Megger: TLS technology, used by NASA, makes a major contribution to transformer condition monitoring

2026-01-063 min.

Change language: Albania Bulgaria N. Macedonia Serbia

In 2012, after travelling over 560 million kilometers in space, the rover Curiosity landed on the red planet. The mission was to analyze the surface of Mars, looking for signs of past life and evaluating its habitability. A key piece of equipment on board the rover was the TLS frequency-tunable laser spectrometer – a highly sensitive instrument meant for measuring gases in the Martian atmosphere. A similar piece of such precise technology is already used much closer, here on Earth – not for researching far away worlds, but for protecting some of the most vital components in our energy grids: the transformers.

“The measuring device InsuLogix® G2 from Megger uses the laser spectrometer TLS for early warning regarding imbalances in the power transformers. By picking up minimal concentrations of specific gases, this technology offers a new level of precision and reliability in monitoring, which was previously reserved for space research”, the company informed BalkanEngineer.com

The gases generated as a result of damage are key indicators for the conditions of the power transformer. They occur whenever the isolation materials, such as lubricants and paper, are degraded due to high temperatures or electrical currents. Different kinds of defects generate different gases, and their concentration can indicate the severity of the defect.

Megger's InsuLogix® G2 uses the capabilities of TSL frequency-tunable laser spectroscopy to provide precise, real-time measurements of key gases as faults occur. “Just as the Curiosity rover used TLS to analyze Martian air, the G2 is used to determine extremely low concentrations of acetylene and moisture content in transformer oil,” Megger commented.