Many electric utilities and large industrial, commercial and institutional owners of medium and large power transformers are beginning to develop their own "Life Cycle Transformer Management" programs.

Our Transformer Forum will deal with many of the technical and economic issues dealing with a) The Screening Process to prioritize the transformer fleet; b) Transformer Condition Assessment of individual transformers, and c) Life Cycle Decisions: retire, refurbish, replace, relocate.

Course Time Table for Both Days
Start 9:00 am
Coffee Break 10:30 am
Luncheon 12 Noon
Restart 1:00 pm
Refreshments 2:30 pm
Adjournment 4:30 pm (approx.)

THURSDAY, SEPT. 9, 2004

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTATION EQUIPMENT AND APPARATUS
Guy St-Jean, Technology Coordinator, LCMSEA Interest Group, CEA Technologies
Now, more than ever before, there is a need to optimize the use of existing station plant assets, and to develop new equipment and applications which are lower in cost and more efficient and reliable than existing ones. A significant amount of station equipment in use today is aging, with a current installed life of 20 to 40 years. Maintenance costs will rise, as the reliability of aging plant begins an inevitable decline.

The objective of the Life Cycle Management of Substation Equipment and Apparatus (LCMSEA) Interest Group is to bring together interested utilities to facilitate discussion and research with a focus on Life and Operational Optimization. The presentation will review this group’s work in the area of transformer/transformer accessories life cycle management.

ESTABLISHING END-OF-LIFE CRITERIA FOR COST-EFFECTIVE TRANSFORMER ASSET MANAGEMENT
Jean Marie Braun, Kinectrics
Determining the end-of-life for substation components and establishing methods to extend equipment life are important factors in achieving cost-effective asset management. This presentation will illustrate the activities Kinectrics is undertaking to establish end of life criteria. Objectives of this identification process include determining the suitability of equipment for end-of-life monitoring, developing a prioritized plan for evaluating system components, and providing recommendations for appropriate monitoring techniques.

10:30AM – COFFEE BREAK

CONDITION ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMER LIFE EXTENSION
Andre Lux and Gerard Cliteur, KEMA T&D Consulting
This presentation will review available technologies for on-site condition assessment of power transformers. The technologies reviewed include inspection methods, off-line diagnostics, and analysis tools that aid in accurately assessing transformer condition. The diagnostics that will be presented include partial discharge measurements of the main tank and dynamic resistance measurements of load tap changing transformers. Methods will also be presented that can be used to estimate remaining life of the transformer insulation based on the historical loading and furfural analysis.

DIELECTRIC FREQUENCY RESPONSE APPLIED TO TRANSFORMER INSULATION
Bernard Noirhomme, IREQ & Uno Gafvert , ABB AB, Corporate Research, Vasteras, Sweden
Dielectric frequency response (DFR) is an advanced method for assessment of high voltage dielectric systems. In a DFR measurement, the dielectric properties (capacitance and loss) of the insulation system are measured from kilo Hz down to milli Hz. An important output of DFR analysis, applied on power transformers, is assessment of average volume moisture in the solid insulation and the power factor of the oil. With knowledge of the transformer design, modeling allows us to separate the influence of the oil conductivity and moisture in the cellulose. In this presentation we will show cases from field measurements on power transformers, and measurements on model transformers subject to different levels of moisture and ageing.

12:00NOON – LUNCHEON

TRANSFORMER LIFE MANAGEMENT
Georg Mändl, Siemens AG, Nuremberg, Germany
In North America and Europe many transformers are 35 years old or even older. Experience based on more than 40.000 transformers in our database shows the increase of water content inside a transformer with years of life. This paper will explain how to detect moisture and present two different techniques for field dehydration of wet transformers. The approach is mainly based on real cases.

NEW TRENDS IN POWER TRANSFORMERS
Dirk UHDE, Engineering Director AREVA T&D
Power transformers constitute an important element in the structure of electrical networks. Besides the purchase cost, the cost of transformer losses, maintenance and the overall reliability over the life time of the transformer are an increasingly important criteria when determining a justification for new equipment. Considerable efforts have been made to develop better materials, allowing power transformers to operate with fewer losses and lower operating noise. Today, with the increase of computing performance, the designers of power transformers have powerful tools to optimize the design within a short time, and it is possible to reduce the tolerances of the design.

This presentation will discuss these new design criteria and standards, as well as the role of hermetically sealing power transformers, an innovative method previously reserved distribution transformers.

TOP TEN FACTORS TO UNDERSTANDING YOUR TRANSFORMER
Fred Tanguay, Black & McDonald
A number of elements come into play when selecting, operating and maintaining your facility's transformers. Understanding the role each element plays in your transformers operation is key to extending the transformer's useful service life. This presentation will discuss the top ten factors:

1. Types
2. Construction
3. Theory of operation
4. Failure causes
5. Standard insulating oil tests
6. Dissolved gas analysis
7. Insulating oil and paper decay
8. Electrical tests
9. Safety around transformers
10. Maintenance programs

FRIDAY, September 10, 2004

THE FUTURE OF ON-LOAD TAP CHANGERS IN NORTH AMERICA
John Gamane, Jr., Reinhaussen Manufacturing
This presentation focuses on the equipment’s history, aspects of performance, as well as monitoring and maintenance practices past, present and future. Resistance and Reactance type LTCs will be discussed, as well as Westinghouse. Questions concerning any type LTC are welcome. You will leave this class with a clear understanding of how Tap Changers work and why some work better than others do.

