MONITORING & METERING MONITORING TRANSFORMERS
Vaisala’s Optimus DGA Monitor OPT100 has been selected to provide continuous updates on Scottish Power’s 1000MVA auto transformer and monitor for the impact of geomagnetically induced currents
I
n addition to being an energy provider and distribution network operator for central and
southern Scotland, and parts of northern England and Wales, Scottish Power is also the transmission grid owner for the south of Scotland. At a key site in Scotland’s central
belt, Scottish Power wanted to protect a 1000MVA autotransformer from the effects of solar flares – periods when intense high-energy radiation is emitted from the sun’s surface, causing radio and magnetic disturbances on Earth. Coupled with local geology, these have the potential to disrupt power to the magnetic circuit of transformers, leading to inefficient power transmission and significant damage to the transformers. To accurately and continuously monitor the
Optimus DGA Monitor OPT100 by Elimpus. Vaisala’s most advanced monitoring solution, the OPT100 assesses a transformer’s condition by measuring for the presence of moisture and seven different fault gases in transformer oil.
“The OPT100 gives us
the ability to track any disturbance that may occur and extend the lifetime of our transformer, as well as reducing the possibility of any unplanned outages”
THE BENEFITS “Scottish Power has a number of strategic transformers on the transmission network that require advanced condition monitoring, and we have been increasingly wary of the effects of solar flares and geomagnetically induced currents to
disrupt their efficient performance,” explained Keith Black, system
performance senior engineer at Scottish Power. “The Vaisala
unit was installed because it met our current specification of online DGA devices
condition of its transformer, detect the effects of geomagnetically induced currents, and take proactive maintenance if required, Scottish Power commissioned the installation of an
www.essmag.co.uk
with the addition of being maintenance free.” By manufacturing all of the unit’s components
in-house, the OPT100 is of the highest engineering quality. This includes the innovative tuneable non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) filters, which ensure
optimal condition monitoring performance regardless of operational conditions. The tuneable NDIR filter prevents drift and ensures all dissolved gas concentrations are accurately measured. Furthermore, the monitoring team can be confident that their measurements are stable over the long term. An additional benefit of the OPT100 is its simple
installation, which enabled Elimpus and Scottish Power to quickly and independently bring the unit online. And, with no consumables, the unit requires no regular maintenance.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Scottish Power has been using the OPT100 since November 2017 and has benefited from greater oversight of its asset’s condition. “The OPT100 gives us the ability to track any disturbance that may occur and extend the lifetime of our transformer, as well as reducing the possibility of any unplanned outages,” explained Black. With online transformer monitoring set to
become increasingly important, Scottish Power is installing more OPT100 units across their fleet of power transformers.
Vaisala
www.vaisala.com/en
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Spring 2024 29
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