Dielectric Response Analyzer

DIRANA
FDS-PDC Dielectric Response Analyzer

Due to ever-increasing pressure to reduce costs, the power

industry is forced to keep old power transformers in service as
long as possible. The most important ageing indicator is the
water content in the cellulose. Water is an ageing product and
accelerates the further deterioration of cellulose through depo-
lymerization. In addition high water content in oil may cause
bubble formation and lead to unexpected electrical break-
downs.

MEASUREMENT PRINCIPLE
Oil sampling is a common method for detecting water content
in oil; however, this method is not always reliable and accurate.
Therefore dielectric response measurements were developed.
Two measuring methods are well established, the Polarization
Depolarization Current (PDC) method in the time domain and
the Frequency Domain Spectroscopy (FDS).
The PDC method enables a fast measurement, but has limited
accuracy at higher frequencies. A practical upper frequency limit
is typically 1Hz. The FDS method can be applied to low and high
frequencies, but it needs a lot of measuring time for very low
frequencies. DIRANA makes use of both methods. A patent for
this approach is pending. Measurements at higher frequencies
are done with FDS, whereas the built-in PDC device accelerates
the measuring time for low frequencies. The PDC results are
transformed into the frequency domain to show both results as
dielectric dissipation factor over the frequency (FDS).
APPLICATIONS
DIRANA measures the dielectric response of HV insulation in
the range from 0.1 mHz up to 5 kHz. It can be applied for:
Analysis of water content in oil-paper-insulations of power
and instrument transformers
Diagnosis of OIP, RBP and RIP HV bushings
Diagnosis of generator and motor insulation
Diagnosis of cable insulation
BENEFITS
Measurement on new and aged transformers
The only instrument on the market which delivers reliable
results for new and also for aged oil-paper-insulations
Extreme short measurement time
The combination of PDC and FDS together with two
measuring channels reduce the measuring time down to
15 % of the time needed with conventional FDS instruments.
For a test of HV-LV and LV-TV from 0.1mHz to 5kHz the
testing time is reduced from 22 to less than 3 hours.
Very small and light weight

SOFTWARE

Simultaneous measurements with two input channels

This way a complete test from 0.1 mHz to 5 kHz can be done
in less than 3 hours compared to a measuring time of approxi-
mately 11 hours if the test is done using the FDS method only.
Two measurement channels enable the measurement of two
insulation gaps like HV to LV winding and simultaneously LV to
Tertiary winding. In this case the testing time will be reduced
to 15 % of the time which is needed with a conventional FDS
instrument

Display of the results in the frequency domain

Dielectric Response Analyzer

DIRANA
FDS-PDC Dielectric Response Analyzer

The software is easy to use and has an intuitive user interface

which needs no expert knowledge. Model curves with known
water content are automatically fitted to the measured curve to
get the water content in the cellulose of the tested transformer.

PC Software for
Operation of DIRANA
Diagnosis of the measuring results
Reporting

PC requirements
Interface USB 1.1
PC operating system Windows XP
Processor Pentium 1GHz or higher
Memory 512 MB RAM or more
CD-ROM Drive

Mechanical data / supply voltage

Weight 2.3 kg without measuring cables
Model curves are automatically fitted to the measured curve to Dimensions (WxHxD) 26x5x26.5 cm / 10.25x2x10.5
determine the water content in the cellulose DC power supply DC 10 V to 24 V / 24 W

Predefined tests for all transformer types make the operation
easy.
Technical Data
Test modes: UST A, UST B, UST A+B, GST, GSTa, GSTb, GSTa+b
Accessories
Three triaxial low noise measuring cables 50 with
triaxial connectors (18 m) and 3 connection clamps for
bushing terminals, AC power adaptor 100-240 V, USB
cable, optical USB cable (20m), robust transport case

PDC:
Current measurement
Range: 20 mA,
Resolution: 0.1 pA
Input resistance: 10 kOhm Contact
Accuracy: 0.5 % 1 pA
Voltage source Europe, Africa, Middle East
OMICRON electronics GmbH, Austria
Measurement voltage: 200 V Phone: +43 5523 507-0
Maximum continuous output current: 50 mA Email: info@omicron.at

FDS: Asia, Pacific

Measurement voltage: 0-200 V peak OMICRON electronics Asia Limited, Hong Kong
Measurement current: 0-50 mA peak Phone: +852 2634 0377
Capacitance: Range: 10 pF 10 uF Email: info@asia.omicron.at
Dissipation factor range: 0 - 10
Dissipation factor accuracy: North and South America
between 100 Hz and 1 mHz 1 % + 3 x 10-4 OMICRON electronics Corp. USA
over 100 Hz and below 1 mHz 2 % + 5 x 10-4 Phone: +1 713 830 4660 or 1-800-OMICRON
Dissipation factor resolution: 10-5 Email: info@omicronusa.com

Ranges for the combination PDC + FDS: www.omicron.at or www.omicronusa.com

Frequency: 0.1 mHz 5 kHz
Capacitance: 10 pF 10 uF

OMICRON, L055
 valid for capacitances larger than 100 pF Subject to change without notice