DIAGNOSTICS

Bushings are
a critical part
of the transform-
er, and their failures
often have destructive
consequences for the
transformer, with a
high risk of fire

ABSTRACT
Bushings are highly stressed parts
of power transformers and their
Diagnostics of HV
failures can lead to a transformer
breakdown. The diagnostics and
predictive surveillance of bushings
bushings through
oil sampling and
is essential for uninterrupted oper-
ation of transformers. Diagnostic
tools applied include electrical tests,
thermography and, to a minor extent,

analysis
oil analysis for oil-impregnated bush-
ings. This paper gives a short review
of bushing types and related appli-
cations, including procedures for in
field inspection and oil sampling.
Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) issues Experience with GSU transformers
in bushings’ mineral oil are briefly
discussed and diagnostic criteria for 1. Introduction Bushings are extremely stressed equip­
DGA interpretation are given, com-
ment, subject to a strong electric field in­
paring the experience of the authors
Bushings are essential accessories of tensity with great difference of electrical
with the available literature and stan-
powe­r transformers, circuit breakers potential and close distances.
dards.
and other electrical equipment, making
the connection between high voltage A significant percentage of all transformer
KEYWORDS wind­ings and inlet or outlet conductors. failures is caused by defective bushings
They allow the high voltage conductor and such failures can destroy a transform­
mineral oil, SF6, bushings, transform- to pass through the tank walls, which are er. A recent survey by CIGRE [1] conclu­
er, DGA, diagnosis ground­ed. ded that 30 % of all bushing faults resulted

