VITEOS SA: the analysis of transformer oils
VITEOS SA has been working together with our accredited oil testing laboratory for several years. This company, created with the merger of Services Industriels in the towns of Neuchâtel, La Chaux-de-Fonds and Locle, manages and develops activities for the supply, production and distribution of electricity, gas and water.
Within the context of the periodic oil checks in their distribution transformers, the chemical analysis pack with its 9 physico-chemical parameters, initially intended for power transformers using several thousand litres, did not seem suitable for the small volumes of oil in this electrical equipment.
The laboratory has since then adapted its offering to provide a new analysis pack revolving around 4 essential parameters (water content, dielectric strength, neutralisation index and colour) transmitted in a report containing findings and advice.
This new service, better adapted to this type of transformer, facilitates regular monitoring while being significantly cheaper as the costs are reduced by over 30%.
In practice, based on experience, we note that the findings of the analyses help provide recommendations designed to anticipate maintenance work, detect any premature ageing of the oil, check the insulating function of the dielectric oil, preclude sealing problems and, as a result, sometimes save transformers, while of course, avoiding unexpected power cuts.
