What Maintenance Practices Are Recommended for Amorphous Alloy Dry Type Transformers?

With the increasing demand for low-carbon transformation and high-efficiency power equipment in the industrial and energy sectors, amorphous alloy dry-type transformers have become one of the core equipment in the power distribution system due to their ultra-low no-load loss, high stability and environmental protection characteristics. However, the excellent performance of this type of transformer requires scientific maintenance management to maintain for a long time.

1. Daily inspection: monitor core parameters and prevent potential risks
The special structure of amorphous alloy materials makes them sensitive to mechanical vibration, so a regular inspection system needs to be established:
Vibration and noise detection: Use professional instruments to monitor the operating noise and vibration amplitude every month. If it exceeds the factory benchmark value (usually ≤65dB), it is necessary to check for loose fasteners or winding deformation risks.
Environmental adaptability management: Keep the equipment well ventilated and the humidity ≤85% to avoid dust accumulation affecting heat dissipation efficiency. For highly polluted environments, it is recommended to use compressed air to clean the core and coil surface every quarter.
Connection point inspection: Infrared thermal imaging scans are performed on electrical connection points such as busbars and grounding devices every six months. Abnormal temperatures (temperature difference > 15°C) may indicate poor contact or overload problems.
2. Insulation system maintenance: the key to ensuring safe operation
Although the epoxy resin encapsulation technology of amorphous alloy dry-type transformers has moisture-proof advantages, long-term operation may still be affected by partial discharge:
Partial discharge (PD) test: Partial discharge detection is performed annually through high-frequency current transformers or ultrasonic detectors, and the PD value should be less than 5pC (according to IEC 60076-11 standard).
Insulation resistance evaluation: Use a 2500V megohmmeter to measure the insulation resistance of the winding to the ground. The resistance value must be ≥100MΩ (at an ambient temperature of 20°C). If it drops by more than 30%, the drying process must be started.
3. Load and temperature rise management: balance efficiency and life
The no-load loss of amorphous alloy core is 60%-80% lower than that of traditional silicon steel sheet, but overload will still accelerate insulation aging:
Dynamic load monitoring: The load rate is recorded in real time through the SCADA system. It is recommended to operate the load ≤85% of the rated capacity for a long time to avoid short-term overload exceeding 110%.
Temperature rise threshold control: The hot spot temperature of the winding needs to be stable within the F-class insulation limit (≤155℃). The installation of the optical fiber temperature measurement system can accurately locate the abnormal temperature rise area.
4. Periodic professional maintenance: deep life extension strategy
Core demagnetization treatment: Demagnetize the amorphous alloy core every 5 years to eliminate the increase in harmonic loss caused by residual magnetism (can restore about 3%-5% energy efficiency).
Insulation paint repair: Check the surface cracks of epoxy resin and fill them with RTV silicone rubber with a temperature resistance of ≥180℃ to prevent moisture penetration.
Data-driven predictive maintenance: Combine DGA (dissolved gas analysis) and vibration spectrum analysis to build an equipment health model, and warn of potential failures 3-6 months in advance.

The technical advantages of amorphous alloy dry-type transformers can only be fully utilized through systematic maintenance. The multi-level strategy from daily inspections to predictive maintenance can not only avoid unplanned downtime losses, but also extend the life of equipment to more than 40 years. With the popularization of intelligent sensing and digital twin technologies, maintenance practices are shifting from "passive response" to "active optimization", providing solid support for building a highly reliable and low-energy power network.