Dissolved Gas Monitoring Membrane for Transformer Health
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current online Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) technologies are cost-prohibitive for monitoring a wide fleet of load tap changers and transformers, leading to unexpected failures and power outages due to inadequate condition monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for cost-effectively monitoring the health of oil-filled assets by extracting fluid, circulating it through a first loop with a gas permeable membrane to separate dissolved gases, and analyzing the chemical makeup of the extracted gases using a gas analysis unit, with controlled pressure differential and adaptable installation configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current online DGA technologies are used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase making them prohibitive for wide fleet monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential function of dissolved gas analysis from complex conventional DGA systems. By using a simple gas permeable membrane to separate dissolved gases from insulating oil, the system isolates the critical measurement function while eliminating unnecessary complexity, achieving cost-effective deployment across wide asset fleets
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs gas permeable membranes as the core separation mechanism. These porous materials allow dissolved gases to pass through while retaining insulating oil, providing a simple yet effective method for gas extraction that reduces system complexity and cost while maintaining measurement capability
2Reliability
If conventional DGA systems are deployed, then reliability of fault detection is improved, but loss of time for unexpected failures occurs due to inadequate monitoring coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The simplified DGA monitor enables utilities to perform condition monitoring independently without relying on expensive conventional systems or periodic offline analysis. The self-contained design with integrated membrane separation and gas detection allows continuous real-time monitoring, enabling early fault detection and proactive maintenance scheduling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous real-time monitoring of dissolved gases in insulating oil. The system continuously circulates oil through the membrane separator and analyzes gas composition, providing uninterrupted surveillance of transformer health status, thereby enabling timely detection of developing faults before they cause unexpected failures
3Ease of manufacture
If gas permeable membrane separation is used, then ease of manufacture and deployment is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional separation components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses relatively simple gas permeable membranes that can be replaced periodically rather than requiring complex, expensive, maintenance-intensive conventional DGA system components. This approach prioritizes ease of manufacture and deployment over long-term durability, allowing rapid deployment across multiple assets with acceptable maintenance intervals
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables real-time, low-cost monitoring of dissolved gases in transformers and load tap changers, reducing unexpected failures and facilitating condition-based asset management, while being flexible and adaptable to various installation scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
passing the extracted fluid along a first side of at least one gas permeable membrane
Implementation Method 2
controlling a pressure differential across the at least one gas permeable membrane to a predetermined pressure differential
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for analyzing gas dissolved within a fluid filled asset includes extracting the fluid from the fluid filled asset, circulating the fluid though a first fluid loop, and passing the extracted fluid along a first side of a gas permeable membrane. Gas is extracted from a second side of the gas permeable membrane and the extracted gas is circulated through a second fluid loop. The first fluid loop and the second fluid loop are separated by the gas permeable membrane. The method further includes controlling a pressure differential across the gas permeable membrane to a predetermined pressure differential and providing the extracted gas to a gas analysis unit located within the second fluid loop. The chemical makeup of the extracted gas is periodically determined using the gas analysis unit.