Practical Experience with SFRA Technique

Rafal Zaleski
Principal Transformer Engineer
Doble Engineering
ALTANOVA, a Doble Engineering Company, provides diagnostic solutions to
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through portable testing equipment, advanced monitoring systems, and
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1938 I.S.A. Istrumentazioni Sistemi Automatici S.r.l.

is established in Taino ITALY

1999 TECHIMP was born as a spin-off from the

University of Bologna ITALY.

2017 I.S.A. and TECHIMP merge giving

birth to the ALTANOVA GROUP

2019 INTELLISAW joins ALTANOVA GROUP

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Engineering Company, as part of the USG
division.
Doble History
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SFRA Technique
1. Introduction
2. Influencing Factors
3. Importance of Reference Results
4. Case Study
Introduction
Frequency Response Analysis (FRA) is commonly used to
assess the mechanical integrity of transformer active part Comparative test – relies on
compared responses being
Normally performed during the following: measured in the same way and in
the same transformer condition.
– Factory fingerprint before transport to site

– Short circuit test

– Site fingerprint/diagnostic after transportation

prior to commissioning

– Relocation and installation

– Routine diagnostic protocol

– After transformer alarm or trip

– After through fault, lightning, seismic event

International Collaborations (2008 – 2020)
Cigre WG A2.26 IEEE WG C57.149 IEC PT 60076-18 Cigre A2.53

1
Influencing Factors
Effect of core magnetization

Low frequency variation is severe - but identifiable

Effect of tap position

Tap position is one of the most obvious factors influencing result

Nominal tap position (N)

(N) from (N-1) is not the same as (N) from (N+1)

Effect of state of other winding

Same phase LV traces at tap:

1, 6, 12 (nominal) and 13
In order from left

Impact of HV tap position on LV test

Effect of state of other winding

HV in 120kV

HV in 60kV

Impact of HV series/parallel switch on LV test

Effect of state of other winding

Delta closed

Delta opened

Impact of LV delta state on HV test

Effect of internally grounded delta
winding

Impact of internally earthed delta winding on responses of other windings

Experiment with delta winding

Impact of state of delta winding on responses of other windings

Effect of insulating liquid
Effect of
transportation
bushings

With oil

Without oil

Measurement in fully assembled condition and in transportation condition

Effect of long GIS busbar

Measurement made through earth switch

Measurement made directly to bushing terminals

Effect of missing core earth
Effect of poor grounding

Can you spot difference between the two grounding braids?

Effect of poor grounding

…one was not correctly earthed

Importance of Good Reference Results
Importance of good reference results

The SFRA results not always give easy to interpret results eg. completely
aligned responses of three phases. Although in some cases experience
plays important role and allows to recognize certain situations,
sometimes additional reference results are extremely helpful in
interpretation.

Such reference can be usually taken from:

• Previous results
• Sister unit
It is important to obtain the same test setup as was used for reference
results in order to use them.
Importance of good reference results

Suspicious difference was measured at LV side. Sister transformer was available to

obtain reference but it was connected to HV cables.
Importance of good reference results

Small distribution
transformer
SFRA Examples
Shorted turns

Let’s start with something easy.

750MVA, 380/230/13.8kV autotransformer YNay0d11, failed in service

Movement of Single Turns

So is this a good transformer? It tripped from service due to flashover across

contacts of A phase OLTC selector.
Movement of Single Turns

So is this a good transformer? It tripped from service due to flashover across

contacts of A phase OLTC selector.
Movement of Single Turns

So is this a good transformer? It tripped from service due to flashover across

contacts of A phase OLTC selector.
Movement of Single Turns

So is this a good transformer? It tripped from service due to flashover across

contacts of A phase OLTC selector.
Movement of Single Turns

Luckily it was possible to see damage through inspection hole.

Scrapping confirmed slight winding deformation on A phase
Axial Collapse

Initial symptoms
35 year old 400/132 kV 240 MVA auto-transformer
10:53 a.m. Monday 5th November 2001
Buchholz alarm
Transformer switched out for investigation
Analysis of Buchholz gas and main tank oil indicated serious fault
No abnormal system events
Transformer was operating at 80% loading

Hardly non-conclusive electrical test results, but…

Axial Collapse
Axial Collapse

Previous results
Axial Collapse

Sister unit failed in service

Axial Collapse
Buckling Deformation

Transformer details:
▪ 375/750MVA ONAN/ODAF
▪ 400/275/13kV autotransformer
▪ No taps
▪ Built 1966
▪ Deterioration in DGA results
▪ Removed from service for investigation
Buckling Deformation
20

One of gas increases 18

16

coincided with CT failure

120 14

12

10
100

80
4

60 0
18/02/1982 17/02/1985 17/02/1988 16/02/1991 15/02/1994 14/02/1997 14/02/2000 13/02/2003 12/02/2006 11/02/2009

C2H4 C2H2

40

20

0
18/02/1982 17/02/1985 17/02/1988 16/02/1991 15/02/1994 14/02/1997 14/02/2000 13/02/2003 12/02/2006 11/02/2009

H2 CH4 C2H4 C2H6 C2H2

DGA showed three potentially damaging events

Buckling Deformation

T4673
A phase B phase C phase

Main windi ngs 4,405 pF 3,634 pF 4,294 pF

to earth, CH 0.51 % 0.56 % 0.52 % Sister
Main windi ngs 8,786 pF 8,711 pF 8,525 pF transformer
to tertiary, CHT 0.55 % 0.56 % 0.56 % Suspect
Tertiary wi nding 17,924 pF transformer
to earth, C T 0.52 %

T4971
A phase B phase C phase

Main windings 4,246 pF 3,368 pF 4,273 pF

to earth, CH 0.75 % 0.51 % 0.62 %

Main windings 8,277 pF 5,775 pF 9,030 pF

to tertiary, CHT 0.42 % 1.91 % 0.54 %

Tertiary winding 20,668 pF

to earth, CT 0.46 %

Significant difference in capacitance and power factor were noted for phase B
Buckling Deformation

Also a significant difference in frequency response was noted for phase B

Buckling Deformation
Tap Winding Movement

▪ 275/33kV 120MVA YNd1 transformer feeding steelworks suffered flashover

between taps while on ‘hot standby’
▪ Barrier board between tap-changer and main tank broken
▪ SFRA tests indicated movement for tap winding:
✓ Difference for Blue phase at Tap 1 (taps ‘all-in’), but not at Tap 10 ( ‘all-out’)
✓ Compared responses with sister reference transformer
✓ Note faulty transformer was without oil, while reference was oil filled
▪ Internal inspection confirmed conductor tilting for Blue phase tap winding
▪ Special SFRA Tests showed possibility of internal resonant over-voltage
between taps involved in flashover for switching surge at HV line terminal
Tap 10 HV SFRA for faulty transformer
Tap 10 HV SFRA for reference
transformer
Tap 1 HV SFRA for faulty transformer
Tap 1 HV SFRA for reference transformer
Broken tap-changer barrier board
Flashover damage between Blue
phase tap leads
Internal View
Conclusions

▪ Reference results if available, can greatly support interpretation

of results. This can help either to confirm winding damage or to
clear doubts regarding suspicious traces
▪ It is important to be aware of number of different factors which
can affect the measurement, eg. tap position, state of stabilizing
winding. Results obtained in different conditions may not make
good reference.
▪ Little difference can still mean dangerous deformation but at the
same time, large differences can be caused by factors other than
winding damage. This makes interpretation more difficult.
Thank you!

Rafal Zaleski
Principal Transformer Engineer
Doble Engineering