Postmortem Investigation of Power Transformers—Profile of Degree of Polymerization and Correlation With Furan Concentration in the Oil

In this paper, postmortem aging investigations on insulation material of power transformers are presented. A methodology for taking paper samples in a systematical manner and a scheme for calculating an average degree of polymerization (DP) for the entire transformer out of the DP values of the individual paper samples will be shown. The typical DP profile in the axial direction of transformer coils will be explained using calculated distribution of losses within the coils of a 740-MVA generator stepup transformer. Further, correlations between the furan (2-FAL) concentration in the oil and the average DP of the investigated German GSU transformers and grid transformers are derived and compared with existing correlations.