Impact of Oil Properties and

Characteristics on Transformer
Reliability
Victor Sokolov

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

The oil is an integral part of the

transformer
Many maintenance guides still consider the insulating
oil to be a separate component that can be monitored
and treated separately from the
fluid-paper insulation system

In fact, the fluid is an integral part of the transformer

playing a dynamic role in the condition
of the entire system

Fluid is the life blood of the Transformer

Responsible for dielectric state
Responsible for proper cooling
Determines dielectric characteristics:
PF, R,PDC,FDS

Dramatic factor for cellulose deterioration

Effective diagnostic medium that contains
About 70% of information

Outlook
Reliability of new and service aged insulation is
determined by dielectric strength of the oil
Moisture remains a critical reliability factor in aged
equipment. Bound water with years is coming
as potential enemy
Oil by-products Impact on degradation of insulation
systems .Trapping Effect of electrical field
Oil by-products dramatically accelerate thermal insulation
Decomposition processes
PF & conductivity of oil determine dielectric characteristics
Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Fluid determines Dielectric state of

Insulation integrity

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Reliability of new insulation is determined

by dielectric strength of the oil

E oil pb

E pb oil

dielectric stress in the oil 1.8-1.9 times

more than in the pressboard.

Dielectric strength of pressboard is 3-4 times more strength of

Technically clean oil.

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Dielectric strength of transformer major

insulation is considered as strength of
the oil duct over/under the winding.
Oil-barrier stress
AC Short duration
AC Long duration

7-7.2 kV/mm
6.5 kV/mm

Operating voltage

4 kV/mm

Pressboard AC strength
>4035 kV/mm
Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Withstand strength of insulation

integrity of middle aged
transformer is determined and limited
by the level of oil
contamination with water and particles

Normal condition
characteristics
Moisture in oil

20-25 ppm

Moisture in barriers

<1.5-2.0.%

Moisture in winding paper

< 1.0-1.5 %

Particles

Cigre

Total 5m in 100 cm3

32,000

IEEE

Total 3m in 100 cm3

15,000- 32,000

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Positive HV tests and normal insulation

condition are not a guarantee for
reliable service of insulation
Unless level of oil particles contamination is considered and
oil gap is protected with solid insulation
Factors that cannot be simulated during HV tests:
Oil stirring
Rapid change of temperature
Long duration
Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Relative saturation +particles are

predominant factors
for transformer contaminated with water

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Particles are responsible for

dielectric state

kV
Ebd, mm

12
Dry
fibres

10
Wet
fibres

Aluminum

6
4

10

50

100

Number
per 1 ml

By Yury Kalentyev
Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Moisture increases particles conductiv

Reducing dielectric strength
kV
Ebd, mm

2
0

W, %

By Yury Kalentyev
Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Sharp reduction of temperature can results in

dramatic reduction of dielectric strength of oil
Ubd
U1

1.0
10ppm
15ppm

0.93
0.83

20ppm

0.73
30ppm

-40

-20

0.63

20

40

T,

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Dielectric strength of oil depends on

relative
Saturation due to increasing particles
conductivity
Ubd
Particles
20 g/to

80

Warning
60

Alarm

40
20

Particles
50 g/to

20

TechCon NA 2006

40
80
60
Oil Relative saturation, %

Free water-repeatable failure cause

worldwide

Corrosion
On the bottom
Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Free water favors breakdown of

oil duct under rated voltage

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Moisture remains a critical

reliability factor in aged
equipment.

