12:00 pm 6:00 pm registration information desk...

Agenda is subject to change.

Sunday, January 31, 2016

12:00 PM – 6:00 PM Registration & Information Desk Open

Monday, February 1, 2016

7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Registration & Information Desk Open

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Attendee Breakfast

8:00 AM – 8:10 AM Welcome & Introduction

David Zabetakis, President

Doble Engineering Company

David Zabetakis is President of Doble Engineering Company, a subsidiary of ESCO Technologies. Mr.

Zabetakis was General Manager of Aclara Technologies’ Software Group where he was responsible for

leading the development and deployment of Smart Grid software applications globally. Previously Mr.

Zabetakis provided management consulting services throughout the energy vertical including acting as the

temporary CEO for North American Power Partners, a demand response provider. He was Senior Vice

President of CURRENT Group where he oversaw the business development efforts. Before joining CURRENT

Group, Mr. Zabetakis was President and Chief Operating Officer of Pepco Energy Services where he oversaw

its retail business focusing on the sale of electricity, natural gas and a variety of energy‐related products. Mr.

Zabetakis has served in a variety of leadership positions in gas and electric distribution over the last 28 years.

He served on the first Peer Review Board for President George W. Bush for DOE/FEMP. Mr. Zabetakis earned

his MBA from Loyola College in Maryland and served in the Tactical Air Command of the US Air Force.

8:10 AM – 8:30 AM Opening Keynote ‐ Welcome to Nashville

Donald Hill, Vice President Engineering

Nashville Electric Services

Donald R. Hill, II is Vice President of Engineering at Nashville Electric Service (NES). He has 26 years of

professional experience in the electric utility industry. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical

Engineering from Tennessee Technological University, a Master of Business Administration degree from the

University of Phoenix, and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Tennessee. Mr. Hill has held a

variety of positions at NES including the areas of System Operations, Construction and Maintenance, and

Meter Services. He most recently served as Vice President of Power System Operations, a position held since

2012.

8:30 AM – 9:15AM Primer on Large Power Transformers

Mark Rivers, Vice President, Client Services


As we move forward into the 21st Century, the use of electricity by mankind has evolved into a necessary

staple of everyday life. But it wasn’t always this way. The advent of power transformers in today’s world is a

function of necessity, a product of ingenuity, and a marvel of technology. Power transformers are the key

element in the present system of electrical power distribution, and this system could not function without

transformers. Let’s take a look at why and how they were developed.

Mark Rivers received his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst,

Massachusetts and a MBA at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. Since 1979 he had been employed by

at Doble Engineering Company as a Principal Engineer consulting on electric power equipment insulation

testing and maintenance. He has been active on the IEEE and Doble Transformer and Circuit Bushing

Committees and has managed insulation software development. Currently Mr. Rivers is the Vice President of

Client Service Engineering. He has authored numerous papers in the area of Transformer and Circuit Breaker

Testing, and he was a technical contributor to the EPRI Guidelines for the Life Extensions of Substations.

9:15 AM – 9:30 AM Break

9:30 AM – 10:15 AM Video Presentation: “The Making of a Transformer”

Troy Kabrich, Vice President & General Manager – Services Division

SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc.

Professionally filmed and produced at the Waukesha transformer manufacturing facilities, this video

presentation and narrative will provide each attendee with a unique, up close tour of the inner workings of a

transformer manufacturing plant. This detailed presentation which will cover all aspects of transformer

manufacturing and construction and is ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE LIFE OF A TRANSFORMERTM SEMINAR.

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM Transformer Specification & Vendor Prequalification

Bill Griesacker, Transformer Consulting Engineer


An effective procurement system utilizes the preapproval process to identify suitable power transformer

vendors and a design review to establish an agreed upon design and procurement process. This preapproval

approval process should include factory qualification audits which are essential to confirm a manufacturer’s

ability to meet a purchaser’s requirements and expectations. The design review is performed to establish an

agreed upon design and to facilitate the procurement process. That the supplier is capable of meeting the

purchaser’s procurement specifications is confirmed during this process and the procurement process is

expedited by bringing the purchaser and supplier together on the technical details of the purchased

transformer.

Bill Griesacker is a member of Doble Engineering Company as a transformer engineer working on projects

that include factory inspections, condition assessment, design reviews, failure analysis and general

consulting. He previously worked for Pennsylvania Transformer Technology Inc., where he held various

positions including Engineering Manager. His work included high voltage insulation design, transient voltage

modeling of power transformer windings and various LTC and DETC switch development projects. Prior to

this, he was employed by the Westinghouse Electric Company, working on synchronous generator projects as

a member of the Generator Engineering Department. Mr. Griesacker started his career with Cooper Power

Systems in large power transformers and later worked in the Kyle Switchgear, Vacuum Interrupter

Department. He has earned a MS in electric power engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and

a BS in electrical engineering from Gannon University. Mr. Griesacker is an active member of the IEEE, PES

Transformers Committee where he holds positions in several working groups and subcommittees.

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Transformer Design Process

Dharam Vir, Vice President of Engineering

SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc.

Transformers are tailor made products. The design process begins with understanding customer

requirements. Using optimization programs a quote design is provided with the lowest total owning cost

meeting customer requirements. During final design detailed dielectric, short circuit and thermal calculations

are performed to ensure the transformer meets performance and customer requirements. The mechanical

design of the tank, stiffeners, lifting and clamping structures enables the unit to withstand vacuum, pressure,

short‐circuit, seismic and shipping conditions. Design verification is done by performing routine and type

tests on the unit.

Dharam Vir joined SPX Waukesha in 2004 with over 25 years of service to the transformer industry in EHV

design, testing, production and plant operations. Prior to his current position, he held the positions of

Engineering Manager for the Waukesha plant and director of our EHV program, leading the team responsible

for the Waukesha facility expansion. Mr. Vir is an active member of the IEEE Transformers Committee and

holds a BSEE from University of Delhi India, a MS in Electrical Engineering from NIT Bhopal India and an MBA

in Finance and Marketing from Bhopal University India.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM – 1:45 PM Keynote

Tennessee Valley Authority

1:45 PM – 2:30 PM Transformer Manufacturing

Krzysztof Kulasek, Vice President of Engineering, Large/Medium Power Transformers, N.

America

ABB Inc.

When selecting a power transformer factory to build your transformer, a factory visit is part of the prequalification

process. In addition to confirming a manufacturer's ability to meet a purchaser's requirements and expectations,

here are some things you should be aware of and questions you should ask on your factory visit. Quality and the

winding process are two areas to look at very closely. But quality can never be achieved by inspections and

controls alone. Built‐in quality procedures are implemented in transformer production even before the design

work begins so as to ensure that customer requirements are interpreted correctly. This session will look at

operational excellence and quality processes and how they can impact your power transformer.

Krzysztof Kulasek is Vice President of Engineering for ABB Large and Medium Power Transformers in North

America located in Varennes, QC, Canada. While working in the transformer business for more than 20 years he

has been involved in new technology implementations in different factories as well as product and production

process development. Krzysztof’s areas of expertise include: transformer optimization, insulation design, SC

calculations, stray loss heating, process improvement and production optimization. As a member of the ABB global

technical team he contributes to R&D projects, technology and quality improvement initiatives and new engineers

training. Mr. Kulasek received his electrical engineering degree in 1993 at the Technical University of Lodz, Poland

from the faculty of Electrical Machines and Transformers. He has been an IEEE member since 2002.

2:30 PM – 3:15 PM Understanding Factory Testing Data – Part I

Mark Lachman, Director of Diagnostic Analyses


This presentation briefly describes significance of various electrical production tests with bulk of material arranged

around a typical test plan covering all final factory tests as per IEEE C57.12.00‐2010 and C57.12.90‐2010. For each

test, there will be an in‐depth discussion of each measurement, physics behind the measurement, setup and test

methodology and acceptance criteria.

Mark F. Lachman, Ph.D., P.E., has been with the power industry for over 30 years. In 2005, he joined Delta

Star in San Carlos, CA, where, as Test Manager, he was responsible for the test department operation. In

2011, he returned to Doble Engineering Company as Director of Diagnostic Analyses.

3:15 PM – 3:30 PM Break

3:30 PM – 4:15 PM Understanding Factory Testing Data – Part II

Mark Lachman, Director of Diagnostic Analyses


This presentation briefly describes significance of various electrical production tests with bulk of material arranged

around a typical test plan covering all final factory tests as per IEEE C57.12.00‐2010 and C57.12.90‐2010. For each

test, there will be an in‐depth discussion of each measurement, physics behind the measurement, setup and test

methodology and acceptance criteria.

