ABB Review Special Report - ABB - ABB Group

1TEC receives the information it needs for transformer control from just a few multipurposesensors.tion and then comparing the measuredparameters with the simulated values.Discrepancies are detected and potentialmalfunctions and/or normal wear in thetransformer and its ancillaries are indicated.As ABB’s fully integrated control andmonitoring solution making use of oneoriginal set of multi-purpose sensorsand employing specific transformerdesign data, TEC is the latest addition toa product portfolio that already includesthe ABB T-Monitor. The T-Monitor is aproven retrofit solution that providesadequate predictive power by means ofeasily fitted add-on sensors and modelsthat require less detailed informationabout the transformer and its componentdesign.TEC architectureThe system hardware and softwarefeatures proven ABB technology andhas been designed to allow extra functionalityto be added in the future. Beingmicroprocessor-based, the systemhas more flexibility than a PLC andprovides a more stable platform than aPC solution.TEC gets its capability to control andmonitor not only from its superiorsoftware, but also from the fact that ithas unlimited access to all the informationit requires. It knows everythingped with monitoring devices. As thistrend intensifies and more and morefunctionality is added, transformers arelikely to play a new role – as ‘intelligentunits’ – in future transmission networks.The trouble with many transformermonitoring systems is that they are notable to control or make decisions andrecommendations based on the availabledata, forcing engineers to spend alot of time sorting and interpreting theinformation they receive. This is thestrength of TrafoStar Electronic Control(TEC) 1 . TEC receives all the informationit needs for transformer controlfrom just a few multi-purpose sensors;other necessary parameters are calculated.Thus, TEC adds only minimalcomplexity to the transformer.To achieve the goal of making powertransformers ‘intelligent’ and maintenance-free,ABB created and integrateda common electronic interface that exchangesinformation with the followingapparatus:Monitoring and diagnostics devices ofthe transformer and componentsTransformer control cabinetTap-changer motor-driveOverall protection systemThrough this interface, TEC provides exactstatus information to enable utilitiesto extend transformer lifetime and savecosts by reducing maintenance and increasingavailability.It does this by generating a model ofthe transformer and its working condi-2The main parameters can beviewed on-line on the TEC frontpanel or on a PC terminal.26Special ReportABB Review