Equipment Diagnostic Evaluations

Condition and reliability of large power transformers are a major concern to any electric utility. Each unit serves many customers, and unplanned replacement or repair generates significant time and expense. Understanding the probable condition of individual units is vital to managing utility reliability and asset management planning for the future. Performing a fleet condition assessment to determine the condition and risk of your entire transformer fleet should be an important part of your asset management program.

AVO’s proprietary fleet assessment program identifies and ranks your most vulnerable transformers from both a condition and risk viewpoint. You can then optimize your maintenance and long-term capital investment planning spending by determining which transformers to repair or replace and by more efficient scheduling of transformer maintenance.

Benefits

• Prioritize transformers
• Optimize maintenance spending
• Improve capital allocations

Features
Series of tests and diagnostics thorough review of:

• Existing documentation
• Design
• Environment
• Usage
• History of tests & diagnostics

Oil Circuit Breakers, OCB’s, have been traditionally scheduled for maintenance based on:

• Passage of time
• Operational count
• Number of fault interruptions

Internal inspections based on these criteria are costly and, in most cases, the inspected units are problem free. Our program was developed to minimize the required number of internal inspections and provide a condition code that positions your OCB for a condition-based maintenance program.

Benefits

• Minimize internal inspections
• Reduce inspection costs & time
• Decrease unplanned outages
• Determine problem locations

Features
Series of tests and diagnostics thorough review of:

• Identify OCB-related fault gasses
• Correlates gas concentrations & ratios with specific OCB problems
• Perform targeted analytical tests
• Complete diagnostic report
• Evaluate OCB current condition

LTCs are a critical component of power delivery systems. LTC failures are costly and can result in transformer failures. Fortunately, many problems can be located before the LTC fails. Our LTC diagnostic program will help you:

• Identify problem LTCs
• Take corrective action before problems occur

The LTC Assessment will minimize maintenance costs and help reduce unplanned outages.

Benefits

• Minimize internal inspections
• Pre-empt problems early
• Decrease unplanned outages
• Protect your LTC & transformer
• Minimize costly repairs

Features
Series of tests and diagnostics thorough review of:

• Identify fault gas-related problems
• Perform targeted analytical tests
• Complete diagnostic report
• Evaluate LTC current condition
• Correlate gas concentrations & rations with specific LTC problems

Keeping every part of your electrical system running smoothly and minimizing downtime is the goal of any electrical asset management. Voltage regulators are a key part of these systems, so routine voltage regulator maintenance should be part of your preventative maintenance activities. AVO Diagnostic Services offers diagnostic evaluations for regulators that will help you catch problems in their earliest stages, thus minimizing downtime and the potential for costly repairs.

Optimize your regulators' maintenance
Regulators are an integral part of any power system. Unplanned outages or the failure of a voltage regulator can impact companies financially, resulting in a decrease in customer service during unplanned outages. The AVO's Regulator Diagnostic Program offers significant cost savings to customers through the early and correct identification of problem units.

Some of the benefits of choosing the AVO Diagnostic Services Program include:

• Early problem detection
• A decrease in unplanned outages
• Minimize costly repairs

Through a series of tests and diagnostics, during our Regulatory Diagnostic Program, AVO will:

• Identify fault gas-related problems
• Perform targeted analytical tests
• Complete a diagnostic report
• Evaluate the condition of the regulator

In the past, most network transformers were not tested because of perceived analysis cost and the relatively affordable replacement cost. This protocol did not consider the liabilities associated with a network transformer failure that resulted in personal injury.

Benefits

• Identify fault gas-related problems
• Identify insulating fluid problems
• Reduce liability
• Detect problems during warranty
• Pre-emptive problem detection
• Decrease unplanned outages

Features
A series of tests and a thorough diagnostic review of:

• Targeted diagnostic tests
• Complete diagnostic report
• Check new & repaired units
• Essential for CBM & RCM programs
• Inexpensive investment & high return

The transformer/rectifier is a major component of the power supply system to the ESPs. The failure of a transformer/rectifier can limit the performance of the ESP system and, therefore, limit production and output. Our non-invasive fluid analysis program enables us to evaluate the current condition of your transformer/rectifier.

Benefits

• Identify excessive hotspots in transformer windings and current-limiting reactor windings due to overloading
• Identify winding overheating from short circuits
• Detect problems during warranty
• Help maintain emissions control
• Identify diode deterioration
• Detect Insulating fluid and solid insulation degradation

Features

• Equipment-specific tests and diagnostic statements
• Utilizes an extensive database of ESP TR fluid results
• Provides a written report summarizing the ESP TR condition with a clear "Normal," "Caution," or "Warning" condition statement