Bound water with years is

coming as potential enemy
11

Aging product
Bound water

10
9
8
7

6
5

Moisture
particles

Midlife

Aged Life

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

High Oil Temperature can add dissolved

water in oil. Release of bound water
Object

Water content in oil, ppm

Before
After heating
heating
at 100C for
6 hours

25 MVA, 110 kV

29

40

46 MVA,110 kV

25.8

50

150 MVA, 220 kV

17

32

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

ppm

Temperature Migration of moisture

in oil contaminated with particles
52.1

53
48

80
70

51.2
50.4

60

W, ppm

50

43

40
30

38

20

33

tC

30.2

28

10

31

12

16

20

24

28

32

Hours

Releasing 4-6 Hours

Coming back 24 hours

Study of effect of bound water on dielectric

strength of oil. Heating up to 75C
Tested
oil

Weight
Rubber
Sealing

Electrods
Glass
cell

Increasing temperature can add bound

water & reduce dielectric strength of oil
Sample State

1
2
3

Water,
ppm

Breakdown
voltage,kV

16.9

55.3

After heating up to 75C 42.1

33.4

Initial,20C

73.6

Initial,20C

26

After heating up to 75C 48

58

Initial,20C

27

65

After heating up to 75C 44

42

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Impact of oil by-products on

degradation of insulation
properties
Oil is transferring medium for for foreign and
component wear-out particles:
E.g. Carbon from LTC Diverter switch compartment
Metals from pumps bearings and coolers
Oil produces particles from oxidation and pyrolysis
Oil drives the particles under impact of electrical and magnetic
stresses
Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Type of particles
Floating in oil
In solution in oil
On surface deposition
Migration through paper layers

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Accumulation and depositing

conductive and polar by-products is
most likely end of life factor

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

Corrosive sulphur epidemic

Short-circuit between turns basically in upper part
of a winding
Shunt Reactors (500kV)
HVDC
GSU transformers

at least
at least
at least

Predominantly hot area: Colombia, Brasilia, India,

Rwanda, Thailand, Italy, USA

Fourth AVO New Zealand Technical Conference 2006

16
12
9

Degradation of dielectric properties

Tan ,%

Resistivity
(Ohm)

Paper without
contamination

0.3

51012

Low copper sulphide

contamination

0.5

51010

High copper sulphide

contamination

>30-100

5104

Sludge ad copper sulphide sediment look

similarly
Sludge

Copper sulphide

Attraction by field and Deposit

conductive sediments

Carbon deposit

Oil decay deposit

Change of oil and paper in model parameters after

aging on service condition
Parameter

No 1
Prior

6.5 years
No 2

After

Prior

After

Acidity mg KOH/g 0.06

0.58

0.01

0.1

Water soluble acids 0.01

0.21

0.003

0.04

Sludge,%

0.05

Oil PF%,20C

0.14

0.71

0.14

0.26

Paper PF,%

0.6

14.6

0.6

12.3

Paper permittivity

3.3

4.9

3.3

3.7

Oil by-products contribute to

acceleration of thermal
deterioration process

Assessment of aging state of

operating transformer
1
1

13350
DPEnd DPStart T 273
Expected _ Life
e
[ years]
A 24 365

A factor describes influence of

contamination condition

ln (ageing rate)

-12

130oC

Wet/acidic paper
Dry paper

110oC
-14
-16

90oC
70oC

-18
-20

0.0024 0.0025 0.0026 0.0027 0.0028 0.0029

1/Tabs [K-1]

0.003

Can increase ageing tenfold,equivalent to 20-30 oC

Predominant influence of low

molecular acids

By Lars Lungaard

Outside layers aged

more

Layer 10
By Sakky van Vyk

Layer 1

Aging decomposition of paper in

800 MVA GSU
Winding

DP average

DP outer layers

Series,top coil

420

349

Common,top coil

500

275

Tap,top coil

560

294

Tertiary, top coil

No loaded

420

391

400kV GSU from Hydraulic PP failure after 28 years

Overheating the coils of HV winding
confined within insulating box

Insulation completely destroyed from oil side

Good state of other insulation
Diagnostic: only symptoms of acceleration oil aging

Low stability oil produce sludge

when acidity still a low
Sludge
%

Acidity, mg KOH/g

Different life of inhibited oils

0,5

Volatile acids, mgKOH/g

0,45
0,4

Oil

0,35
0,3
0,25
0,2

Oil

0,15
0,1
0,05
0
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

time,hours

140

160

180

200

Different oils give different values of

aging characteristics
Sample Acidity

ITF

PF

Sludge
%

mg KOH/g mN/m

0.035

25.9

2.3%

0.014

0.154

21.9

11.7%

0.015

0.193

26.9

4.1%

0.014

Not-inhibited oil meeting IEC produce

different amount of conductive by-products
Sludge -free life 95C
Power Factor Vs. oxidation time

Oxidation time ,hours

Its a time to reconsider oil

diagnostic parameters

Case with 187 MVA GSU after 10 years

Pressboard top:
inside layers DP=819; outside layers-DP=599
Pressboard bottom:
inside layers DP=831; outside layers-DP=661
Aging rate of outside layer is 2.3 times faster than of inner layer.
The reason is adsorption of low molecular acids
formed from oxidation of the oil.

