Fleet digitalization for increased reliability and maintenance optimization
Digitalization is a crucial element that initiates changes in the whole transformer lifecycle, how they are designed, operated, maintained, or decommissioned
byStephen Pearce
The power transformer is the most important asset in an electricity grid. During their operational life, power transformers are subjected to thermal, mechanical, and electrical stresses, which lead to increased transformer aging. In addition, electrical network operators around the world are facing an increasingly aged population of power transformers in their grids—the average transformer age is approaching 40 years, and replacement costs run into millions. Most transformers that are currently in service were fitted with basic sensors, which at best only provided alarms after the condition of the transformer had already started to deteriorate. Due to this, evaluating transformer health is a complex and challenging task.
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It is imperative to concentrate on transformer maintenance. Operators can no longer afford to follow a simple time-based maintenance strategy that mitigates risks by doing everything, every year, for all transformers. Instead, they must implement a more sophisticated condition-based maintenance strategy: carrying out more maintenance for high-risk transformers than for low-risk transformers. This requires reliable information about the status of transformers. The risk of a sudden transformer failure entails not only huge replacement costs and downtime but is also hazardous to the environment and human life.
Digitalization is a crucial element that initiates changes in the whole transformer lifecycle, how they are designed, operated, maintained, or decommissioned
Power transformers must, therefore, go digital. Digitalization is one of the main trends in transformer innovation, imperative not only for the provision of a set of digital products and solutions but also for making a whole ecosystem available for the user to manage their assets and the operation of their systems. Digitalization is a key element, initiating changes in the whole transformer lifecycle, how they are designed, operated, maintained, or decommissioned, and reshaping relationships between users and manufacturers with new business models.
One of the most important ways that transformers can be more sustainable and resource-efficient is through digitalization and by implementing technology that reduces their failure rate, increases maintenance intervals, and extends their lifespan. This can be achieved with condition-based lifecycle management instead of traditional time-based management. In addition, and crucially, digitalization solutions must be applicable to both existing and new equipment. The ability to retrofit digitalization to the existing installed base is essential, given their current predominance in grids.
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