Buchholz relay - Wikipedia Buchholz relay Two ball - shaped floats and two glass - enclosed reed switches are visible inside this cutaway view of a Buchholz relay In the field of electric power distribution and transmission, a Buchholz relay is a safety device mounted on some oil - filled power transformers and reactors, equipped with an external overhead oil reservoir called a `` conservator ''. The Buchholz relay is used as a protective device sensitive to the effects of dielectric failure inside the equipment. A generic designation for this type of device is `` gas detector relay ''. Contents 1 Application 2 Operation 3 Misnomers 4 See also 5 References Application Buchholz relays have been applied on oil - filled power and distribution transformers at least since the 1940s. The relay is connected to the oil piping between the conservator and oil tank of a transformer. The piping between the main tank and conservator is arranged so that any gas evolved in the main tank tends to flow upward toward the conservator and gas detector relay. Schematic diagram of a large oil - filled power transformer. The conservator tank, green, at right, is marked 3 and the Buchholz relay is marked 5 Operation Depending on the model, the relay has multiple methods to detect a failing transformer. On a slow accumulation of gas, due perhaps to slight overload, gas produced by decomposition of insulating oil accumulates in the top of the relay and forces the oil level down. A float switch in the relay is used to initiate an alarm signal. Depending on design, a second float may also serve to detect slow oil leaks. If an electrical arc forms, gas accumulation is rapid, and oil flows rapidly into the conservator. This flow of oil operates a switch attached to a vane located in the path of the moving oil. This switch normally will operate a circuit breaker to isolate the apparatus before the fault causes additional damage. Buchholz relays have a test port to allow the accumulated gas to be withdrawn for testing. Flammable gas found in the relay indicates some internal fault such as overheating or arcing, whereas air found in the relay may only indicate low oil level or a leak. Through a connected gas sampling device the control can also be made from the ground. Depending on the requirements, the Buchholz relay has a flange or threaded connection. The classic Buchholz relay has to comply with the requirements of the DIN EN 50216 - 2 standard. Depending on the requirements, it is equipped with up to four ( 2 per float ) switches or change - over switches, which can either send a light signal or switch off the transformer. Misnomers The relay was first developed by Max Buchholz ( 1875 -- 1956 ) in 1921. Names like `` beechwood relay '' or `` beech relay '' are an indication of incorrectly translated German language manuals of the `` Buchholz relay '' See also Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buchholz relays. Relay References Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2008 - 07 - 13. Retrieved 2008 - 07 - 17. Tutorial T5 Jump up ^ C. Christopoulos, A. Wright, Electrical Power System Protection Second Edition, Springer Science & Business Media, 1999, ISBN 0412817608 page 215 Jump up ^ Operating principle of buchholz relay This article about electric power is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Buchholz_relay&oldid=794636949 '' Categories : Safety switches Transformers ( electrical ) Electric power stubs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Español فارسی Français हिन्दी Italiano עברית Magyar မြန်မာဘာသာ Nederlands Polski Português Српски / srpski Türkçe Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 9 August 2017, at 05 : 11. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what is buchholz relay what is it used for
Answer: a safety device mounted on some oil-filled power transformers and reactors