Case with 187 MVA GSU after 10 years

Oil parameters meet Spec for new oil

volatile asid mgKOH/g

Color-0.5
Acidity-0.019 mgKOH/g
Interfacial Tension-35 mN/m
PF90C0,3
-0.45%
Resistivity-73
Ghm/m
0,25
Life span is low

0,2
0,15

Residual life

0,1

15%

0,05
0
0

4
Time, hours

Parameters that characterized

the oil aging state
Specified parameters
Acidity
Inhibitor content
IFT
Dissipation factor
Resistivity
Insoluble sludge
Sludge content
Saponification Number
IR spectroscopy

Additional parameters
Free Radicals
Visible Spectrum
Polarization Index
Turbidity
Remnant life (Induction
Period)

Consider adequate oil

temperature during operation
It is typical to permit top oil temperature up to 75-80C

Mean winding above ambientMean winding above top oil

Top oil above ambient
Maximum top oil at 30C

65C
30C
35C
65<75-80C

Oil is cooling medium Some top coils and leads may have
rise of temperature above oil >40-50C

Top oil is a mixed temperature from flows

through winding,core and bulk of oil

Mixed II

Mixed I

Q1

Q2

Q3
Q

Maintaining inadequate oil temperature

results in unnecessary aging
Case with 187 MVA GSU transformer
Rise of top oil above ambient
Rise of top coils above top oil
Drop of top/bottom temperature in the cooler
Drop of oil temperature in axial duct
Winding time constant
Top oil temperature
Oil temperature entering winding
Oil temperature leaving winding
Winding top coils temperature

29
45C
4
30C
3 min
80
76
106
125

60
56
86
105

Underestimation of top coils

temperature

PF and conductivity of the oil

Determine values of dielectric
characteristics:
PF, R, PDC, FDS

Consider factors that impact on

dielectric parameters
Dielectric response of contaminated insulation depends
on insulation composition
Sensitivity of dielectric parameters to solid insulation
deterioration depends on relative portion of solid insulation
and relative capacitance of the space
The full current through the composite insulation space
and any of the insulation characteristics derived
from it depend on conductivity of solid insulation,
conductivity of the oil and the surface conductivity

Typical models of oil-barrier

structure
Between
windings

HV-Tank

Two components : oil and solid insulation

Dielectric response of pressboard barriers depends

on relative share of cellulose in the space

Variation of Kp= 0.7.0.3

Underestimation of oil parameters

results in wrong diagnose
PF of oil at 40C
PF of pressboard
Kp=Ko=

3%
0.5%
0.5

PF (C H-L)
1.75 %
Looks like wet insulation

Estimation of moisture content through

tan delta
tan HV LV K 0 tan 0
tan p
Kp
Assuming K0 = Kp =0.5 (220-330 kV)
tan0 at 60C=0.2%,
Tested tandHV-LV=0.5%
we have
tanP =0.8% at 60C
and moisture content W 1.8%

Conclusion
Reliability of new and service aged insulation is
determined by dielectric strength of the oil
Oil relative saturation and particles are main factors
Determinated short term reliability
Aging water and Bound water in oil with years is coming
as potential enemy
Oil by-products Impact on degradation of insulation
systems

Conclusion
Its a time to reconsider oil classification of the basis
of operating temperature range
It s time to reconsider oil diagnostic characteristics

PF & conductivity of oil determine dielectric characteristics

And should be considered as for traditional PF and
Resistance as well and novel PDC and FDS

Thank you