This article discusses transformer temperature monitoring where a strategy of reduction in maintenance costs and outages, by replacing older ancillary technology with modern IEDs, can offer a reduction in maintenance costs, while providing an increase in availability and reliability.
Winding temperature indicators are critical devices on a transformer as they not only control the cooling system, but also provide the transformer with thermal protection. Utility experience indicates that a significant part of transformer maintenance is devoted to winding temperature indicators.
With the advent of online monitoring, the preferred transformer temperature monitoring solution is to use fully electronic devices, which continuously calculate the winding hottest temperature based on the measured values of top oil temperature and load current measurements.
Indicators (ETM) combine real-time operating information of the transformer and modern communications to enable decision making as part of any smart grid application. The prospect of using on-line monitoring IEDs to make intelligent decisions to optimize the load on such important substation assets as transformers follows the adoption of load management technology for power generation systems and equipment. In addition, real-time monitoring of equipment and its operating environment will enable system planners and operations personnel to dynamically load transformers to optimum limits without compromising reliability, and do it safely.
Power transformers are monitored and dynamically loaded in order to:
• Utilize transformer assets closer to their real operating limits without compromising their life expectancy or reliability; • Fully optimize real-time substation loading based on changes in ambient condition or operating modes; • Assist in making intelligent decisions about shifting load from the unit, based on the time to reach peak load capability (as an early warning); • Forecast operating conditions with given load shifted to the unit at a specific time, or to determine how much load could be shifted to a unit; and to
• Collect accumulated loss of insulation life data to enable forecasting of residual life of transformers in the fleet.
By: Brian Sparling, SMIEEE Dynamic Ratings, Senior Technical Advisor
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