Transformer systems and methods for operating a transformer system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10586645-B2
Application number	US-201715676568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2017
Priority date	Aug 14, 2017
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A transformer system includes a transformer and a transformer tank housing the transformer in a bath of a coolant; and a plurality of radiator systems operative to transfer heat from the coolant, each radiator system being in fluid communication with the transformer tank. The transformer system also includes means for determining an occurrence of a potential coolant leak in one or more radiator system of the plurality of radiator systems; and means for isolating only radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems that are leaking, in response to a determination of the occurrence of the potential coolant leak.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transformer system, comprising:
a transformer;
a transformer tank housing the transformer in a bath of a coolant;
a ballistic impact detection system having a controller and at least one ballistic impact sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the ballistic impact detection system is operative to determine an occurrence of a ballistic impact on the transformer system based on an output of the at least one ballistic impact sensor; and
a plurality of radiator systems operative to transfer heat from the coolant, each radiator system of the plurality of radiator systems having a top actuated valve communicatively coupled to the controller and fluidly coupling the top of the each radiator system to the transformer tank; a bottom actuated valve communicatively coupled to the controller and fluidly coupling the bottom of the each radiator system to the transformer tank; and a float level sensor communicatively coupled to the controller and operative to detect a level of the coolant in each radiator system of the plurality of radiator systems;
wherein upon a determination of the occurrence of the ballistic impact, the controller is operative to direct each top actuated valve and each bottom actuated valve to close, and
wherein the controller is operative to determine, after each top actuated valve and each bottom actuated valve are closed, whether any of the radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems are leaking coolant based on an output of the float level sensors.

2. The transformer system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operative to, after a predetermined period of time after each top actuated valve and each bottom actuated valve are closed, read the output of the float level sensors.

3. The transformer system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is operative to, after the predetermined period of time, determine based on the output of the float level sensors which radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems are leaking based upon the read output of the float level sensors.

4. The transformer system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is operative to direct the top actuated valve and the bottom actuated valve to reopen, only for those radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems that are not determined to be leaking.

5. The transformer system of claim 1 , further comprising a conservator in fluid communication with the transformer tank; wherein the conservator includes a low coolant level indicator; wherein the controller is operative to determine if a coolant loss has occurred based on an output of the low coolant level indicator; and wherein upon a determination that the coolant loss has occurred, the controller is operative to direct each top actuated valve and each bottom actuated valve to close.

6. The transformer system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is operative to: wait a predetermined period of time after determining that the coolant loss has occurred based on the output of the low coolant level indicator, read the output of the float level sensors; and determine which radiator systems are leaking based upon the read output of the float level sensors.

7. The transformer system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is operative to direct the top actuated valve and the bottom actuated valve to reopen, only for those radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems that are not determined to be leaking.

8. A method for operating a transformer system, comprising:
housing a transformer in a bath of a coolant in a transformer tank;
transferring heat from the coolant using a plurality of radiator systems in fluid communication with the transformer tank via a plurality of actuated valves;
detecting a ballistic impact on the transformer system;
isolating the plurality of radiator systems from the transformer tank by closing the plurality of actuated valves in response to the detecting of the ballistic impact; and
reading, after closing the plurality of actuated valves, an output of a float level sensor of each radiator system of the plurality of radiator systems.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining whether any radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems are leaking coolant.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determination of whether any of the radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems are leaking coolant is made based on the output of the float level sensor of each radiator system of the plurality of radiator systems.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising reading the output of the float level sensors after a predetermined period of time; and determining which radiator systems are leaking based upon the reading of the output of the float level sensors.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising reopening only the actuated valves for those radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems that are not determined to be leaking.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the transformer includes a conservator in fluid communication with the transformer tank; wherein the conservator includes a low coolant level indicator, further comprising determining if a coolant loss has occurred based on an output of the low coolant level indicator; and isolating the plurality of radiator systems from the transformer tank by closing the actuated valves in response to determining that the coolant loss has occurred.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining whether any of the radiator systems are leaking coolant based on the output of the float level sensors.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising waiting a predetermined period of time after determining that the coolant loss has occurred based on the output of the low coolant level indicator; reading the output of the float level sensors after waiting the predetermined period of time; and determining which radiator systems are leaking coolant based upon the reading of the output of the float level sensors.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising reopening the actuated valves of the plurality of actuated valves only for those radiator systems of the plurality of radiator systems that are not determined to be leaking.

17. A transformer system, comprising:
a transformer;
a transformer tank housing the transformer in a bath of a coolant;
a plurality of radiator systems operative to transfer heat from the coolant, each radiator system being in fluid communication with the transformer tank, each radiator system of the plurality of radiator systems including a plurality of valves and a float level sensor, the plurality of valves positioned to selectively isolate the radiator system from the transformer, the float level sensor positioned to detect a level of the coolant in the radiator system; and
a controller in communication with the float level sensor of each radiator system of the plurality of radiator systems, the controller configured to determine, from an output of the float level sensor representative of the level of coolant in the radiator system after the plurality of valves are closed, the absence and/or presence of a leakage of the coolant for each of the plurality of radiator systems.

18. The transformer system of claim 17 , further including a ballistic impact detection system having a ballistic impact sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the ballistic impact detection system is operative to determine an occurrence of a ballistic impact on the transformer system based on the output of the ballistic impact sensor.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag
• Abb Power Grids Switzerland Ag

Inventors

• Siefker Bryan

Classifications

• G01M3/3227

  for radiators · CPC title

• H01F27/12 Primary

  Oil cooling · CPC title

• G01M3/02

  by using fluid or vacuum · CPC title

• H01F27/402

  Association of measuring or protective means · CPC title

• G01N29/04

  Analysing solids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14) · CPC title