A Real-time Condition Monitoring-based Asset Management Model for Power Transformers in the Presence of Distributed Generation

With the advent of advanced measurement and supervisory devices in power systems, wide area measurement systems and real-time monitoring of power systems have become viable. Accordingly, modeling techniques should be updated as well. This paper proposes a transformer asset management model based on real-time condition monitoring in the presence of distributed generation. The model is tested under different case studies and compared with the previous models in which constant failure rate model was used for asset management of transformers. The system cost includes operation, repair, and interruption costs. The objective is to determine the hourly loading of the transformer so that the cost of system is minimized. The long-term objective is to determine the loading pattern of the transformer which guaranties the most economical pattern among various options. Results showed that the proposed model is efficiently capable of returning more accurate responses if real-time monitoring data is used. A set of sensitivity analysis studies are also performed to highlight the impact of each factor separately. The contribution of distributed generators to supply the load is also investigated. Results showed that the use of distributed generators reduces the overall cost of the system by diminishing the risk-based element of the system cost.