Assessing Transformer Life based on Furan Content

Md. Arifur Kabir , Sub Divisional Engineer (Research), RTS, PGCB like a Homo sapiens Power transformer also needs a physical check- up for a clean bill of health as we are grid engineers, we do believe it. Because, Power Transformer is a heavy duty and costly equipment in S/S. It should not die before its economic life or strategic life. The premature death of Transformer or any sort of Transformer failure / damage / unscheduled outage that leads to loss of our revenue and affecting reliability of power supply. Not only that any catastrophic failure of Transformer brings loss of millions of dollars for replacing by new one. Thats why, we continually monitor our Transformer through collection of many kinds of parameter data (Test results) and then analyze thereof to produce reliable and definite information on the Transformer to allow optimized maintenance. Albeit we know, I just want to recall the damaging factors of a Transformer. Environnemental factors -Radiation, moisture or water, oxidative agents and corrosive materials. Thermal factors - Heat energy generation in Transformer accelerates the thermal ageing of Oil & Paper(Glycosidic Bond breaking). Electrical factors - PD (partial Discharge), Arching Mechanical factors - Core deformation / loose clamed, Winding Geometry changed/Electromagnetic Center axil movement.

These above damaging factors cut down the life of our Transformer(s) Transformer depends on 1) Insulation Integrity (Oil & Paper) 2) Mechanical Integrity (Core & Winding Geometry)

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So, it is needless to say that the damaging factors are damaging the insulation integrity & Mechanical integrity of this vital & costliest equipment. From PGCB perspective, our all power transformers are filled with insulating fluid called Transformer Oil and we are always taking keen look to the strength of this liquid insulation. But matter is that, not taking into count the solid insulation or more specifically kraft paper insulation. Obviously, it is yet to look at the solid/ paper insulation of a Transformer. Sometimes we hear, Transformer got damaged but the insulating oil quality was not bad and not anything was wrong in the system and often we see Transformer was burned at the time of energizing.
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What mystery was happening behind these phenomena? Actually in most cases, solid insulation got damaged consequently Transformer failed. But usually, we dont take close look to the tensile or dielectric strength of this paper/pressboard/solid/cellulose insulation. It is well known regarding Transformer that higher the insulation, longer the life of a Transformer. If we take back our look to the point Insulation Integrity, it is obvious that Transformer insulation consist of (1) Liquid Insulation (2) Solid Insulation If liquid insulation becomes poor then its insulation condition can be reversed or can be reduced the effect of aging factor through filtration. But in case of solid insulation, if paper insulation is degraded its insulation condition cant be reversed because the dielectric strength of paper is irreversible. So, if oil condition is kept good because liquid insulation is reversible and fault frequency is not high then we can come into a conclusion thatThe life of a Transformer (Approx.) can be determined by the life of its solid insulation. The mechanical/tensile strength of the molecule in the paper inside transformer is made up of a long chain of glucose rings. Glucose monomer molecules are bonded together by glycosidic bonds to form cellulose. As paper ages or deteriorates from heat, acids, oxygen and water the number of these rings decreases.

Degree of Polymerization (DP)

One of the most dependable means to measure the dielectric strength of this solid insulation or the degradation of paper insulation is called Degree of Polymerization (DP). The average length of cellulose polymer, measured as the average number of glucose monomers in the polymer chain, is referred to as DP. The mathematical model to estimate DP value of paper insulation based on the paper degradation by-products.

DP is considered direct approach to determine the paper insulation condition but it is intrusive. We need paper specimen from Transformer inside to find the dielectric strength of paper insulation of that transformer in terms of DP. Since paper sample has to take from Transfromer inside hence obviously it is troublesome and paper sample taken from any operating Transformer may disturb the integrity of paper insulation or may cause further local damage in the winding geometry and even may lead to the complete failure of the Transformer. It has been proven, based on the experience of previously retired transformers and experimental work, that a DP of 200 or less means the end of life of the solid insulation has been reached. DP measurement can be done by viscometry method also but still now, it is not accurate because it is affected by the ambient temperature and exposure to the air. A PhD research paper on Transformer life management represents a relation between DP & Transformer age as well as Transformer remaining life.
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Degree of Polymerization (DP) 1. 2. 3. 4. New insulation 60% to 66% life remaining 30% life remaining 0 life remaining Normal Aging Accelerated Aging Excessive Aging High Risk of Failure