142 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

 Riccardo ACTIS, Riccardo MAINA, Vander TUMIATTI

in transformer fire and 10 % in burst or er dissipation factors than OIP and RIP transformer tank, during outage periods,
explosion. bushings. Moreover, since RBP cores are when oil temperature is low, the oil com­
not gas tight, they cannot be used in appli­ partment may be at negative pressure. A
Making a systematic diagnostic surveil­ cations involving SF6 apparatus. loss of tightness of the sealing gaskets may
lance of HV bushing is essential for safe induce moisture and air entering from
operation of transformers. Therefore, For the above mentioned reasons, and the atmosphere. On the other hand, if the
even if it is complex and quite expensive, because of the relatively low acquisition sealing gaskets between SF6 compartment
many big utilities and power generation cost, OIP bushings still dominate today’s and filling oil are corrupted, an increas­
companies include monitoring of aging market. Here, the capacitor core is im­ ing amount of SF6 gas may enter into the
and degradation of bushing in their main­ pregnated with transformer grade min­ bushing’s oil. The insulation properties
tenance policy. eral oil and placed inside a housing made of the liquid insulation are not affected
of porcelain or a composite insulator to by the presence of SF6, but an excessive
The most widely applied diagnostic and avoid moisture ingress. compression of the bellow may occur,
predictive tools are thermography and resulting in an unexpected trip of the oil
electrical tests, such as measurement of Among the OIP bushing population, two maximum level switch.
capacity, dielectric losses, power factor categories of equipment may be identified:
(tan delta) and partial discharges. Other models of oil-SF6 bushings, from
• Oil-air type bushing, where the capaci­ different manufacturers, can be found in
Oil analysis is not a common practice; tor core impregnated with mineral oil is service, such as CTkg, CTg, CTzk, Fig. 3,
nevertheless, it has been recognized as a sealed but in contact with dry air or ni­ etc. They have expansion bellows of an­
reliable tool for detecting aging and bush­ trogen blanket, Fig. 1. The HV terminal cient technology, where the filling oil of
ing degradation at an early stage and, con­ is surrounded by open air the bushing core is always kept at positive
sequently, for driving the corrective and pressure, by the transformer oil hydro­
preventive maintenance actions in a very • Oil-SF6 type, where the capacitor core static pressure or by an inner spring.
effective way. is sealed, being completely filled with
mineral insulating oil, and the HV ter­
Since 1998, a big nuclear power gen­ minal is surrounded by SF6 gas
3. Visual inspection and oil
eration company in France has been sampling
performing a visual inspection and oil In both cases, the capacitor core remains A regular inspection of the external state
sampling and analysis of HV bushings of in a closed liquid environment throughout of bushings is the first method of collec­
their GSU power transformers: more than its lifetime and there may be occasional ting information about their health. Pre­
700 pieces of equipment are systematically problems of leakage around gaskets. sence of rust, oil leakages or bleedings,
controlled, with about 17 % of them being as shown in Fig. 4, as well as ruptures or
under enforced surveillance, and 5 % The oil-SF6 type may also be affected by t­races of discharges on the porcelain sur­
replaced before experiencing a failure. leakages of SF6 gas, which have a higher face, moisture or dust into the capacitive
pressure (up to 2 bar), into the oil com­ plug are all evidence of aging easy to ob­
partment, resulting in an excessive in­ serve and useful to initiate a condition
2. Technology of bushings crease of the internal pressure and the based maintenance action.
Bushings for systems having a voltage auto­
matic disconnection of the trans­
over 36 kV are capacitor type, designed former by electrical contact trip. Oil sampling from oil-air bushings is not a
to reduce maximum field stress and op­ critical or hard operation; it may be easily
timize field distribution in both axial and The SOT bushing, Fig. 2, is largely used in done from the top of the bushing using a
radial directions when passing through a the gas insulated terminal of GSU trans­ syringe and a plugging hose. Oil sampling
ground­ed transformer enclosure. formers in French nuclear power plants. from a sealed type bushing, such as oil-SF6
type bushings, can be done using the oil
HV bushings are typically composed of a The capacitor core of this bushing is filled filling and/or drainage valves. The temp­
core, made from a conductor wounded as with oil under vacuum and sealed to pre­ erature of the oil and the expansion quota
a fuse by several layers of paper, alternated vent air or moisture inlet. An expansion of the bellow should be measured before
with thin aluminium sheets, and of an ex­ bellow allows for changes in oil volume and after sampling. When necessary, a
ternal housing of porcelain or polymeric under temperature variations, with two top-up with pre-treated unused mineral
material. electrical switches operating an alarm if oil should be performed.
oil volume reaches the maximum or min­
Three main technologies for capacitor imum level. Being completely isolated Oil sampling from and topping-up of oil-
bushings have evolved over the years: the from the gas compartment and from the gas bushings are critical operations which
Resin-bonded Paper (RBP) type, the Oil-
impregnated Paper (OIP) type and the
Resin-impregnated Paper (RIP) type.
Even if not a common practice, oil analysis
Due to their manufacturing process, RBP
bushings are not guaranteed free from
has been recognized as a reliable tool for
partial discharges and tend to show high­ early detection of bushing degradation
w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 143
 DIAGNOSTICS

Figure 1. Oil-air bushing Figure 2. Oil-SF6 bushing SOT model Figure 3. View of a CTzk bushing model

