Power sector performance still hampered by transformer monitoring inefficiencies

Cutting costly false alarms and increasing the reliability of DGA monitoring will be crucial to tackling long-term maintenance budget overruns and boosting asset performance.

Advanced dissolved gas analysis (DGA) methods are commonly used for assessing large power transformers in the international power generation and transmission sector. However, there is still scope for improvement to their reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Vaisala, a global leader in environmental and industrial measurement, highlights that false alarms from on-site DGA systems and errors during routine oil inspections still pose challenges for asset owners. Utilities can tackle these issues with solid real-time condition monitoring, which leads to reduced maintenance costs, and to improved grid reliability and financial performance.

 

Reducing the probability of error

Transformer service costs can be more than €100,000, while a replacement transformer can cost up to €4 million. Associated loss of production can further increase these figures. As a result, online DGA condition monitoring is becoming standard practice for aging transformer fleets.

Streamlining monitoring procedures and reducing the probability of errors is highly important. False alarms from on-site DGA monitors disrupt utilities’ maintenance schedules and generate unforeseen costs. In addition, the need to validate on-site data via regular laboratory sampling increases the complexity and duration of the process.

Combined, these factors highlight a growing requirement for a dependable DGA monitor that not only provides 24-hour real-time online access to critical performance data, but also eliminates false alarms. Vaisala’s Optimus DGA Monitor for Transformers, has been specifically designed to fulfill this requirement.

More information: www.vaisala.com/power

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