ANNALS of Faculty Engineering Hunedoara

– International Journal of Engineering

Tome XIV [2016] – Fascicule 3 [August]
ISSN: 1584-2665 [print; online]
ISSN: 1584-2673 [CD-Rom; online]
a free-access multidisciplinary publication
of the Faculty of Engineering Hunedoara

1. Radu Constantin VÎLCEANU, 2. Flavius Dan ŞURIANU

TRANSFORMER PROTECTION AND FIRE FIGHTING

SYSTEMS USED IN HIGH VOLTAGE POWER STATIONS
1-2.Politehnica University of Timişoara, Faculty of Electrical and Power Engineering Timişoara, ROMANIA

ABSTRACT: This paper presents protection devices and digital protection functions used to protect high
voltage power transformers from internal or external faults and abnormal operating conditions. It also
presents how a modern firefighting system works in comparison with an older, basic one.
Keywords: power transformer, fault, protection, relay, fire-fighting system

1. INTRODUCTION
Power transformers (Figure 1) are a
critical and expensive component of the
power system. Due to the long period
required for repair or replacement of
transformers, a major goal of the
transformer protection is limiting the
damage to a faulted transformer.
Transformers are protected primarily
against faults and overloads. The type of
protection used should minimize the time
of disconnection for faults within the
transformer and to reduce the risk of
catastrophic failure to simplify eventual
repair. Any extended operation of the
transformer under abnormal condition
such as faults or overloads compromises
the life of the transformer. Figure 1. Power transformer in high voltage power station
2. TRANSFORMER FAULTS AND PROTECTION DEVICES AND FUNCTIONS USED
Faults in transformers can be classified into [1]:
≡ internal faults such as winding failures due to short circuits (phase – phase, phase – earth), core
short circuits due to bad insulation, bushing and tap changer failures.
≡ external faults and abnormal operating conditions such as overloads, overvoltage, external short
circuits.
To protect the transformer from internal faults, high voltage power transformers are equipped with
technological protections (Buchholz relay and pressure relief devices) and differential protections
(usually one differential protection in each protection group).
2.1. The Buchholz relay [2]
The Buchholz relay (gas detector relay) is placed in the piping between the transformer main tank
and the oil conservator. The Buchholz relay construction is presented in Figure 2.

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Under normal conditions, the
Buchholz relay is full with oil. It
consists of two mercury switches
attached to a float and a flap valve.
The float closes the alarm circuit
when oil level drops due to gas
accumulation, while the lower flap
valve closes the trip circuit in case
of serious internal faults.
When gas gets accumulated in the
upper part of the Buchholz relay
and the oil level drops, the float
closes the contacts of the mercury
switch attached to it. This completes
the alarm circuit and signals it in Figure 2. Buchholz relay construction
the substation control room where the operator will know that there is some incipient fault in the
transformer. The transformer is then disconnected and the gas sample is tested in order to find out
what type of fault has started developing in the transformer. A very good setting of the mercury
switch is required in order for it not to be too sensitive otherwise, the relay can operate due to
bubbles, vibration, earthquakes and mechanical shocks.
When a serious internal fault occurs in the transformer, a considerable amount of gas gets
generated. The pressure in the transformer tank increases and
thus the oil rushes towards the conservator through the
Buchholz relay hitting the flap valve. The flap valve closes the
mercury switch contacts and completes the trip circuit, which
opens the circuit breaker separating the transformer from the
network.
A general protection relay does not indicate the appearance of
any type of fault. It only operates when fault occurs. The
Buchholz relay has a big advantage because it gives an
indication of the fault at its early stage due to the gas
accumulation and operates the alarm circuit. The gas in oil level
Figure 3. The Buchholz relay
can be monitored on the Buchholz relay (Figure 3).
When protecting a high voltage power transformer, two Buchholz relays are being used: one to
protect the transformer tank and one to protect the tap changer chamber.
2.2. The pressure relief devices [2]
The pressure relief devices detect a sudden increase of pressure inside the transformer. As well as
the Buchholz relay, pressure relief devices are provided for both the transformer tank and the tap
changer chamber. As a pressure relief device is recommended for each 25 tons of oil, the tap
changer chamber usually has only one, whereas the transformer tank has more than two.

Figure 4. Pressure relief device

The most common form of pressure relief device is the frangible disk type (Figure 4). The surge of
oil caused by a heavy internal fault bursts the disk and allows the oil to discharge rapidly. Limiting
the pressure rise prevent explosive rupture of the tank and fire. Recently, all pressure relief devices
are mounted with pipes to direct the surge of oil to the base of the transformer.
The pressure relief devices are usually fitted with two sets of contacts for tripping: one for the
protection group one trip and the second for the protection group two.