Mark F. Lachman, Ph.D., P.E., has been with the power industry for over 30 years. In 2005, he joined Delta

Star in San Carlos, CA, where, as Test Manager, he was responsible for the test department operation. In

2011, he returned to Doble Engineering Company as Director of Diagnostic Analyses.

4:15 PM – 5:00 PM Shell‐Form Design & Construction

Juan Luis Thierry, Senior Transformer Consulting Engineer


The utility systems require a broad spectrum of equipment for the transmission of electric power from the

utility generating stations to distribution substations located near the industrial plants and residential areas.

Transformers are used in most of the power systems, as generator step‐up transformers; as transmission

autotransformers and as shunt reactors. Mobile substations are used by utilities for emergency or temporary

power sources. Power transformers are also used for special industrial application such as electric arc furnace

transformers which supply high current at low voltage power to arc furnaces used in steel making. The

purpose of this presentation is to identify the design and construction of the shell‐form transformers.

Juan Luis Thierry is a Senior Transformer Consulting Engineer for Doble Engineering Company concentrating

on transformer design review, factory inspections, factory acceptance tests, forensic analysis and condition

assessment. He applies his more than 30 years of power transformer experience in quality assurance,

manufacturing and electrical design for both transformer types, shell‐form and core‐form.

Prior joining Doble, Mr. Thierry held several positions at GE Bradenton Transformer Service Center. Prior to

GE, he was at Ohio Transformer Bradenton Remanufacturing Center in Florida where he worked in the

electrical design of the remanufacture of shell type three‐phase transformers up to 1000 MVA and single‐

phase transformers up to 600 MVA, in voltage class up to 525 kV and 1675 kV BIL. He initiated the

manufacture of new shell transformers back to USA in the Bradenton facility, designing both the mechanical

and electrical designs for three‐phase transformers up to 800 MVA and single‐phase transformers up to 200

MVA, in voltage class up to 525 kV. He designed more than 85 shell type transformers during his tenure in

Bradenton, Florida. Before coming to the USA, Mr. Thierry worked in IEM‐Westinghouse outside Mexico City

where he held several positions including Chief Design Engineer, Design Engineer, Manufacturing Chief and

QA Auditor. He worked in the electrical design for new and remanufactured transformers in both types of

core construction, core‐form and shell‐form.

Mr. Thierry received his BS in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from the National Autonomous

University of Mexico (UNAM) where he graduated with honors and received the “Gabino Barreda Medal”

granted by the UNAM for the best GPA of his class. He is a member of the IEEE Power Energy Society Power

Transformer Subcommittee and member of the IEEE Standards Association. Mr. Thierry is a member of the

U.S. National Council of the International Council on Large Electric Systems as well as a member of the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Ask the Experts Panel

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Welcome to Nashville Reception & Networking Event

All are welcome to attend Doble’s Welcome to Nashville Reception & Networking Event. Sample some great local foods, enjoy a drink with colleagues, and relax in a casual atmosphere.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016



8:00 AM ‐ 8:30 AM Autotransformers

Waldemar Ziomek, Senior Global Expert ‐ Power Transformers & High Voltage

Insulation

PTI Manitoba Inc.

When the primary and secondary voltages are obtained from the same winding, or from two windings which

are galvanically connected, such a transformer is called an autotransformer. The autotransformer requires

less turns than a two‐winding transformer. The presentation will focus on fundamentals, design and

applications of autotransformers. It will start with basic concept and typical winding arrangements. Next, the

voltage variation will be addressed through presentation of different tap winding arrangement in the unit.

Magnetic field distributions and resulting impedance at different tap positions will be shown. The selected

problems of insulating system will be discussed (e.g. end fed vs center fed HV lead bring out, stresses in the

end insulation). Examples of the lightning impulse voltage distributions for different winding arrangements

will be shown.

Dr. Waldemar Ziomek works as a senior expert ‐ power transformers and high voltage insulation, for PTI

Manitoba Inc, Canadian manufacturer of power transformers. In 2013‐2015 he worked for CG Power

Systems, an international T&D equipment company, as a global senior expert. Till 2013 he was employed by

CG Power Systems Canada Inc (formerly Pauwels Canada Inc) as Manager of Engineering. He started with

Pauwels in 1997 as an electrical designer, then in 1999 as an electrical engineering manager, and since 2003

as manager of engineering. Since 2001 he is also an adjunct professor at The University of Manitoba.

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM Mobile Transformers & Substations

Marion Jaroszewski, Senior Consultant

Delta Star, Inc.

Types and applications of mobile substations are presented. A mobile versus power transformer is discussed with

emphasis on the temperature ratings and associated with it hybrid insulation system, short circuit and dielectric

strength, oil preservation and cooling system design. The mobile transformer and substation testing is discussed.

The essentials of specifications and trailer components are also addressed.

Marion Jaroszewski’s expertise is in design of transportable (mobile and portable) high temperature transformers

and substations as well as core type power, generator step up, auxiliary and grounding transformers,

autotransformers and voltage regulators. Mr. Jaroszewski graduated from Technical University of Lodz, Poland

with EE degree in 1973. His master thesis was Methods of Calculation of Optimal Dimensions of Active Parts of

Power Transformers. He began his professional career with Transformer Manufacturer ELTA in Lodz, Poland. He

moved to the United States in 1981 where he worked as a Transformer Engineer for Alamo Transformers in

Houston. In 1985 was hired as a Design Engineer by H.K. Porter in Belmont, California and two years later was

promoted to Senior Design Engineer position. In 1988, two H. K. Porter transformer plants in Belmont, CA and in

Lynchburg, VA were bought by employees and became again Delta Star, Inc. In 1995, Marion was promoted to

Manager of Engineering position. He was promoted to Corporate Technical Officer in 2004. The same year he was

promoted to San Carlos Operations Manager and to Vice President of the company in 2005. Marion retired at the

end of 2009 and currently works part time as a consultant and technical advisor for Delta Star, Inc. He is Life

Member of IEEE and active participant in Transformer Committee working groups.

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Generator Step‐Up Transformer Overview

Enrique Betancourt, Technology Planning Manager

GE Prolec

Enrique Betancourt has a BS in Electromechanical Engineering from the Nuevo Leon State University and a

Diplomingenieur in Electrical Engineering (equivalent to the EE Master Degree in the US) from the Technical

University of Aachen (RWTH). He joined Prolec in 1989 as member of the technology development staff where he

made many technical publications and is co‐developer of several patents. He is currently in charge of developing

new technologies at Prolec GE. Mr. Betancourt collaborates with the Graduate School of Electromechanical

Engineering of UANL as Assistant Professor for High Voltage Engineering and Electromagnetic Transient Analysis.

He is member of several IEEE Transformer Committee Working Groups and is Mexico’s national representative for

CIGRE Study Committee A2 “Transformers.”

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM HVDC

Waldemar Ziomek, Senior Global Expert – Power Transformers

PTI Manitoba Inc.

Dr. Waldemar Ziomek works as a senior expert ‐ power transformers and high voltage insulation, for PTI Manitoba

Inc, Canadian manufacturer of power transformers. In 2013‐2015 he worked for CG Power Systems, an

international T&D equipment company, as a global senior expert. Till 2013 he was employed by CG Power Systems

Canada Inc (formerly Pauwels Canada Inc) as Manager of Engineering. He started with Pauwels in 1997 as an

electrical designer, then in 1999 as an electrical engineering manager, and since 2003 as manager of engineering.

Since 2001 he is also an adjunct professor at The University of Manitoba.

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM Break

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM Transformer Insulating Materials – An Introduction

Lars Schmidt, Technology Lead Center Manager – Insulation

ABB Inc.

This session offers an overview of power transformer insulation with a focus on cellulose based insulation

materials. Both raw materials and the conversion of cellulose to transformer board will be discussed including

environmental considerations. The main function of cellulose insulation in a power transformer will be covered

and the electrical, mechanical, and aging properties of pressboard, pressboard laminate and laminated wood will

be discussed.

Lars E. Schmidt is the Product Line Technology Manager for Transformer Insulation at ABB and located in Bad

Honnef, Germany. He is responsible for the development of new insulation materials and manufacturing

processes since 2011. ABB produces transformer insulation in different factories including Sweden, India, and

Germany. Lars joined ABB Corporate Research in 2006 and worked in the field of polymer based medium and

high voltage insulation. He has a background in Material´s Science and holds a PhD from the Swiss Federal

Institute of Technology, Lausanne.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Transformer Cooling Fundamentals

Craig Stiegemeier, TRES Technology Director

ABB Inc.

Jeff Cooper, Regional Manager

Unifin

This introductory presentation will provide an overview of pumps, coolers, fans, unit uprating, US and

International standards, ancillary and auxiliary systems, thermal constraints, ambient conditions, loading,

dynamic modeling, design limitations, leak repairs, and maintenance.

