Simulated Thermal Fault: Assessing Dissolved Gas Analysis through Tube Heating Method on Mineral Oils and Natural Ester

Abstract

Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) is the most widely used technique for monitoring transformer condition and detecting faults at an early stage. The quantity and type of gases that are produced by transformer faults and dissolved in the insulating liquid can reveal a lot about the nature and severity of the fault. To explore the variations in the dissolved gases based on the severity of the fault and the type of insulating liquid, we employed the Tube Heating Technique to simulate thermal faults at regulated temperatures up to 800 °C. To illustrate these differences, DGA data from commercially used insulating fluids such as inhibited and uninhibited mineral oils and a natural ester, will be presented.