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2.3. The differential protection [3]
The differential protection is based on current
comparison. In normal operation, a
transformer is transited by a current I that
enters through one side and exits at the other
side. If we have two current transformers
(CT1 and CT2) mounted on both sides of the
transformer (Figure 5), the secondary
currents of the current transformers can be
connected to form a closed electric circuit
with secondary current i. Figure 5. Basic principle of differential protection
The differential protection measuring element M, which is connected to the electrical balance point,
measures a zero current in normal operation. When a fault occurs in the area between the two
current transformers, the measuring element is fed with a secondary i + i current that will make
1 2
− −

the differential protection trip due to a fault inside the protected zone.
The following two currents are calculated by the measuring element:
- a tripping or differential current
I diff = I1 + I 2
− − (1)
- a stabilization or restraining current
I stab = I1 + I2
− − (2)
In normal conditions or external faults, the current enter through one side and exits on the other
side of the protected zone, therefore:
I diff = I1 + I 2 = I1 − I1 =0
− − − − (3)
I stab = I1 + I 2 = I1 + I1 = 2I
1
− − − − (4) −

When a fault appears inside the protected zone, the current will enter through each side of the
protected zone and presuming that the two currents are equal, the measuring element of the
differential protection will calculate:
I diff = I1 + I 2 = I1 + I1 = 2I
1
− − − − − (5)
(6)
I stab = I1 + I2 = I1 + I1 = 2I
1
− − − − −

Therefore, in case of a fault inside the

protected zone, the differential protection
will issue a trip command to the circuit
breaker on both voltage levels because the
current is within the tripping zone of the trip
characteristic (Figure 6).
To protect the transformer from external
faults and abnormal operating conditions,
high voltage power transformers are
equipped with technological protections (oil
and winding temperature indicators) and
overvoltage and thermal overload protections
Figure 6. Tripping characteristic of the differential (usually integrated in the differential
protection protection device).
2.4. Overvoltage and overload protection
The overvoltage protection is needed to protect the transformer from insulating problems caused
by abnormally high voltage levels, which can appear due to incorrect manual operation of the
generators excitation system, faulty operation of the automatic voltage regulator, prolonged weak
loads on overhead lines etc.

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The overvoltage protection has two stages. In case of high overvoltage,
the trip command is issued with short-time delay, whereas in case of
lower overvoltage, the trip command is issued with a longer time
delay. The voltage limit values and delay times can be set individually
for both stages.
The thermal overload protection prevents damage to the transformer
caused by thermal overheating. The protection function takes into
consideration the current value that transits the transformer over a
period and a thermal replica of the transformer. Both overvoltage and
thermal overload protections can be blocked or switched off via a Figure 7. Oil temperature
binary input signal in the protection device. indicator (OTI)
2.5. Oil and winding temperature indicators [4]
The oil temperature indicator (OTI, Figure 7) and winding
temperature indicator (WTI, Figure 8) have two essential roles in
protecting the transformer. The first one is to measure and display the
oil and temperature of the transformer and the second one is to issue
the trip command to the circuit breakers on both sides of the
transformer in case the temperature value exceeds a settable value.
These indicators can be equipped with contacts that close at different
temperature values. Usually they are equipped with three sets of
contacts: one for signaling the temperature increase and two for Figure 8. Winding
issuing the trip command to the circuit breaker via the numerical temperature indicator (WTI)
protection devices (one contact sends the trip signal to protection
group 1 and the other contacts sends it to protection group 2).
3. THE NEED FOR MODERN FIREFIGHTING SYSTEMS [5]
The need for use of transformer firefighting systems has been discussed for many years and varieties
of practices have evolved. Some transformers have been constructed and are in use with firefighting
systems while others have no fire suppression systems installed.
Transformer fires are rare but the
impact they have is huge. Even
though a transformer involved in a
fire will likely be destroyed almost
immediately, the fire’s effect on
adjacent equipment and structures
can be contained and therefore must
be considered. An uncontained fire
can do a significant amount of
damage and result in a prolonged,
unscheduled outage (Figure 9).
Many of the transformers in use are Figure 9. Results of an uncontained transformer fire
equipped with water firefighting
systems (Figure 10) intended to
extinguish a transformer fire.
Conventional firefighting systems
have proven to combat transformer
fires effectively but they consume
large quantities of water and
therefore require a complex
dimensioning of the firefighting
system. Additionally, the discharged
water can be contaminated with
transformer oil and will need to be
collected for later processing. To this Figure 10. Transformer equipped with firefighting system
end, the floor pan must be
dimensioned to ensure that it can collect not only the oil, but also the water.
A disadvantage of the traditional water fire fighting system is that it is started by one of the following
two conditions: a Buchholz relay trip or a differential protection trip. There have been cases when