Losses in transformers are inevitable. Electromagnetic losses reflect as heat and consequently as elevated

temperatures due to thermal resistance. High temperature accelerates aging of insulation paper; the

Arrhenius equation shows that the life of a transformer is reduced by a factor of two with 8ºC rise in

temperature. The transformer dissipates heat through all three modes of heat transfer mechanisms ‐

conduction, convection and radiation. The predominant mode of cooling is convection. Both radiators and

coolers depend primarily on convection for heat dissipation. When is one preferred over the other? So how

is the temperature controlled in new transformers with environmentally more friendly oils that are more

viscous?

The second part of the presentation will address cooling system maintenance. With temperature control

being crucial in newer transformers, heat dissipation becomes very important. However, cooling system

performance, with or without moving mechanical equipment, deteriorates with age. Even systems without

oil‐pumps or fans can fail due to weathering, rusting and fouling. How do we evaluate the health of the

cooling system? Technology has improved with time, so what optimized solutions are available?

Craig Stiegemeier is the Director of Technology and Business Development for ABB’s North American Transformer

Remanufacturing and Engineering Services (TRES) organization. He is responsible for developing effective

processes supporting condition evaluation, assessment tools and life extension solutions for utility and industrial

users of power transformers. Craig began his career 36 years ago as a development and design engineer for large

shell‐form transformers for Westinghouse in Muncie, Indiana. He also has project management experience for the

US Navy as well as technical and commercial management for ABB’s transformer components business. He led the

ABB TrafoStar winding production improvement processes and was commercial operations manager for the St.

Louis power transformer operations before moving into transformer services in 2004.

Jeff Cooper is Regional Manager at Unifin. Prior to joining Unifin Mr. Cooper was employed at Westinghouse

Electric Corp in their Power Transformer & Circuit Breaker After‐Market Services Group and at ABB in Power

Transformer Marketing and in Utility Field Sales. He holds and International B.S. Mechanical Engineering from

Pennsylvania State University.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Proposed IEEE GIC Guide & Upcoming NERC Documents on Geomagnetic

Disturbance Mitigation

Jim McIver, Principal Applications Engineer

Siemens

Jim McIver has 40 years of experience in the North American electric power industry. Prior to Siemens' acquisition

of VA Tech, he was VA Tech's Technology Director and now serves as Principal Application Engineer. While at

Nevada Power, he managed design, procurement and maintenance of transformers, breakers and switchgear. As a

GE Senior Application Engineer, he specified phase shifters, provided forensic analysis of transformer field failures

and developed gas‐in‐oil diagnostics for sealed‐tank, network transformers. Mr. McIver is member of Eta Kappa

Nu, IEEE Transformer Committee, and is Professional Engineer in the State of New York. He earned his MSEE from

Rensellaer Polytechnic and is a New York state registered P.E.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM – 1:45 PM Transportation & Rigging

Ian Withrow, Nuclear National Account Manager

Barnhart Crane & Rigging

The transportation and rigging of a transformer is an important part of the procurement process. In today’s market

many of the transformers purchased include delivery to the pad as part of the purchase contract. We will discuss

the various modes of transportation (Sea, Inland Water, Rail, and Truck) and detail advantages and limitations of

each mode. The second part of the presentation will focus on rigging methods and acceptable practices. In recent

years, replacement of existing equipment often involves short outage windows in high hazard environments with

tight available work space. The discussion will provide details on methods to change out these components as well

as case studies demonstrating how this work can be accomplished in a safe manner.

Ian Withrow earned his electrical engineering degree from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN and

currently is a nuclear heavy lift and heavy transportation expert for Barnhart. Mr. Withrow began his career

with Barnhart in Project management working with the Nuclear Services Division. Mr. Withrow has managed

multiple major projects in the nuclear market including a coveted Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association

Rigging Job of the Year in 2012. Mr. Withrow has removed and replaced almost every component in a

nuclear facility including but not limited to feed water heaters, reactor heads, steam generators, moisture

separator reheaters, and transformers. His talents have allowed him to work for major utilities such as

Entergy, FENOC, Exelon, and Duke.

Currently Mr. Withrow resides in Southaven, MS with his wife Brea and his two children, Josephine and

Juniper.

1:00 PM – 1:45 PM High‐Temperature, Liquid‐Immersed Transformer Design using Advanced Materials

Jim McIver, Principal Applications Engineer

Siemens

Use of advanced insulation materials allows high‐temperature liquid immersed transformers to meet a variety of

specialty applications. Requirements such as higher temperature operation, increased fire/flashpoint or

biodegradable insulating fluids can be met with solid and liquid high‐temperature materials. During this session

we will look how these specialty transformers are designed, built, and tested. In addition, the standards and

specifications needed to request high‐temperature operation will be reviewed.

Jim McIver has 40 years of experience in the North American electric power industry. Prior to Siemens' acquisition

of VA Tech, he was VA Tech's Technology Director and now serves as Principal Application Engineer. While at

Nevada Power, he managed design, procurement and maintenance of transformers, breakers and switchgear. As a

GE Senior Application Engineer, he specified phase shifters, provided forensic analysis of transformer field failures

and developed gas‐in‐oil diagnostics for sealed‐tank, network transformers. Mr. McIver is member of Eta Kappa

Nu, IEEE Transformer Committee, and is Professional Engineer in the State of New York. He earned his MSEE from

Rensellaer Polytechnic and is a New York state registered P.E.

1:45 PM – 2:30 PM Transformer Operations & Loading

Phillip Prout, Principal Maintenance Engineer

National Grid, USA

This session identifies key areas associated with loading Power Transformers designed for a 65 C rise with

thermally upgraded insulation. The information was gathered from multiple standards, loading guidelines

and actual case studies. The document can be referred to when specifying new transformers, evaluating

factory thermal testing, rating transformers using thermal programs and assist in operating the transformers

while in service. Highlights of a few case studies to be explored are: confirming dryness of insulation prior to

leaving factory, evaluating factory thermal test results and calculating loading limitations for system control

are just a few highlights.

Phillip Prout is a principal maintenance engineer at National Grid USA in the Substation O&M Services Group

located in Massachusetts. He is a 1986 graduate of Wentworth Institute of Technology with a BSME degree. Mr.

Prout provides technical support to substation field operations and substation engineering. He has more than 30

years of experience in substation maintenance and design. When not working, he enjoys spending quality time

with his wife and children.

1:45 PM – 2:30 PM EMI Diagnostic Testing: Electric Plant Reliability for HV Power & Industrial Sites

James Timperley, Principal Engineer


Since 1980 electromagnetic interference (EMI) Diagnostics has provided information on the electrical and

mechanical condition of several thousand mission critical assets in power plants, heavy industry, petrochemical

and marine locations. This on‐line technique has been applied to many sizes and designs of generators, motors,

transformers, switchgear, power cables and bus. This session provides case studies of electrical and mechanical

deterioration identified with EMI Diagnostics. Several methods for data analysis are offered.

James E. Timperley is currently a Sr. Principal Engineer with Doble Engineering. He has 45 years’ experience in the

power industry with an emphasis on diagnostic testing, large electrical rotating machinery and isolated phase

bus. Jim has authored more than 80 technical papers in the areas of applied research, advanced insulation

systems, diagnostic testing, failure investigation, inspecting, maintaining and specifying rotating machinery for

IEEE, Doble, ASME, CIGRE, EPRI, DEIS, PCIC and the American Power Conference. His work has involved root cause

analysis of equipment failures, insulation deterioration mechanisms and developing repair procedures for use at

petrochemical and industrial sites as well as in fossil, nuclear and hydroelectric power plants.

Mr. Timperley is a Life Fellow of the IEEE and received the 2006 DEIS Dakin Award for the development of EMI

Diagnostics for power equipment. He is active in IEEE standards committees, holds a BSEE from Oklahoma State

University and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio. He has completed Basic Offshore Safety

Induction & Emergency Training (BOSIET) for working on off shore rigs.

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM Break

2:45 PM – 4:15 PM Transformer Bushing Fundamentals

Sebastien Riopel, Product Manager

Electro Composites / Hubbel Power Systems, Inc.

David Geibel, Technical Director

ABB, Inc.

This bushing fundamentals session will cover bushing theory, design, function, terminology, standards, and

different insulation technologies. Advantages, disadvantages, and differences in the types of OIP and composite

bushings available on the market today will be discussed. Attendees will have a clear understanding of installation,

maintenance, and testing procedures, and the challenges that may be encountered when working with OIP and

composite bushings. A thorough understanding of the details needed when planning a bushing replacement

project will be presented.

