Cracking Analysis of a Brass Clamp Mounted on the Main Transformer in the Power Grid System

Cracking of conductive brass accessories in substations causes overheating or an open circuit, seriously affecting the safe and stable operation power grid system. A deep understanding failure mechanisms could provide more safety, as well lower down costs save time for system, which have been seldomly involved literature. This paper presents a cracking analysis clamp service seven years that is mounted on main transformer. The fracture morphology, chemical composition, metallographic structure were systematically analyzed, stress conditions obtained by finite element simulation. exhibits transgranular brittle with high oxygen content fracture, containing crack propagation along Pb particle connecting pathways, concentration was confirmed at position. It concluded result corrosion excessive Pb. Suggestions proposed to avoid malfunction transformer caused crack.