Kilian Gerbl is an expert in transformer oil management. As the person responsible for the Electrical Oil Services site in Hamburg, he says that sustainable and efficient transformer oil management can only be realised in conjunction with the right basic data. A database that is prepared and visualised in such a way that everyone can understand the data, recognise the condition of individual transformers and make well-grounded maintenance decisions. The EOS® database is unique. In this interview, Kilian Gerbl provides insight into the analysis data and the benefits for energy suppliers, network operators and industrial companies.
"The EOS® database consists of historical analysis data that is continuously maintained. It is the basis for our customers and us to make informed decisions on which transformers need to be maintained and when. This enables realistic time and budget planning for both sides."
Kilian Gerbl, Product Line Manager, Electrical Oil Services
Mr Gerbl, what role does transformer data management in your company play? What data do you collect in your EOS® database?
All important data from transformer oil analyses are stored in our EOS® database. This includes, in particular, data from gas-in-oil analyses, i.e. Dissolved Gas Analyses (DGA), which provide information on the thermal and electrical condition of transformers. The history of the load on the individual transformers is also recorded. We also look at: How old is the transformer? What is the load on the transformer? Where is the transformer located?
Since each transformer is operated under different conditions, it is necessary to look at each transformer individually. Using the information stored in our database, we can provide our customers with individual maintenance programmes and, if desired, cost estimates. With our EOS database and our preventive maintenance services, we support our customers in enhancing the service life and performance of their transformer and thus help them to ensure a safe power supply. The sooner chemical contaminants can be removed from the transformer oil, the longer the performance of the transformer is ensured.
Analytical data are the most important sources of sound decision-making for us as well as for our customers. We use them to provide tailored advice to our customers, and our contacts on the customer side, often asset managers or sustainability managers, can use the information from the EOS® database to manage their maintenance schedule and budgets.
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Advantages of EOS® database at a glance:
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You are saying that the EOS® database is set up in such a way that decisions in transformer oil management are obvious. Why is this?
Of course, for every decision on transformer oils or necessary maintenance work, people could ask for advice from experienced colleagues or from us. The EOS® database makes this largely redundant, because you can see at a glance which transformer's maintenance turn it is.
The drag and drop filters make it possible to visualise data and priorities quickly and transparently. The inspection reports are digitised and transformers can be classified by traffic light system. Test reports can be shared and comments added. In addition, service tickets can be opened or, if transformer oil analyses show bad values, affected transformers can be automatically added to a special list. In addition, independent service company reports such as from TÜV can be downloaded for a fee, including photos of the installation.
If our customers want a Duval triangle of their Dissolved Gas Analyses (DGA) or a health index or lifetime analysis of their transformer for their sustainability report, this is all possible.
How did the EOS® database evolve?
At many customer meetings, especially with municipal utilities and industrial companies, we noticed that individually designed Excel lists were used for transformer oil management. When asked, many customers reported confusing data bundles. Data that was difficult to assess, let alone prioritise.
Therefore, in 2020, we started to list - also with an Excel sheet - the most important parameters for the maintenance of transformers and their insulating oils and to correlate them. In the meantime, this Excel spreadsheet has become a comprehensive digital database that enables quick, easy filtering of assets according to individual parameters. In this way, our customers can see all the transformers in their inventory at a glance and find out which transformer needs oil treatment or an oil change soon. In the same way, the transformer registration details can be displayed or which transformer has an approved oil tray.
As already mentioned, a reliable order for maintenance measures can also be defined. This prioritisation is important both for the budget planning and for environmentally friendly transformer oil management. No more lengthy, cumbersome weighing up of when it is which transformer's turn - the EOS® database does it at the click of a button.
This was made possible by our connection to Salesforce. Salesforce is a cloud-based CRM software that optimises work processes and bundles data centrally. Our customers are connected to the EOS® database via a Salesforce customer licence and their data is thus protected. A customer sees all his data and we only see the information he shares with us.
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Digital, sustainable transformer oil management protects the environment Low-emission processes, sustainability and cost efficiency are important decision factors in power generation:
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Read more:
- EOS® Interview: 5 tips for sustainable transformer oil management.
- Electrical Oil Services presents: The EOS® Closed Loop Model
Or find out more in this video:
Do you offer your EOS® database to customers in all countries?
Of course, data is collected and stored in all countries in which we operate. Data maintenance is standardised on our end, but the customer decides for himself what he wants to take care of.
There are two options available:
1. "All-round carefree package"Employees of Electrical Oil Services take care of the entire EOS® database maintenance. They collect the data and carry out an inventory and condition analysis of all customer assets. Customers are usually informed at the beginning of the year which transformers are due for maintenance or replacement, including a cost estimate.
2. "Do-It-Yourself package"In this case, customers maintain the EOS® database at least partly on their own, i.e. collecting the data and/or analytics in whole or in part. Customers benefit from the possibility of having the fields customised, just as they wish. At the same time, the responsibility or error management remains on the client's side.
Which variant the customer prefers in the end depends on many factors. One thing is for sure: we at Electrical Oil Services and our customers have the same common goal: a long-term partnership at eye level, always with a focus on optimisation and sustainable business.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send us a message:
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