Sebastien Riopel is Product Manager for Electro Composites, an affiliate of Hubbell Power Systems, Inc. He has

been with Electro Composites since 1999, and has been involved in product engineering and testing, sales and

marketing. Mr. Riopel received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Ottawa, obtained a Masters

degree in Mechanical Engineering from L’École Polytechnique de Montréal, and is a registered professional

engineer in the Province of Québec.

David Geibel started out at General Electric Co. in Pittsfield MA over four decades ago and became a

transformer components engineer. GE sold him to Westinghouse and Westinghouse sold him to ABB. Mr.

Geibel has been the Engineering Manager for the ABB Alamo transformer components plant for about the

past decade and have recently transitioned over to Technical Director. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from

the University of Pittsburgh with a BSEE and holds several transformer components patents.

4:15 PM – 5:30 PM Load Tap Changer Fundamentals

Bernhard Kurth, General Manager

Reinhausen Manufacturing, Inc.

David Geibel, Engineering Manager

ABB, Inc.

Energized Load Tap Changers (LTCs), De‐Energized (DETC), Transmission Class, Distribution Class, Resistive,

Reactive, and so very much more. This is by far one of the most impressive presentations of the week, and it

is jam‐packed with information about history, usage, various designs, operations, maintenance, gas analysis,

repairs, failures and components. Representatives of ABB and Reinhausen will be on hand to make

presentations and then open the floor for discussion, and most importantly, to field your questions. This

extremely practical presentation will allow the attendees to ask about all types of subjects related to the

everyday operations, loading, and maintenance of transformer tap changers.

Bernhard Kurth, was born in Quito, Ecuador on June 29, 1960. He received a M.S. degree in Electrical

Engineering from Rhineland Westphalia Technical University at Aachen, Germany in 1987. Mr. Kurth has

been around On‐Load and Off‐Circuit Tap Changers for his entire career. He has been President of

Reinhausen Manufacturing in Humboldt, TN since its foundation in 1991. Before joining Reinhausen

Manufacturing, Bernhard worked as Area Sales Manager at Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH in

Regensburg, Germany, being then transferred as President of Reinhausen Canada Ltd. to Toronto, Canada in

1990.

David Geibel started out at General Electric Co. in Pittsfield MA over four decades ago and became a

transformer components engineer. GE sold him to Westinghouse and Westinghouse sold him to ABB. Mr.

Geibel has been the Engineering Manager for the ABB Alamo transformer components plant for about the

past decade and have recently transitioned over to Technical Director. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from

the University of Pittsburgh with a BSEE and holds several transformer components patents.

5:30 PM – 8:00 PM Industry Expo & Reception

Wednesday, February 3, 2016



7:00 AM – 8:00 AM What’s in the Box?

(Designed for 3‐Day Transformer Maintenance Program Seminar Attendees)

Troy Kabrich, Vice President & General Manager – Services Division SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc.

Power transformers demand a higher degree of care during installation. The large investment in the

transformers and their importance to the power system demonstrates the need for careful field preparation

for service. This presentation will highlight recommendations for the proper receipt, inspection, field

assembly, oil processing, and acceptance testing of large liquid immersed power transformers rated 10 MVA

or greater or with high voltage windings rated 69 kV and above. Basic transformer field installation topics and

standards will be reviewed to include inspections, equipment requirements, assembly and field dry out

techniques, determination of insulation moisture concentration, provisions for cold ambient temperature

processing, vacuum filling processes, and acceptance testing.

Troy Kabrich is currently the Vice President & General Manager for the Goldsboro, NC Manufacturing Plant

and the Service and Components Division of SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc. During his twenty‐five years of

industry experience, Mr. Kabrich has held positions as a Plant Manager, Director of Field Services, Repair

Operations Manager, Field Service Engineer, and Sales Engineer. He has published articles for T&D World and

Utility Automation and Engineering magazines, was author of Installation and Maintenance Chapter of Third

Revision of the Electric Power Transformer Engineering Handbook, and is a frequent contributor to industry

training programs. Troy has a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Rose‐Hulman

Institute of Technology.

8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Transformer Assembly, Oil Processing & Commissioning

Troy Kabrich, Vice President & General Manager – Services Division SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc.

This presentation will highlight recommendations for the proper receipt, inspection, field assembly, oil

processing, and acceptance testing of large liquid immersed power transformers. Transformer field

installation processes and standards will be reviewed to include impact recorders, equipment requirements,

assembly operations, field dry out techniques, determination of insulation moisture concentration, provisions

for cold ambient temperature processing, vacuum filling processes, and acceptance testing.

Troy Kabrich is currently the Vice President & General Manager for the Goldsboro, NC Manufacturing Plant

and the Service and Components Division of SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc. During his twenty‐five years of

industry experience, Mr. Kabrich has held positions as a Plant Manager, Director of Field Services, Repair

Operations Manager, Field Service Engineer, and Sales Engineer. He has published articles for T&D World and

Utility Automation and Engineering magazines, was author of Installation and Maintenance Chapter of Third

Revision of the Electric Power Transformer Engineering Handbook, and is a frequent contributor to industry

training programs. Troy has a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Rose‐Hulman

Institute of Technology.

*8:00 AM – 8:45 AM Corrosive Sulfur

Paul Griffin, Vice President Global Professional Services


Corrosive sulfur oil is known to have caused problems in electric apparatus and accessories. The problem is

complex and continued research is necessary. However, some significant improvements in understanding

have led to better tools to detect possible problems and help avoid them. Two test methods for oils have

been developed that are useful for detecting potential problems based on different failure modes. In‐service

oils can be tested and evaluated based on the application. Mitigation methods such as passivation are being

evaluated.

Paul Griffin is Doble Engineering Company’s Vice President Global Professional Services. Mr. Griffin has been

with Doble since 1979 and prior to his current role has held various positions including Laboratory Manager

and Vice President of Laboratory Services. Since joining Doble, Mr. Griffin has published over 50 technical

papers pertaining to testing of electrical insulating materials and electric apparatus diagnostics. He is a Fellow

of ASTM and a member of Committee D‐27 on Electrical Insulating Liquids and Gases. He was formerly ASTM

Subcommittee Chairman on Physical Test, ASTM Section Chairman on Gases in Oil, and the Technical Advisor

to the U.S. National Committee for participation in the International Electrotechnical Commission, Technical

Committee 10, and Fluids for Electrotechnical Applications. Mr. Griffin is a member of the IEEE Insulating

Fluids Subcommittee of the Transformer Committee.

8:45 AM – 9:30 AM Transformer Design Reviews



An effective procurement system utilizes the preapproval process to identify suitable power transformer

vendors and a design review to establish an agreed upon design and procurement process. This preapproval

approval process should include factory qualification audits which are essential to confirm a manufacturer’s

ability to meet a purchaser’s requirements and expectations. The design review is performed to establish an

agreed upon design and to facilitate the procurement process. That the supplier is capable of meeting the

purchaser’s procurement specifications is confirmed during this process and the procurement process is

expedited by bringing the purchaser and supplier together on the technical details of the purchased

transformer.

Bill Griesacker is a member of Doble Engineering Company as a transformer engineer working on projects

that include factory inspections, condition assessment, design reviews, failure analysis and general

consulting. He previously worked for Pennsylvania Transformer Technology Inc., where he held various

positions including Engineering Manager. His work included high voltage insulation design, transient voltage

modeling of power transformer windings and various LTC and DETC switch development projects. Prior to

this, he was employed by the Westinghouse Electric Company, working on synchronous generator projects as

a member of the Generator Engineering Department. Mr. Griesacker started his career with Cooper Power

Systems in large power transformers and later worked in the Kyle Switchgear, Vacuum Interrupter

Department. He has earned a MS in electric power engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and

a BS in electrical engineering from Gannon University. Mr. Griesacker is an active member of the IEEE.

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM Break

9:45 AM – 11:15 AM Transformer Field Testing

Robert Brusetti, Director, Client Service Engineering


Financial implications and complex of the asset are the primary reasons power transformers are viewed as

the most critical component in the electric power system. Field‐testing provides the engineer with a group of

tools to assess the condition of the transformer and to identify problems and the level of criticality. Each test

provides data to support decisions about transformer. The early detection of problems can minimize the

repairs involved and mitigate catastrophic failures. The scope of this presentation is to consolidate all the

current techniques for field testing transformers and identify each test’s true capability.

Robert Brusetti received his BS in Electrical Engineer degree from the University of Vermont in 1984 and a

MBA from Boston College in 1988. He has been employed at Doble Engineering Company for twenty years

and currently serves as Director of Client Service Engineering. Prior to his present responsibility he has held

positions as Product Manager and Field Engineer. Mr. Brusetti is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state

of Massachusetts.

