The gases that are associated with specific fault types are
Hydrogen (H2), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO),
Ethane (C2H6), Methane (CH4), Ethylene (C2H4) and Acetylene
Manual Samples and
(C2H2). They are known collectively as the diagnostic gases.
Analysis of the concentration of these diagnostic gases, called
Laboratory DGA
Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) has long been recognized as the
single most powerful technique for transformer main tank Traditionally DGA was limited to a laboratory test because of the
fault detection / prediction. It has been at the forefront of most complexity of the equipment required to extract and measure
progressive utilities’ monitoring strategy for the last four decades. gases at quantities as low as one part-per-million (ppm).
This is evidenced by very many published papers and by numerous
national and international standards relating to how DGA may be Historically gas extraction was normally performed using a
performed and how the results can be interpreted. With an aging strong vacuum pump for degassing a sample of the oil prior to
and expanding transformer fleet and pressures to reduce both analysis – called a Toepler pump apparatus. More recently, IEC,
capital and operational expenditure, DGA has become even more ASTM and others have published methods describing a gas
important to utilities and industries. This trend is set to continue extraction technique that is suitable for automation. “Headspace
as the global fleet ages and the pressure on utilities to compete Gas Extraction” is now becoming the most common technique
intensifies. employed in laboratories due to its convenience and excellent
repeatability at the gas extraction stage of the process.
ONLINE MANAGEMENT OF AGING TRANSFORMERS USING PHOTO-ACOUSTIC SPECTROSCOPY
Figure 1. Basic diagram of a Gas Chromatogram showing the major
components that go into making such a system. A DGA specified GC will
in addition to these basic components require two columns and two
detectors to get the required level of sensitivity.
KELMAN TRANSFIX AND The gas detection technology utilized in the laboratory is based
around the separation of each gas in a gas mixture. This is achieved
THE APPLICATION OF
by introducing the gas mix to be analyzed into a constant stream
of a “carrier gas” and from there, subsequent detection of the gas
on one of several detectors. Called Gas Chromatography (GC) this
PAS TO ONLINE DGA IS technique can be designed to be sensitive to each target gas and
in fact, can be used to analyze a huge variety of diverse types of
samples from oil and gas to water and air pollution.
A SIGNIFICANT LEAP Each GC is set up for a specific application. A specific carrier gas is
chosen to drive the gas sample from its injection point down the
FORWARD IN THE FIELD length of the column where it will separate as the more mobile
molecules in the mixture travel faster. This technique requires
OF AUTONOMOUS,
very tight control of gas flow rates, temperatures and carrier
gas quality. It is a sensitive but unstable technique which has
historically been confined to a laboratory environment. This is
STABLE AND ROBUST primarily because GC is sensitive to changing local conditions, e.g.
temperature, pressure, movement, continuity of gas flow rates
etc. As a result of this high degree of sensitivity to environmental
ONLINE MONITORING. factors, GC requires daily recalibration for continued quality
operation. It is for this reason that this technique has remained the
exclusive preserve of the laboratory environment for most of the
last 50 years. Initial attempts to utilize GC in the field environment
have met with limited success - with the single biggest problem
being equipment drift, leading to poor repeatability of results from
one sample to the next.
