High PD activity ...
... lead to uncovering a critical problem - the incorrectly installed wedges
Company: Midwest US Utility
Ratings: 173 MW, 18 kV, Hydrogen Cooled Turbine Generator, 3 years in operation
Manufacturer: Confidential
Related Info: 25 years old
PD Sensors: Two bus couplers per phase
Case Study Details:"... With the high H2 pressure (30-35 psig) the [PD] levels were expected to be very low but instead were very high after only a year of operation. We initially expected to find problems with the couplers as we did not believe the results..."
High PD activity (slot discharge)...
...was a foresign of an upcoming failure
Company: Western Canadian Utility
Ratings: 184 MVA, 13.8 kV, Air Cooled Hydro Generator
Manufacturer: Confidential
Related Info: 25 years old
PD Sensors: Four PDA Couplers per phase
Case Study Details: The PD data for this unit has been trended for over ten years. In 1995, semi-conducting paint and CRTV were injected into selected bars ...
Intelligent on-line signature analysis...
...revealed broken rotor bars
Company: A large utility in the US northeast
Ratings: 3000hp, 6.6kV 1785rpm Motor
Manufacturer: Confidential
Case Study Details: The suspicion arose from a constant hum during motor operation and abnormal vibration levels during start-up and running. The plant vibration monitoring system did not have the ability to zoom...
High level system PD noise...
...uncovered a well-developed tracking
Company: Italian utility
Ratings: 390 MW, 20kV, Hydrogen Cooled Turbine Generator
Manufacturer: Confidential
Related Info: Installed in 1970
PD Sensors: Two Bus Couplers per phase
Case Study Details: During a partial discharge measurement using the TGA-B portable instrument, high levels of PD activity (over 3000mV position, well above the highest range, see Figure 1) were detected on the C phase outside...
Reading Instability...
...uncovered internal bad connection on a new transformer
Company: US North-West utility
Ratings: 45 MVA power transformer
Manufacturer: Confidential
A customer was commissioning a new 45 MVA power transformer delivered by an overseas manufacturer. During the test, ADWEL's Digital Winding Resistance ReporteR, DWR-10, was consistently issuing a warning of current interruptions, and did not complete the test. Another DWR-10 instrument was used with similar outcome. All other standard measurements, including TTR, Tan-Delta and insulation resistance indicated acceptable resistance value.
Nevertheless, the customer drained the oil and inspected the transformer to detect that the windings on all 3 phases were not properly secured to the bushings. Had the transformer been energized, a catastrophic failure could have occurred.
The DRM-100 instrument can precisely measure contact resistance on circuit breakers, switches, bus bar joints and other lowresistance devices in a high voltage environment.
Up to 100 Amps of pure DC current is smoothly ramped up and down automatically to prevent current transients that can lead to unwanted operation of protection relays. Output current is preset by operator to a value between 10-100 Amps and is maintained for a preset time period between 10-60 seconds.
A 20-Amp continuous mode is also provided to aid in trouble shooting by allowing the operator to move and
relocate the potential leads during testing.
The DRM Instrument is specifically designed for rough usage and to function reliably in energized EHV substations where high electrical and magnetic fields are frequently present.
The DRM Instrument was also designed to function accurately and reliably with up to 1000 VAC of noise present on the device under test - a common condition in energized transformer stations.
Test results are displayed in extra large font on the bright color LCD screen.
Membrane switch buttons surround the screen for setting the test current, test time and for initiating the test.
The DRM uses the 4-terminal method of resistance measurement to eliminate the effects of lead resistance.
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