require skilled and trained personnel who For oil-gas bushings the DGA shall in­ prove the sensitivity of quantifying CO
are equipped with proper tools and oper­ clude the measurement of SF6 dissolved in and CO2. SF6 can react with the nickel-
ating a reliable and proven technical prac­ the mineral oil. Other tests such as parti­ based catalyst of the methanizer and con­
tice, Fig. 5. The air entering the bushing cles, metals, furanic compounds or corro­ sequently be converted to nickel sulfide
core during sampling operation or during sive sulphur are considered complement­ and get trapped. This leads to a partial or
oil top-up after sampling may generate ary, addressed to specific investigation complete loss of SF6, and a progressive
partial discharges or insulation break­ purposes. reduction of the methanizer efficiency,
down, thus it should be strictly avoided. resulting in underestimated values of car­
4.1 DGA in bushing’s oil bon oxides, even in the following samples
which are not affected by the presence of
4. Oil analysis In the power transformer application, SF6. Moreover, SF6 cannot be easily sepa­
A typical monitoring plan, based on oil DGA is the main diagnostic tool which rated from other gases (i.e. ethylene and
analysis, generally includes a few basic provides information about oil and paper acetylene) with the commonly used chroma­
tests, which require low oil volume, but thermal degradation and presence of par­ tographic columns, e.g. PLOT Q type
provide key information about aging or tial discharges and other electrical faults. (Agilent) or similar. PLOT type column
degradation of the bushing core. The measurement of SF6 concentration (Porous Layer Open Tubular) belongs to
in the insulating liquid is a key parame­ the gas-solid GC (gas chromatographic)
The recommended tests are: ter for monitoring gasket tightness. SF6 is columns, and usually provides good sepa­
not among the gases detected by the IEC ration of very volatile solutes (gases — C1-
• Dissolved Gases Analysis (DGA), ac­ 60567 [2] analysis method. There are two C3 hydrocarbons). The Q-type stationary
cording to IEC 60567 [1] main problems which are encountered phase is a porous polymer.
when a traditional DGA method is ap­
• Water content, according to IEC 60814 [3] plied to SF6 detection. First, this method, Different approaches have been used
as well as ASTM D3612 [5], requires the to detect SF6 during the DGA test, with
• Dielectric Dissipation Factor (DDF) of use of an in-line methanizer to convert most of them requiring some modifica­
the oil, according to IEC 60247 [4] carbon oxides in methane in order to im­ tion to the ordinary DGA procedure. For
example, gas chromatographic columns
that allow a better separation of SF6 from
Bushings are sealed equipment where hydrocarbons have been tested, as well
as shin-carbon type columns (Restek —
gases accumulate during the life, and gas high surface area carbon molecular sieve)
concentrations and ratios are different from which allow a good separation of SF6, but
require longer analysis runtime. Alumina
those in transformers type columns are also used.

144 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017

The presence of the methanizer remains
to be the main issue. SF6 should not pass
The authors’ experience suggests that some
through this device in order to avoid of the values, commonly used as a reference
irreversible retain. While this can be
resolved by eliminating the methanizer, for the diagnos-tics of faults in bushings,
Fig. 6, it also implies that CO and CO2 are not realistic and seem to require revision
sensitivity will be severely jeopardized. The
use of detectors different from FID (Flame
Ionization Detector) and TCD (Thermal
Conductivity Detector) is a possible many gases can be present in much higher consequence is that a healthy apparatus
solution to avoid the methanizer, such as concentrations, even in absence of faulty can easily show ethane levels up to
PDD (Pulsed Discharges Detector), Figs. conditions. 250-300 µl/l (ppm by volume). The same
7 and 8. can be said of hydrogen. This increasing
It must be considered that bushings are tendency of oils to form stray gassing is
Other approaches use a multiple-valve sealed equipment, and thus gases have no currently under investigation by CIGRE,
switching to bypass the methanizer dur­ way to escape from the oil (as happens in e.g. within the D1.70 WG.
ing the chromatographic run, while SF6 is transformers through the open conser­
being eluted. vator). Gases accumulation during the So, the normal values reported in the
life of the bushing may result in CO/CO2 currently available standards seem
However, the above mentioned ap­ ratios higher than those expected in power to require a revision, based on actual
proaches are not standardized and would transformer oils. Very often carbon monox­ values observed in the tested bushings
require an effort from normalization bo­ ide is present at a concentration of the same population. According to the experience
dies (IEC and others) to produce standard order of magnitude of carbon diox­ ide; of the authors, and relying on a
methods for SF6 detection. this behavior, which in power transform­ers population of 1,400 bushings regularly
leads to abnormal paper degradation con­ surveyed (which includes bushings
ditions, is quite typical in bushings. In fact, from other generation plants), 90 % of
5. Typical reference values CO is a very volatile gas which escapes the population values were estimated as
for diagnostic purposes quite rapidly from the oil in open systems reported in Table 2.
Typical DGA values in bushings are re­ (such as power transformers), lead­ing to
ported in two IEC documents: IEC 60599 a lower CO/CO2 ratio. The same carbon Finally, how to distinguish a problematic
[5] (table A.10) and IEC TR 61464 [6], oxides’ rate of generation in bush­ ings bushing from a healthy one? The answer
which is shown in Table 1. Both tables c­auses an apparent enrichment in CO. relies more on gas increase rates than on
converge giving the same reference values, This means that typical values of the two concentrations.
corresponding to the 90th percentile of the carbon oxides should be higher.
population.
Other gases may accumulate in the
These values are commonly used as a ref­ bushing oil during the time. Ethane
erence for the diagnostics of faults in bush­ is one of them. Especially in the last
ings, but the experience of the authors decade when mineral oils with a relevant
suggests that some of them are not real­ stray gassing formation have entered
istic. More than 10 years of regular DGA the market, ethane is formed and
survey of HV bushings indicates that accumulated in the oil of bushings. The

