Bushing Replacements

for Power Transformers

[email protected]

Power transformer bushings are critical According to these investigations bushing

components in electrical power systems failures caused 17% of transformer
as they allow for the flow of electrical failures.
power from the power stations and
Unplanned power outages due to
renewable energy sources through the
transformer failures may affect the
transformers to the distribution networks
reliability and availability of your system
and to customers.
and ultimately your customers and
As vital components, it is recommended revenue, especially if you do not have a
that transformer bushings be monitored, spare transformer readily available.
inspected and tested on a regular basis as
Keeping all components of a power
bushing failures can result in expensive
transformer in good operating
transformer failures.
condition is key to maintaining and
Several investigations of transformer extending its life.
failures have been done in the past, e.g.
by CIGRE Transformer Reliability Survey
reference WG A2.37 dated April 2012.
Bushing Replacements for Power Transformers

Reasons to replace Transformer and conform to the existing draw lead studs
Bushings with no or minimal changes to the draw lead
cable.
During routine maintenance and inspection of
power transformers, several critical aspects When replacing bushings in high-seismic
are checked on the bushings. Based on the zones or near the ocean where air-borne
results of this inspection, the condition of the pollution and salinity are considered extra
bushings is assessed. heavy, Siemens offers bushings with
composite insulators. These bushings are
The main reasons a bushing must be replaced are: ideal for these locations as they are stronger
• Increase in Power Factor / Capacitance / PD than bushings with porcelain insulators and
above manufacturer’s recommended values provide better performance in heavy
pollution.
• Loss of oil or identified oil leak
• Presence of combustible gasses in the
bushing oil Available Bushing Technologies
• Damaged bushing Siemens provides several technology options
for power transformer bushing replacements,
Other factors to consider in determining depending on application, ambient
whether to replace a bushing include: conditions, voltage class and rated current:
• Inadequate bushing specification or • Oil Impregnated Paper (OIP)
technology for your application
• Resin Impregnated Paper (RIP)
• Older style bushing which do not allow for
installation of on-line monitoring sensors • Resin Impregnated Synthetic (RIS)
Consult with Siemens for the most suitable
technology for your application.
Special Considerations
• Outdated / changed technical specification
or obsolete standards Key Parameters for Bushing
• Unusual operating conditions and Replacements
renewable energy / special applications Refer to the figure on the next page for critical
• Demanding load profiles under abrupt dimensions, as per IEEE C57.19.01 Section 4.
changes in operating and ambient • Suitable bushing technology
temperatures
• Current rating equal or greater than
• Bushing air side termination with rigid bus existing bushing
connection
• Turret, tank cover and CT opening
allowance

Selecting Replacement Bushings • Static shielding requirements and tank

clearances
Thousands of bushings are replaced every
year and the Siemens bushing portfolio • Lower length "L" dimension
includes the right bushing to replace legacy
• Lower end diameter "Dmax"
bushings from GE, Westinghouse, Ohio Brass,
Lapp, ABB, McGraw Edison and Trench. • Bottom connection configuration A, R.
Consult Siemens for other bushings of other • Flange mounting BCD and number of holes
brands and types.
• Air side height and air clearance
When replacing bushings connected via draw requirements
lead cables, Siemens bushings are the best
• Mounting angle to vertical
option offering custom and innovative
adapter solutions to fit most configurations • Top terminal configuration, A, R.
Why Siemens?

Siemens has supplied high voltage equipment for the energy sector for
more than 100 years. Safety, performance, quality, reliability and
innovation are among Siemens’ top priorities.
In addition to being a global technology leader in power transformer manufacturing, Siemens
provides complete life-cycle transformer services and additional bushing-related services such
as capacitance and power factor testing; oil sampling and DGA; condition assessment and
replacement through our U.S.-based transformer services group. Our solutions provide:
• Shorter lead times for IEEE / ANSI and customized replacement bushings
• Slimmer lower-end bushing designs to fit narrow openings through covers and CTs on
most cases, without internal modifications
• Innovative dry-type and OIP bushing options most suitable to your application
• Access to support from transformer and bushing experts for the evaluation of
bushing condition
• Expert advice on troubleshooting, test results and DGA sample analysis
• Expert support on selecting the correct bushing technology
• Extensive portfolio that includes the full range of IEEE bushings with ratings from 25 kV
through 800 kV system voltages
• Safety-oriented factory trained project engineer and field service crew available
for bushing replacement operations
This makes Siemens your partner of choice for electrical power transmission and distribution
solutions of today and for the development of your new technology solutions of tomorrow.
Published by
Siemens 2018

Siemens Industry, Inc.

7000 Siemens Drive
Wendell, NC 27591

Siemens Technical Support: 1-800-333-7421

[email protected]
Order No. EMHP-BU01-0518
Article No. EMHP-B40025-00-4AUS

Printed in USA
All Rights Reserved
© 2018, Siemens Industry, Inc.

The technical data presented in this document is based on an actual case or
on as-designed parameters, and therefore should not be relied upon for any
specific application and does not constitute a performance guarantee for any
projects. Actual results are dependent on variable conditions. Accordingly,
Siemens does not make representations, warranties, or assurances as to
the accuracy, currency or completeness of the content contained herein.
If requested, we will provide specific technical data or specifications with
respect to any customer’s particular applications. Our company is constantly
involved in engineering and development. For that reason, we reserve
the right to modify, at any time, the technology and product specifications
contained herein.