Evaluating New and In-Service Vegetable Oil Dielectric Fluids

John Luksich
Cooper Power Systems
Waukesha, WI
Abstract
Natural ester (vegetable oil) dielectric fluid is finding growing acceptance and application in
electrical equipment using liquid insulation. Its fire safety, interaction with insulation, and
environmental characteristics make it an excellent choice for many applications. This paper
examines natural ester and mineral oil specifications, inherent differences in properties, and
variations in in-service aging. The application of dissolved gas analysis as a diagnostic
technique is discussed.
Introduction
Vegetable oil dielectric fluids are a recent addition to the category of less-flammable fluids.
Less-flammable fluids, sometimes called high fire point fluids, were introduced in the mid 1970s
as alternatives to Askarels for installations requiring a high degree of fire safety. The National
Electrical Code and National Electrical Safety Code recognize their use as an optional fire
safeguard [1,2]. Factory Mutual Global considers them an equivalent safeguard to space
separation, fire barriers, and fire suppression systems for transformers containing up to 10,000
gallons of fluid [3].
Less-flammable fluids come in a variety of chemical types. First were the high molecular weight
hydrocarbons (HMWH) and silicones, followed in the 1980s by synthetic fluids such as
polyalphaolefins (PAO) and polyolesters (POE). Of these, the POEs easily have the most
attractive environmental properties. Their high cost limits them to niche applications and
spurred the search for more affordable alternatives.
Enter the vegetable oils. These natural esters are chemically similar to the POEs and share
many of their properties. The natural esters have excellent environmental properties, a high
degree of fire safety, and are shown to retard the degradation of paper insulation [4-6]. Available
commercially since the late 1990s in distribution transformers, they are now beginning to see use
in power transformers.
Properties
A combination of electrical, chemical, and physical properties are used to evaluate new and inservice insulating fluids [7-14]. Periodic fluid testing of in-service transformers monitors the
condition of the oil and establishes baseline values and trends over time. Changes over time are
often more telling than a single set of measurements.
Natural ester fluids are inherently different in their chemistry from mineral oils. We might
expect the chemical, physical, and electrical properties to differ as well, requiring the results of
testing to be interpreted differently. Values for dissipation factor, water content, and acid
number are inherently higher in natural esters than for mineral oil; resistivity and interfacial
1

tension are lower. Table 1 compares some of the properties of mineral oil and natural ester fluids
in existing standards.
Water content of natural ester fluid can be dramatically different from mineral oil. At room
temperature, the water saturation of mineral oil is about 60 mg/kg. Natural esters have room
temperature saturations in the neighborhood of 1000 mg/kg. The dielectric strength of an
insulating fluid starts to decrease when the relative saturation increases to 40-50%. Using
percent saturation instead of absolute water content allows direct comparisons between natural
ester fluids and mineral oil to be made.
In many cases, test methods routinely used to characterize new mineral oil and evaluate inservice mineral oil can be directly applied to natural ester fluids. Some methods require minor
modifications in technique or apparatus [15]. For example, ASTM method D1816 for dielectric
breakdown strength of mineral oil is measured 3-5 minutes after filling the test cell. Natural
ester fluids require 10-15 minutes in order to obtain reliable results.

Table 1. Comparison of some specification values for new as-received mineral oil and natural ester fluid.
Property
ELECTRICAL
Dielectric strength (kV)
Dissipation (%)
25 C
100 C
CHEMICAL
Water content (mg/kg)
Acid number (mg KOH/g)
PHYSICAL
Color
Visual examination
Relative density
Flash point ( C)
Fire point ( C)
Viscosity (cSt)
100 C
40 C
Pour point ( C)
Interfacial tension (dyne/cm)

ASTM
Method

Mineral Oil
ASTM D3487

Natural Ester
ASTM D6871

D1816 (2mm gap)

D924

35
0.05
0.30

35
0.20
4.0

D1533
D974

35
0.03

200
0.6

D1500
D1524
D1298
D92
D92
D445

0.5
clear & bright
0.91
145
3.0
12.0
40
40

D97
D971

1.0
clear & bright
0.96
275
300
15
50
0
-

Table 2. Limits for continued use of service-aged insulating fluid. Mineral oil values are from existing IEEE Guide.
Natural ester values, loosely based on laboratory testing and limited in-service history, are offered for discussion.
Note that water content is given in percent saturation.
Mineral Oil
IEEE C57.106

Natural Ester
(IEEE guide not yet available)

40
47
50
50

40
47
50
50

25 C
100 C

0.5
5.0

1.0
15

CHEMICAL
Water content, D1533 (% saturation)
Voltage Class: 69 kV
Voltage Class: 69 < x < 230 kV
Voltage Class: 230 x < 345 kV
Voltage Class: 345 kV

15
8
5
5

15
8
5
5

0.20
0.15
0.10
0.10

2.0
1.5
1.0
1.0

25
30
32
32

18
20
22
22

Property
ELECTRICAL
Dielectric strength, D1816, 2mm gap (kV)
Voltage Class: 69 kV
Voltage Class: 69 < x < 230 kV
Voltage Class: 230 x < 345 kV
Voltage Class: 345 kV
Dissipation, D924 (%)

Acid number, D974 (mg KOH/g)

Voltage Class: 69 kV
Voltage Class: 69 < x < 230 kV
Voltage Class: 230 x < 345 kV
Voltage Class: 345 kV
PHYSICAL
Interfacial tension, D971 (dyne/cm)
Voltage Class: 69 kV
Voltage Class: 69 < x < 230 kV
Voltage Class: 230 x < 345 kV
Voltage Class: 345 kV

