Comparison of maintenance scheme effects on power transformer reliability performance

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 andextending the life of the transformer.

• Autores: Duran Tovar, Ivan Camilo; Rosero Zuñiga, Laura Sofia; Pavas Martínez, Andrés; Duarte Velasco, Oscar Germán
• Tipo de recurso: Article of journal
• Fecha de publicación: 2015
• Institución: Universidad Nacional de Colombia
• Repositorio: Universidad Nacional de Colombia
• Idioma: spa
• OAI Identifier: oai:repositorio.unal.edu.co:unal/67652
• Acceso en línea: https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/handle/unal/67652; http://bdigital.unal.edu.co/68681/
• Palabra clave: 62 Ingeniería y operaciones afines / Engineering; Power transformer; failure rate; maintenance; health index; reliability improvement; asset management; Transformador de potencia; tasa de fallas; mantenimiento; índices de salud; mejoramiento de la confiabilidad; gestión de activos.
• Rights: openAccess
• License: Atribución-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional