2003 Annual Report Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena

Diagnostic of insulation condition of oil impregnated paper insulation system with return
voltage measurements
Omar Hassanl, Hossein Borsil, Emst Gockenbach', E. M. Aboelzahab*,M. I. Gilany
'Institute of Electric Power Systems, Schering-Institut, University of HaMover, Germany
2
Department of Electric Power and Machines, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Abstract: The insulation system of power transformers

consists of oil and cellulose, whose dielectric properties
are strongly influenced by moisture, temperature and
aging. Their condition can therefore, he evaluated using
dielectric response measurements. This paper describes
the return voltage measurement (RVM) diagnostic
method based on scanning the polarisation spectra of
the oil-paper insulation in the time range of 0.1s to
1200s and exitation voltage 500V (DC). The effects of
moisture, temperature and aging were studied. The
accelerated aging process of oil-paper samples were
investigated under air environment up to a temperature
of 115C. Typical transformer proportions of copper,
aluminium, zinc and iron were added to oil-paper
insulation during the aging process. The oil-paper
insulation samples were aged at different aging times at
250, 500, loo0 and Z o o 0 hours. The investigations of
temperature influence on the return voltage
characteristics were studied to determine the state of the
insulation under operating condition at different
operating temperature from 24 to 65C. The RVM
spectra were evaluated in terms of peak magnitude
variation and time shift of peak Occurrence in relation
to the temperature and moisture Condition as well as
aging.

Introduction
Power transformers are one of the most important
components of electric power distribution and
transmission systems. Therefore their reliable and
efficient operation for many years is of basic important
for an economical electrical energy supply. Paper and
related cellulosic products are still the preferred
insulation materials for oil-filled high voltage power
transformers, owing to their low cost and good overall
electrical and mechanical properties [I]. The insulation
in a power transformer degrades under normal
operating conditions, in particular with higher
temperature, higher moisture and oxidation. Aging of
the oil paper insulation system of power transformers is
determined by various stresses, namely dielectric,
thermal and electromechanical and chemical stresses
[91. The traditional method of moisture monitoring calls
for oil sample at regular interval. The oil sample is then

0-78057910-1/03/$17.00 02003 IEEE

processed through Karl Fischer titration method that'

provide the total water content in oil in parts per million
(ppm). Most of the water is dissolved in the oil.
However some of the measured water is chemically
bound to agents such as by products of oxidation. "his
bound water is only partially available to migrate from
the oil into the paper. As the oil ages, the quantity of
chemical agents provide additional sites for the water to
hind on. Some of the water may also bind to particles in
suspension in oil, and the water would not be fully
available to move to the solid. The RVM employs
polarization measurements by applying DC chargjng
and discharging the insulation as shown in Figure 1 to
estimate the aging of the paper and the relative amount
of moisture present in the insulation by investigation
polarization spectrum of the object [5,6,7,8]. In this
paper the RVM was used to study the insulation
behavior under different operation temperature from 24
to 65C. Three factors were studied separately, effect of
temperature, effect of moisture and effect of aging.

Preparing of the samples

The pressboard insulation samples were dried under
vacuum for 24 hours at 105 "C. The impregnation was
performed with degassed and dry oil with moisture
content of 5 ppm. Three different moisture levels were
investigated to study the behavior of the insulation at
different moisture contents. The moisture content of the
oil-paper insulation is determined by the temperature
and surrounding water vapor. The oil samples were
collected from the container at ambient temperature and
the moisture contents of oil sample were measured by
Karl Fischer titration technique. The moisture of solid
insulation can he estimated by (standard) equilibrium
curves [7].

Aging of the samples

The accelerated aging process of oil-paper samples was
investigated under air environment up to .a temperature
of 115C. Typical transformer proportions of copper,
aluminium, zinc and iron were added to oil-paper
insulation during the aging process. The oil-paper

insulation samples were aged at different aging times at

250,500,1000 and 2000 hours.

Preparing the model and the measuring system

The measurements have been performed on
homogeneous test sample by placing 4 mm thick
impregnated pressboard samples in a parallel plate cell
with stainless steel electrodes. The electrode
arrangement was placed in an oil-filled glass vessel.
As shown in Figure 1 a step voltage U, is applied
over the electrodes of a completly discharge test object.
After a short circuating peride, a recovery voltag, &(t)
can then measured under open circuit condition. The
sequence of recovery voltage measuring is repeated
sequentially for charging time T, from 0.1s to 1200 s.
The used ratio of charging and discharging time (TJT~
)
is 2. The polarization spectrum is obtained by plotting
the peak value of recovery voltage (U-) and the time
to reach the peak (Tmx).Charging time taken off from
global maximum of the voltage spectrum curve is
.called main (dominate) time constant T h m161.

Elgum 1: Schematic G a g " of the ~ o v e r yvoltage oEasuremnt

process

Effect of measuring temperature

Figure 2 shows the voltage polarization spectrum and
the peak times related to peak of maximum voltage
spectrum at different temperatures. The peak of
maximum voltage specmm was found to shift down
towards lower dominate time constant Tcdomwhen the
temperature was increased as shown in Table 1. The
peak times increased with charging time at all tested
temperature. The peak time vahes at higher
temperature are less than the peak time values at lower
temperature.
Table 1: Effect of measuring temwature on maximum peak

2" I"

Effect of moisture
The polarization spectrum dependence on the moisture
content of the oil paper insulation system is shown in
Figure 3 and Table 2. As can be seen when the moisture
increases the dominate time constant T h mis located in
lower time range, on the other hand in case of low
moisture content the dominate time constant Tdomis
located in a higher time range.

