How does the aging of power system equipments, such as power transformers and conductors, affect its loss? Are there any correlation between age and loss?
Just two comments of possible aging mechanisms to increase loss. I’m not sure how common these are.
Vibration can abrade the core interlaminar insulation and increase core loss.
Heat transfer surfaces can get fouled, resulting in higher temperature (for a given load), resulting in slight increase in conductor resistance (approx 0.4% per degree C) and resistive losses.
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Aging affects insulation mainly, not the conductor itself. Except for the possible minor effects noted by Pete, I would not expect an increase in losses with age. Age does not increase the resistance of a conductor.
The dielectric loss of the transformer insulation may increase with aging. But in the overall scheme of very low trafo losses (1 to 2 %), this is a very minor bee sting.
Copper and iron losses do not increase with aging.
