Vibration-based robust health diagnostics for mechanical failure modes of power transformers

A power transformer is one of the main components in a power plant and transformer failure may provoke power plant shut-down with significant capital loss. Many techniques of vibration-based health diagnostics have been developed in order to prevent mechanical failures of the transformer. Vibration-based health diagnostics results are generally sensitive to the number of sensors and their locations. This study aims at developing robust health diagnostics for two dominant mechanical failure mechanisms of the transformer. Based upon the characteristics of transformer vibration, robust health indices were developed using sensitivity analysis. This study employed 33 transformers and each with 36~48 accelerometers for demonstration purpose. It is concluded that the proposed health index are suitable for robust health diagnostics and fault identification of power transformers.