Design and Implementation of Real Time Transformer Health Monitoring System Using GSM Technology

Abstract

With the progress and development of national economy as well as power system, reliability and safety issues of power system have been more important. Development of distribution Transformer Health Monitoring System (THMS) has been done in that reason. Distribution transformer is the most vital asset in any electrical distribution network and therefore it needs special care and attention. This THMS can monitor the health status of the distribution transformer in real time aspect. As a large number of transformers are distributed over a wide area in present electric systems, it’s difficult to monitor the condition manually of every single transformer. So automatic data acquisition and transformer condition monitoring has been an important issue. This project presents design and implementation of a mobile embedded system to monitor load currents, over voltage, transformer oil level and oil temperature. The implementation on-line monitoring system integrates Global Service Mobile (GSM) Modem, with single chip microcontroller and sensors. It is installed at the distribution transformer site. The output values of sensors are processed and recorded in the system memory. System programmed with some predefined instructions to check abnormal conditions. If there is any abnormality on the system, the GSM module will send SMS (Short Message Service) messages to designated mobile telephones containing information about the abnormality according to the aforesaid predefined instructions. This mobile system will help the utilities to optimally utilize transformers and identify problems before any catastrophic failure occurs. This system will be an advanced step to the automation by diminishing human dependency. As it is a wireless communicating system, there is no need of large cables which are of high cost. Thus THMS offers a more improved transformer monitoring.

Existing System

Real-time Temperature Monitoring System Using Sensors on an Oil-immersed Power Transformer.

Proposed System

This paper is a presentation of the design implementation of Real Time Transformer Health Monitoring System (THMS) through GSM module. Cost effectiveness and remote location will be given priority to this project. In case of software driven system total system requires lot of connection and apparatus and technically skilled personnel. Fault information will available only in control room. On the other hand, the designed system has less complexity to install and doesn’t require any sort of skilled personnel and can be notified remotely. Automatic decision making is the main feature of THMS. At first all the sensors, processing controller and GSM modem initialization occurs. After the initialization process required data are measured from sensors and some common used components simultaneously. Then the microcontroller starts to compare the incoming values with the saved values in the EEPROM memory. When there is at least one parameter’s value denied the saved value, then the microcontroller takes action to send this message to the controller cell. If there are no over rated values of current and voltage or oil level is in safer level or the oil temperature is in the predefined value range, then the microcontroller jumps back to the testing procedure. This process continues until the decision making logic’s output is negative. When the decision making logic’s output is affirmative, then instantly microcontroller will take action for further execution. After sending the information, the loop continues again.

Architecture

Block diagram of GSM based THMS system