1
Breakdown Characteristics of Transformer
under Non-Standard Impulse Voltages
Document By
SANTOSH BHARADWAJ REDDY
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Abstract— The optimal and efficient design of
any high voltage apparatus depends on reliable
design of its insulation, which is tested with the
standard lightning impulse voltages of wave shape
1.2/50µs.during the testing of large power
transformers, it is difficult to adjust the impulse
generator to get the standard 1.2/50μs wave
shape, and also part of the winding can get
stressed with voltages of non standard wave
shapes. A fundamental study on breakdown in
dielectric media like gases, liquid, solid and
composite materials for different electrode
configurations from uniform to highly non
uniform field configuration is essential. The test
voltages are of different types viz. power
frequency, lightning impulse and switching
impulse. As the insulation strength is not the same
for all the waveshapes, a detailed study on the
behaviour of insulation under various voltages is
essential to make an optimal design. As most of
the transformer failures are due to these small
insulations, it is must to asses the breakdown
characteristics of air, transformer oil and OIP in
small gaps. This is necessary to represent the
actual conditions in transformer, which would be
helpful in the reliable design of transformer.
Index Terms—impulse generator, test kit, sphere
gap, PSPICE.
I. INTRODUCTION
The equipments and materials used in all power
system installation are designed and constructed
such that they are capable of withstanding electric
stresses due to lightning impulse voltages [1]. The
ability of the equipment to withstand the dielectric
stress is checked with impulse voltage withstand
test. But in actual conditions the stress occurring
varies widely from that applied during standard
lightning impulse test. A brief explanation has been
given on the various sources of non standard impulse
voltages and their effects on transformer insulation.
The practical study of transformer insulation under
oscillatory impulse voltage requires the
experimental generation of such oscillatory waves.
The simulation of the modified impulse generator
circuit for generation of oscillatory impulse voltage
and the practical generation of unidirectional and
bidirectional oscillatory impulse voltage at different
frequencies are also explained. The behavior of
air, oil and oil impregnated paper insulation under
bidirectional oscillatory impulse wave shape of
frequencies 3.5 KHz to 125 KHz using modified
Marx circuit [2]. The thickness of air, oil and oil
impregnated paper ranges from 1mm to 5mm. The
oil and oil impregnated paper insulating medium are
mainly used as inter turn and inter disc winding [3].
The test voltages are of different types viz. power
frequency, lightning impulse and switching impulse.
In case of tests with lightning impulse voltage,
standard waveshape of 1.2/50µs is used to test the
transformer. Even when the transformer is tested
with standard waveshape, due to part winding
resonance, the winding insulation is stressed with
non standard waves, which are oscillatory. The types
of insulation within a transformer can be broadly
classified as major insulation, end insulation and
winding insulation. It is reported in the literature that
more than 50% of the failures in power transformers
are due to insulation failure in the windings. Though
there are methods reported in the literature to
evaluate the breakdown strength, a detailed study on
various systems of insulation with varying thickness
under extreme field conditions representing the
actual conditions in transformer winding is
mandatory.
II.DEFINITION OF STANDARD AND NON-
STANDARD IMPULSE VOLTAGE
A. Standard Impulse Voltage
As per IEC 60060, a standard lightning impulse
is defined to have a front time of 1.2µs with
±30%tolerance and a tail time of 50μs with ±20%
tolerance and with a peak overshoot of 5%.±
V=Vo [exp (-αt)-exp(-βt)]
(1)
where
α=0.0146, β=2.467, Vo=1.04
The parameters α and β controls the front time
and tail time of the impulse wave respectively.
B. Non-Standard Impulse Voltages
Non oscillatory
Impulse wave shapes having different time to
front and time to tail beyond the specified tolerance
limit and without any super imposed oscillations are
grouped as non oscillatory non standard impulse
voltages.
Oscillatory
Impulse wave shapes having oscillations super
imposed in the wave front or the wave tail and with
the peak over shoot greater than 5% and peak
oscillations above are groped as oscillatory non
standard impulse voltages.
 2

III. MODIFIED CIRCUIT FOR IMPULSE

GENERATION
The modified Marx circuit is used to generate
bi-directional impulse of frequency range from
29KHz to 128KHz. The value of inductance range
from 20µH to 500 µH.

Fig .4 Variation of Frequency W.R.T Inductance

IV.EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
Fig. 1Modified Marx circuit for bi-directional A 120KV, 250 KJ impulse voltage generator of
impulse MWB make is used for generating standard (1.2/50
100V
µs) impulse voltages. Figure 1.2 shows the circuit of
the non standard impulse voltage generator. As the
gap distances chosen for the analyses are very small,
fine voltage control is effected. Voltage is measured
50V

using capacitive divider connected to an 8-bit digital

storage oscilloscope (Tektronix, TDS 420). The
0V

oscilloscope is interfaced to the computer via IEEE

488.2 interface through which the digitized waves
-50V

are acquired.
-100V
0s 10us 20us 30us 40us 50us 60us 70us 80us 90us 100us
V(R3:2,0)
Time

