5492 0031-103 en Rev 3
5492 0031-103 en Rev 3
5492 0031-103 en Rev 3
3
ABB Power Technologies From/Date COM/F 2005-08-26
Scope
This document will review and make comments on the three major
protection systems used for on-load tap-changers.
It will also give background for the predetermined set levels used by
ABB in different applications.
Finally it will comment on some of the most common reasons for false
tripping and how to avoid them.
Background
Today’s state of the art on-load tap-changers have reached a high level
of reliability and it is safe to say that its life expectancy is equivalent to
that of the transformer, exceptions may be applications in industrial
process transformers.
Still tap-changers account for a significant proportion of transformer
related failures, although numerous cases of tap-changer failures have
also been consequential of tapping winding failures and miss-diagnosed
as tap-changer failures.
All three systems exist and are well established in the industry and both
asset owners and manufactures often have their preferences but hard
facts and proof of well documented cases providing support that one
system is superior to the others are very hard to come to. Each system
has its pros and cons and the outcome of the individual failure depend
on a number of parameters such as fault current, arc length, electrode
size etc. and are unique to the individual events.
Principles
Overpressure relay
The overpressure relay shall respond in the event of pressure in the oil
exceeding a predetermined value causing the transformer to be tripped.
ABB uses this system as the first option on all tap-changer types and in
most applications.
The main advantage with the system is the very short response time, i.e.
the time between a fault start to cascade from anywhere in the tap-
changer compartment until a trip signal is triggered.
The response time is very short, the trip signal is triggered in less than
10 milliseconds after the set pressure is reached, which indeed is much
shorter than for any of the other systems in use.
The drawback is also related to its fastness and the fact it reacts also on
pulses with very short duration.
ABB Power Technologies 5492 0031-103 en, Rev. 3
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ABB does not recommend this system to be the sole protection device
for the tap-changer for several reasons.
• The system is slower triggering the trip signal, compared to the
overpressure relay.
• The system imposes a risk of water ingress in case of improper
resealing after the fault is cleared.
• It will spray volatile gases and oil over the transformer unless
redirected.
• Location of the system on top of the tap-changer results in a loss of
the gas cushion in case the system is activated.
• Large space requirement on the tap-changer limits the use on
some tap-changer types.
5492 0031-103 en, Rev. 3
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Some asset owners claim this system will provide adequate protection
only against relatively low fault levels and in combination with a flexible
tap-changer compartment (such as the ABB type UZ).
On the other hand there are many reports of cases from asset owners
where this system is claimed to have saved the tap-changer tank from
rupture as the fault levels they experienced where in the range where
this system is efficient.
In the case where a pressure relief system is fitted, the set pressures
should be coordinated and preferable slightly higher compared to any of
the other two systems described.
The primary tripping system should always be the overpressure relay or
the liquid flow relay.
Fig. 3. Liquid-flow relay. Also referred to as oil flow relay or oil surge relay
The advantage is it reacts good to low fault levels and is also robust to
false trips.
ABB Power Technologies 5492 0031-103 en, Rev. 3
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Tests carried out by ABB shows the system is slower compared to the
overpressure relay and also dependent on the length of the conservation
pipe arrangement and this is the reason why the system is used only on
specific request and not as the standard protection system in most
applications.
The set levels are chosen to provide the optimum balance between safe
tripping in actual events on one hand, and to avoid the awkwardness
from false tripping that may occur under certain operation conditions on
the other hand.
The primary parameters to consider for the individual application are the
static pressure from the conservator tank, the flexibility in the tap-
changer compartment itself, and the transformer application. Please
refer to table 1.
In case a pressure relief device is fitted in addition, its set level should
be slightly higher than for the overpressure relay.
Miscellaneous
The overpressure relay used by ABB has been developed and improved
over many years to provide for a maximum of reliability and to avoid
false tripping.