Condition Monitoring of Power Transformers Using Acoustic Signal Prony's Analysis

On-load tap changers (OLTCs) are electromechanical devices used for voltage regulation on electrical networks. A non-invasive monitoring technique was developed using Prony's method for condition assessment of on-load tap-changers using vibration analysis signals. The transient vibration signals emitted during a tap change are recorded and processed using PronyAs spectral analysis and standard pre-processing techniques. Traditional condition monitoring techniques exhibit a certain degree of complexity, which may be a serious drawback when designing portable low-cost maintenance equipment. In order to reduce this complexity, we introduce an ewindex based on PronyAs analysis. The proposed technique is presented and its diagnosis capabilities are evaluated using experimental results collected from eld installed equipments during their maintenance inspection.