Figure 4. Rusty and leaking valve on CTG bushing Figure 5. Oil sampling from SOT bushing

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 145
 DIAGNOSTICS

Table 1. Normal values for dissolved gases in

bushings (IEC TR 61464 [6])
Concentrations
Type of gas
µl gas/l oil
Hydrogen (H2) 140
Methane (CH4) 40
Ethylene (C2H4) 30
Ethane (C2H6) 70
Acetylene (C2H2) 2
Carbon monoxide (CO) 1,000
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 3,400

Table 2. Typical 90 % values for dissolved gases

(expressed in µl/l) in bushings (author’s enquiry)
GAS 90 % typical value
Figure 6. Example of SF6 detection in DGA, TCD detector, with a switching valve to exclude the H2 184
methanizer CH4 98
C 2H 6 104
C 2H 4 22
C 2H 2 0
CO 902
CO2 1,663

Gases accumulation along the time is

q­uite slow, and can be observed in the
trend analysis as a smooth-sloped curve.
Fault-related gassing (typically hydro­
gen increase) can be identified as a rapid
and sharp formation. To appreciate the
difference, regular DGA survey is strict­
ly necessary. Gas formation rates are not
easy to calculate from robust statistical
populations because of the relatively low
testing frequency. In the authors’ statis­
tical enquiry, it was possible to calculate
typical values, but calculating the increase
Figure 7. Example of SF6 detection in DGA, PDD detector
rate requires a larger amount of data. As a
rule of thumb, it is possible to consider a
gas formation rate as abnormal if the slope
of the gas evolution curve changes sharply
compared to the historical data.

In the absence of fault symptoms, regular

DGA testing frequency can be applied
(each 12 to 36 months), but in case of
evidence of abnormal gas formation, the
controls should be run more frequently,
even weekly or daily in worst cases.

DGA on bushings may

require some special
analytical solutions
when SF6 can contam-
Figure 8. Example of SF6 detection in DGA (separation from ethylene), PDD detector inate the oil
146 TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: Bushings, 2017
As a rule of thumb, a gas formation rate can tric dissipation factor (tan d) and d.c.
resistivity, 2004
be considered as abnormal if the slope of
the gas evolution curve changes sharply [5] ASTM D3612 – 02, Standard Test
Method for Analysis of Gases Dissolved
compared to the historical data in Electrical Insulating Oil by Gas Chro-
matography, 2009

