Mechanism of Insulation Degradation

Dangerous effect of degradation Factors

AGENTS OF DEGRADATION
Water, oxygen, oil aging products and particles
of different origin are agents of degradation
which can shorten transformer Life significantly
under impact of thermal, electric, electromagnetic
and electrodynamics stresses

MAIN SOURCES OF WATER CONTAMINATTION

Residual moisture in the thick structural

components not removed during the factory dryout
Ingress from the atmosphere
Aging (decomposition) of cellulose and oil.

Moisture Model
membrane

Water

pump
200 g in an hour

molecular
flow

cooler
aging water

hot spot

thick
structure

moleculr flow

water pump

hot thin
structure

Cold thin structure

Upper Estimation the Rate of Water Contamination

Direct exposure of oil-impregnated insulation to air:
RH = 75%, 20 C :13,500 g in 16 hours
Operation with open-breathing conservator
6,000 g per year or 0.2% per year
Operation with membrane sealed conservator
app. 0.06 % per year
Insufficient sealing with rain water present
200 g in an hour as free water

Ageing water in the tested models

Ageing degree
1.0%

5.0

1.4%

1.7%

1.4

2.4%

Water content

4.0

1.2

Cellulose Microstructure
3 Crystalline
cellulose

1 Microcappilaries

2 Macrocappilaries

2
dx

dx

Where oil and agents of degradation are within cellulose?

Moisture content in cellulose depend on:

Moisture concentration
(relative humidity)
Temperature
Insulation Thickness
Open surface

Oil-barrier insulation structure

d
t

Oil-barrier insulation structure

THIN STRUCTURE

Turn coil, conductors (paper)

Barrier, end cap (pressboard)
Lead (paper)
Diffusion time constant a few months

INSULATION STRUCTURE COMPONENTS

THICK STRUCTURE

Support
Laths, pads
Lead (paper, warnished cloth)
40-55% of the mass and 4-8% of the surface
Diffusion time constant some years

Share of Deteriorated Insulation

Transformer Thick
Passive

Thin
Moisture

Thin Hot spot

Heated

25 MVA
110kV
167MVA
500kV
471 MVA
750 KV

38%

22%

40%

41%

42%

19.3% 2 .0%-80kg

57.2%

18%

24%

4.0%-70kg

2.5% -430kg

Processes of insulation deterioration

Involve slow diffusion of water, gases, and
aging products
Affect basically only the thin structure
which comprises typically 40-60% of the total mass.
Heated mass of conductor insulation that subjected
to accelerated deterioration comprises typically 2-10 %
of the total mass

Moisture distribution based on temperature

Thermal zones
Hottest-spot insulation
Conductor wrapped insulation- top of transformer
Conductor wrapped insulation- bottom of transformer
Bulk insulation - top of transformer
Bulk insulation - bottom of transformer

MOISTURE DISTRIBUTION WITHIN A TRANSFORMER

The main source is atmospheric water

The main mechanism is viscous flow of wet air
or free water via poor sealing
Solid Insulation is water accumulator;
Thin cold structures operating at bulk oil
temperatures comprise 20 30% of the total
but retain a large portion of the water

MOISTURE DISTRIBUTION WITHIN A TRANSFORMER

Parameters of moisture equilibrium depend
on temperature, water-in-oil solubility
Influence of temperature makes non-uniform
distribution of water in thr turn insulation
The moving force of water transfer is
moisture potential which is greater for turn insulation
ad weaker fo major insulation

p
w
T

Thermo diffusion of moisture between microcappilaries

1, 1

2, 2

Equilibrium

P1
P2

T1
T2

Moisture equilibrium in pressboard and paper

12

21oC

10

Pressboard
80oC

21oC
6

Water content, %
Kraft-paper

80oC

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Relative humidity (Re), %

70

80

Distribution of temperature across winding insulation

1

Coil
insulation

La
y
er

oil

O
A
N
T
V
I
E
O
C
N
T
I
V
E

ON
Pi
PN
ES
U
RCL
0

Temperature distribution of water in turn insulation

3,5

W=2,0%
T=20oC

2,5

2
W,%

W=1,8%
T=40oC

1,5

W=1,2%
T=20oC

0,5

0
0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

x/d

0,7

0,8

0,9

For oil immersed transformer water content

In cellulose insulation is a function of relative
saturation of the oil

RS %

Win _ oil (t )
Wsaturated (t )

The Assessment of the Aromatic

Carbon Content, CA, is important
for Determining the Solubility of
Water in Mineral Oils