OIL TESTING AND ON-LINE MONITORING CAN INCREASE TRANSFORMER LIFE EXPECTANCY
William Morse, Morgan Schaffer
Analyzing the oil from transformers has been used for many years to determine the health of operating transformers. Dissolved gas analysis alone provides a significant amount of information on their condition. When used in conjunction with on-line monitors, the life of a transformer can be extended by preventing catastrophic failures. This session will discuss the uses of off-line and on-line systems to detect, diagnose, and prevent transformer failures.

10:30AM – COFFEE BREAK

MONITORING AND PREDICTING THERMAL PROBLEMS IN TRANSFORMERS
Greg Bork, FLIR Systems
Infrared thermography has become the core of predictive maintenance programs in Canada and around the world. For more than 30 years, thousands of electric utilities worldwide have used infrared thermography to avoid costly failures, improve service reliability, and prevent electrical fires. With the ongoing advancements in equipment and technology, plant infrared scans are now safer, quicker, and more cost-effective. This presentation will discuss the application of infrared thermography and provide case study examples of infrared thermography’s ability to assist electrical maintenance personnel to extend the life of transformers and other substation equipment. The emphasis of this discussion is the development of an infrared thermography program that incorporates reporting and safety measures to existing predictive maintenance approaches.

TRANSFORMER WINDING RESISTANCE TESTING
Jeff Jowett, Megger Ltd.
Accurate measurement of transformer winding resistance can provide valuable information about the condition of transformer windings when applied as part of a preventive maintenance program or as a routine test in a manufacturing process. The results of these tests can be a valuable tool in preventing unplanned outages and premature failures.

12:00NOON – LUNCHEON

DRY-TYPE TRANSFORMERS ENERGY SAVING AND HARMONIC MITIGATION THROUGH PROPER INSTALLATION OF DRY TYPE TRANSFORMERS
Jean-Guy Boudrias, Hammond Power Solutions
Improved designs for electrically powered equipment such as solid-state motor drives, electronic lighting ballasts, DC power supplies, and computers offer the promise to dramatically improve energy efficiency. These new technologies can have power quality side effects which must be considered along with energy benefits. Current demand characteristics, harmonic production, and power susceptibility requirements create new issues of energy losses.

When trying to resolve these problems, we often complicate our lives by looking toward exotic and mysterious equipment,when the proper installation could solve the problems permanently. This presentation is an approach to simple installation techniques, for example, phase shifting, balancing your phases and systems, to avoid power quality problems and to improve your total power fa ctor and the derived lost. This presentation will include a case study of a large drive installation that will demonstrate the energy saving and power factor correction capability of a transformer installation.

3:30PM – REFRESHMENT BREAK

TURNING TRANSFORMER OPERATING COSTS INTO ENERGY SAVINGS
John Shamess, E-Factor
Transformers are an integral part of every electrical distribution system and often remain in use for up to 40 years. Between retrofits of aging infrastructure and new construction, many transformers will be installed over the next few years. But because transformer losses are not measured separately, there has been no associated operating cost. Most transformer owners do not realize they have been paying 20 times the purchase price for those losses over the life of their transformer. The result is that most transformers are purchased on a “first cost basis”, and transformer efficiency is lower today than 20 years ago. Every transformer should be seen as the opportunity to embed 40 years of savings instead of first costs by simply selecting one with 50-70% lower losses. This presentation explains how performance verification products can be integrated with the transformer to maximize its contribution to an LEED project.

GENERAL INFORMATION

When and Where

The 2004 Transformer Asset Management Forum will be held as follows:
Toronto, ON - September 9-10, 2004
Park Plaza Hotel, 33 Carlson Court [near the airport]
Tel: 416-675-1234
$105.00 Standard - Cut-off August 18

A special bedroom rate (non-commissionable) has been arranged with this hotel. To receive this rate when making reservations, inform the hotel that you are a delegate with the Canadian Electricity Forum and reserve before the cut-off date.

Registration Fees
The registration fee to attend the Forum is $699.00 + 48.93 GST. Register and prepay 8 days prior to forum date and receive an early bird registration fee of $649.00 + 45.43 GST per delegate. Companies registering 3 delegates at the regular price ($699.00) will receive a 4th registration FREE.
The fee includes forum participation, a forum materials package, refreshments and luncheons on both days. Delegates will also receive a FREE 108-Page Transformer Handbook (Value $35) and a FREE subscription to Electricity Today Magazine (Value $40), as well as an Electricity Forum Coupon (Value $100) to be used against any future 2004 Electricity Forum event (restrictions apply), as well as 1.4 CEU credits issued by the Engineering Institute of Canada. (GST #R105219976)

Air Flight Information
We have appointed Air Canada as the official airline of our 2004 forums. Simply contact Air Canada’s North America toll free number at 1-800-361-7585 or local number 514-393-9494 or your travel agent and take advantage of Special Discounted Airfares. Our convention number is CV041955.

Cancellation and Refund Policy
Registration fees are refundable only upon receipt of written notification 10 days prior to the conference date, less a 10 per cent service charge. Substitution of participants is permissible.
The Canadian Electricity Forum reserves the right to cancel any conference it deems necessary and will, in such event, make a full refund of the registration fees.