IEEE WG C57.

139
Nashville, March 13, 2012
APPLICATION OF DUVAL TRIANGLES 2
TO DGA IN LTCs
Michel Duval

Normal operation of LTCs may involve:

-arc-breaking-in-oil between contacts, producing
arcing gases D1.
-switching of selectors and valves, also producing
sparking discharges D1.
-current dissipation in resistors, increasing their
temperature and producing hot spot gases T3, T2 or
T1.
-combinations of the above, producing mixtures of
the corresponding gases.
2

Faulty operation of LTCs may involve:

-an increase in the resistance and temperature of
contacts, with the production of hot spots T3 and T2,
and coking on contacts, through carbonization of oil.
-abnormal arcing D2 or D1 on metallic parts of the
LTC.

Examples of LTC failures:

(heavy coking in a ABB UZC)

Examples of LTC failures:

(heavy coking in a Federal Pioneer TC546)

Examples of LTC failures:

(moderate coking in a GE LR83)

Examples of LTC failures:

(arcing/short-circuit in a GE LR83)

Examples of LTC failures:

(arcing/short-circuit in a GE LR65)

To be able to distinguish between normal and faulty

operation of LTCs:
-gases formed as a result of normal operation should
be identified as precisely as possible under different
power operating conditions.
-deviation from normal operation will indicate faulty
operation.

Mostly arcing gases are formed during normal

operation of a large majority of LTCs, such as:
-LTCs of the reactive-type in oil or vacuum from:
-Westinghouse: UN, UR, UV series, UTS, UTN, UTT.
-Cooper, McGrawEdison: series 394, 396, 494, 550, 995, 996.
-General Electric: LR and LRT series.
-Reinhausen: RM series.
-Allis Chalmers, Siemens: TLH series.
-Federal Pacific: TC series.
-Ferranti Packard: RT series.

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-also, in LTCs of the resistive-type in oil or vacuum

from:
-ABB: UB, UC, UZ series.
-Reinhausen: OilTaps C, R, V, Y.
-Westinghouse: UTH.
-Hyundai: RS series.

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Duval Triangle 2 can be used for all these types of

LTCs, with:
-arcing gases D1 appearing on the left side of the
Triangle,
-hot spot gases T3, T2 and T1 on the right side.

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The Duval Triangle 2 for LTCs (inspected cases)

Fault zones:
N = normal operation
T3 = Thermal faults T > 700C
T2 = Thermal faults 300 < T < 700C
X3 = Fault T3/T2 in progress
X3 = abnormal arcing D2
D1 = abnormal arcing D1

Inspected cases of: z: Normal operation;

z: Severe coking; {: Light coking; U:
Heating; z: Strong arcing D2; {: Arcing D1

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HQ Data - All ABB

Ref. for all HQ data: M.Foata

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HQ Data ABB In-tank cylinder

15

HQ Data ABB Selector switch

UZE change-over
selector problem
16

Altalink UZCRT

17

HQ Data - GE LR83

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HQ Data Ferranti Packard

Model known to
be susceptible
to coking in the
inverter switch

19

HQ Data Westinghouse URS

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HQ data - OilTaps V

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OilTaps R

The use of methane in addition to acetylene and ethylene

indicates some normal overheating T1 of the resistors
during the operation of these LTCs.

22

Triangle 2 applied to large databases by

J.Dukarm

Siemens

Westinghouse

23

Triangle 2 applied to large databases by

J.Dukarm

McGraw Edison

Cooper
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Other types of normal operation

-Some resistive LTCs such as OilTaps Y and M and
VacuTaps VV operate normally in either zone N or
zone T3 or zone T2, depending on operating
conditions.
-The use of methane in addition to acetylene and
ethylene allows to distinguish between faulty and
normal operation in such LTCs.
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HQ data - OilTaps D:
Faulty operation

3 phases - Y

1 phase -

Normal operation
of resistors
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VacuTaps VV:

In service, normal
operation of selectors

During high power tests,

normal (in blue) and faulty
operation (in red) of
resistors.

Ref: R.Frotscher, CIGRE

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VacuTaps VR:
Normal operation in zone T2 is probably due to operation
of selectors and resistors.

Ref: R.Frotscher (Orlando)

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-A few other resistive LTCs such as OilTaps G and

some UZBs of ABB (ref.John Pruente) operate
normally in zone X3 (mixture of arc-breaking-in-oil
and high-temperature operation of resistors),
depending on operating conditions.

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HQ data - OilTaps G:
OilTaps G are high-currents application models. Normal gases occur in
zone X3 (mixture of arcing and hot spots).

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Different versions of Triangle 2 should therefore be

used for some LTCs, indicating the normal zone(s)
of operation depending on power operating
conditions:
-Triangle 2a and 2b for OilTaps M-Y and
VacuTaps VR-VV.
-Triangle 2c for OilTaps G and some UZBs.

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Finally, reactive LTCs of the vacuum-type:

-Arc-breaking activity occurs in the vacuum bottle only. Normal
operation in the surrounding oil used for cooling the bottle does not
involve sparking of selector or resistor heating.
-Triangle 1 should be used for these LTCs.

Overheating in oil suspected

Ref: Paul Boman

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