~.,Sl"~T,"..

I.,

~ l g u r e2: Piariration specmm at different teqiratures, (a) P&

voltage versus charging tim, (b) Peak tim vmus charghg time

Effect of aging
Figure 4 shows the influence of aging on the
polarization spectrum curves of oil-paper insulation.
The measurements were carried out at ambient'
temperature 24 OC. these measurements show the
dominate time constant T&m decrease with increasing
aping. These measurements were repeated at different
temperatures 44 "C and 65 "C as shown in Figures 5 and
6 respectively. The results of polarization spectrum
measurements for the aged samples compared with the
new sample are summarized in Table 3. It shows that
the variation of the dominate time constant for different
aging times is very significant when the measurements
are carried at low temperature. Table 3 shows that the
dominate time constants for loo0 and Zoo0 hours aged
samples are 1 s for measurements at 44 and 65 "C. hut
at room temperature 24 "C the dominate time constant
is 5 s for 1000 hours aged samples and 3 s for ZOO0
hours aged samples.

154

(b)
nm. (*)

Cll-lnl

Moisture content
in oil (ppm)
14 ppm
25 ppm
33 ppm

Peak value of polarization

Tmao

time versus charging ti=

specmm(V)

32.34
32.29
33.w

Figure 5: Polarization specmm at different aging tim,

temperature 44 T (a) Peak voltage versus charging time, (h)PeaL

100

SO
45

Figure 4: Polarization

spectrum at different aging t i m .

temperature 24 "C, (a) Peak voltage versus charging time, (b) P e d
time versus charging time

Table3 Effect of a ~ n time

g
on m i m u m p e a k voltage and the

ChupiW T"

(I,

Figure 6 Polarization

spectrum at different aging time,

temperahue 65 "C, (a) Peak voltage vasus charging time. (b) Peak
tim versus charging tim

Table 4: Water content of mineral dl measured by Karl Fisher

tieation techniqueat temperature 24C
water content in ail (ppm)
Oil sample case
New oil
14
Aged 250 hour
17.2
Aged 500 hour
I
15
20
Aged IWO hour
A s d 2000 hour
I
23

I
I

affect the moisture equilibrium in oil-paper insulation

system specially at high temperature. The dynamic of
moisture migration and equilibrium in aged oil-paper
insulation systems are important which water and aging
products have an influence on the measurements.

Conclusion

I / i

(b)

.,,.L ./
'..

.,
~i~
i ,:......... ~~.~
..... c.............
.......
..~..j
i
,
-~1~i ~ .''.~!.~~
'
: ~ - ~
~
~
-0
**
.
1
.1
a
--"_"..".I"
d, ,-,
~

~~

~~~~

*.

1~

~
~

7: Variation of dielectric consfant of oil-paper insulation with

temperature and moisture, (a) Dielemic corv~lantversus temperawe,
@) Dielectric consfant versus moisture

The recovery voltage measurement is a diagnostic tool.

The polarization spectrum and the dominate time
constant are influenced by temperature. moisture and
aging. To distinguish between the influence of water
and aging required another measurement to separate the
effect of water content and aging effect, and for the
~
~
assessment
the actual percentage of water content in
insulation paper in aged condition.

Fp-

Discussion
These measurements show that the dominate time
constant is the common indicator between the moisture,
temperature and aging, which decrease with increasing
moisture, temperature and aging. The dominate time
constant decreases at high temperature due to increased
water availability in oil at high temperature. The
dielectric constant of water is around 80 while that of
oil-paper is around 2.2 to 5 [4]. figure 7 shows the
dielectric constant increasing by moisture and
temperature. The dielectric constant is measured at
power frequency by Schering bridge with voltage 4 kV.
The influence of aging on the dominate time
constant shown in Figure 5 is measured at mom
temperature. We can see the dominate time constant
decrease with increasing the aging. Table 4 shows that
the water content in oil is different for different aging
times. But the water content at 500 hours aging time
decreases slightly from the water in new oil sample.
The result in [31 shows the water content of the paper at
500 hours decreases slightly from the initial, and the
fmnic compounds content in oil reaches a maximum
.concentration at 1000 hours aging and after loo0 hours
it decreases.
Figure 5 and 6 shows the polarization spectrum and
the peak time curves at temperatures 44 and 65 "C
respectively. At 65 "C the peak time curve at loo0
hours aging is above the peak curve at 2000 hours
aging, this mean the water content at 1000 hours aged
insulation paper is higher than the water content in
2000 hours aged insulation paper at 65 "C . May be the
concentration of furanic components at 1000 hours

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Ill

[21

[31

I41

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Author address: Omar Hassan, Institute of

Electric Power systems, Division of High
Voltage Engineering (Scbermg-Institute),
University of Hannover, Callinstr. 25.4, D30167 Hannover, Germany
Email: omar.has;m@mbox.si.uni-hannovcr.de.

156