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Archived site of the Centre for Power Transformer Monitoring, Diagnostics and Life Management


The Annual Meeting of the CIGRE Australian Panel A2 “Transformers” was held at Monash University Clayton on 30 September – 2 October 2009

The Department of ECSE and the Centre for Power Transformer Monitoring, Diagnostics and Life Management (The transformerLIFE Centre) welcomed the Members of the CIGRE Australian Panel A2 “Transformers” for their Annual Meeting held at Monash University Clayton on 30 September – 2 October 2009.
For more information.

General Information about CPTM

 

The Centre for Power Transformer Monitoring, Diagnostics and Life Management (CPTM) has been established under the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) initiative of the Government of Victoria.  The Centre is funded by the State Government and a consortium that initially consisted of Monash University and 12 power industry companies.  The duration of the STI Program is three years; the commencement date is 1 July 2005.  The initial total cost of the STI Program was $3.61m, in which the funding from the STI was $1,59m.  Since then, the total cost of the STI Program has increased to $4.57m, thanks to additional contributions from the existing participants and new Sponsorships – currently there are 16 power industry companies in the consortium.

 

The primary objectives of the Centre are to develop new technologies, computer algorithms and equipment for monitoring, diagnostics and life management of power transformers.  Other activities of the Centre include studies into vegetable oil for power transformers, winding looseness detection, thermal and moisture modelling of transformers, and providing training and consulting services to the industry.

 

Facilities

 

The Centre comprises three laboratories: EPRI Project Research Laboratory, Power Transformer Monitoring & Diagnostics Research Laboratory, and the new Transformer Testing Facility (built in 2006, photographs, latest photographs), fully integrated.

 

EPRI Project Research Laboratory

 

The EPRI Project Research Laboratory supports research investigations into the effects of moisture and gas dynamics on the performance of oil-paper insulation systems of large power transformers.  Sophisticated test rigs are available to precisely simulate conditions existing in real transformers, so that new means to monitor these conditions in the field can then be developed.

 

Power Transformer Monitoring & Diagnostics Research Laboratory

 

The Power Transformer Monitoring & Diagnostics Research Laboratory facilitates research and development of new monitoring and diagnostics techniques for on-line and off-line applications, experimental studies into aging mechanisms of power transformer insulation systems, and physical and chemical analytical tests of oil and insulation samples.  These samples are obtained from the Monash test rigs, received from old and new transformers operating in the power utilities of North America, Europe, South Africa and Australia, and also received from new transformers manufactured at the local factory.

 

Transformer Testing Facility

 

The new Transformer Testing Facility has been opened on 6 October 2006.  The facility features a special test transformer with a dedicated control and monitoring system, means for testing and assessment of industrial on-line an off-line monitoring and diagnostic techniques, and means for testing and assessment of industrial on-line transformer oil and insulation processing technologies.

 

Consortium

 

The consortium of the Centre for Power Transformer Monitoring, Diagnostics and Life Management consists of the end users, commercialisation partners and a research organisation as follows:

 

·        Unincorporated Joint Venture (UJV) members:

o       Monash University

o       Wilson Transformer Company (WTC), Victoria

o       Dynamic Ratings (DR), Victoria

o       TJ|H2b Analytical Services (TJ|H2b), Victoria and USA;

·        Sponsors:

o       Nine energy utilities:

§         3 from Victoria (Distribution and Transmission businesses of SP AusNet, and Powercor/CitiPower)

§         3 from Qld (Powerlink, Ergon and Energex)

§         2 from NSW (Country Energy and EnergyAustralia)

§         1 from New Zealand (Transpower);

o       A manufacturer of transformer insulation: Weidmann Company, Switzerland

o       An insurance company: Factory Mutual Insurance Company (FM Global), USA;

·        Equipment Suppliers:

o       LumaSense Technologies (former Luxtron Inc.), USA.

o       Nynas, Sweden.

 

Sponsors restricted information.

Research Team

 

Dr. Valery Davydov, Centre Director

Dr. Andrew Reykherdt

Dr. Dejan Susa

Mr. Nick Lelekakis

Mr. Jaury Wijaya

Dr. David Fernandez

Dr. Wenyu Guo

Dr. Daniel Martin

Dr. Oleg Roizman, Consultant

Mr. Arne Petersen, Consulting Manager Business Development

 

Management & Scientific Advisory Board

 

Mr. Stephen Blanch, Board Chairman, Independent

Mr. Robert Wilson, Wilson Transformer Company

Prof. David Morgan, Monash University

Dr. Valery Davydov, Monash University

Dr. David Lyster, Monash Commercial

Mr. Gary Towns, SP AusNet

Mr. Terry Lampard, EnergyAustralia

Mr. Mike Gregg, Energex

Mr. Robin Winckworth, Board Secretary, Wilson Transformer Company.

 

Board Member restricted information.

Governance Structure

 

 

Governance Structure

 

Web sites of the UJV Members:

 

http://www.wtc.com.au/home.html

http://www.dynamicratings.com/

http://www.tjh2b.com.au/