DIELECTRIC FREQUENCY RESPONSE
FREQUENCY DOMAIN SPECTROSCOPY
Transformer Insulation Diagnostics
1
Dielectric Frequency Response
DFR Basic Explanation
2
Electrical Insulation’s Function
Isolates live electrical components from ground and other
conductors
Insulation electrical model = parallel plate capacitor with
dielectric material in between
Conductor
Insulation parameters:
Z=R+jX
•Capacitive charging current
•Resistive watts lost current (heat)
Conductor or Ground
3
What does DFR measure?
Focusing on insulation CAPACITANCE to detect degradation changes
Capacitance = ability for a body to hold a
charge
+ + + + + + + + +
V
+ + + +
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Permittivity is material's ability to transmit (or
"permit") an electric field through polarization of
dipoles in the material.
4
Capacitance parameters – Permittivity
+ + + + +
Q = C0 ⋅ V
A
V ε 0 = permittivity of air = ⋅ ε 0 ⋅V
d
LEGEND
_ Q = Charge
C = Capacitance
V = Voltage
A = Area of plate
d = distance between plates
+ + + + + + + + ε = permittivity of dielectric
+
Q = ε r ⋅ C0 ⋅ V =
V ε r = relative permittivity of dielectric material εr ⋅
A
⋅ ε 0 ⋅V
d
+ + + +
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5
Permittivity - Generically
Permittivity - physical quantity describes how an electric
field is affected by a dielectric medium
It relates to a material's ability to transmit (or "permit") an
electric field through polarization of dipoles in the
material.
Changes in permittivity can be measured.
Different dielectric materials have
different permittivities!
6
Unique Material Permittivities - Transformers
Changes in dielectric material changes the capacitance.
Compare measured values to known insulation dielectric responses.
“bad” insulation combination of oil &
“good” insulation of transformer cellulose “good” insulation of transformer oil cellulose with contaminant
Q = ε cellulose ⋅ C ⋅ V Q = ε oil ⋅ C ⋅ V Q = ε combined ⋅ ε contaminent ⋅ C ⋅ V
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
V Paper/Cellulo V Oil Oil &
+ + + + + + + + Cellulose
_ _ _se_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Contamina
nt
7
How does this apply to Power Transformers?
Insulation between the HV and LV winding modeled as a complex
capacitance with the following dielectric materials
• Cellulose
– Barriers
LV
– Spacers
εr
• Oil
HV
This is better known as the CHL measurement in P.F. testing
8
Transformer Cellulose Insulation
Cellulose inside transformer
• Kraft paper
• Pressboard
• Winding paper
• Sticks
• Spacers
• Etc
Different
• Densities
• Shapes
• Sizes
VOLUME of cellulose & oil
9
Transformer
High voltage winding – One electrode
Low voltage winding – Other electrode
10
Transformer Geometry – Top View
11
Transformer Geometry – Top View
Core
Barriers & Spacers
Winding to winding wrap
L
BarriersV
& Spacers
Winding to winding wrap
H
V
12
Transformer Geometry – Software Modeling
Winding to winding wrap
included in barriers and
spacers approximation
HV
winding
CHL
LV
winding
13
Transformer model
+ + + + + + + +
Side View =
+ + + +
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Top View
Cellulose: Blue color
14
Oil: Red color
Transformer model
15
Measurement Principle
Insulation impedance
Z = R – j/(wC) Z=
16
Capacitance and Dissipation Factor (Tanδ)
= Z (Impedance)
δ jω = C (Capacitance)
= Tanδ (Loss tangent)
= Power Factor (cosϕ or λ)
ϕ
Note: If cosϕ and Tanδ small then cosϕ =Tanδ
17
Yellow
Generate What is the DFR measuring?
