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Why Sample?
For in-service oil-filled electric apparatus, sampling of the oil provides
a method to determine the condition of the solid and oil insulation as
well as the operating condition of the apparatus without opening or
de-energizing the apparatus. This is especially important in the present
utility and industrial climates, as equipment outages for out-of-service
testing have become very limited. Sampling provides a means to check
the condition of oil in storage, whether it be new or used, and to determine if it complies with specifications such as TOPS, ASTM D 3487,
IEC 60296, IEEE C57.106, or company specifications. Sampling can also
help to determine:
1) If accidental mixing of different dielectric oils has taken place;
2) If the method of transportation contaminated the oil;
3) If the handling equipment to transfer the oil contaminated the
product.
Winter 2002-2003
by Lance R. Lewand
Doble Engineering Company
COST ($)
275
15
8
70
35
403
COST($)
275
15
8
70
35
35
275
15
8
70
50
856
The cost of taking a bad or nonrepresentative sample has more than doubled from the original total.
This is in part due to the fact that review of data from
the second sampling takes longer as there is a more
critical and thorough review.
If the original sample was not recognized as bad, the
costs associated with that sample can be staggering.
For example, a bad sample could cause a customer
to try a remedial effort in an attempt to improve the
condition of the insulating oil such as processing
the oil through clay or vacuum-processing a transformer to remove moisture then associated costs
may skyrocket to between $10,000 and $30,000. This
is one reason why Doble always recommends taking a
second sample to confirm the results of the first before
any remedial activities begin. Other factors, such as
accidental sample switching or misidentification, can
also be the source of an erroneous assessment.
Part two of this series will cover the sampling practices to follow and the science of sampling.
IEC 60296: Specification for Unused Mineral Insulating Oils for Transformers and Switchgear International Electrotechnical Commission, 3, rue de
Varembe, Geneva, Switzerland, 1982.
IEEE C57.106-1991: IEEE Guide for Acceptance and
Maintenance of Insulating Oil in Equipment, IEEE,
345 East 47th Street, New York, NY, 1992
Reference Book on Insulating Oils and Gases, edited by
the Doble Client Committee on Oil Insulation, 1993,
Doble Engineering Company, Watertown, MA.
ASTM D 923: Standard Practice for Sampling Electrical Insulating Oils in Electrical Insulating Oils
and Gases; Electrical Protective Equipment, Annual
Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 10.03, ASTM, West
Conshohocken, PA, 2001.
ASTM D 3613: Standard Practice for Sampling Electrical Insulating Oils for Gas Analysis and Determination of Water Content in Electrical Insulating
Oils and Gases; Electrical Protective Equipment, Annual
Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 10.03, ASTM, West
Conshohocken, PA, 2001.
Griffin, P. J. Water in Transformers So What! National Grid Condition Monitoring Conference, May
1996.
Lance Lewand received his BS degree at St. Marys College
of Maryland in 1980. He has been employed by the Doble Engineering Company since 1992 and is currently Project Manager of
Research in the materials laboratory and Product Manager for the
DOMINOTM product line. Prior to his present position at Doble,
he was the Manager of the Transformer Fluid Test Laboratory and
PCB and Oil Services at MET Electrical Testing in Baltimore, MD.
Mr. Lewand is a member of ASTM committee D 27.
References
Items of Interest in The Doble Exchange, The Doble
Engineering Company, Watertown, MA, USA, Volume 11, Number 3, September 1993, Page 4.
Transformer Oil Purchase Specification (TOPS), edited
by the Doble Oil Committee, Rev. TOPS-884, Doble
Engineering Company, Watertown, MA.
ASTM D 3487: Standard Specification for Mineral
Insulating Oil Used in Electrical Apparatus in Electrical Insulating Oils and Gases; Electrical Protective
Equipment, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol.
10.03, ASTM, West Conshohocken, PA, 2001.
Winter 2002-2003