Once an abnormal condition is found ment - Sampling of gases and of oil for [6] IEC 60599, Mineral oil-filled electri-
(based on the increase rate of gases), key analysis of free and dissolved gases – cal equipment in service - Guidance on
ratios allow identification of the fault type. Guidance, 2011 the interpretation of dissolved and free
The key ratio criteria are very similar to gases analysis, 2015
the ones usually applied in power trans­ [3] IEC 60814, Insulating liquids - Oil-
former diagnostics. The main difference impregnated paper and pressboard - [7] IEC TR 61464:1998, Insulated
is that the H2/CH4 ratio linked to partial Determination of water by automatic bushings - Guide for the inter­ pre­
ta­
discharges is quite higher than the one coulometric Karl Fischer titration, 1997 tion of dissolved gas analysis (DGA)
applied to power transformers: 13 vs. 10. in bushings where oil is the
This is another consequence of the fact [4] IEC 60247, Insulating liquids - Mea- impregnating medium of the main
that bushings are sealed units, and hydro­ surement of relative permittivity, dielec- insulation, 1998
gen cannot escape once formed.

Partial discharges are the most frequent­

ly observed type of fault in bushings. Of Authors
course, strong stray gassing can simulate Riccardo Actis holds a degree in mechanical engineering
PD, and the hydrogen formation should obtained from Polytechnic University of Turin in 1995.
always be confirmed to be in positive Today he is the Head Manager of the On-Site Service
and fast evolution to link it with a real Department at Sea Marconi, with 15 years of experience
PD phenomenon; and electrical PD mea­ at the organization and follow-up on-site work activities
surement should be performed as a final gained in Italy, France, Spain and other EU countries.
Riccardo has a deep knowledge of condition based
confirmation. Localized overheating (that
maintenance, as well as treatment and decontamination
generates ethylene as the main gas) is quite
techniques for mineral insulating oils. He participates in standardization
rare. C2H2 formation above 2 µl/l is always
working groups of IEC TC10 , CEI TC14, and CIGRE.
an alarming symptom, and often leads to
the replacement of the unit. Riccardo Maina has been working for Sea Marconi
Technologies since 2001. As the Laboratory Manager at
Sea Marconi he has developed new analytical methods
Conclusions for oil analysis, diagnostics and decisional algorithms for
Bushings are a critical part of the trans­ test interpretation, software for data mining and LCA.
former, and their failures often have de­ Riccardo is a member of the Italian IEC TC10 National
structive consequences for the transform­ Committee since 2002, and is actively participating in
er, with a high risk of fire. Their regular several WGs and MTs of IEC TC10 and Cigre SC D1
inspection, by means of electrical on-line and A2, dealing with analytical methods (particles, DGA, acidity, additives,
testing (continuous) and oil sampling (an­ metals), maintenance guides, and guides for interpretation and diagnostics
nual), is of a paramount importance to (oil degradation, DGA, thermal life of cellulose). He is the author of many
ensure transformer reliability. DGA is a papers on diagnostics, transformers LCA, and corrosive sulphur. In 2008, he
powerful tool for predictive maintenance, was awarded the IEC 1906 Award.
but its interpretation requires certain ex­ Vander Tumiatti is the founder and owner of Sea
perience and a sufficient background in Marconi Technologies, established in 1968 in Torino,
real cases in order to correctly estimate Italy. Within the company, which is involved in research,
the typical values and, most of all, the gas technologies, products and services for energy & en-
rates of increase that can be associated to vironment, he has developed BAT & BEP Sustainable
a faulty condition. DGA on bushings may Solutions for Life Cycle Management (LCM) of insulting
require some special analytical solutions liquids and transformers focalized on inventory, control,
when SF6 can contaminate the oil. diagnosis, decontamination, depolarization (DBDS, TCS,
Polar Compounds) end dehalogenation /detoxification (PCBs/POPs). Vander
References has more than 40 international patents and is the author of many international
technical and scientific publications. He has been the Assistant Secretary of
[1] CIGRE Brochure 642, Transformer IEC TC10 since 2000. He is also a member of several international groups,
Reliability Survey, 2015 with major participation in technical normative activities (CEN, IEC, CIGRE,
IEEE). In 2009, he was awarded the IEC 1906 Award.
[2] IEC 60567, Oil-filled electrical equip-

w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m 147