Fig.2 Non-standard bi-directional impulse of 65 KHz

80V

60V

40V

20V
Fig. 5 Modified Marx circuit for uni-directional
0V
impulse

REF1
-20 V

10

-40 V
0s 10us 20 us 30 us 4 0us 5 0us 6 0us 70us 80u s 90us 10 0us 5
V( R3: 2,0)
T ime
Voltage(kv)

0
-1.50E- -1.00E- -5.00E- 0.00E+ 5.00E- 1.00E- 1.50E-
05 05 06 00 06 05 05 REF1

-5

FIG .3NON-STANDARD BI-DIRECTIONAL IMPULSE OF 128

KHZ -10

-15

Table 1 time(s)

S.no Inductance (µH) Frequency kHz)

1. 20 65
2. 30 84 FIG .6 Uni-Directional Impulse
3. 60 105
4. 100 128 The long breakdown time lags for fast fronted waves
5. 200 46 and the breakdown on the front of the slow fronted
6. 400 33 waves are observed for small air gaps at different
7. 500 29 configurations. The oil impregnated bushings fail
due to deterioration in the insulation caused by the
high frequency surges generated switching[7]. The
analysis of oilpaper insulation under steep fronted
impulse shows that breakdown strength is lower for
steep fronted impulses and hence oil-paper insulted
equipment subjected to steep front transients may
fail below the lightning impulse design level (BIL)
[5]. At a constant damping factor when the
oscillation frequency is varied the breakdown
voltage is found to increase with the frequency of
 3

oscillation. The SF6 gas has a tendency to have
higher withstand capability under non standard LI
voltage than under standard LI. Using the circuit
simulation software (Orcad-PSpice) the modified
circuit is simulated and the range of inductance is
estimated. It is found from the analysis that
inductance values from 10µH to 30µH generate
bidirectional waves with required range of frequency
(3 KHz to 125 KHz) of oscillations. The inductance
values are in the range of 10µH to 15mH of 66Kv
rating are designed and fabricated to generate bi-
directional waves in the laboratory.
insulating media. From the measurement of break
down voltages of air it can be observed that the
difference between AC, DC & impulse voltages
increase with gap distance. For oil insulating media
the analysis shows that the difference between AC,
DC & impulse voltages are almost the same for all
the gap differences. For OIP insulation, there is a
maximum of increase in impulse breakdown voltage
when compare to AC breakdown voltage. The
voltage time characteristics explaining about the
instant of break down on standard lightning impulse
play an important role in the insulation
co-ordination of the entire power system. It’s found
that the voltage time characteristics dispersion is
more for plane-cone configuration than for plane-
plane configuration for air and oil.

REFERENCES
Fig. 7 Modified Marx circuit for uni-directional
impulse [1] S. Usa, K. Udayakumar and V. Jayashankar,
"Modified disruptive effect method as a
V1- 230V/140KV, Cs-Charging Capacitor=100nF, measure of insulation strength for non-standard
D1, D2-Diodes, S-Sphere gap, lightning waveforms", IEEE Transactions on
R-Charging Resistor=2.5MΩ Cd-Capacitive Power Delivery, Vol.17, No.2, April2002.
Divider=1200pF R1=245Ω, R2=1200Ω.
REF1 [2] S. Venkatesan, S. Usa and K. Udayakumar,
10 “Unconditionally sequence approach to
8 calculate the impulse strength of air for non
6
standard impulse voltages", IEEE Transactions
4
2
on Conference Proceedings, 2002. [5]
REF1
0
-2.00E- 0.00E+0 2.00E- 4.00E- 6.00E- 8.00E- 1.00E-
05
-2
-4
0 05 05 05 05 04 [3] Shiemetsu Okabe, Mmasonari Kotou et al.
-6 "Dielectric characteristics of oil filled
-8 transformer insulation models under non-
standard lightning impulse voltages”, VIII
International Conference on High Voltage
Fig. 8 NON-STANDARD BI-DIRECTIONAL IMPULSE OF 65 Engineering, August 2003.
KHZ
[4] G. Danikas, "Breakdown of transformer oil",
REF3
IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, Vol.6,
No.5, Sept./Oct. 1990.
15

10 [5] K.D. Srivatsa and J.B. Neilson, ‘Electrical

5
breakdown characteristics oil filled paper
REF3 insulation under steep fronted impulse
0
-2.00E- 0.00E+0 2.00E- 4.00E- 6.00E- 8.00E- 1.00E-
voltages", IEEE Transactions on Power
05 -5 0 05 05 05 05 04 Delivery, Vol.9, No.4, October 1994.
-10
[6] J.J. O'Dwyer, "Breakdown in solid dielectrics",
IEEE Transaction on Power Delivery ET 17,
No.6, December 1982.
Fig. 9 Non-standard bi-directional impulse of 128
KHz. [7] Y. Kamata, S. Fufukawa and K. Endoh,
"Dielectric strength of oil immersed transformer
insulation with super imposed c and lightning
IV. CONCLUSION impulse volatge”, IEEE Transaction on
During testing large power transformers due to Electrical Insulation, Aug. 1990.
low inductance values it is very difficult to maintain
the standard impulse wave shape. Different factors
viz., electrode material, electrode geometry and type
of voltage ( AC, DC or impulse), which influence
the breakdown in small insulation gaps are
explained. Plane-plane, plane-cone, cone-cone and
plain-needle electrodes are chosen for air & oil