Solubility of moisture in oils

S
o
l
Aromatics
u
b ,%
C
iA
l
i 5
t
y8

20 C

40 C

70 C

42.8

97.5

279

46.8

108

316

o 16
f

56.2

128.3

369.2

21
m
o
i

75

162

436

Solubility, PPM

Transformation of Bound Water to

Soluble Water from Aged Oil
Moisture Content, ppm
Before
After
Heating
Heating

Type of Oil

Properties

Used oil from

750 kV CT

Acidity=.064mgKOH/g
IFT=32 dynes/cm
PF90 =5.32%

26.3

85

Used oil from

750 kV CT

CA=18%
Acidity=0.064mgKOH/g
IFT=32 dynes/cm
PF90=6.1%

23.5

132

High oil temperature can add soluble water

ppm

High temperature can add soluble water

52.1

53
48

80
70

51.2
50.4

60

W, ppm

50

43

40
30

38

20

33

tC

30.2

28

10

31

12

16

20

24

28

32

Hours

Oil contaminated with particles

Dangerous Effect of Insulation

Degradation Factors

Critical conditioin: Bubbles in oil

Residual air trapped in insulation after oi

Residual air in reserve cooler
Burned out oil pump motor
Arcing in oil (acetylene evolution)
Oil oversaturation + mechanical shock
Evolution of vapor bubbles out of heated
conductor insulation + Water

DANGEROUS EFFECT OF WATER

FREE WATER

May kill transformer

Immediately at rated voltage
Drops of water in viscous oil
works as particles
generator

Critical condition: Ingress of Free Water

Rapid drop of temperature+
rapid drop of pressure+
insufficient sealing+ rain water

The top seal of draw-lead bushings,

The seals in explosion vents,
Poor sealing of nitrogen blanketed transformers.

Critical condition: high oil relative saturation+

particles
Ubd
particles
20 g/to

80
60
40

Particles
50 g/to

20

20

40

60

80

Oil Relative saturation, %

Particles are responsible for dielectric state

kV
Ebd,mm

12

Dry
fibres

10
Wet
fibres

Aluminum

6
4

10

50 100

Number
per 1 ml

Moisture increases particles conductivity

kV
Ebd, mm

2
0

W, %

Sharp reduction of temperature can results in dramatic

reduction of dielectric strength of oil
Ubd
U1

1.0
10ppm
15ppm

0.93
0.83

20ppm

0.73
30ppm

-40

-20

0.63

20

40

T,

DANGEROUS EFFECT OF WATER

WATER IN TURNS INSULATION
Accelerates aging decomposition,
and depolymerization of cellulose is proportional
to the water content.
This process becomes much more dangerous
in presence of acids and non-acid polars
Bubbles evolution
Water in turn insulation relates to Hot problems

Model of bubbles evolution

active center

Cellulos
e
molecul
e
water
molecule

Cellulose fibres
bubble

oil
to microcapillary

outer oil
meniscus

macrocapillaries

Bubbles Evolution

Effect of moisture on clamping compression

The nature of the cellulose fibres used in the transformer

insulation changes the dimensions of the insulating parts
with the temperature and the moisture content.
The drying and stabilisation process, as well as the
clamping fixture will influence the final behaviour
during the operation.

Dimensional changes - Insulation material

% Dimensional change of
insulation

6
5
4
3
2
1
0

%Moisture content in insulation

An increase of 3 % moisture can double

the clamping pressure
when initial pressure is in the range of 2.5 N/mm2
a later loss of clamping pressure is to be expected when
these insulating parts are submitted to additional
drying process.
Therefore, the drying of moist solid transformer
insulation can be
critical if the coil is losing too much clamping force

Particles are most dangerous contaminants

Manufacturing contaminants
Cellulose fibres, iron,copper,aluminum and other
resulting from manufacturing process
Non-conductive mode particles
in a 5 to 50 micron range
Copper < 10 ppb
Iron

Dress and test dirt :

This type of contaminant gets in the transformer
tank during bushing installation, oil filling,
from cooling system, etc.
Size range probably from 5 to 100 microns.
Sometimes, the filter itself can supply particles,
especially if the paper and the oil are somewhat wet.

Aged oil
During utilization at normal and overload temperatures
oil slowly forms sludge particles, "polymeric" in nature.
Based on Velcon Filters research these could be
one to five microns in size and this contamination
is difficult to remove by common filtration medias
Aging destruction of cellulose insulation would result
in fibers partition.

Localized oil overheating

Over 500C would be a symptom of forming carbon.
Any transformer (shunt reactor) that has a source
of localized oil heating may be at a time a source
of carbon generation.
Clay particles as well as carbon are difficult to remove
using conventional filter medias.
Oil leaks from LTC Diverter Switch cause carbon
contamination

Trapping effect of Transformer

Components

Electrical and electromagnetic fields attracts

the conductive particles and deposits them
on the winding surfaces, barriers, and bushing p

Most sensitive Components

Converter transformers effect of DC voltage;
Shunt reactors effect high electromagnetic field
EHV power transformers
HV bushings that operate in contaminated oil
HV LTC

Dormant Incipient fault: residue of oil aging

products on insulation surface

Condition

Stability to
PD

PF,%

Surface Resistivity,
Ohm

With
residue

Flashover
immediately

1.21

31013

Without
residue

12 min

1.1

21014

Dangerous Effect of Degradation Factors

Particles

Water

BBubbles due to
Oversaturation,
Cavitation,
Overheating

Free

Fibers

Vapor

Major
Insulation

TurnsCoils

Oil aging
Products

Metals

Bubbles
Evolution

Increasing percent
saturation

Decreasing the dielectric

strength

Accelerating the rate

of aging