11:15 AM – 1:45 PM Industry Expo & Lunch

1:45 PM – 2:45 PM Insulating Fluid Basic: Dissolved Gas Analysis, Oil Sampling, LTC DGA & Oil Analysis

Lance Lewand, Director Insulating Materials Laboratories


This presentation will provide information on insulating fluids, focusing on various characteristics and the most

common analytical tests performed on insulating fluids to assess the condition of the insulating fluid and health of

the transformer. Important aspects of the sampling process for insulating fluids will be covered to help ensure

that a representative sample of the bulk insulating fluid is obtained.

1:45 PM ‐ 2:45 PM Iso‐Phase Bus Circulating Current and Overheating Issues

Gary Whitehead, Power Project Specialist

Electrical Builders Inc.

The purpose of this presentation is to educate the audience in the evolution of the design of isolated phase

bus, and how circulating currents affect those different designs. Circulating currents can cause havoc with an

isolated bhase bus system, and the basic design of the bus will dictate the best practices that have been

identified for analysis, inspection, cleaning and maintenance of those bus systems. The isolated phase bus

systems have largely been ignored, forgetting it is the only system critical component in the power plant that

does not have redundancy. With a renewed focus on the systems, many plants do not realize how different

designs can cause different problems. This presentation will provide information on the different isolated

phase bus designs and how circulating currents create different problems with those designs.

Gary Whitehead is the Power Projects Specialist at Electrical Builders Inc. (EBI). Since coming to EBI his main

focus has been working on projects such as new installation, retrofits as well as design improvements and

value engineering on existing systems. Mr. Whitehead has attended numerous colleges studying industrial

and architectural drafting and design. He has over 7 years of experience in this industry working for

AZZ/Calvert, a designer and manufacturer of Iso‐Phase systems as an Engineering Technical Coordinator and

also in their Installation Services as a Designer/Quotation Specialist and Project Manager.

2:45 PM – 3:30 PM Workforce Automation & Transformer Test Data Management

Barry Rogen, Engineer


Maintenance personnel have faced a number of challenges when using test equipment which require either

external controllers or laptop computers. These challenges include IT firewall issues, communication port conflicts

and other general connectivity barriers. These challenges result in a disproportionate amount of time spent on

preparing for a test instead of actually testing and often no consistency in the manner in which data was

collected. Some electric utilities recognized that they needed to make changes to develop a consistent work

process that could be implemented company‐wide. This paper will chronicle the steps taken to identify and

eliminate redundant and manual steps through automation, with the end result being an increase in productivity

and data integrity.

Barry Rogan is an Engineer focusing on implementations. He joined Doble in September 2015 after 38 years with

electric utilities in the eastern United States focusing on substation maintenance and standards. He managed

several maintenance management systems from desktop applications to Maximo, SAP and Cascade. Most of these

applications required mobile hardware technology, starting with PDAs thru todays rugged tablet devices.

2:45 PM – 3:30 PM Cable Diagnostic Testing

Kent Brown

KWBrown Consulting

Cables in distribution systems, industrial facilities and generating stations are vital and robust assets which have

historically required minimal attention. However, as these assets age, failure can lead to lost productivity, long

customer or component outages, and large unanticipated capital outlays. In order to avoid such surprises, users

naturally turn to test and monitoring options. The number of available test options can be daunting and not all are

applicable to every insulation system or to every neutral design. This session will provide the user with an overview

of the criteria for identifying the optimum method or methods for evaluation their system.

Kent W. Brown is the owner of KWBrown Consulting in Chattanooga, TN. He has over 40 years of utility experience

and has been active in the IEEE's Insulated Conductor Committee since the 1980s. He is a Life Fellow of IEEE,

having been recognized for in 2014 for leadership in standards development for design, testing, and utilization of

electrical equipment for the nuclear power industry. Mr. Brown holds BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering

from the University of Louisville.

3:30 PM – 3:45 PM Break

3:45 PM – 4:45 PM Transformer Oil Processing & Field Vacuum Dry‐out

Greg Steeves, General Manager

Baron USA, LLC

Transformer life depends mainly on the condition of the liquid & solid insulation. The liquid insulation can be

maintained and restored with purification & reclamation. The solid insulation however is difficult to maintain

directly. Various technologies and techniques are available to maintain the insulation (both directly & indirectly).

Appropriate selection and application of transformer dry‐out technologies and techniques can extend transformer

life, reduce downtime and save money. These technologies and their field applications will be discussed during this

presentation.

Greg Steeves is General Manager and principle engineer of Baron USA, LLC. Baron is the premier provider of

transformer dry‐out and dielectric fluid processing systems for OEM’s, utilities and field service organizations

worldwide. Greg joined Baron USA as Engineering Manager in 1987. He is currently responsible for managing the

daily operations and overseeing the application, engineering design and manufacturing of oil purification

equipment, vacuum chambers, vapor phase processing and transformer dry‐out equipment. He earned his degree

in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee Technological University and is licensed in the state of Tennessee.

3:45 PM – 5:30 PM Advanced Insulating Fluid Topics

Isoparaffinic Transformer Oils

Chris Armstrong, Sr. Technical Services Advisor

Petro‐Canada Lubricants Inc.

Catalytic dewaxing technology has led to the development of isoparaffinic

transformer oils with desirable physical and chemical properties. Severe refining

processes produce isoparaffinic oil that has excellent additive response and is

virtually corrosive‐sulphur free. These properties make isoparaffinic base oils

ideally suited for transformer oil applications in various operating environments.

The technologies available for the production of isoparaffinic transformer oils

will be discussed in this presentation, with an emphasis on factors that have led

to technological improvements in the industry.

Chris Armstrong is Sr. Technical Services Advisor for Petro‐Canada Lubricants’

Luminol Transformer Fluid product line. He has worked for Petro‐Canada for

over 20 years and has held positions in Refinery Operations, Sales, Research &

Development and Technical Services. Currently as a Sr. Technical Services

Advisor, he is a voting member of ASTM Committee D27 on Electrical Insulating

Liquids and Gases. He holds a Material Engineering Technology diploma from

Mohawk College and his CLS certification from the STLE.

Naphthenic Mineral Insulating Oil Manufacture, Additives & Storage

Jimmy Rasco, Vice President – Global Base Oil Technology

Ergon, Inc.

This portion of the panel will cover Naphthenic Mineral Insulating Oil Manufacturing,

Additives and Storage. Naphthenic oils have been used as transformer insulating oil

successfully for many years. They have heat transfer and low temperature properties

that make them well suited for this application. This paper will review some history of

naphthenics use as insulating oil and manufacturing processes that refiners employ to

produce them. It will review how refining impacts the type, quality and performance

of the oils in transformers along with different additives that can impact performance.

It will also look at transformer oil is stored to ensure its integrity for delivery.

Jimmy Rasco has responsibility for quality and development of naphthenic and

paraffinic base oils. He has worked with Ergon for 20 years and has 40 years of

experience in Quality Control and Technical Support of petroleum refined products.

He has a BS degree in Chemistry from Alcorn State University. Jimmy is a member of

the American Chemical Society, CIGRE, IEEE, IEC, ANSI TAG to IEC TC 10 and ASTM

where he serves as Chairman of Subcommittee 27.01 for Mineral Oil. He has served

on numerous Maintenance Teams and Working Groups for International

organizations governing transformer oil.

Synthetic Esters

Russell Martin, Chief Technical Manager

M&I Materials

Synthetic ester‐based fluid has been used for nearly four decades in a myriad of

different transformer and non‐transformer applications due to its robust nature. This

fluid can be used in almost every type of transformer, from distribution to large

power, breathing, sealed and high temperature. It stands up to the most rigorous

conditions and has a proven track record in applications such as compact rolling stock

transformers.

Dr. Russell Martin is the Chief Technical Manager for Dielectric Fluids at M&I

Materials, Manchester, where he leads the Technical Development and Application

Innovations for ester transformer fluids. He holds a PhD in Chemistry and is a Fellow

of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He contributes to various CIGRE, IEEE, ASTM, IEC

and BSI technical & standard groups and was awarded the CIGRE technical Committee

Award for outstanding contribution by the A2 (Transformer) division in 2010, and the

IEC 1906 Award in (2011) for updating the standard IEC 61099 (Synthetic Esters for

Electrical Purposes).

Natural Esters

David Bingenheimer, Global Technology Manager

Cargill Industrial Specialties

Natural ester insulating liquid has been applied within transformers for 20 years,

and is being specified in distribution through power transformers at an

accelerated rate. Based upon the numerous distribution, small, medium and

large power transformers operating since the mid 1990’s, through the effective

energization and operation of a 420 kV power transformer in 2013, utilities on

several continents are specifying natural esters as their preferred insulating

liquid. In total, there are one million natural ester transformers operating

worldwide without a reported fire or environmental incident. A discussion of

the similarities and differences of natural esters compared to mineral oil,

including the enhanced capabilities that are being effectively integrated into

transformer designs, will be presented. Laboratory studies and field operation

data indicates that natural ester liquids are a robust and reliable solution for

transformers in all climate conditions and maintenance policies. Natural esters

are standardized by both IEEE and IEC.

