Residual life estimation of power transformer based on Karl Fischer and Adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference system

The process of moisture estimation is the most sophisticated process in the insulation of a power transformer. The industry is facing a huge crisis of transformer failures due to moisture content, which affect the quality, lifespan increases the risk, unreliability and instability of the power system. The main cause of the failure is the deterioration of the insulation, which decreases the dielectric strength of the transformer. Furthermore, a deteriorated insulation causes the power transformer to age very fast due to the effect of water content, pyrolysis, oxidation and acids in the transformer. In this study, data is sampled from the power transformers with the same ratings. Karl Fischer technique has been used to estimate moisture content and operational temperature of the transformer. Further to this contribution, the paper presents how to determine the residual life of the power transformer by using an effective fuzzy-based model with the reference to moisture content and the operational temperature of the power transformer. The results of this study show residual life of the transformer in percentage. The benefits of these results to provide an enablement for proper planning and maintenance of outages due to the malfunctioning power transformers.