NDB Technologies AE-150 User manual

NDB TECHNOLOGIES INC.
AE-150 –Partial Discharge Localization System
MU012-GEN-ENG Version 3.0
AE-150
User Manual

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Table of Contents
Contact Us.................................................................................................................. 4
Safety Warnings......................................................................................................... 4
Safety Symbols....................................................................................................... 4
Safety Precautions ................................................................................................. 5
Overview.................................................................................................................... 6
General overview................................................................................................... 6
Inspection method..................................................................................................... 7
Installation ................................................................................................................. 8
Transformer tank ................................................................................................... 8
Preliminary setup................................................................................................... 9
Communication setup ......................................................................................... 10
Phase synchronization ......................................................................................... 10
PD channel ........................................................................................................... 11
AE-150 installation............................................................................................... 13
Operation................................................................................................................. 16
Initial setup .......................................................................................................... 17
PrPD Acquisition .................................................................................................. 19
Waveform acquisition.......................................................................................... 22
Moving the AE-150 to a new location ................................................................. 25
Data selection ...................................................................................................... 26
Localization .......................................................................................................... 26
Create a report ........................................................................................................ 27
Additional features .................................................................................................. 27
Monitoring ........................................................................................................... 27
Auto-Loc............................................................................................................... 30
Battery ..................................................................................................................... 32
Battery replacement............................................................................................ 32
Charging the batteries ......................................................................................... 32
Technical specifications ........................................................................................... 33
Appendix 1: Kit content ........................................................................................... 35
Optional magnetic probe holder kit .................................................................... 38

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Accessories .......................................................................................................... 39
Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................... 40
Main unit overview.............................................................................................. 40
Appendix 3: Mirador Tx detailed ............................................................................. 44
Test file ................................................................................................................ 44
General view........................................................................................................ 44
AE-150 control side tab ....................................................................................... 44
Data Analysis side tab .......................................................................................... 49
Appendix 4: UHF Antenna ....................................................................................... 57
Installation ........................................................................................................... 58
Appendix 5: Flexible UHF Antenna .......................................................................... 59
Installation ........................................................................................................... 60

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Contact Us
Phone [phone]
Address 1405 St-Jean-Baptiste Avenue, office 111
Quebec, QC G2E 5K2
Canada
Web Site www.ndbtech.com
Technical Support 1 [phone]
9AM to 4PM, Eastern Time (GMT -5)
Email: [e-mail]
Safety Warnings
Follow all the safety rules to avoid dangerous electric shocks. Only properly
trained personnel should operate the AE-150 instrument. Safety is the
responsibility of the user.
Read all safety and operating instructions before using the equipment.
Retain this User Manual for future reference.
Heed all safety warnings on the equipment and in the manual.
Follow all operating instructions.
Safety Symbols
Hazard symbol referring to the instruction manual: The product is
marked with this symbol when it is necessary for you to refer to the
instruction manual in order to protect yourself against personal
injury or to protect against damage to the product.
The hazardous high voltage symbol alerts you of the presence of an
un-insulated voltage with enough magnitude to produce an electric
shock.

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Safety Precautions
Do not use the AE-150 instrument in an area with risks of explosions.
Stand clear of all parts of the high-voltage circuit, including all
connections, unless the test set is de-energized and all parts of the test
circuit are grounded.
Keep other people away from test activities with suitable barricades or
warnings.
Treat all terminals of high-voltage power equipment as potential electric
shock hazards. Voltages may be induced at these terminals because of
proximity to energized high-voltage lines or equipment.
Maintenance must be performed by qualified personnel who are familiar
with the construction and operation of the test set and the hazards
involved.
Wearing rubber gloves is recommended as a routine safety precaution.
The AE-150 system uses strong magnets which may represent injuries if
not used properly. The user must keep clear any body part from the
magnets when performing installation. Keep any ferromagnetic material
away from the magnets to minimize injury risks.
Acoustic gel/grease may be toxic for human/animal consumption. Keep
away from children and animals.
High-voltage discharges and strong electric or magnetic fields
may interfere with heart pacemakers. If you have a pacemaker,
obtain medical advice on the possible risks before getting close
to the energized test set.

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Overview
General overview
The AE-150 is designed to localize partial discharge in power transformers by
correlating data from its acoustic and high frequency sensors. The AE-150 has
many acquisition modes, each used for either detecting, locating or monitoring
partial discharge activity in an oil-filled power transformer.
The AE-150 main unit is mounted on the transformer tank using its powerful
magnets that will hold the four acoustic sensors firmly against the tank wall.
Partial discharge activity is measured by all four acoustic sensors and by the AE-
150 PD channel, through an HFCT clamp, UHF antenna or other type of electric
coupling device.
Acquired signals are correlated with power line Phase using the wireless AC-
Sync module or from the output of a coupler.
Acquired data is sent to Mirador Tx software where all advanced positioning and
monitoring functions are implemented. This software also allows easy data
manipulation and reporting.