David Bingenheimer, Global Technology Manager – Dielectric Fluids – Cargill

Industrial Specialties, has a diverse professional background including 25 years of

technical, marketing, and product management experience. Mr. Bingenheimer has

led the dielectric fluids activities at Cooper Power Systems and Cargill for the past

decade. He has authored and presented technical papers and training modules

related to the application and validation of dielectric fluids in transformers, and has

actively participated in numerous industry conferences and seminars. He received his

Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Marquette University and

Master of Business Administration Degree in International Management from the

University of Dallas.

4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Measuring and Locating Partial Discharge in Transformer in Service

Falk Werner, Sr. Field Engineer


Subject of the presentation is a transformer fleet PD assessment performed in the Caribbean in 2015.

Measurement approaches and findings are laid out covering HFCT, RFI and acoustic PD testing. As a result of

the assessment a transformer with defective cable L‐bows was identified. In order to prevent failure of the

equipment, those L‐bows were inspected and significant deterioration was found within the connection.

Falk Werner studied Electronics and Information Technology with a focus on Telecommunication and Signal

Processing at the University of Stuttgart in Germany. His final thesis was Location of Partial Discharges by

Means of Sensor Arrays. Mr. Werner has in‐depth knowledge of partial discharge (PD) diagnostics and

measurement methods on high voltage insulation systems. At Doble Lemke in Germany he co‐developed the

PD solutions range. Mr. Werner has several publications to his credit and is currently a Doble Power Services

Engineer at Doble Engineering Company focusing on partial discharge, diagnostics and solution development.

A German native, Mr. Werner speaks German, English and French.

5:30 PM – 6:00 PM Ask the Experts Panel

6:30 PM – 10:30 PM Evening at the Wildhorse Saloon Sponsored by SPX Transformer Solutions, A‐Line, Doble Professional Services, and Electrical Builder’s Inc. (EBI)

Gold sponsor SPX and bronze sponsors A‐Line, Electrical Builder’s Inc. (EBI) and Doble Professional Services,

invite seminar attendees to the world famous Wildhorse Saloon for a night filled with BBQ, Country‐Western

music, line dancing, and fun in the heart of Music City’s downtown. Companions and exhibitors may attend for a

fee of $75. Visit the Registration & Information Desk for additional information.

Thursday, February 4, 2016



8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Panel Group Presentations

Transformer Maintenance: Commonly Overlooked Items

Rick Youngblood, Principal Engineer


Maintenance is a widely varying topic when it comes to transformers. The common

list of items typically performed cover 90% of all transformers but it’s the 10% of the

items overlooked that can have the same catastrophic consequences. This paper is

intended to make the reader think about the lesser maintained items and add them

into the list of regularly performed maintenance and test tasks.

Rick Youngblood’s engineering career spans more than three decades. After

leaving active duty from the Air Force he joined Cinergy Corporation (then

known as Public Service of Indiana) as an entry level engineer. After receiving his

BSEE from Purdue University he was promoted to Project Engineer and then

Manager of Technical Services in their Northern Division responsible for

construction, maintenance and metering. After merging with Cincinnati Gas and

Electric and forming Cinergy Corporation, Mr. Youngblood became Senior

Engineer responsible for implementing their CMM System “Maximo” and

developing their condition‐based maintenance program. He went on to become

Supervising Engineer for Substation Services. In 2004 Mr. Youngblood joined

American Electrical Testing Company as Regional Manager of their Midwest

office. He obtained his NETA 3 certification and went on to perform

maintenance and testing in utility and industrial environments. He joined Doble

Engineering Company in 2010 as Principal Engineer in the Client Service group.

On‐Site Transformer Core Rewind

Cheryl Basel, GE Industrial Solutions – Repairs Senior Sales Manager

GE Energy Management

Cheryl Basel is a graduate of the Keiser University with Bachelor Degrees in Business

Management and Business Administration. She has worked for Ohio Transformer, SD

Myers, GE’s Bradenton repair facility and GE Industrial Solutions in roles of increasing

responsibility including Global Transformer Sales Leader for the transformer repairs

and services segment. Ms. Basell left GE for a Sales and Marketing role at Southwest

Electric Company, She returned to GE as the Repairs Senior Sales Manager for

Transformer Services in 2014. She has over 17 years of transformer experience

including manufacturing, and remanufactuirng of core form and shell form

transformers up to 1000 MVA, 525 kV, repairs and upgrades of transformers, field

service and failure/risk analysis.

Cooling System Maintenance for Transformers

Kevin Riley, Product Development Manager

Trantech Radiator Products

With temperature control being crucial in newer transformers, heat dissipation

becomes very important. However, cooling system performance, with or

without moving mechanical equipment, deteriorates with age. Even systems

without oil‐pumps or fans can fail due to weathering, rusting and fouling. How

do we evaluate the health of the cooling system? Technology has improved with

time, so what optimized solutions are available?

Kevin Riley is a Mechanical Engineer and certified Six Sigma Black Belt. He has been

with Trantech Radiator Products for 7 years and is the Quality and Product

Development Manager. Kevin has worked in the heat exchanger industry for over 10

years holding positions at Young Touchstone and Trantech within senior engineering

and operations for products as diverse as Cuprobraze, Fin and Tube and Plate

Radiator technologies. Kevin has also worked with Electric Utility and Generation

customers for over 12 years in the Fleet, Genset and T&D sectors. He currently works

on cooling systems development and components with OEM and utility customers for

new and replacement applications covering all types of transformers and equipment.

Before beginning his career in the private sector with Caterpillar, Mr. Riley served as

an officer in the United States Navy.

LTC Retrofit

Craig Stiegemeier, TRES Technology Director

ABB Inc.

For those who attended the Load Tap Changer Fundamental session on Tuesday, you

learned the basics of tap changers, including the differences between resistance and

reactance switching. Today’s next sessions in the advanced track on LTC Maintenance

will provide insight into the maintenance requirements for load tap changers. This

portion of the maintenance panel will investigate options when a tap changer has

reached the practical end of its service life. A brief look into the different types of

load tap changers and actual retrofit examples will be covered during the

presentation.

Craig Stiegemeier is the Director of Technology and Business Development for ABB’s

North American Transformer Remanufacturing and Engineering Services (TRES)

organization. He is responsible for developing effective processes supporting

condition evaluation, assessment tools and life extension solutions for utility and

industrial users of power transformers. Craig began his career 36 years ago as a

development and design engineer for large shell‐form transformers for Westinghouse

in Muncie, Indiana. He also has project management experience for the US Navy as

well as technical and commercial management for ABB’s transformer components

business. He led the ABB TrafoStar winding production improvement processes and

was commercial operations manager for the St. Louis power transformer operations

before moving into transformer services in 2004.

GSU On‐line Oil Leak Repair Case Study

Ali Naderian, Project Manager

Kinectrics, Inc.

This presentation describes a case study of repairing turret oil leak of several 500MVA

230kV GSU while they are energized. There are several large GSUs in one of largest

nuclear plants with the issue of oil leak at the turret. The units are critical and the

utility could not afford outage and was looking for a mid‐term solution (5 to 10 years)

before getting to a major overhaul. The presentation describes steps taken to the

project including review of a few available solutions, peforming Electric and Magnetic

Field Measurement at work zone, selecting reasonable solution: Turret Enclosure to

be sealed by injecting polymeric sealant, measurement, engineering, calculation,

design of repair material, simulation of electromagnetic and thermal using Comsol

Multiphysics FEM and fabrication of enclosures , installation,and testing. The project

conducted successfully and the turrets have been monitored periodically for possible

leaking.

Ali Naderian experience includes design and testing of switchgears and power

transformers for ISC and Siemens. He was co‐designer of a 900 kV cascade UHV

testing transformer. Since 2007 he has been project manager of high voltage

testing at Kinectrics Inc. (Formerly Ontario Hydro Research) since 2007 working

on diagnostics of power transformers and underground cables. He performs on‐

line and off‐line PD measurements for HV apparatus. His research interests

include partial discharge, dielectric frequency response, and frequency response

analysis. He is the co‐author of EPRI Underground Distribution Reference Book,

is a senior member of IEEE and an active member of IEEE Transformer

Committee.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Tap Changer Controls

David Aldrich, Regional Sales Manager

Beckwith Electric

David Aldrich, IEEE Senior Member, is the Application & Regional Sales Manager for the Central U.S. for Beckwith

Electric. He joined Beckwith Electric in 2012 with over 30 years of experience in nearly all aspects of electric power

systems. Prior to Beckwith Electric, Mr. Aldrich had management roles at Schneider Engineering, Origin Geo

Systems, Texas Power and Light/TU Electric (now Oncor) and TU Electric’s Distribution Information Systems. Mr.

