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Ultrasonic frequency sensor inside of a transformer?
2

Ultrasonic frequency sensor inside of a transformer?

Ultrasonic frequency sensor inside of a transformer?

(OP)
A suggestion has been made to provide an ultrasonic frequency sensor to detect corona inside of a large rectifier power transformer. Has anyone got experience with this?  Why would you use this? What is the issue? Is this the latest technology?

RE: Ultrasonic frequency sensor inside of a transformer?

It would be used to detect corona, aka partial discharge, which produces ultrasonic noise. This would be an indication of possible insulation breakdown. It is commonly used for maintenance on air-insulated equipment, but I'm not familiar with application for oil-insulated transformers.

Alan
"The engineer's first problem in any design situation is to discover what the problem really is." Unk.

RE: Ultrasonic frequency sensor inside of a transformer?

bdn2004,

alehman has nailed it, it is for partial discharge detection.

it can be used on all types of transformers, not just rectifier transformers.  PD detection in transformers has gone through a number of evolutions, and the most recent is the use of UHF sensors inside the transformer.  Prior to UHF sensors being inserted into the transformer tank, online measurements were made using acoustic sensors, which measured the vibration that was caused by the energy of the discharge hitting the tank.  This was sensitive, but not as sensitive as a sensor that is inside the tank.

The UHF sensors are mainly inserted through the drain valve at the bottom of the tank.

The main issue is calibration of the sensor and detection unit.  This is being worked on by the IEC as we speak.

The following are a few papers on the topic.

http://opencms.uni-stuttgart.de/export/sites/default/fak5/ieh/forschung/veroeffentlichungen/Coenen_IEEE2008_UHF_PD_Measurements_in_Power_Transformers.pdf

http://www.uni-stuttgart.de/ieh/forschung/veroeffentlichungen/S_Coenen_PD_Det_UHF_Acoustic.pdf

http://www.uni-stuttgart.de/ieh/forschung/veroeffentlichungen/ISH2009_Coenen_Sensitivity_Limits.pdf

hope the links work

ausphil

 

RE: Ultrasonic frequency sensor inside of a transformer?

(OP)
ausphil,

Great links...I didn't realize our maintenance guys were so cutting edge!

Do you know of any manufacturers of these things? It looks like it is fairly new technology.

 

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