Application of UHF sensors for PD measurement at power transformers

The reliability of electrical energy networks depends on both, the quality and reliability of its electrical equipment, e.g. power transformers. Local failures inside their insulation may lead to breakdowns and hence to high outage and penalty costs. Power transformers can be tested on partial discharge (PD) activity before commissioning and monitored during service in order to prevent these events. In the first part, this contribution presents different types of ultra-high frequency (UHF) sensors for PD measurement. Various applications of UHF sensors and proper sensor installation are discussed. The second part of the contribution is about the necessity of UHF measurement comparability and reproducibility. Therefore, a new calibration procedure for the UHF method is proposed and discussed in respect of the procedure for the IEC 60270 compliant conventional electric method. The characterization of UHF sensors is a key precondition for the UHF calibration process in order to obtain calibration for the full measurement path. Sensor characteristics are described by the antenna factor (AF) which is determined under inside transformer conditions in an oil-filled Gigahertz Transversal Electromagnetic cell (GTEM cell). In addition to the calibration procedure, the performance of the installed sensor has to be determined. The evaluation is based on the concept of transmitting electromagnetic waves through the transformer tank from one UHF sensor to another. This performance check procedure is used in this contribution for the examination of the influence of the sensor's insertion depth into the tank. These results are compared to the reference GTEM cell measurement used for calibration.