Bushing Monitoring and Partial Discharge Detection for Transformers

 

Bushings account for a large proportion of High Voltage (HV) substation failures, often causing severe and costly damages. Preventive maintenance, early replacement and regular off-line testing have been employed to address this issue in the past. Now, technology exists that enables asset owners to detect impending failures and reduce their maintenance costs.

​

GE’s advanced Intellix™ BMT 330 is an on-line system that continuously monitors the condition of the bushings and can also detect developing partial discharge (PD) activity in the transformer main tank. It will alert personnel of fault conditions at an early stage and provide vital health information on the bushings and the transformer.

​

The Intellix BMT 330 can be utilized as a standalone system to monitor bushing insulation and partial discharge activity, or as an integrated, one-sourced solution with GE’s Kelman TRANSFIX Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) multigas analyzer and Perception Fleet software to provide a more in-depth view of the transformer's condition and root cause of major transformer failures.

​

Key Benefits

​

• Comprehensive monitoring of transformer bushings and PD activity on a bank of single phase transformers

• One product combining advanced on-line continuous bushing monitoring and partial discharge activity in the transformer main tank using the same bushing adaptor

• One diagnostic software, GE's Perception™, used for bushing information, PD activity and DGA data analysis, resulting in familiar easy-to-use information

• One supplier installing, servicing, ensuring proper communication and minimizing administrative burden in order to lower the total cost of ownership of your transformer

 

Integrated Solution

​

• Monitors bushing conditions and detects PD activity in the main tank

• Can monitor 2 sets of 3 bushings (single phase and three phase transformers)

• One-source provider that installs and services the entire solution

• Can be stand-alone or easily integrated with GE's Kelman TRANSFIX family of DGA multi-gas units

• Provides a more comprehensive view of the transformer's condition

 

Minimal False Alarms

​

• Compensation for actual bushing temperature using oil and ambient temperature sensors

• Discrimination against factors affecting and causing the same effect on all bushings

• PD to humidity correlation factor using included humidity sensor

 

Bushing Adaptor Protection

​

• Bushing analysis and PD detection data obtained using a single sensor

• Marine-grade aluminum to withstand extreme environmental conditions

• Redundant resistors ensure the bushing tapping points remain grounded

• Voltage and surge suppression circuit to always limit voltage from adapters

 

Intuitive Software

​

• Familiar Perception software included for download and visualization of data

• Easy-to-use individual transformer software that can be upgraded to simultaneously monitor multiple transformers

• Flexible database/server options to accommodate user requirements