Retained Tensile Strength(RTS)

Another test to find the condition of paper insulation is Retained Tensile Strength .One of the main mechanical parameters for insulation paper in transformers is tensile strength. As the paper ages, its strength against mechanical forces decreases especially against those arising from inrush current or short circuits. According to, insulation paper reaches its end of life when it reaches 50% retention of tensile strength, and it can be left working until it reaches 40% retention of tensile strength. It can be left working until it reaches 25% retention of tensile strength. The problem of insulation damage still exists in the measurements of tensile strength because the measurement of the tensile strength needs a specimen of the insulating paper, which may disturb the integrity of paper insulation or may cause further local damage in the winding geometry and even may lead to the complete failure of the Transformer. A PhD research paper from university of waterloo, Canada shows the below table.

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Furanic Compound/Furan Analysis

The paper specimen required for DP and RTS(retained tensile strength) tests limit their usage practically. Also, the DP is associated with many errors during measurement. These difficulties, and errors in measuring the DP and retained tensile strength, limit their usage for assessing the health of the transformer, despite their reliability in assessing the age of the solid insulation and the transformer. As the paper insulation ages, the polymer chains starts breaking and generating glucose monomer units that undergo further chemical reaction and become one of a family of derivatives of 2- furaldehyde (2FAL) or what are called furanic compounds, that increase in the transformer oil with the decrease of the DP of the insulating paper . These furanic compounds dissolve in the insulating oil and can be detected by oil analysis. It is possible to analyze the oil for a number of these furanic compounds as parts per billion by weight. Many researchers introduced a relationship between the furfural content (2FAL) and DP based on the experience of previously retired transformers and experimental work. In which the furans in ppb by weight (g/kg) are used to calculate the DP, is as follows: .

According to above formula 2FAL(2-furaldehyde) concentration corresponds to a DP of 200 at 6457 ppb by weight (g/kg). So, we have found a relationship between DP & furan (2FAL) content and we can translate DP in terms of furan content. Most advantageous point is that to determine furan in Transformer oil, we dont need any paper specimen. Thats why; assessment of Transformer aging using furanic compounds analysis is gaining more attention over DP & RTs test(s) for determining a Transformer life, because this method gives an acceptable indication of the solid insulation age without using any paper specimen. However, the absolute correlation of furanic compounds to DP varies from one transformer to another, and is dependent on humidity, operating temperature, type of oil and paper, and design.

At fifteenth national power system conference, IIT Bombay, the Tata Power Company shows a paper focusing on determination of remaining life of their Transformer based on furanic content.
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They claimed the strategic life of their Transformer is 32 years (Approx.). A summarized table of their research paper is below.

In above table, Tata Company represents a set of measured DP & Furan value(s) in tabular form, which comply the above formula, that formula shows the relationship between DP & Furan. Finally, they tried to represent, how the remaining life of Transformer can be determined approximately counting the furan content (2FAL). ConclusionIn conclusion, I want to open a third eye through which we can look our Transformer(s) in different way. We are always taking a keen & closer look to the Transformer oil insulation. It is good but oil insulation can be brought back by filtering or replacing the oil where as solid insulation cant be brought back by any other treatment but matter is that we are really apathetic to this solid insulation. It is true that paper insulation determination was difficult before, because paper sample was needed. Not only that but also paper sample taken from any operating Transformer may disturb the integrity of paper insulation or may cause further local damage in the winding geometry and even may lead to the complete failure of the Transformer. But these days assessment of transformer aging using furanic compounds analysis is gaining more attention over DP & RTs test(s) for Transformer life management, because this method gives an acceptable indication of the solid insulation age without using any paper specimen. This proven technique/method (Furan Analysis) can be exercised by PGCB to determine the remaining life (Approx.) of their Transformer(s).
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