Moisture within the insulation of a transformer can accelerate aging of the insulation, ultimately reducing the dielectric strength and increasing the risk of failure of your transformer. A reduction from 2% to 1% in the average water content can double the lifetime of the transformer’s cellulosic insulation*.
The installation of GE’s Drycol Breather is one of the most effective solutions for maintaining insulation dryness in all types of oil-immersed power transformers. Unlike other solutions which only protect the transformer insulation from atmospheric moisture, the Drycol Breather removes all sources of moisture, including condensation, insulation degradation, and oil/air interface in the conservator. This solution can either be part of a transformer initial design or retrofitted to an existing transformer during a planned outage.
* CIGRE brochure 323, Ageing of cellulose in mineral oil insulated transformers
