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Routine Testing of
Distribution Transformers
Reprint
L. Furrer
S. Kurz
M. Loppacher
ISH 99
E 1-91
most strenuous impact on transformers insulation and cause perhaps approx. 50 % of all premature failures ! [1]. Thus the international
standards have for a long time adopted impulse
tests in their scope of tests.
Depending of the rated voltage, lightning and
switching impulse tests must be carried out on
each terminal of the test object. Since 1993, the
L.I. test has also become mandatory for distribution transformers being tested according to
ANSI / IEEE standards.
Especially US manufacturers are faced with the
problem of testing each distribution transformer
with impulse voltages (ANSI/IEEE Standard
C57.12.90 [2]) to check the manufacturing
quality. Often running 3 shifts and 7 days a
week, special features are required from the
production line test equipment..
To meet these requirements, Haefely Trench
AG has developed and delivered customised
test systems designed to meet these
specifications. A particular emphasis has been
laid on the high transformer throughput rate,
integration of state of the art software tools and
efficient
communication
between
the
customers production line and the test system.
Automatic impulse test system
An automatic impulse test system for performing the complete impulse voltage test on distribution transformers (block diagram see figure
2) has to fulfil the following requirements [3]:
Figure 1
Test Object
Charging Rectifier
Impulse Generator
Divider
Shunt
mm
Impulse Measuring
System
Control Unit
H.V. Connections
Test System Control and Measuring Connections
Data Exchance Connections
Pass
Fail
Handling Device
Figure 2
Chopping Gap
Host Computer
Figure 3
Test Procedure
According to the standards, the basic method
for judging the results of impulse tests is the
comparison between 2 test wave shapes, a
reduced and a full level impulse. Figure 5
shows a typical test procedure for a comparison
measurement on distribution transformers. The
test object has to be identified (e.g. scan of a
bar code), the control system inquires test
levels, tolerances and pass-fail criteria from a
database for the impulse set-up. At first a
reduced level
Figure 4
Host Computer/
Control System
Measuring
System
Action
Start
U, i
measurement/storage
Upeak50 ; tfront;
ttai l; ipeak50 within
tolerances
No
Failed
message
A/B/C or D
Yes
Setup for
100% BIL
(using x)
Charging/
Trigger for
100% BIL imp.
calculation of
efficiency
factor x
U, i
measurement/storage
Upeak100 ; tfront;
ttail; ipeak100 within
tolerances
No
Failed
message
E/F/G or H
No
Failed
message I
Yes
calculation of
voltage normalisation factor y
normalization
of 50% impulse
voltage shape
(using factor y)
diff.calculation
U100 - U50*y (for a
spec.time window)
normalization
of 50% impulse
current shape
(using factor y)
Figure 6
diff. calculation
i100 - i50*y (for a
ipeak diff.<10%
of (i peak50*z)
No
Failed
message J
Yes
Passed
message
storage of
shapes U, i
(50 and
100%
impulse)
next DUT
Figure 5
Reporting
Depending
on
customers
requirements
reporting is performed very detailed for all
transformers or just a pass / fail list is printed.
Failed transformers are often of higher interest
as knowledge about the actual occurring errors
can help the manufacturer to improve his
production accordingly. However quality
standards
nowadays
require
detailed
documentation which might in future lead to
more detailed reports in general. An example of
a distribution transformer test report is given
below (figure 7).
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
Figure 7
[6]
Outlook
Insulation faults generally also show a very
specific behaviour in the frequency domain for
which sophisticated analysis tools are available.
For large power transformer testing Transfer
Function [6] and Coherence Function [7]
analysis have become well accepted already.
However the judgement of differences between
two Transfer Functions is still requiring skilled
people and, so far, is not ready for automatic
testing. A Tolerance Band Method for the
Transfer Function [8] might allow using this
[7]
[8]
Haefely Test AG
High Voltage Test Division
CH-4028 Basel/Switzerland
Phone +41.61.373 41 11
Fax
+41.61.373 49 12
www.haefely.com
e-mail: sales@haefely.com