Acetylene Gas Monitoring in Distribution Transformers

Southern California Edison-Innovation Engineering, 2007-08

Liaison(s): Jim Palma
Advisor(s): Clive Dym
Students(s): Nina Bordeaux (S-TL), Natasha Reddy (F-TL), Alexander Lynch, Guillaume Bernuit, Ibrahim Shaikh (F)

Distribution transformers may experience failure due to low level internal arcing in the dielectric oil, which generates acetylene gas. Acetylene is explosive and may be hazardous for linemen working on the transformer. SCE wishes to develop a device that can be used safely in the field to collect gas samples from distribution transformers for analysis. The team worked to design and build a prototype, and after testing, develop a final design that can be manufactured and used in the field.