Professional Documents
Culture Documents
com
http://electrical-engineering-portal.com/4-power-transformer-protection-devices-explained-in-details?
utm_source=Technical+Articles&utm_campaign=d8a0b3856dRSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_MAILCHIMP&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ae069f0d91-d8a0b3856d-320753381
4 Power Transformer Protection Devices explained in details (on photo: ABBs 115 kV outdoor transformer)
Protection Devices //
The following discusses protection devices typically delivered as a part of the power transformer delivery .
1. Buchholz (Gas) Relay
2. Pressure Relay
3. Oil Level Monitor Device
4. Winding Thermometer
The power transformer protection as a whole and the utilization of the below presented protection devices are not
discussed here.
various parts of the transformer conductor and insulation systems. This will detect fault sources in their early
stages and prevent significant damage.
When the transformer is first put into service, the air trapped
in the windings may give unnecessary alarm signals. It is
customary to remove the air in the power transformers by
vacuum treatment during the filling of the transformer tank
with oil.
The gas accumulated without this treatment will, of course,
be air, which can be confirmed by seeing that it is not
inflammable.
In addition, the Buchholz relay can detect if the oil level
falls below that of the relay as a result of a leakage from
the transformer tank.
Other technical articles related to Buchholz relay //
1. Protecting Oil Type Transformer with Buchholz Relay
2. The Purpose Of Transformer Gas Relay
Figure 2 A typical outlook of a Buchholz relay with flanges on
both sides for pipe connections
Go back to Index
2. Pressure Relay
Many power transformers with an on-tank-type tap changer have a pressure protection for the separate tap
changer oil compartment. This protection detects a sudden rate-of-increase of pressure inside the tap changer
oil enclosure.
Figure 3 shows the principle of a pressure relay.
When the pressure in front of the piston exceeds the counter force of the spring, the piston will move operating the
switching contacts. The micro switch inside the switching unit is hermetically sealed and pressurized with nitrogen
gas.
An internal fault in an oil-filled transformer is usually accompanied by overpressure in the transformer tank.
The simplest form of pressure relief device is the widely used frangible disk. The surge of oil caused by a heavy
internal fault bursts the disk and allows the oil to discharge rapidly. Relieving and limiting the pressure rise prevent
explosive rupture of the tank and consequent fire.
Also, if used, the separate tap changer oil enclosure can be fitted with a pressure relief device.
The pressure relief device can be
fitted with contact unit(s) to
provide a signal for circuit
breaker(s) tripping circuits.
A drawback of the frangible disk is that the oil remaining in the tank is left exposed to the atmosphere after a
rupture. This is avoided in a more effective device, the pressure relief valve, which opens to allow the discharge
of oil if the pressure exceeds the pre-adjusted limit.
By providing the transformer with a pressure relief valve, the overpressure can be limited to a magnitude harmless
to the transformer.
If the abnormal pressure is relatively high, this spring-controlled valve can operate within a few milliseconds
and provide fast tripping when suitable contacts are fitted. The valve closes automatically as the internal pressure
falls below a critical level.
Go back to Index
The top-oil temperature may be considerably lower than the winding temperature, especially shortly after a sudden
load increase. This means that the top-oil thermometer is not an effective overheating protection.
However, where the policy towards transformers loss of life permits, tripping on top-oil temperature may be
satisfactory. This has the added advantage of directly monitoring the oil temperature to ensure that it does not
reach the flash temperature.
Go back to Index
4. Winding Thermometer
The winding thermometer, shown in the figure below, responds to both the top-oil temperature and the heating
effect of the load current.
The winding thermometer creates an image of the hottest part of the winding. The top-oil temperature is
measured with a similar method as introduced earlier. The measurement is further expanded with a current signal
proportional to the loading current in the winding.
This current signal is taken from a current transformer located inside the bushing of that particular winding. This
current is lead to a resistor element in the main unit. This resistor heats up, and as a result of the current flowing
through it, it will in its turn heat up the measurement bellow, resulting in an increased indicator movement.
The temperature bias is
proportional to the resistance
of the electric heating (resistor)
element.
The result of the heat run
provides data to adjust the
resistance and thereby the
temperature bias. The bias
should correspond to the
difference between the hot-spot
temperature and the top-oil
temperature. The time constant of
the heating of the pocket should
match the time constant of the
heating of the winding.
The temperature sensor then
measures a temperature that is
equal to the winding temperature
if the bias is equal to the
temperature difference and the
time constants are equal.
Figure 9 Top-oil thermometer and winding thermometer main units fitted on the side of a power
transformer
both.
In case a power transformer is fitted with top-oil thermometer and winding thermometer, the latter one normally
takes care of the forced cooling control.
Go back to Index
Reference // Distribution Automation Handbook ABB