddy
currents; and circulating currents in the core/frame/tank. Available evidence also suggests that tertiary
loading substantially increases solid insulation ageing, as might have been expected. The presence of a
tertiary winding, and especially a loaded tertiary winding, also has an adverse effect on short-circuit
withstand capability.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Use of transmission transformer tertiary windings to connect reactive compensation is a widespread
practice in England and Wales. It has some advantages, which have not been discussed in this paper. It
also has some consequences, many of which are likely to affect even modern designs of transformer. It
is important to consider these effects when deciding to use transmission transformer tertiary windings to
connect reactive compensation, which will remain advantageous in some circumstances.

BIOGRAPHY

Hongzhi DING was born in Henan, China in 1963. He obtained an MSc in Physics in 1990 and DSc in
Engineering and Applied Chemistry in 1995, both from the Beijing Institute of Technology. He was
honored with the 1999 National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award of China and with a Research
Fellowship from the Alexander von Humbolt Foundation in Germany in 1999 and 2000. He was with the
University of Manchester between 2000 and 2008, researching the dielectric performance of aged
transformer insulation systems, power transformer end-of-life modeling and forensic tear down
investigation of failed and scrapped power transformers. He joined Doble in 2008, where he specializes
in interpretation of transformer oil test results, transformer asset health review, and transformer forensics.
He is a member of CIGRE working group A2.45 on transformer forensics.

Simon RYDER was born in England in 1973. He obtained an MEng degree in Engineering Science from
St J ohns College, Oxford University in 1996. He joined Alstom later the same year, working in
transformer design, development, and eventually research. He is particularly noted for his work on
frequency response analysis and thermal characteristics of transformers. He joined Doble in 2003, where
he specializes in procurement of new transformers, transformer asset health review, and transformer
forensics. He is a member of IEEE-PES, a fellow of IET, and a chartered engineer. He was a member of
CIGRE working group A2.36 on transformer procurement and is convener of CIGRE working group A2.48
on shunt reactors.