Test body, test arrangement, method for manufacturing of a test body, and method for determining a moisture content of the insulation of a power transformer during drying thereof

• US 8,525,535 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Eriksson, Thomas, Gafvert, Uno
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baldridge, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US12/958,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20110115506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 324551-554, 324/664, 324/667, 324/688, 324/689, 324/694, 73/73, 73/74
• US Class Current: 324/694
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/223 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A test body for use in determining moisture content in a laminated insulation of a power transformer by measuring a dielectric frequency response of the test body. The test body has a laminated structure of the same material as the laminated insulation, and has a shape and a size to obtain moisture content characteristics that resembles the moisture content characteristics of the laminated power transformer insulation. The test body further includes electrodes, which are embedded in the laminated structure.

Claims

1. A test body for use in determining a moisture content in a laminated insulation of a power transformer by means of measuring a dielectric frequency response of said test body, said test body comprising:

a laminated structure of the same material as said laminated insulation of the power transformer, said laminated structure having a shape and a size to obtain moisture content characteristics that resembles the moisture content characteristics of said laminated insulation of the power transformer, wherein the laminated structure further comprises;

a plurality of plates, made of the same material as said laminated insulation of the power transformer, adhered to one another, the plurality of plates having an at least one top plate, an at least one bottom plate and at least one middle plate, the at least one middle plate being longer than the at least one top plate and the at least one bottom plate, the at least one middle plate having an end portion protruding past the at least one top plate and the at least one bottom plate;

at least one electrode embedded in said laminated structure, the at least one electrode forming at least one layer on one or more surfaces of at least one middle plate, the at least one middle plate supporting section of said at least one electrode; and

electrode connectors directly connected to said at least one electrode arranged on the end portion of the at least one middle plate, the electrode connectors being directly connected to connectors of a test device.

2. The test body of claim 1, wherein said plates are cellulose pressboards.

3. The test body of claim 1, wherein said at least one electrode includes at least two electrodes formed on different surfaces of the at least one middle plates.

4. The test body of claim 1 wherein said at least one electrode includes at least two electrodes formed on a single surface of the at least one middle plate.

5. The test body of claim 1 wherein a guard electrode layer is formed on one or more surfaces of the at least one middle plate.

6. The test body of claim 5, wherein the guard electrode layer surrounds the electrodes embedded in said laminated structure and controls the electric field obtained by an applied voltage.

7. The test body of claim 5, wherein the guard electrode layer surrounds a centrally located patch electrode layer for control of the electric field obtained by the applied voltage.

8. The test body of claim 5, wherein the guard electrode layer is an outer trip electrode layer.

9. A test arrangement including the test body of claim 1 and further including means for measuring a dielectric frequency response of the test body.

10. The test body of claim 1, wherein the laminated structure and the test body are moisture sensitive.

11. A method for manufacturing a test body for use in determining a moisture content in a laminated insulation of a power transformer by means of measuring a dielectric frequency response of said test body, said method comprising the steps of:

forming at least one electrode on one or more surfaces of an at least one middle plate of the same material as said laminated insulation of the power transformer prior to a step of lamination, the at least one middle plate supporting sections of said at least one electrode, and

laminating together a plurality of plates of the same material as said laminated insulation of the power transformer and of a shape and a size to obtain moisture content characteristics of the plurality of plates laminated together that resembles the moisture content characteristics of said laminated insulation of the power transformer, the plurality of plates having a top plate, a bottom plate and the at least one middle plate, the at least one middle plate being longer that the top plate and the bottom plate, the at least one middle plate having an end portion protruding past the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein the step of laminating comprises the step of embedding said electrodes in said plurality of plates laminated together, and further comprises the step of embedding said electrodes in said plurality of plates laminated together, and

providing electrode connectors for said at least one electrode arranged on the end portion of the at least one middle plate, the electrode connectors being connected to connectors of a test device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said at least one electrode is formed on said one or more surfaces of said one or more of the plates by means of printing or painting one or more conductive patterns thereon.

13. A method for determining a moisture content in a laminated insulation of a power transformer during or after drying thereof, comprising the steps of:

providing a laminated test body having a plurality of plates made of the same material as said laminated insulation of the power transformer adhered to one another, the plurality of plates having a top plate, a bottom plate and at least one middle plate, the middle plate being longer than the top plate and the bottom plate, the at least one middle plate having an end portion protruding past the top plate and the bottom plate, the plurality of plates having electrodes embedded therein, the electrodes being layers formed on one or more surfaces of the plates, the at least one middle plate supporting sections of the electrodes, wherein the moisture content characteristics of said test body corresponds to the moisture content characteristics of said laminated insulation;

connecting a test device for measuring the dielectric frequency response to said electrodes;

subjecting said test body to an atmosphere corresponding to an atmosphere that said laminated insulation of the power transformer is subjected to;

determining the moisture content of said test body by means of measuring the dielectric frequency response thereof, and

determining the moisture content of said laminated insulation of the power transformer based on the determined moisture content of said test body,

wherein said end portion of the at least one middle plate supports sections of said electrodes and is provided with electrode connectors directly coupled to said electrodes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said test body is subjected to the same atmosphere as said laminated insulation of the power transformer during the entire drying of the laminated insulation of the power transformer.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said test body is subjected to the same atmosphere as said laminated insulation of the power transformer during the step of mounting the laminated insulation of the power transformer.

16. A test body for use in determining a moisture content in a laminated insulation of a power transformer by means of measuring a dielectric frequency response of said test body, said test body comprising:

a laminated structure made of the same material as said laminated insulation of the power transformer, said laminated structure having a shape and a size to obtain moisture content characteristics that resembles the moisture content characteristics of said laminated insulation;

two plates made of the same material as said laminated insulation of the power transformer adhered to one another as part of the laminated structure, the two plates including a lower plate and an upper plate;

electrodes embedded in said laminated structure, said electrodes being layers formed on an upper surface of the lower plate,

wherein the lower plate, on whose surfaces said electrodes are formed, is longer than the upper plate, the lower plate having an end portion protruding past the top plate and having electrode connectors for said electrodes on the end portion.