What impacts will insulation aging have on transformers?

Transformers are crucial equipment in the power system, and their normal operation is of vital importance for ensuring the stability and reliability of power supply. The insulation system is an essential part of transformers. However, insulation aging will cause numerous impacts on transformers. Next, we will explore the corresponding impacts in depth.

Content

●Decline in Electrical Performance

As the insulation ages, its insulation resistance decreases. This means that the leakage current inside the transformer increases, which may lead to the intensification of partial discharge phenomena. The energy generated by partial discharge will further accelerate the insulation aging, forming a vicious cycle. Moreover, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent of the aged insulation material may change, affecting the electric field distribution of the transformer, reducing its withstand voltage capacity, increasing the risk of insulation breakdown, and thus possibly triggering short-circuit faults, which will seriously affect the power supply.

●Deterioration in Heat Dissipation Performance

Insulation aging may cause problems such as cracks and spalling in the insulation layer. These problems will affect the heat conduction channels inside the transformer. Under normal circumstances, the insulation material helps with the uniform distribution and transfer of heat. However, the aged insulation cannot effectively transfer the heat to the cooling medium. Heat accumulates inside the transformer, leading to a rise in temperature. And the high temperature will further accelerate the aging speed of the insulation material. Meanwhile, it may also increase the resistance of the windings, generating more heat and reducing the operating efficiency of the transformer.

●Reduction in Mechanical Strength

The aged insulation material will become fragile. During the operation of the transformer, due to the action of mechanical stresses such as electromagnetic forces, the insulation may get damaged. Especially under circumstances such as short-circuit impacts, the insulation can no longer provide sufficient mechanical support and protection for the internal structures such as the windings, which may lead to the deformation and displacement of the windings, further affecting the normal operation of the transformer and even causing permanent damage to the transformer.

In Summary

The impacts of insulation aging on transformers are multifaceted, with negative effects that cannot be ignored in terms of electrical performance, heat dissipation, and mechanical strength. To ensure the reliable operation of transformers, power enterprises need to attach importance to the issue of insulation aging and take effective monitoring and maintenance measures, such as regularly detecting parameters such as insulation resistance and dielectric loss, timely detecting the signs of insulation aging and handling them, prolonging the service life of transformers, and ensuring the stable operation of the power system.

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LuShan, est.1975, is a Chinese professional manufacturer specializing in power transformers and reactors for 49 years. Leading products are single-phase transformer, three-phase isolation transformers,electrical transformer,distribution transformer, step down and step up transformer, low voltage transformer, high voltage transformer, control transformer, toroidal transformer, R-core transformer;DC inductors, AC reactors, filtering reactor, line and load reactor, chokes, filtering reactor, and intermediate,high-frequency products.

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