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Inspection method
The following sequence summarizes the inspection method covered in this
manual. It is recommended to follow this sequence in order to obtain optimal
results.

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Installation
Transformer tank
If the tank size information is not available from the transformer schematics, a
non-conductive measuring tape can be used to measure the transformer tank
dimensions. Keep those values for later as they will be required in Mirador Tx
software. These measurements are crucial and needs to be taken with great
precision.
On the transformer tank, determine an origin point location from which X, Y & Z
axis will start from (next figure configuration suggested).
The tank dimension measurements, origin point and axis will be used in Mirador
Tx software to locate the AE-150 position on the tank.

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Preliminary setup
The AE-150 system contains many accessories and modules. Visually inspect all
modules, cables and accessories. Any deterioration may result in poor test
results.
Use the provided battery charger to recharge the instrument’s battery. The
battery charger can stay connected to the AE-150 while being used.
AE-150 main module assembly:
Install and secure all four acoustic sensors to each corner of the AE-
150 main module.
Connect the acoustic sensor’s coax cable to the appropriate channel
input.
Install the two antennas on the AE-150 main module:
oInstall the phase synchronization antenna (blue stripes) on
the proper antenna connector (near the AE Channel 2
connector).
oInstall the communication antenna (yellow stripes) on the
proper antenna connector (near AE Channel 1 connector).
Note: The antennas must be installed at all time while using the AE-150, even
if hardwired communication is used.

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Communication setup
The AE-150 can be setup for wireless or hardwired communication.
Tip: Hardwired communication offers a faster data transfer speed
than wireless communication.
Set the AE-150 communication mode:
Turn the instrument ON by pressing and holding the power button
for a second. The indicators will blink during initialization.
Hardwired communication: The wireless communication indicator
must be OFF. To toggle this indicator, press and hold the
communication selection button for four seconds, then release it.
The instrument will restart automatically. Then connect one end of
the provided AE-150-RS232 serial cable to the communication port
of the AE-150 main module, and the other end to the computer.
Tip: For extra cable length, use the provided WIR-X-077 serial
extension cable. If your computer does not have an RS232 serial
port, use the provided RS232 to USB adapter.
Wireless communication: The communication indicator must be ON.
To toggle this indicator, press and hold the communication selection
button for four seconds, then release it. The instrument will restart
automatically. Connect the AE-150-USB wireless module to the
computer.
Phase synchronization
The AE-150-SYNC module wirelessly transmits a network phase reference to the
AE-150 module.
Connect the AE-150-SYNC module to a voltage source (example: wall
power outlet) synchronized with the transformer under test. The front
indicator will turn ON. It is recommended to position the AE-150-SYNC
module at a reasonable distance from the AE-150 main module
(maximum distance: 30m/100ft) to ensure good wireless communication.
Note: Alternatively to standard wireless method, the user could synchronize
both modules by connecting a BNC to BNC coaxial cable from the AE-150-
SYNC module (Sync Out connector) to the AE-150 main module (Phase In) or

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avoid using the AE-150-SYNC and connect the AE-150 Phase In connector to a
synchronized low voltage signal (ex: coupler output). See technical
specifications for more details.
PD channel
In order to localize partial discharge, an electric type sensor must be connected
to the AE-150 PD channel. Three sensors are available:
HFCT clamp
Partial discharge activity, from inside the transformer tank, will flow to ground
through the transformer’s groundings. The AE-150 will sense these electrical
signals using the HFCT clamp. The RF-023 filter is used to reduce ambient
electrical noise.
Connect the RF-023 filter to the AE-150 PD connector. Connect the HFCT
clamp (20mm and 60mm opening models are available) to the RF-023
filter using the provided BNC to BNC coaxial cable. Install the HFCT clamp
around a transformer ground cable. Refer to next figure (HFCT-60mm
model shown).
HFCT clamp ferrites must have a quality contact on both sides of the clamp.
Make sure contacts are free of dust, debris, grease or any other contaminant.

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UHF antenna
The AE-150 can measure partial discharge activity directly from inside the tank
with great immunity to ambient noise using the UHF antenna. This antenna is
typically used on straight type transformer drain valve. For more detail, see the
Appendix 4 section of this manual.
Flexible UHF antenna
The AE-150 can measure partial discharge activity directly from inside the tank
with high immunity to ambient noise using the Flexible UHF antenna. This
antenna is used on straight or non-straight type transformer drain valve. For
more details, see the Appendix 5 section of this manual.