Groun Red
d Measure /
Sense
Conductor A Iloss 3 Insulation
+ 3
Insulation 1 Iloss 1 Vapplied
-
Conductor B Iloss 2 Insulation
2
18
Frequency Domain Spectroscopy
Measurements of insulation capacitance and losses as a
function of frequency
Hi
U (ω )
V
Z (ω ) =
1
Lo =
A I (ω ) jωC
Ground CHL
C, tan δ , PF
CL CH Z (ω ) ⇒
(ε ′ and ε ′′)
19
DFR data acquisition
DFR measurement setup is the same as that applied for
capacitance and power factor measurement . The
difference is the wide frequency spectrum (1kHz – 1mHz)
and the low voltage applied (normally 140 Vrms).
Hi
Lo
A
Ground CHL
CL CH
20
End Result of Measurement = Graph
Each point is a
Power Factor
value!
Power factor
CHL
Frequency
21
Dielectric Frequency Response Measurement
P.F. @ 0.001 Hz
100 %
Each point corresponds to
a measured Power Factor
value at constant
Temperature and known
Power Factor
10 % frequency value!
CHL
1%
P.F. @ 60 Hz
P.F. @ 1000 Hz
0.1 %
0 0.001 Hz 60 Hz 1000 Hz
Frequency
22
Power Factor Changes with Frequency
32% at 0.02 Hz
(0.32)
0.31% at Frequency
Power 60 Hz axis
factor
axis
(0.0031)
23
What is DFR?
Diagnostic technique for estimating moisture
content in power transformer cellulose insulation
• Measurement = Applied voltage over a range of
frequencies and measure power factor of insulation
• Analysis = Modeling software match measured curve to
reference curve of known moisture content, yielding
moisture content of measured curve
24
What is DFR?
Dielectric Frequency Response (DFR)
• When exciting a transformer insulation sample with an applied
Voltage, reactions of the electric dipole moments of the sample
are measured as a loss Current.
• Certain elemental materials will behave a particular way when a
Voltage is applied at various Frequencies.
• This method is used for identifying particular components in
materials.
• Frequency domain measurements
–Voltage V(f)
–Current I(f)
–Impedance Z(f)
25
DFR World Standards
Europe
Cigre Task Force D1.01.14 (2004)
Dielectric Response Diagnoses for Transformer Windings
Cigre SC D1 TF D1.01.09 - Paper 254 REDIATOOL (2006)
Dielectric Response Methods for Diagnostics of Power Transformers
Cigre WG A2.30 - Paper 349 (2008)
Moisture Equilibrium and Moisture Migration
Cigre SC D1 WG D1.01 - Paper 414 (2010)
Dielectric Response Diagnoses for Transformer Windings
Americas
IEEE PC57.161 draft 3.2 (2018)
Draft Guide for Dielectric Frequency Response Test.
http://www.cigre.org/userfiles/Publications/CATALOGUE%20of%20PUBLICATIONS%2008%20April%202010_2.pdf
26
Why DFR?
PRIMARY: Moisture estimation of paper insulation (cellulose)
• Result presented as
– Moisture in solid paper as % of total paper weight (W/W)
and oil conductivity
SECONDARY: Added benefit
Indentify contaminants or Abnormal Influences:
• Carbon Tracking
• Semi-Conductive sludge deposited in ducts between windings
• Aging paper as it breaks down
• Incorrect shield connections
• Data collection of each of these cases is critical!
27
DFR – When to Test?
Factory & Field Dry outs
• Before, during & after transformer processing
– Manufacturing facility Oven
– On site at substation, Oil Processing
– (Test with or without oil)
Commission Test
• To ensure dry condition before energizing
Incident
• After Faults
Standard Maintenance Trending
• Trend insulation condition
28
DFR Application Areas
Power transformers
Instrument transformers
Bushings
Motors and generators
Cables
Generic testing of insulation systems
29
Dielectric Frequency Response
- Single PF value is not enough to make the right decision
- Dielectric Frequency Response tells the story!
