Mr. Volkmar Gauger, Power Supply Manager at VEO GmbH accepted to answer our questions, following the successful installation of the TRANSFORMER PROTECTOR in Eisenhüttenstadt.

The only proven solution to prevent transformer explosion & fire

 Raphael Cohen is the President and the founder of R. Cohen & Assoc. Electrical & Automation Consulting Engineers Ltd. that offers highly professional services in the fields of Electrical Engineering, Power Distribution, Industrial Processing, Automation, Low Voltage Systems, Lighting, Building Management Systems and Energy Conservation Systems.

Liquid-filled power transformers typically contain thousands of liters of flammable insulation. When this insulation breaks down, there is a high risk of transformer failure that would endanger human life, generate envi- ronmental hazards, and destroy valuable assets. Because live tests involv- ing arcing are expensive and potentially dangerous, numerical simulations are a useful alternative to study faults over a wide range of transformers. 

Figure 1 Schematic of Transformer T2
Table 1 SCADA

Abstract 

The object of this paper is to analyze the activation of two mechanical depressurization devices, the TRANSFORMER PROTECTOR (TP) and the Pressure Relief Valve (PRV), during an internal arc on a transformer installed at the JSC RusHydro Boguchanskaya Hydro Power Plant, located in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. The incident occurred on phase B of the transformer T2, on May 3, 2013.

Oil filled transformer explosions and their prevention is a complex industrial issue. Experimental tests showed that when an electrical fault occurs in a transformer, it generates dynamic pressure waves that propagate in the oil. Reflections of these waves on the walls build up high static pressure which transformer tanks cannot withstand.

Power transformers are the cornerstone of the electricity grid and their protection is crucial for all the generation, transmission and distribution companies around the world. Power transformer explosions are common and lead to fire, risk to human life, power outages, environmental pollution, generating huge expenses.