Remnant life estimation of power transformer using oil UV-Vis spectral response

UV-spectrophotometry is a non-intrusive test used to determine the transformer´s integrity. Accurate interpretation of uv-spectrophotometry provides reasonable information on the health of power transformer that can be used to plan cost effective maintenance, retirement, relocation, and operational criteria. The ultraviolet-to-visible (UV-Vis) spectral response of transformer oil can be measured instantly with relatively cheap equipment and does not need an expert person to conduct the test. Results show that there is a good correlation between oil spectral response and its furan contents; consequently correlation between transformer aging and UV trend can be easily established. The paper introduces a novel fuzzy logic approach to estimate transformer aging using oil UV-Vis spectral response.