Equipment Diagnostic Evaluations

Condition-Based Ranking System

Condition and reliability of large power transformers are a major concern to any electric utility. Each unit serves many customers, and unplanned replacement or repair generates significant time and expense.  Understanding the probable condition of individual units is vital to managing  utility reliability and asset management planning for the future.  Performing a fleet condition assessment to determine the condition and risk of your entire  transformer fleet  should be an important part of your asset management program.   Weidmann’s proprietary fleet assessment program identifies and ranks your most vulnerable transformers from both a condition and risk viewpoint.    You can then optimize your maintenance and long-term capital investment planning spending by determining which transformers to repair or replace and by more efficient scheduling of transformer maintenance.

Benefits

• Prioritize transformers
• Optimize maintenance spending
• Improve capital allocation

Features

Series of tests and diagnostics thorough review of:

• Existing documentation
• Design
• Environment
• Usage
• History of tests & diagnostics

Optimize your OCB maintenance

Oil Circuit Breakers, OCB’s, have been traditionally scheduled for maintenance based on:

• Passage of time
• Operational count
• Number of fault interruptions

Internal inspections based on these criteria are costly and, in most cases, the inspected units are problem free. Our program was developed to minimize the required number of internal inspections and provide a condition code that positions your OCB for a condition-based maintenance program.

Benefits

• Minimize internal inspections
• Reduce inspection costs & time
• Decrease unplanned outages
• Determine problem locations

Features

Series of tests and diagnostics thorough review of:

• Identify OCB related fault gasses
• Correlates gas concentrations & ratios with specific OCB problems
• Perform targeted analytical tests
• Complete diagnostic report
• Evaluate OCB current condition

Optimize your LTC maintenance

LTCs are a critical component of power delivery systems. LTC failures are costly and can result in transformer failures. Fortunately, many problems can be located before the LTC fails. Our LTC diagnostic program will help you:

• Identify problem LTCs
• Take corrective action before problems occur

The LTC Assessment will minimize maintenance costs and help reduce unplanned outages.

Benefits

• Minimize internal inspections
• Pre-empt problems early
• Decrease unplanned outages
• Protect your LTC & transformer
• Minimize costly repairs

Features

Series of tests and diagnostics through review of:

• Identify fault gas related problems
• Perform targeted analytical tests
• Complete diagnostic report
• Evaluate LTC current condition
• Correlate gas concentrations & ratios with specific LTC problems

Gas Insulated System Diagnostic Evaluation

As part of your ongoing electrical asset management, it is important to test your gas insulated systems. Knowing the condition of your sulfur hexafluoride gas can reduce your operating costs and prevent catastrophic equipment failures. Let Weidmann Electrical Technology help you keep your electrical utilities running smoothly with a diagnostic evaluation.

Maintain the unique properties of SF6 Gas

Weidmann provides comprehensive SF6 gas evaluation that includes evaluations of the moisture content, air content, and the SF6 degradation products.

There are many benefits to a having Weidmann perform a gas insulated system diagnostic evaluation, some of which include:

• A reduction in maintenance expenses
• A reduction in catastrophic failures
• Diagnose problem units
• Establish baseline benchmark
• ID gas purity before energizing
• Minimize the need for internal inspections
• Reduce downtime risk and lost revenue due to failure

Each gas insulated system diagnostic evaluation includes a series of tests and diagnostics thorough review of:

Series of tests and diagnostics thorough review of:

• Proprietary gas sampling system
• Detect potential & existing problems
• Detection of Impurities
• Calculate Nitrogen / SF6 Ratio
• Provide accurate moisture content & dielectric breakdown

Voltage Regulator Diagnostic Evaluation

Keeping every part of your electrical system running smoothly and minimizing downtime is the goal of any electrical asset management. Voltage regulators are a key part of these systems, so routine voltage regulator maintenance should be part of your preventative maintenance activities. Weidmann offers diagnostic evaluations for regulators that will help you catch problems in their earliest stages, thus minimizing downtime and the potential for costly repairs.

Optimize your Regulators maintenance

Regulators are an integral part of any power system. Unplanned outages or the failure of a voltage regulator can impact companies financially and through a decrease in customer service during unplanned outages. The Weidmann Regulator Diagnostic Program offers significant cost savings to customers through the early and correct identification of problem units.

Some of the benefits to choosing Weidmann Regulator Diagnostic Program include:

• Early problem detection
• A decrease in unplanned outages
• Minimize costly repairs

Through a series of tests and diagnostics, during our Regulator Diagnostic Program we will:

• Identify fault gas related problems
• Perform targeted analytical tests
• Complete a diagnostic report
• Evaluate the condition of the regulator
• Correlate gas concentrations and ratios with specific regulator problems

Maintenance/Liability Cost Savings

In the past, most network transformers were not tested because of perceived analysis cost and the relatively affordable replacement cost. This protocol did not consider the liabilities associated with a network transformer failure that resulted in personal injury.

Benefits

•     Identify fault gas related problems
•     Identify insulating fluid problems
•     Reduce liability
•     Detect problems during warranty
•     Pre-emptive problem detection
•     Decrease unplanned outages

Features

Series of tests and diagnostics thorough review of:

•     Perform targeted diagnostic tests
•     Complete diagnostic report
•     Check new & repaired units
•     Essential for CBM & RCM programs
•     Inexpensive investment & high return

Minimize Emissions & Maximize Output

The transformer/rectifier is a major component of the power supply system to the ESPs. The failure of a transformer/rectifier can limit the performance of the ESP system and therefore limit production and output. Our non-invasive fluid analysis program enables us to evaluate the current condition of your transformer/rectifier.

Benefits

• Identify excessive hotspots in transformer windings and current limiting reactor windings due to overloading
• Identify winding overheating from short circuits
• Detect problems during warranty
• Help maintain emissions control
• Identify diode deterioration
• Detect insulating fluid and solid insulation degradation

Features

• Equipment specific tests and diagnostic statements
• Utilizes an extensive database of ESP TR fluid results
• Provides a written report summarizing the ESP TR condition with a clear “Normal”, “Caution”, or “Warning” condition statement