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a Buchholz relay issued the trip command without a real fault inside of the transformer due to
ageing and sealing problems. Water got inside of the Buchholz relay thus its contacts “got closed”
and the transformer tripped.
4. THE MODERN SERGI FIREFIGHTING SYSTEM [6]
The modern Sergi firefighting system uses a nitrogen injection system. This system is designed to
prevent tank explosion and fire during internal faults, and extinguish the external oil fires on
transformer top due to tank explosion, bushing fires etc. The system shall drain a quantity of oil
from the tank top to reduce the tank pressure and inject high-pressure nitrogen gas to the lower
side of the tank to reduce the oil temperature at the top of the tank in order to extinguish the fire.
There are two types of nitrogen injection systems:
a. One that protects the transformer tank and tap changer compartment, type TPA presented in
Figure 11;
b. One that also protects the transformer bushings additionally to the previous two, type TPAB
presented in Figure 12.

Figure 11. Nitrogen injection system type a Figure 12. Nitrogen injection system type b
Both nitrogen injection systems
include the following: 1 –
Transformer tank; 2 – Tap changer
compartment, 3 – Transformer
conservator; 4 – Decompression
chamber; 5 – Oil / gas separation
compartment included in the
transformer conservator; 6 – One
way direction air valve, 7 – Nitrogen
tank. Figure13. Constructive types of the decompression chamber
The decompression chamber can be
built vertically, horizontally or at a 45
degree angle (Figure 13). It contains a
rubber disk (Figure 14) that will
rupture when pressure level hits a
predefined value and release the
excess pressure to the oil / gas
separation compartment. The rubber
disk will rupture with a time delay of Figure 14. The rubber disk inside the decompression chamber
0.5 to several ms depending on the pressure.
The nitrogen system also includes a linear heat
detector (LHD presented in Figure 15) which is
mounted on the top of the transformer. It
consists of two metallic wires separated with
polymeric insulation. When at the transformer
top the temperature reaches 138 degrees
Celsius, the polymeric insulation melts and the
two metallic wires touch, thus sending a linear
heat detection signal to the firefighting system.
Figure 15. The linear heat detector

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The nitrogen injection system can work in manual or automatic mode. In manual mode, to start the
nitrogen injection, it is required that a working staff member to press the manual injection button.
In automatic mode, the system has three operation modes:
a. Prevention mode: To active the prevention mode, the system needs to receive a rubber disk
rupture signal + Buchholz relay / Differential protection trip signal. When the prevention mode
is activated, the system will start the nitrogen injection with a time delay of 5 minutes.
b. Extinction mode: To activate the extinction mode, the system needs to receive a linear heat
detection signal + Buchholz relay / Differential protection trip signal. When the extinction mode
is activated, the system will start the nitrogen injection instantaneously.
c. Out of service mode: If the system receives only one signal (rubber disk rupture signal / linear
heat detection signal / Buchholz relay / Differential protection trip signal) for 30 minutes, it
will automatically switch to the out of service mode.
The Sergi firefighting system can be commanded through a control box usually mounted in the
stations control room, close to the operational staff. The control box contains information that helps
the staff be in permanent contact with the Sergi system.
5. CONCLUSIONS
The safety of power transformers is a matter of serious concern. Fire hazards lead into serious
consequences such as fatal or non-fatal accidents and loss of electrical equipment. Protection
devices are not always accurate and fast due to possible malfunctions or other technical matters so
the need for multiple devices and functions is required as backup.
The Sergi nitrogen injection system is a reliable method of preventing and extinguishing fires on
power transformers in comparison with an older, basic firefighting system.
References
[1.] IEEE Guide for Protective Relay Applications to Power Transformers, Transformer protection Principles,
Internet Article.
[2.] www.electrical-engineering-portal.com, Power Transformer Protection Devices – Explained In Details,
Internet Article.
[3.] Siemens – Siprotec Differential Protection 7UT613/63x V4.60, Instruction Manual.
[4.] www.electrical-engineering-portal.com, Transformer Winding Temperature Thermometer, Internet
Article.
[5.] Priya N. Gokhale, S.M. Bakre – Design of an inteligent nitrogen injection system for fire safety of power
transformer, Internatiional Journal of Research in Engeneering and Technology, Volume 04, pages 536
– 541, February 2015.
[6.] Sergi France, Sergi Transformer Protection, Instruction Manual, 01/27/2010.

ANNALS of Faculty Engineering Hunedoara

– International Journal of Engineering

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