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AE-150 installation
Rotation
The AE-150 instrument can be installed in any of the following rotations: 0°
(default), 180°, 90° counter-clockwise or 90° clockwise. Note the chosen
rotation as it will be used in Mirador Tx software.
Acoustic couplant
Gently clean all four acoustic sensors using a dry cloth.
Apply a thin layer (~3mm/ 0.25 in) of the provided acoustic couplant on all
four acoustic sensors.

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Installation on the transformer tank wall
Install the AE-150 on a wall of the transformer tank. Its location must be
measured from the tank origin point to the center of the AE-150 instrument
(middle of the indicator cross). Keep the values for later as they will be used in
Mirador Tx software. These measurements are crucial and need to be taken
with great precision. Refer to next figure.
The AE-150 magnets are very strong. Be careful not to pinch any
fingers, hair or any other body part while installing the AE-150. Keep
the AE-150 away from any object made of ferromagnetic materials at
all time.
Once the AE-150 is installed on the transformer tank, press all four sensors to
maximise acoustic couplant contact. Any air bubble or debris between the
surface of the sensor and the transformer tank material may result in poor
acoustic measurement. Refer to next figure.

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Using individual sensor holders (optional)
To deal with limited access to the transformer tank wall, one or many acoustic
sensors can be installed at different locations using the sensor holders.
Use a wrench to release the acoustic sensor from its enclosure.
Carefully insert the sensor in the magnetic holder. A clip holds the
sensor in place.
Apply acoustic couplant on each acoustic sensor. Refer to the Acoustic
couplant section of this manual for more detail.
Install the AE-150 on the transformer tank (only one wall at a time)
with the magnetic holders.

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Operation
The Operation section of this manual describes how to operate the AE-150 with
Mirador Tx software. The flowchart below summarizes the operations covered
in this section of the manual.
Note: Refer to Appendix 3 for a detailed overview of Mirador Tx software.

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Initial setup
Start software
Use the provided compact disc to install Mirador Tx software on your
computer (or contact ndb Technologies to obtain the latest version).
Once installed, start Mirador Tx software and click Create New to
create a new file.
Browse and select the desired location to save the file.
Transformer tab
Click the AE-150 CONTROL > Transformer tab.
Type the transformer’s serial number in the Serial Number field.
Type the previously measured transformer tank dimensions in the Tank
Dimensions fields.
(Optional) Click the Optional Information button to enter more details
(Company, Substation, Transformer identifier, etc.).

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Communication tab
Click the Communication tab.
Select the communication method (wired or wireless) from the
Communication Mode dropdown menu.
Select the communication port.
Click the Auto-Detect button.
Communication will be established automatically between the
computer and the AE-150.
AE-150 position
Click the AE-150 Position tab.
Type the previously measured location of the center of the AE-150
from the tank origin point.
Select the tank wall on which the AE-150 is installed.
Select the AE-150 rotation angle.

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If individual magnetic holders are used to install the acoustic sensors
on the tank wall, type their locations relatively to the center of the AE-
150.
PrPD Acquisition
PrPD (Phase-resolved Partial Discharge) acquisition is required in order to
observe partial discharge patterns of interest. A pattern of interest can be
defined as clustered and phase related events. Once the pattern of interest is
identified, it will be isolated by setting a trigger window.
Click the Controls tab.
Click the AUTO-SET button. The AE-150 will set the acoustic channels gain
automatically. This process can take a few seconds, wait until completed.
Click the Pre-set Configuration dropdown menu.
Select between PrPD (Quick) (recommended for faster transfer speeds) or
PrPD (High Resolution) (recommended for high resolution results).
Click the START button to start the PrPD acquisition. This process can take
a few seconds, wait until completed.
Note: The acquisition internal process or data transfer can be
interrupted at any moment by clicking on the Cancel button. By doing

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so, current acquisition data will be lost and the acquisition will have to
be started over.
Click the DATA ANALYSIS side tab, and then the PrPD tab.
From the channel area, inspect all five channels to visualise PrPD
patterns (AE1, AE2, AE3, AE4 and PD).
If no pattern of interest can be found, it is recommended to move the AE-150
to another location, either on the same tank wall or on another wall, and retry a
PrPD acquisition. If applicable: Try with the HFCT clamp installed on a different
ground cable. Follow the Installation and Operation sections of this manual to
avoid skipping any step.
If pattern(s) of interest is (are) found: Single or multiple patterns of interest can
be found from a single PrPD acquisition. Each pattern can then be isolated using
the trigger window in order to determine if acoustic signals are related to a
particular pattern. For most cases, it is recommended to set a trigger window on
the PD channel since this channel allows more precise localization and easier
mechanical noise discrimination. Go to next step.