The Eaton Predictive Diagnostics is part of the Eaton Corporation. Eaton Predictive Diagnostics offers non – destructive testing technologies and sensors to assess the condition of the electrical insulation in medium and high voltage electrical equipment.

Valuable information about equipment condition allows optimal and timely predictive maintenance actions, to prevent insulation breakdown and equipment failure at a low cost

Science of Predictive Diagnostics

The integrity of medium and high voltage insulation systems can be assessed through Partial Discharge (PD) Analysis and Power factor (Tan Delta and Capacitance) monitoring technologies.

These predictive diagnostic technologies utilising specialized sensors and instrumentation, are used to quantitatively evaluate insulation integrity while the equipment is in operation.

This non-invasive method of evaluating equipment without a shutdown improves productivity and ensures system reliability.

BushingGard™

Eaton’s BushingGard predictive diagnostic online monitoring technology measures the capacitance and discharge current of high voltage condensing type transformer bushings while the transformer is in operation. Non-invasive, continuous testing provides real-time problem detection to prevent crippling transformer, circuit breaker or shunt reactor bushing failure. Monitoring may be remote or on-site.

Features

• Suitable for use with any condensing type bushing found in transformers, circuit breakers, shunt reactors, etc. With the InsulGard, it can be used to detect partial discharge in systems above 38KV.
• All monitoring, necessary sensors, recording equipment and diagnostic software are non-invasive, which eliminates downtime and power interruptions.
• Self-operating system saves on labor costs because staff can now spend time solving problems rather than uncovering them.
• Remote monitoring services and on-site equipment evaluation provides expertise when you need it.
• Display panel shows an output signal proportional to the relative change in the bushings’ currents due to insulation deterioration, which means users receive accurate information for both the power factor and capacitance of the monitored bushing set.
• Multi-function LED is a different color for normal (green), warning (yellow), and alarm (red), providing instant recognition of the severity of any problem.
• Parameters can be programmed at the panel or remotely through an optional computer link-up, units are self-diagnosing, and users can pinpoint any malfunction locally as well as remotely.
• Self-contained unit requires minimum resources and outage time. Comes standard with NEMA 4 enclosure, diagnostic software, a three- or six-bushing sensor set, and with an RS-485 Modbus RTU port that allows on-site communication. The complete package means faster and easier installation.
• Uses the same sensor set to perform online periodic monitoring of partial discharge (arcing or sparking). That information helps analyze root causes of internal gassing or other discharge activity related to the winding insulation, internal connections, bushings, or magnetic core iron.
• Highly sensitive instrumentation can detect PD signals as low as 20-30 pC even in extremely noisy environments like those in substations or power plants, which means accurate reports that allow for better decision making.
• Available with a commercial-grade modem for remote communication.

Customized bushing sensors available with appropriate lead-time.

InsulGard™

Eaton’s InsulGard™ is a continuous, on-line, medium voltage, predictive maintenance system that has a variety of applications; including switchgear, bus duct, transformers, generators and motors. It predicts insulation failures before they occur.

How does it work?

By measuring partial discharge activity in medium voltage equipment, InsulGard™ provides intelligence about the wellness of electrical insulation, enabling better decision-making for managing electrical assets and increasing safety for plant personnel.

What is the payback?

The average cost of motors, generators and switchgear can range from $100k to many millions, and if a station is shut down, that loss can be catastrophic. In addition, buying equipment is only part of the expense of replacing it.

Protect your investment

In many circumstances, InsulGard™ can double the equipment’s life span. InsulGard™ can maximise your uptime. InsulGard™ is a more economical alternative for maintaining electrical power equipment.

Eliminate periodic scheduling of downtime to perform tests and time-based maintenance that lead to customer inconvenience.

The InsulGard™ predictive relay revolutionised predictive maintenance practices by introducing one continuous, online partial discharge (PD) monitoring system designed for the following medium voltage applications:

• Generators
• Motors
• Switchgear
• Unit substation dry-type transformers
• Bus duct
• Cable connections

Continuous and eliminates the chances of failures occurring between periodic test events. Online eliminates the inaccuracies of offline tests. InsulGard™ also reduces the level of expertise required to analyse PD data with user-friendly software.