Case study of condition based health maintenance of large power transformer at Rihand substation using on-line FDD-EPT

The constant monitoring of large, medium and small power transformers for purposes of assessing their health, operating condition while maximizing personnel resources and preserving capital is often a topic of spirited discussions at both national and international conferences. Further, the considerations of transformers being out of service for extended periods of time due to conditions that, with the proper diagnostic monitoring equipment could have preemptively detected, diagnosed and prevented catastrophic equipment failure is of prime importance in today's economic conditions. These operating conditions are becoming more serious in several locations around the world. A recent case study of PD monitoring done at the Riband substation in India is discussed here in the sequel. Additional transformers tested in India for PGCIL (Ballabgarh) and NTPC (Noida, Delhi) in 1999 will be presented using the FDD-EPT system. Demonstrations of the FDD-EPT (fault diagnostic device for electrical power transformers) system on transformers for BHEL, MP and Tata Power in Mumbai also provided encouraging results. This will further illustrate the efficacy of this system.