Review of High Voltage failure risks under expanding supply chains: Case of Directed oil flow Transformers

Humans, Machines, Materials and Methods are the classic four pillars of any industry. All methods assume a certain level of stable and implied conditions/human skills to produce desired results from machines and materials across the value chain. The interplay of the humans and the methods have profound impact on quality. Under rapid expansion phase of the industry, it is obviously stretched & challenged. This could easily bring unforeseen variabilities at various junctures in whole product life cycle of the transformers. Hence, technical risks need to be revisited & mitigated by the industry to continue to deliver high quality products to the customers.

This paper examines a sample case of a simple engineering choice of Directed Cooling method of large EHV/UHV transformers for potential high voltage failures risks. These risks arise and assume vital significance under rapid expansion phase of the industry. It reports the summary of studies on similar risk mitigating strategies from other industries. It then proposes a preventive standard driven approach irrespective of transformer cooling methods. It also highlights a wider scope for innovation, utilizing contemporary sensing and artificial intelligence-based technologies.