Instrumentation by magnitude

Gases disueltos en aceite

Detección de gases en aceite de transformadores para diagnóstico de fallas y mantenimiento predictivo.

When a power transformer's insulating oil and paper degrade due to overheating, partial discharges or internal arcing, they release gases that remain dissolved in the oil: hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, acetylene, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) identifies which fault is developing from which gases appear, and the rate of change of the concentrations indicates its severity.

More than half of serious power transformer faults can be detected ahead of time with online monitoring. For the energy industry, that makes DGA the core tool of condition-based maintenance: instead of waiting for laboratory sampling, the transformer is monitored continuously and interventions are planned before a developing fault turns into an unplanned outage.

Use cases

Typical application areas

Installation of an OPT100 DGA monitor next to a transformer at a substation Vaisala MHT410 transmitter installed on a power transformer valve
  • Critical power transformers in transmission substations
  • Step-up transformers at generation plants
  • Wind and solar farms — remote and offshore sites
  • Condition-based maintenance (CBM) programs
  • Air leak detection in sealed transformers
  • Transformers filled with mineral oils, natural or synthetic esters
  • Supervised end-of-life transformer operation
  • Distribution transformer fleet monitoring

Technology

What makes Vaisala's DGA technology unique

Monitor DGA OPT100 de Vaisala con el gabinete abierto, mostrando el módulo de extracción de gases por vacío

Vaisala approaches online DGA with vacuum gas extraction: an oil sample is degassed in a vacuum chamber, achieving a far more complete extraction than headspace or membrane methods, with results independent of oil type, age and temperature. The gases are measured with in-house-manufactured infrared sensors featuring an integrated vacuum reference and autocalibration, which eliminate drift without factory recalibration. Total gas pressure measurement adds air leak detection without oxygen sensors — the OPT100 monitor combines all of this with no consumables or carrier gases, and the MHT410 transmitter brings the same robustness to direct in-oil hydrogen and moisture measurement.

  • Vacuum gas extraction — independent of oil type and age
  • In-house infrared sensors with autocalibration: no drift, no recalibration
  • No false alarms, no consumables or carrier gases
  • Total gas pressure to detect air leaks in sealed transformers
  • Hermetically sealed optics, protected from contamination
  • IP66 mechanics built to operate from arctic to tropics

AKRIBIS is an authorized Vaisala partner for distribution and technical support in the region — explore the full Vaisala instrumentation line.

Applications

Areas where this magnitude is applied

Industries

Industries that monitor dissolved gas in oil

Do you need to monitor gases disueltos en aceite?

Check availability, pricing, and technical support. An AKRIBIS ecosystem specialist will respond within 24 business hours.