Power Sector Performance Still hampered by Transformer Monitoring Inefficiencies - Vaisala
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
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, has
highlighted 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
The financial severity of transformer failure is well known to the industry. An
extensive service costs 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. It enables proactive diagnosis and mitigation of
developing faults before they lead to costly downtime. However, 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
testing 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 and cuts potential error.
Vaisala's Optimus (TM) DGA Monitor for Transformers, unveiled to the European
market at CIGRE 2016 in Paris, has been specifically designed to fulfill this
requirement.
Fully Dependable Real-time Monitoring
The robust plug-and-play Optimus (TM) DGA monitor can be installed in under two
hours, and uses partial vacuum gas extraction to provide a fully representative
sample of all dissolved gases in the transformer oil. Readings taken by the
built-in infrared sensor are unaffected by oil temperature, pressure or type,
and the system regularly auto-calibrates to provide fully consistent and
dependable data. This data is available via an online interface, allowing
continuous, reliable, real-time analysis of transformer performance - without
false alarms.
"In the not-so-far future, online DGA monitors will be deployed as standard
equipment on all large transformers," said Dr Michel Duval, a world-renown
leader in the field of DGA, speaking to Vaisala about transformer monitoring
procedures. Dr Duval has been the chairman of several CIGRE working groups on
DGA since 1997. "This will open the door to automated monitoring of the grid
and, ultimately, the development of smart grids with computer-assisted decision-
making," he continues.
"I personally believe that vacuum gas extraction is the best way to separate
gases from the transformer oil for analysis, and gives the most reliable
results," Michel Duval stated.
"Rigorous condition monitoring via DGA is the only way to proactively keep on
top of transformer performance - particularly as the operational transformer
fleet ages," said Juhani Lehto, Product Manager at Vaisala. "However, the data
collected must be dependable, if we are to detect all potential faults in
advance, or reliably determine whether it is worth sending out a maintenance and
inspection team."
Vaisala's Optimus (TM) DGA Monitor for Transformers will be on display at CIGRE
2016 in Paris this week, stand 118. Welcome to meet our experts there!
For More Information
Juhani Lehto, Product Manager, Vaisala
+358 50 371 1398
juhani.lehto(at)vaisala.com
Katri Ahlgren, Communications Manager, Vaisala
+358 403502557
katri.ahlgren(at)vaisala.com
Visit www.vaisala.com/optimus to watch an informative animation of the
technology used.
About Vaisala
Vaisala is a global leader in environmental and industrial measurement. Building
on 80 years of experience, Vaisala provides observations for a better world. Our
instruments and systems are used in over 150 countries in demanding industries,
including airports, pharmaceuticals, and power generation. Vaisala sensors are
used in the harshest places on earth - arctic, maritime, and tropical
environments - and even on Mars. Headquartered in Finland, Vaisala employs
approximately 1,600 professionals worldwide and is listed on the NASDAQ Helsinki
stock exchange. www.vaisala.com www.twitter.com/VaisalaGroup
For power generation and transmission industry, Vaisala provides unique
measurement equipment for online monitoring of transformer insulation oil. Our
reliable solutions support in planning and optimizing the preventive maintenance
of power transformers, and thus help to extend their lifetime and reduce the
risk of unexpected and costly outages.
Vaisala Optimus DGA Monitor_Installation-California-2016:
http://hugin.info/3120/R/2036163/758480.jpg
This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Vaisala Oyj via GlobeNewswire
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 22.08.2016 - 08:30 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 490297
Anzahl Zeichen: 6343
contact information:
Town:
Helsinki
Kategorie:
Business News
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"Power Sector Performance Still hampered by Transformer Monitoring Inefficiencies - Vaisala"
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