Aldrich has published several papers and presented at various conferences related to electric power planning and

operation. He is very active in industry organizations, serving as president of local chapters of IEEE‐PES and TSPE.

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Introduction to Transformer Protection

Ed Khan, Director of Protection Training & Research & Development


This presentation deals with the protection of a transformer against short circuits, through faults and several

other abnormal system conditions. As part of this presentation, application of transformers in a harmonic

environment will also be discussed. Transformers are very critical and expensive asset applied in a power

system. Hence, extreme care and attention should be paid to make sure that transformers are adequately

protected. Timely removal of transformers in the event of abnormal system condition is a deciding factor

between replacing or repairing a transformer.

Ed Khan is the Director of Protection Training and R&D at Doble Engineering. He has been with Doble for 7

years. At Doble, he had also worked as the Product Manager for the protection testing product line. Prior to

joining Doble, Ed had worked for several companies such as GE, Westinghouse, ABB, KEMA, SEL and others.

He has a very broad background in power systems and has performed system studies, relay application,

coordination studies, and equipment sizing for power plants. He has presented various courses and seminars

on protection, and harmonics both in US and overseas.

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM Break

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM Factory Repair

Pravin T. Khanna, Global Product Manager

ABB Inc.

In North America typical power transformer fleets are more than 40 years old. Many utilities are facing challenges

to keep the power transformer fleet reliable and are applying condition based maintenance programs to maintain

large fleet of transformers. When a power transformer fails, the options available for the end user are to replace

with a new transformer or repair or remanufacture the existing transformer. In this presentation we will discuss

options and advantages of doing a repair of transformer, what important points need to be considered during the

repair process. Two case studies will go into detail in covering major repairs conducted on important

transformers. One covers a GSU transformer where the transformer three phase windings were replaced along

with eliminating off load tap changer. The second highlights a HVDC repair where all coils were rewound and end

user were able to save time and money in the complete process.

Today with advanced design tools it is possible to identify the possible weakness on a 30 plus year old transformer

and improve the design and performance of the transformers during repair process. Thus, it is possible to achieve

and improve life of the transformer as new by improving design, applying today’s industry standards for short

circuit calculations and improve dielectric insulation system and more. In some cases by performing the design

study it is possible to upgrade the transformer power rating to meet additional demand for the station. On many

occasions the end user opts for repair option due to the time constraint in order to have transformer back on line

as soon as possible and also due to the civil infrastructure limitations. A repaired transformer ensures that

physical match up will be identical to the transformer that is removed from service.

Pravin Khanna is the Global Product Manager for Transformer Repairs for ABB’s Transformer Remanufacturing and

Engineering Services (TRES) organization based out of St. Louis, MO. He is responsible for developing effective

processes supporting transformer factory and onsite repairs. Pravin completed his electrical engineering from

Mumbai India and studied MBA In USA. He began his career 24 years ago as production engineer for large power

transformer factory in India. In 1996 Pravin joined a large Power transformer unit in Israel and worked as specialist

for large power transformers. Pravin joined ABB in year 2000 in Canada and was responsible for Small power and

larger power transformer . In 2006 Pravin moved to Saint Louis and joined ABB transformer services as repair

business manager for North America. Since 2010, Pravin is responsible globally for transformer repair services for

factory and onsite repair.

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM LTC Maintenance & Extending Maintenance Cycles

Jim McLean, Director of LTC Business

North American Substation Services

This presentation is centered on the maintenance of LTCs and what you can do to aid in extending your

maintenance cycles. It will cover items such as; filtration, coke formations, contact upgrades, contact alignment

and understanding your LTCs needs.

Jim McLean is the Director of LTC Business for North American Substation Services LLC. He has held key positions

in the service, sales and marketing areas for Reinhausen Manufacturing and Waukesha Electric Systems. He has

30 years of experience in the service and support of manufacturing, maintenance and field operations. He has16

years of experience in Field Service Management. He has traveled the United States, Canada, The Caribbean and

Europe as a computer programmer specializing in interface and communications. He is a training class developer

and instructor for LTC training classes where he has instructed over 120 classes and 950 students across the

United States and Canada. He has traveled to Venezuela to lead in a LTC failure analysis. Jims enjoys working with

youth sports and teaching proper techniques for football and basketball. He is the past President, V President and

Senior Division V President for Medina Football & Cheerleading League where he lead in the activities of 12 youth

league football and cheerleading teams. He has been a head basketball coach with the Boys & Girls Club of

America in North Carolina. He is an active board member of the local high school athletic booster club. Jim is

originally from North Carolina where he attended both Central Piedmont Community College and Gaston College.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Transformer Intelligent Condition Monitoring Solutions

Tony McGrail, Solutions Director, for Asset Management & Monitoring

Technology

G. Matthew Kennedy, Solutions Director, Enterprise & Technology Data


In this presentation we will look at aspects of transformer condition monitoring ‐ from the need to set goals and

defining relevant monitoring parameters through to communicating of data/information and the need to have a

predefined and agreed action plan. Intelligent condition monitoring can yield great benefits and we will discuss

and present ways and means to achieve those benefits.

Tony McGrail is Doble Engineering Company’s Solutions Director for Asset Management & Monitoring Technology, providing condition, criticality and risk analysis for utility companies. Previously Dr. McGrail has spent over 10 years with National Grid in the UK and the US; he has been both a substation equipment specialist, with a focus on power transformers, circuit breakers and integrated condition monitoring, and has also taken on the role of substation asset manager and distribution asset manager, identifying risks and opportunities for investment in an ageing infrastructure. Dr. McGrail is a Fellow of the IET, Chairman of the IET Council, a member of the IEEE, ASTM, CIGRE and the IAM, is currently on the executive committee of the Doble Client Committee on Asset and Maintenance Management, and a contributor to SFRA and other standards. His initial degree was in Physics,

supplemented by an MS and a PhD in EE and an MBA. Dr. McGrail has a commitment to lifelong learning and is an Adjunct Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA, leading courses in power systems analysis and distribution fundamentals. G. Matthew Kennedy is Doble Engineering Company’s Solutions Director: Enterprise and Data Technology, overseeing the complete software and cloud product vision of the company. During his time at Doble, Mr. Kennedy has had leading roles in the innovation and development of products such as the M‐Series (M4, M5, M7), DTA, dobleARMS™ and dobleDATABASE™. With a keen interest in diagnostic technology, Mr. Kennedy has authored diagnostic analysis sections for international standards in addition to numerous papers, journal and magazine articles for the power industry. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied signal and digital signal processing. His post graduate studies continued with the US Navy: Nuclear Power School, University of Idaho in Electrical Power Engineering and Cornell University in Product Design and Development. He is a member of IEEE, IEC, USNC, and ISO. 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM LTC Maintenance Requirements and Steps for In‐Tank LTC

Bernhard Kurth, General Manager

Paul Shuttleworth

Reinhausen Manufacturing Inc.

Bernhard Kurth was born in Quito, Ecuador on June 29, 1960. He received a M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering

from Rhineland Westphalia Technical University at Aachen, Germany in 1987 and has been around On‐Load and

Off‐Circuit Tap Changers for his entire career. He has been President of Reinhausen Manufacturing in Humboldt,

TN since its foundation in 1991. Before joining Reinhausen Manufacturing, Mr. Kurth worked as Area Sales

Manager at Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH in Regensburg, Germany, being then transferred as President of

Reinhausen Canada Ltd. to Toronto, Canada in 1990.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Transformer Fleet Health Assessments



Brett Stewart

Pepco Holdings Inc.

Paul Griffin is Doble Engineering Company’s Vice President of Global Professional Services. Mr. Griffin has

been with Doble since 1979 and prior to his current role has held various positions including Laboratory

Manager and Vice President of Laboratory Services. Since joining Doble, Mr. Griffin has published over 50

technical papers pertaining to testing of electrical insulating materials and electric apparatus diagnostics. He

is a Fellow of ASTM and a member of Committee D‐27 on Electrical Insulating Liquids and Gases. He was

formerly ASTM Subcommittee Chairman on Physical Test, ASTM Section Chairman on Gases in Oil, and the

Technical Advisor to the U.S. National Committee for participation in the International Electrotechnical

Commission, Technical Committee 10, and Fluids for Electrotechnical Applications. Mr. Griffin is a member of

the IEEE Insulating Fluids Subcommittee of the Transformer Committee.

