Transformer Maintenance Practise 3

[APHK]

Hello to everyone this is my first post so as a little background I work for a medium sized electrical utility in Ontario Canada. I have been put in charge of building a new maintenance program for our substations and am in the process of collecting information.

We are starting with power transformers and are trying to build a schedule around testing and inspection. All of our transformers are liquid filled and range in secondary voltage from 4.16 to 44kv and primary voltage from 13.2 to 250kv

I have been looking at some books and documents but so far I have been reading through the second edition of Paul Gills Electrical Power Equipment Maintenance and Testing. It is a good reference but I wanted to see what other were doing and thought this may be a good place to pose the question.

So what kind of maintenance and testing schedule are you following for Power Transformers?
And what other books or references should I look into?

 

[oldfieldguy]

The last utility I worked for tested transformers on a five-year cycle for off-line tests and did oil analysis (dissolved gases) annually. Tests were per NETA Maintenance test specification. Transformers subjected to unusual condition were tested where prudent.

Many of my industrial clients tested on a three-year cycle.

old field guy

 

[rbulsara]

For 70 kV and below NETA-MTS spec should provide adequate guidance. For higher voltage power transformers, I would differ to persons experienced in those ranges.

However, I would think manufacturer's recommendations would be a good place to start and many NETA guidance would still apply.

Rafiq Bulsara

http://www.srengineersct.com

 

[edison123]

Doble Engineering (

http://www.doble.com)

offer expert consultancy services and they have an excellent reputation for quality services and products in maintenance and predictive testing.



Muthu

http://www.edison.co.in

 

[RRaghunath]

I think predictive maintenance technics for transformers are available for quite some time and are beneficial to the life of equipment as well as to the purse.
Time based maintenance is rather an expensive thing in present day world.

 

[mgtrp]

My experience working for/with utilities is similar that of oldfieldguy.

 

[prc]

The latest on the subject is ABB Transformer book which you can buy from ABB site.Another book is SD Mayer's Trf Maintenance Guide which you can buy from their site.You can download free EPRI Transformer Maintenance guide from their site(epri.com)You can also get transformer maintenance guide and Diagnostic handbook free from usbr site.

The following American standards are great- ANSI/IEEE C57.93 Transformer Installation &maintenance(oil filled) C57.94 (dry type) IEEE 62- Diagnostic field testing and PC57.143-2008 Draft Std on Trf monitoring.

 

[RRaghunath]

prc,
comprehensive list of references that any transformer maintenance engineer would find great use. Specifically, the SD Meyer's guide I found very useful.
Star to you.

 

[ScottyUK]

ABB's Transformer Book can be viewed online. It can be downloaded given a bit of effort too, although I can't remember if that was their intent.

You could do worse than read the J&P Transformer Book. Pricey but worth it if you do a lot of work with transformers.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[edison123]

Scotty - Any linky to that ABB trafo book ?

Muthu

http://www.edison.co.in

 

[prc]

Scotty, you can down load only Transformer handbook.The book I referred ie ABB Service book has to be bought.
edison,please see FAQ on Books on powersystem for the ABB site details.

 

[slavag]

http://www.abb.com/product/ap/db000...c5007c039b.aspx?productLanguage=us&country=GB

 

[edison123]

prc, any link to that Transformer handbook that can be feely downloaded ? The site search result is too big.

Muthu

http://www.edison.co.in

 

[ScottyUK]

prc,

You are correct. And now I have looked in my library I was thinking of the new switchgear manual anyway!


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[xxjohnh]

There are a lot free references by the various US Federal Power Authorities. Also the IEEE power and energy society has a lot of papers on the subject. Dissolved gas analysis with online monitoring like the GE HYDRAN seems worth adding for large units.

 

[APHK]

Great start, thanks to everyone for the information.

 

[prc]

edison, Iam sorry it seems handbook is available only internally.You can order this at

http://www.abb.com/product/ap/db0003db004283/c12573e700330462c1256f85006816e0.aspx

As scotty said, switch gear manual can be down loaded free.

 

[APHK]

Does anyone have a direct link to the EPRI guide? I have searched the site but cannot seem to find it?

 

[prc]

APHK, go to

http://www.epri.com.Then

under search column enter "Transformer maintenance".You will get it.The Technical guide no 1002913 "Power Transformer Maintenance and application Guide"-288 pages

 

[edison123]

Thanks prc for that EPRI link. I will buy those books from ABB.

Muthu

http://www.edison.co.in