Comparison of maintenance scheme effects on power transformer reliability performance

• Main Authors: Ivan Camilo Duran Tovar, Laura Sofia Rosero Zuñiga, Andrés Pavas Martínez, Oscar Germán Duarte Velasco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Nacional de Colombia 2015-06-01
• Series: Ingeniería e Investigación
• Subjects: Power transformer; failure rate; maintenance; health index; reliability improvement; asset management
• Online Access: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/ingeinv/article/view/53435

Power transformer failures have a significant impact on electrical systems reliability, as they compromise the electricity delivery. Failures impact the operational cost of electric utilities as they endanger the accomplishment of power commitments. Power transformer failure rate can be modeled from its health condition, which is determined from different condition parameters. This paper is aimed to compare different maintenance schemes that allow the asset to be available the longest possible time. The power transformer operation is represented considering actual electric load profiles and temperature. Electrical and thermal transformer parameters are taken from manufacturer tests and technical standards. An electrical-thermal model is employed to estimate the life span reduction and temperature changes. From life span and loading, the health condition is determined, so as the effects of different maintenance schemes. The failure rates are calculated for unmaintained conditions and different maintained schemes, allowing to determine their effects on transformer reliability. Optimal maintenance schemes are determined and the expected benefits in failure rate reduction, asset reliability and life span extension are presented. As a result, it was found that certain time-based maintenance schemes provide better transformer reliability performance in comparison to condition based schemes,  allowing to reduce the interruptions and extending the life of the transformer.