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Advanced Transformer Field Testing & Diagnostics

This advanced session expands on Wednesday’s session and delves into greater detail on the following

subjects with the experts from Doble.

Basic Insulation Theory (Cap/PF) Transformer and Bushings – Power Factor

& Capacitance

Robert Brusetti; Doble Engineering Company

Single Phase Exciting Current and Loss

Mark Lachman; Doble Engineering Company

Leakage Reactance

Robert Brusetti; Doble Engineering Company

SFRA

Mark Lachman; Doble Engineering Company

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM Mobile On‐Site Transformer Testing with Static Frequency Converters

Stefan Bergmann, Area Sales Manager

High Volt

Greg Lobo, Test Engineer

Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc.

Power transformer testing is one of the most sophisticated processes undertaken to assess a transformer before it

can be placed into operation. The full range of tests to be performed are very complex and the factory and field

test systems have to fulfill challenging demands.

Ongoing technical progress, especially in power electronics, now gives test laboratories a choice between two

main power source types. Sources based on rotary converters (generators) are well‐established and used in many

test labs. Alternatively, static frequency converter (SFC) based power sources can provide a stable and harmonic‐

free test voltage for a transformer test system. Because the output frequency can be freely adjusted, a wide range

of AC transformer tests are possible.

In this presentation, the main principles and applications of test systems for transformers with SFC‐based power

sources will be explained. Practical experiences with these systems in the factory and field will be presented.

Stefan Bergmann studied electrical engineering at the Technical University of Dresden, Germany. He received his academic degree (Dipl.Ing / M.Sc.E.E.) in 2007 following an apprenticeship as a power electronic technician. He was a design engineer for power distribution systems in nuclear power plants at AREVA NP GmbH (Erlangen, Germany) prior to joining HIGHVOLT Prüftechnik Dresden GmbH in 2012. Greg Lobo has been an Electrical Engineer since 2012 and has been employed as a Test Engineer for high voltage power transformers by Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. since 2013. In this role, Mr. Lobo is responsible for creating test procedures based on customer specifications, conducting the transformer tests according to applicable standards such as IEEE or IEC, and providing test reports to customers. In 2012, he

began his career with Smith Seckman Reid, Inc., where he primarily worked in electrical engineering designs for new construction projects such as schools, prisons, factories, hospitals and theaters.

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM Break

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Panel Group Presentations: Transformer Risk Mitigation & Failure Analysis

Preventing or Avoiding Transformer Failures

Bill Bartley, Special Engineering Consultant

HSB

The insurance industry provides utilities and other owners with insurance

coverage for many different types of transformers and transformer

applications. The transformers vary in size, design, construction, age, and

operational environments. But regardless of the type or application, there are

some common key elements of risk mitigation plans that are imperative to the

long life of a transformer. Key elements of the plan can range from well‐known

maintenance practices to “expert” monitoring systems. This presentation will

discuss the key elements, from an insurer’s perspective.

William Bartley has over 40 years of experience with large electrical apparatus

found in utilities and industrial plants. He joined Hartford Steam Boiler in 1971

and established many of the HSB Engineering standards for electrical power

apparatus. In 2012, he retired from HSB, and currently serves as a special

Engineering Consultant. Mr. Bartley is a Registered Professional Engineer in

Connecticut, and an IEEE Life Fellow. He served for three years on the IEEE

Standards Board, and was Chair of Standards Coordinating Committee in the

Technical Council of the IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES). He is a Member of

the PES Transformers Committee, and was a Committee officer, and Chair of

their Standards Subcommittee.

Root Causes of Failures



Forensic examinations are conducted for a number of reasons; however, the end

goal is typically to determine the root cause of the failure. Often this

examination involves the review of historical operating conditions prior to the

failure and the disassembly of the failed transformer in search of supporting

evidence. Case studies will be presented.

Bill Griesacker is a member of Doble Engineering Company as a transformer

engineer working on projects that include factory inspections, condition

assessment, design reviews, failure analysis and general consulting. Mr.

Griesacker holds an MS in electric power engineering from the Rensselaer

Polytechnic Institute and a BS in electrical engineering from Gannon University.

He is an active member of the IEEE, PES Transformers Committee where he

holds positions in several working groups and subcommittees.

Forensic Decommissioning

Anne Bailey, Sales Manager

A‐Line E.D.S.

Each transformer recycling project is unique based on the transformer design,

location and circumstances for removal. This presentation will provide project

examples to showcase on‐site removal options and expectations as well as showcase

the specialized equipment available to aide in the detailed assessment of power

transformers. Project examples will include premature transformer failure

assessment as well as procedures for obtaining samples during routine transformer

replacement projects to aide in condition assessment initiatives.

Anne Bailey has been with A‐Line E.D.S. managing transformer recycling projects for

the past 10 years. She has experience contracting, evaluating and managing on‐site

transformer dismantling projects to provide turnkey services including the safe and

environmentally sound disposal of power transformers including specialty services for

forensic decommissioning.

Case Studies

Bill Bartley, Special Engineering Consultant

HSB

Risk Management during Maintenance Activities Using Internal or Outsourced

Resources

Don Dorris, Operations Engineer III

Nashville Electric Services

Don Dorris is Operations Engineer III over the Power Group for Nashville Electric

Service in Nashville, TN, involved in the power transformer specifications, factory

testing and failure teardown inspections. He oversees engineers and technicians

involved in installing, commissioning, operating, modifying, testing, analyzing and

decommissioning substations, analyzes test results on power transformers and circuit

breakers and recommends courses of action and develops and calculates the

condition assessments on the power transformers and circuit breakers. He also

develops testing and operating standards for NES Operations. He has been with NES

for 20 years and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Tennessee and a

member of the IEEE Power Engineering Society and Standards Society, active in the

IEEE Transformer Committee meetings. Mr. Dorris received his Bachelors degree in

Electrical Engineering at Memphis State University with a minor in Mathematics and

his Masters Course work in Electrical Engineering at Tennessee State University.

Mr. Dorris got his start in the US Navy where he worked as an Aviation Electrician and

then as an Aviation Electrical Instructor for US Navy & Marine personnel. He

transferred from the US Navy to the Tennessee Army National Guard and worked in

various capacities as Communications Officer at various levels. He retired from

Military Service in 2001 at the rank of Captain. He was also an Electrical Systems

Instructor for Northrup Grumman on the B2 Bomber and instructor of several courses

at San Diego Community College and ITT Technical Institute.

5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Ask the Experts Panel – Anything Transformer Related

OPTIONAL LABORATORY SEMINAR

Friday, February 5, 2016



8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Transformer Condition Assessment Using Laboratory Diagnostics


Lance Lewand, Director Insulating Materials Laboratories


This one‐day session provides students with a thorough understanding of how to assess the condition of

electrical insulating materials and transformers.

Dissolved gas‐in‐oil analysis – This is the single most important diagnostic test for transformers. This

presentation reviews how the test is performed, how to distinguish between normal gassing behavior and

problems, and how to evaluate trends. Practical case studies and examples are used to illustrate theoretical

concepts. Seminar participants will be quizzed (with class participation) on their understanding in diagnosing

12 cases.

Water in Transformer Oil – Assessing how dry a transformer is requires more than a water in oil test. Learn

how to assess the wetness of the transformer insulation system and why you need to know the operating

temperature at the time of sampling. This session discusses water migration in transformers and how water

affects the ability to overload them. Examples are provided.

Condition assessment of cellulosic insulation – The analysis of the condition of the paper insulation has

changed quite a bit in the past 10 years. Learn how the solid insulation ages and how to assess the condition

of the paper and pressboard insulation and its remaining life. Case studies are given to illustrate the

distribution of paper aging in transformers and how operation and maintenance can influence it.

Metals in oil – This presentation provides an understanding of the importance of metal‐in‐oil tests as a

diagnostic. To be able to use the information, the correct test must be specified – learn the difference

between dissolved and particulate metals and when to choose each test. Case studies are given.

Quality of new and service aged oils – Background information is provided on the properties of transformer

oil. The presentation includes how to specify and evaluate new oils, what tests to perform and how to

evaluate in‐service oils.

Aging characteristics of insulating materials ‐ Aging is discussed in sections on oil and paper which provides

information on how to increase the life of transformers. There are a number of factors that accelerate the

aging of the insulation system that can be controlled. This session provides information on when to reclaim

or replace oil and gives specifications for reclaimed oil.

Load tap changer and oil circuit breaker diagnostics – This presentation gives the latest information on

diagnostics for load tap changers (LTCs) and bulk oil breakers. Case studies are provided.

Sampling – The presentation discusses how to save money on your sampling program through proper

training and what common pitfalls to avoid. Proper sampling preparation, practices, and equipment are

given.