Diagnose And Fix Partial Discharges In Motors And Transformers

Posted by SharonEvans on April 14th, 2014

The current in a circuit flows in the direction that the circuit designer wants it to flow; manipulating the current to flow through a coiling, an insulated wire that is wound around its own self, mounted on a rotor and put in the presence of a magnetic field either generated by a permanent magnet or induced by another coil. These are simple explanations of how a motor and a transformer works but sometimes a problem may arise; Partial Discharge Motors and Partial Discharge transformers can be seen which work aberrantly and cause many a problem. There are many technical energy losses in systems which are so crucial for the circuit’s functioning and efficacy that they should be corrected as fast as possible to ensure proper functioning of the motor or transformer.

A coil is present in both motor and transformer; the coiling wire is insulated and wound in close contact with many portions of its own self; and when a current flowing through the coil is high enough, the insulation can prove insufficient and current can leak from a portion entering in another causing many losses. The leaked current in high Partial Discharge Transformers is called as a partial discharge and it can cause increased resistance within the motor or the transformer’s coiling; adding to the losses. The increased resistance can further lead to drawing more power, increasing temperature, decreased output and several other miscellaneous losses.

In the world of increasingly advancing technology and increasing demands, when a machine or equipment fails to cope up; we have to change it or correct it as quickly as possible so as to avoid any losses. Integrating the equipment with sensors like; coupling capacitor, specific radio frequency detector, ground path monitors, coil sensors; sensors can forecast an emerging problem especially when Partial Discharge Motors or transformers are involved. Rating and knowing the state of your systems is now easier than ever, because of professionalism; there is many a company in the world that offers state of the art diagnostic equipment, and hiring them ensures the best professional and quick diagnosis of any problems in a system with precision and care.

The problem is usually of small origin; starting usually at small cracks, crevices, inclusions with a solid or a liquid dielectric, bubbles within liquid dielectrics etcetera. The origin may be microscopic but the effect is usually not, when motors or transformers develop this symptom and become Partial Discharge Transformers or motors; economic value of the whole equipment will go down unless the problem is fixed. Partial discharges in a motor or a transformer tends to increase the temperature of the system due to elevated resistances and computer diagnostic tools and many sensors can be employed to detect even the slightest of the partial discharges; sensors like simple temperature sensors, magnetic mount, thermal well probe, tap position sensor, bushing sensor can all detect temperature changes and predict partial discharges. Good companies like dynamic ratings provide full fledge solutions from the equipment selection to installation, diagnostics and problem correction.

All the machines which have coiling in them can encounter several issues like the ones with Partial Discharge Motors as well as Partial Discharge Transformers that must be resolved on urgent basis.