# US 10,768,233 B2 · Method and device for testing a tap changer of a transformer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,233 B2 - Document ID: US10768233B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/315,238 - Filed: 2015-06-29 - Published: 2017-05-04 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-02 - Assignees: Omicron Electronics GmbH - Applicants: Omicron Electronics GmbH - Inventors: Michael Rädler; Boris Unterer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768233B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/3274: {Details related to measuring, e.g. sensing, displaying or computing; Measuring of variables related to the contact pieces, e.g. wear, position or resistance (measuring contact resistance G01R27/205)} - G01R 31/62: Testing of transformers - H01H 9/0005: {Tap change devices} - G01R 31/3275: {Fault detection or status indication} - H01H 2009/0061: {Monitoring tap change switching devices} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) ## Abstract The following steps are performed in order to test a tap changer of a transformer which tap changer is designed to change a transmission ratio of the transformer: generating a test signal which is supplied to a winding of the transformer and to the tap changer, repeatedly actuating the tap changer in order to change the transmission ratio with each actuation, determining a curve of an electrical measurement variable (I; I1; I2) of the transformer over time (t) for each actuation of the tap changer depending on the test signal filtering the curves in order to prevent at least one of the curves from being output outputting the filtered curves. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Method for testing a complete tap changer of a multi-phase transformer having a winding comprising a plurality of taps between which the tap changer can be switched, wherein a separate tap changer is present for each phase of the multi-phase transformer and each separate tap changer is designed to change a transmission ratio of the transformer, wherein the method comprises the following steps: generating a respective test signal for each phase of the multi-phase transformer which is supplied to the winding of the multi-phase transformer assigned to the respective phase and to the tap changer, repeatedly actuating the tap changer to cause the tap changer to switch between each of the plurality of taps in order to change the transmission ratio with each actuation for testing the complete tap changer, determining a curve of an electrical measurement variable of the multi-phase transformer over time for each switch of the tap changer between each of the plurality of taps depending on the test signal, filtering the curves in order to prevent selected curves from switching of selected taps of the plurality of taps from being output, and outputting the filtered curves representing testing of the complete tap changer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein the test signals for each phase are generated identically in terms of value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein the test signal is a direct current signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein the filtering of the curves is performed depending on an output tap of the taps away from which switching takes place in the case of actuation and/or depending on a target tap of the taps to which switching takes place in the case of actuation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Method according to claim 4, wherein in the case of actuating the respective tap changer switching takes place from one of the taps at a first side to one of the taps at a second side or from one of the taps at the second side to one of the taps at the first, and wherein in the case of filtering the curves, either the curves in which switching takes place to one of the taps at the second side are eliminated or the curves in which switching takes place to one of the taps at the first side are eliminated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) Method according to claim 4, wherein a determined target tap of the taps is predefined and wherein in the case of filtering the curves, the curves in which switching does not take place to the determined target tap are eliminated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) Method according to claim 4, wherein in the case of filtering the curves, the curves, in which the transmission ratio is increased when actuating respective tap changer, are eliminated, or wherein in the case of filtering the curves, the curves in which the transmission ratio is decreased when actuating respective tap changer are eliminated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein in the case of filtering the curves, the curves of at least one determined phase are eliminated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein in the case of outputting the filtered curves, the curves are illustrated in a temporally-superimposed manner. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) Method according to claim 9, wherein the curves are illustrated as congruently as possible. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) Method according to claim 9, wherein the curves are plotted in an offset manner. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) Method according to claim 9, wherein time periods of the curves corresponding to each other are illustrated in a temporally-superimposed manner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, wherein the electrical measurement variable comprises one of: a current which flows through the winding and the tap changer, a voltage drop at the winding, and an electrical resistance value which can be calculated depending on the voltage and the current. ### Claim 14 Apparatus for testing a complete tap changer of a multi-phase transformer having a winding comprising a plurality of taps between which the tap changer can be switched, wherein a separate tap changer is present for each phase of the multi-phase transformer and each separate tap changer is designed to change a transmission ratio of the transformer, wherein the apparatus comprises: a test signal generation device, a measuring device and a control device, wherein the apparatus is designed to supply a respective test signal for each phase of the multi-phase transformer to the winding of the multi-phase transformer assigned to the respective phase and to the tap changer by means of the test signal generation device and the control device, wherein the apparatus is designed to repeatedly actuate the tap changer to cause the tap changer to switch between each of the plurality of taps in order to change the transmission ratio with each actuation and test completely the tap changer, wherein the apparatus is designed to determine a curve of an electrical measurement variable of the multi-stage transformer by means of the measuring device over time respectively during each switch of the tap changer between each of the plurality of taps depending on the test signal, wherein the control device is designed to filter the curves in order to prevent selected curves from the switching between selected taps of the plurality of taps from being output, and wherein the control device is designed to output the filtered curves representing complete testing of the tap changer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus comprises a display, wherein the apparatus is designed such that the control device illustrates the filtered curves on the display.