Doble Engineering Company 85 Walnut St. Watertown, MA USA 02472-4037 Tel +1 617.926.4900 Fax +1 617.926.0528 http.www.doble.

com
SWEEP FREQUENCY
RESPONSE ANALYZER
Doble Engineering Company
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M5100 SWEEP FREQUENCY RESPONSE ANALYZER
BACKGROUND
Power transformers are purchased with the projected
service life of forty years, yet evidence from construction
programs since the 1960's, and international studies show
that, on average, fifteen years is a more realistic estimate.
Power transformers are specified to withstand the
mechanical forces of shipping and subsequent in-service
short circuits across the terminals. The major causes of
transformer failure are related to bushings and load tap
changers. However, the main tank is susceptible to failures
that stem from mechanical changes caused by short
circuits, system faults, and the aging process. Further
degradation can be triggered by moisture levels, insulation
quality of paper and oil, and gassing.
Minor stresses, compounded by further in-service faults,
can signal the start of major transformer failures. These
mechanical degradations are difficult to detect through
visual inspection. Such inspections are often limited by
in-service demand and off-line availability. The best way
to avoid these failures and assure a long life is to track
changes in performance of the main tank, bushings and
load tap changers.
Constant change in the utility industry has changed
maintenance practices forever. Economic realities,
reductions in personnel, loss of expertise, complex
technologies, and the demand for continuous operation of
equipment all mandate new test instrumentation solutions.
To be effective, use of these tools must provide a
comprehensive, efficient, and reliable means of acquiring
test data and diagnosing transformer conditions with
minimal human intervention.
Doble Engineering is dedicated to achieving this goal by
delivering the products and services you need to develop a
complete protocol of dynamic tests, specifically to assess
the condition of transformers.
SUMMARY
The M5100 SFRA (Sweep Frequency Response Analyzer)
is the latest addition to the family of M-Series products that
provides test data for complete transformer condition
assessment.
The M5100 SFRA Instrument is a compact, rugged,
field-portable system, which consists of a laptop computer,
application-specific hardware and a Windows98

operating system. When applied to power and distribution
transformers, it detects mechanical failure or
movement of windings caused by system events. In
addition, transporting of mobile units, or new/rewound
transformers can result in the same types of failures.
There is a direct correlation between the electrical RLC
(Resi stance Inductance Capaci tance) network
representation of a transformer and its physical
construction: the tank, core, and windings. Series/parallel
combinations of resistance, inductance, and capacitance
can accurately represent the layout of windings, the core,
and the tank. Any mechanical movement of these compo-
nents can effect the RLC network.
Identifying the RLC network and its associated frequency-
dependent transfer function can be accomplished by using
the SFRA method. Changes in the impedance network
and transfer function can be useful in detecting and
identifying a wide range of problems.
The M5100 SFRA Instrument can detect the following:
Core grounds
Core movement
Shorted turns or open windings
Axial deformation of windings
Hoop buckling of windings
Partial winding collapse
Broken or loose clamping structures for
winding/core
M5100 SFRA Instrument
Doble Engineering Company
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TEST SETUP AND CONNECTIONS
The M5100 SFRA Instrument performs off-line testing
only. Therefore, its test connections are made to a
transformer that has been safely grounded and isolated
from the power system.
The above figure shows the test connections for a typical
transformer under test. Three cables are connected from
the instrument to the bushings of the winding under test, H1
and H3. The output of the instrument, a variable frequency
excitation source, is connected to the H1 bushing, along
with the reference cable, by a single termination clamp.
A measurement cable, the third connection, is clamped on
the return side of the winding's bushing (H3) to measure
any attenuation or phase shift, as referenced to H1.
The M5100 SFRA Instrument outputs a 10V peak to peak
waveform that will vary in frequency, at a controlled rate,
from a range of 10 Hz to 10 MHz in five selectable bands.
The transfer function models the distributive RLC network
of the transformer and determines its frequency-dependent
response. The M5100 SFRA Instrument compares the
signal into the specimen to the signal output, and calculates
attenuation and phase shift for all frequencies.
A test for each of the windings can be performed and
compared, from winding to winding or from simular
transformers, to provide a reference for analyzing the test
results.
FULLY AUTOMATED CONTROL
The M5100 SFRA Instrument performs fully automated
testing. The Instrument prompts the operator to fill in
information about the transformer under test. The operator
initiates the test by selecting the START TEST button and
identifying the test by name. The operator can observe the
test in progress by such indications as:
Plotting of the test data points in attenuation
(dB) and frequency
Test in progress bar graph
"STATUS" that alerts the operator to an abnormal
occurrence: for example, when no measurement
input is detected and caused by a faulty
connection
"CURRENT FREQUENCY" and "RESPONSE" at any
point in the test.
When the test data is complete, the Frequency Response
data, is plotted graphically. Tools for zooming, dual
cursors, simultaneous band viewing, linear/log plotting and
data viewing allow you to investigate and analyze the
results consisting of magnitude and phase.
M5100 SFRA Instrument Test Connections
Zoomed Graph with a Cursor Enabled
Typical Sub Band Response Graph
MKT-SL-520 Rev B06/01
Doble Engineering Company 4
CONTACT US
Learn more about how the Doble M5100 SFRA Instrument can help optimize your operations. Contact your Client
Service Engineer or local representative for details about purchasing or adding the M5100 SFRA Instrument to your
Equipment and Service Contract, or discuss the Transformer Diagnostic Test Data Set approach to power transformer
condition assessment and our other M-Series diagnostic instruments.
VISIT OUR WEB SITE OR CALL US
Doble Engineering Company
85 Walnut Street
Watertown, MA 02472-9107 USA,
+1 617.926.4900, Fax: +1 617.926.0528
Email: M5100@doble.com
Web site - www.doble.com
DEMONSTRATED VALUE
Doble Engineering has focused on condition assessment of substation apparatus through assessment strategies,
instruments and techniques that have helped electrical power companies succeed since the 1920s.
M5100 SFRA Instruments Control Screen Showing Test Results