Dry transformer with old oil
(high conductivity)
Same PF value at
Wet transformer with good 60Hz
oil
30
Traditional Power Factor Testing
Power
factor
Frequency
1 mHz 60 Hz 1kHz
31
Dielectric Frequency Response
Power
factor
Frequency
1 mHz 60 Hz 1kHz
32
Application Areas
Transformer diagnostics
– Power transformer insulation
– Bushings
– Instrument transformers
Cable diagnostics
– Paper insulated (PILC) cables
Other insulation systems
– For customers with own R&D
33
DFR Purpose in Power Transformers
Primary - distinguish between moist versus dry solid insulation
Second - indentify contaminants within the liquid insulation
system
• DFR actually can distinguish between Oil & Cellulose when
taking measurements
• Oil responds differently than cellulose through various
frequencies and temperatures
Ultimately, it leads to a condition assessment of the
electrical insulation inside a transformer!
34
Dielectric Frequency Response
- Power Factor Changes with Frequency
Power factor 0.32 at 0.02 Hz
0.0031 at 60 Hz
Frequency
35
What influences the curve?
36
Typical curve OIL only response
37
Oil Response
1000Hz-1mHz
38
Oil Response
1000Hz-1mHz
1.00E-11
1.00E-12
1.00E-13
39
Typical CELLULOSE only response
40
Solid Paper
1000Hz-1mHz
41
Solid Paper
Response
3% 1000Hz-1mHz
2%
1%
0.5%
42
Transformer
Insulation
1000Hz-1mHz
43
Characteristic Transformer PF Curve =
combination of OIL and CELLULOSE response
44
Oil
Transformer
Insulation
Solid
Kraft Paper 45
Oil influence
Paper
influence 46
Typical curve Transformer response
Oil influence
Paper
influence
47
What affects the response
- Moisture +
- Oil Conductivity
+
- Moisture +
- Temperature +
48
What affects the PF at different frequencies?
Paper Influence Oil Influence Paper Influence
- Moisture +
- Oil Conductivity +
- Moisture +
- Temperature +
49
Typical results for transfomers with various
moisture content
1.5% moisture
0.3% moisture
2.1% moisture
0.2% moisture
50
DFR moisture estimation is model based
51
DFR – Moisture estimation (1-2-3)
Right click
Measured
DFR
response
Select
Send to…MODS
52
DFR – Moisture estimation (1-2-3)
Capacitor model
Oil
% Spacers
% Barriers
Measurement
Master
curve
53
DFR – Moisture estimation (1-2-3)
2. Click
Auto match
1. Confirm
insulation
temperature
54
DFR – Moisture estimation – Results
Geometry
Moisture
Oil conductivity
55
Result
56
Unusual DFR Responses
• High losses that increase with increased frequency
–Series resistance – bad connection/high
resistance in core grounding
• Unexpected high oil conductivity for one
configuration, e.g. CHL
–Conducting surfaces bridging the electrodes -
pollution, carbon tracking
• Negative losses on bushing measurements
(tanδ/power factor), usually around 1-0.1 Hz
–Surface (outside) or interface (inside) creep
currents
• Increased losses between 50-100Hz to ~ 0.1Hz
–Contamination, bad connection of shield.
57
Factors affecting the curve distribution
Good understanding of the factors that may
influence the measurements under field conditions
is of crucial importance for the diagnosis reliability.
• Constant and preferably not too low temperature is
advantageous for the interpretation quality – at higher
temperatures the time necessary for the measurements
can be shortened.
• It is recommended to make CHL measurements between
main transformer windings.
• In the case of CH and CL measurements, it is also
important to make sure that the transformer bushings are
dry and clean, and good grounding connection is in place.
58
Summary & Conclusions DFR/FDS
Dielectric Frequency Response (DFR) also known as
Frequency Domain Spectroscopy (FDS) is an advanced
application of the dissipation factor (tanδ) insulation test.
DFR discriminates between the moisture concentration in the
solid insulation and the contamination of the liquid insulation.
DFR has evolved, and, simultaneously, the instrumentation
utilized in the field has evolved parallel to overcome the field
challenges such as: testing time constraints and the effect of
AC and/or DC induced noise in the substations.
DFR provides accurate temperature correction of the 60Hz
power factor value not based on reference tables but on the
unique dielectric response of the tested insulation system.
59
