Preventing a Possible Transformer Failure and Turbine Shutdown

How Kavaken prevented a possible transformer failure and turbine shutdown

Transformer cabinet contains key electrical systems for the turbine to function, the main one being the step-up transformer.

The cabin temperature had been trending above the expected range for some time and the Kavaken system raised a flag when the anomaly reached the component and turbine specific threshold. The scada system had not issued any warnings as it does not take into consideration different operating conditions.

A week later, temperature rose again and the algorithms started to give warning messages. The crew checked the fan and decided to replace it. Anomaly levels dropped significantly following the replacement.

Maintenance crew verified the cabinet fan filter was plugged. Upon cleaning the filter, the temperature returned to normal values.

Potential production losses of 1-2 weeks and equipment costs in $50K - $100K range have been avoided.

Photo by Jason Mavrommatis on Unsplash