Advanced Power Technologies is proud to offer a complete solution for Fiber Optic Transformer Monitoring compatible with ECLIPSE, Total ECLIPSE and Total ECLIPSE Plus transformer monitoring platforms. Advanced Power Technologies offers all of the necessary components for a complete solution such as fiber probes, fiber extensions, tank wall flange plates, and fiber junction boxes. Along with a complete solution, we are happy to provide the industry with the ability to retrofit to existing in-tank Lumasense™ probes, allowing customers to make better use of existing equipment.
Fiber Probe
What is Fiber Optic Transformer Monitoring?
In today’s utility industry there are three common methods for Winding Temperature Measurement; simulated, calculated, and direct via fiber. Fiber optic sensors provide the only true method of directly measuring a winding hot spot temperature, providing extremely accurate temperature measurements when it matters most.
Our Fiber Optic Temperature Measurement Technology
Fiber Optic Transformer Monitoring uses either fluorescing tipped or Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) tipped fiber optic probes. Advanced Power Technologies provides superior Rare-Earth tipped probes, which are produced by dipping the tip of the glass fiber into a slurry of fluorescing Rare-Earth material and then firing it to bond the slurry to the glass fiber. The Advanced Power Technologies device provides a pulse of light that excites the Rare-Earth material coating where the decay rate is a function of temperature, the decay rate is then used to determine the temperature within ±2°C using our enhanced blue LED phosphor technology.
GaAs technology was thought to be an improvement in cost over phosphor but has revealed problems within the application. GaAs technology requires the use of a white light as the light source. This white light is exposed through the glass fiber to the GaAs crystal adhered to the tip of the glass fiber. Based on temperature a portion of the wavelengths present in the white light will be reflected back to the device.
The use of this white light source leads to a maintenance item as it cannot be produced directly with an LED, requiring the use of an incandescent light source which over time deteriorates and fails. There is also the risk of voids at the interface between the glass fiber and GaAs chip due to the manufacturing process. These voids could become a source of partial discharge and in turn compromise the integrity of the insulation in the vicinity of the fiber probe.
Why Choose Fiber Optic Temperature Monitoring?
- Real Direct Measurements
- Faster response time of winding hot-spot temperature when there is a sudden load change
- Improved loss of life calculation accuracy
- Real-time dynamic loading
- Immediate cooling system failure detection
Typical Installation
DFWT probes are installed during the transformer manufacturing process, typically in key spacers within the winding.
These probes are strategically placed adjacent to the windings hottest spot.
Each fiber probe is then routed through the tank of the transformer to the weld on flange plate where the fibers exit through the tank wall and onto the ECLIPSE/ Total ECLIPSE.
Flange Plate
Retrofit Option
APT is pleased to offer a solution that helps customers further utilize equipment they already have at their disposal such as existing LumaSense™/Luxtron fiber probes. Although it’s not possible to retrofit fiber probes into an existing transformer, there are transformers today that had phosphor-tipped fiber probes installed during the manufacturing process for use with other monitoring devices. Our ECLIPSE/ Total ECLIPSE devices have the ability to connect to these phosphor-tipped probes and replace or upgrade existing monitoring devices to retain your fiber optic transformer monitoring capabilities as well as add additional features.
CONTACT US for more information on the retrofit topic. Let APT help you utilize equipment you may already have at your disposal today via a retrofit to existing fiber optic temperature probes.
Interface Device
Advanced Power Technologies DFWT probes can be used to interface with the ECLIPSE, Total ECLIPSE and Total ECLIPSE Plus. The ECLIPSE can be ordered with up to 8 Direct Fiber Winding Temperature probe channels and the Total ECLIPSE/Total ECLIPSE plus can be configured with up to 16 Direct Fiber Winding Temperature probe channels.