Changes Over Time

First installed in 1996, long term in-service data from natural ester transformers are not available.
Laboratory accelerated aging tests let us take an educated guess at the changes taking place over
the lifetime of a transformer. Aging vessels containing transformer construction materials in
typical proportions were aged at 130, 150, and 170 C for 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 hours. The
times at temperature were converted to the equivalent number of IEEE normal lifetimes of
20.54 years. [16].
Table 2 shows the in-service limits suggested by IEEE for mineral oil [8] and offers for
discussion limits based on both IEC standards for synthetic esters [13, 14] and accelerated aging
results. It should be noted that IEEE has an active working group developing a maintenance
guide for natural esters currently designated as C57.147xxx.
Electrical Changes
The dielectric breakdown strength (ASTM D1816, 2mm gap) of mineral oil and natural esters
change in the same way over time. Both started around 60 kV and decreased slightly to 50 kV
after 3.8 normal lifetimes. The dissipation factor (Figure 1) of both fluids followed similar
curves with the natural ester reaching values similar to those seen in aged Askarels.

Dissipation Factor (%)

10

0.1

0.01

0.001
0

Equivalent "Normal" Lifetimes

Figure 1. Dissipation factor at 25 C during accelerated aging (triangles = natural ester, circles
= mineral oil). Each normal lifetime represents 20.54 years.

Chemical Changes
The absolute water content of the natural ester fluid during aging reached higher values during
aging than did the mineral oil systems (Figure 2a), but is actually drier in terms of percent
saturation (Figure 2b). The curve shapes are again similar to each other. Changes in acid
number follow the same trend of the same curve shape and higher values for the natural ester
(Figure 3). Each fluid produces a different type of acid: mineral oils generate short chain organic
acids, and natural esters produce long chain fatty acids. Although the test method determines the
amount of acid present, it does not reveal anything about the reactivity of the acids. Fatty acids
are considered to be less reactive than short chain organic acids.
Physical Changes
Relative density, flash and fire points, viscosity, and pour point remained unchanged for both
fluids for the duration of the test. Color and appearance degraded over time similarly for both
fluids. Interfacial tension (Figure 4) has the same curve shape for both fluids with the natural
ester starting lower and remaining lower.

100

80

80

Water Content (% saturation)

Water Content (mg/kg)

100

60

40

20

60

40

20

0
0

Equivalent "Normal" Lifetimes

Equivalent "Normal" Lifetimes

a
b
Figure 2. Water content of natural ester and mineral oil during accelerated aging (triangles = natural ester, circles =
mineral oil). Figure a shows the absolute water content; b shows the same data as percent of room temperature
saturation. Each normal lifetime represents 20.54 years.

50

Interfacial Tension (dyne/cm)

Acid Number (mg KOH/g)

10

0.1

0.01

0.001
0

40

30

20

10

Equivalent "Normal" Lifetimes

Equivalent "Normal" Lifetimes

Figure 3. Acid number of natural ester and mineral oil

during accelerated aging (triangles = natural ester, circles
= mineral oil). Each normal lifetime represents 20.54
years.

Figure 4. Interfacial tension of natural ester and mineral oil

during accelerated aging (triangles = natural ester, circles =
mineral oil). Each normal lifetime represents 20.54 years.

Dissolved Gases
The gases dissolved in an insulating fluid can give evidence of abnormal conditions inside a
transformer. Several methods are available to aid interpretation and fault diagnosis using
dissolved gas data [17-19]. The combustible gases generated by faults in natural ester fluids are
similar to those in mineral oil. High levels of hydrogen indicate that partial discharge may be
taking place. Carbon oxides in certain ratios suggest overheated paper. Hydrocarbon gases
could result from a thermal fault in oil. The presence of acetylene points to arcing. The changes
over time of amounts of gases and their rates of generation are more important than the
snapshot given by a single sample.
Because transformers using natural ester fluid are a recent development, the opportunities to
evaluate actual faulted transformers are slow in coming. The few available to us have been very
useful to begin validating the application of dissolved gas analysis to natural ester fluid.

Case 1
A new mineral oil-filled transformer showed abnormal gas levels soon after installation.
Methane, ethane, and ethylene levels were high and increasing. The customer retrofilled the
transformer with natural ester fluid. The initially clean fluid developed the same hydrocarbon
gas signature and high levels seen in the mineral oil. An autopsy of the transformer discovered a
7.5 inch piece of metal banding steel inside the coil window of the B phase coil. This caused a
hole to burn through the 90-mil window insulation.
Case 2
A 28-year-old mineral oil transformer was retrofilled with natural ester. No dissolved gas
history was available for the unit. During the retrofill process, it was noted that the tap changer
contacts showed significant coking. After a year in service, high levels of acetylene were found.
After verifying the acetylene level, an outage was scheduled to examine the transformer. The tap
changer contacts were heavily coked. Replacing the switch returned the gas levels to normal.
They remain stable.
Typical Operation
The opportunity to measure the dissolved gases in a variety of new and retrofilled natural ester
transformers with no known problems do not show abnormal gas levels. The natural ester
transformers seem to have slightly higher baseline levels of hydrogen and carbon dioxide than
found in mineral oil transformers. The Doerenburg and Rogers ratio methods have so far not
been reliable indicators of the condition of natural ester transformers. We do not yet have the
decades of dissolved gas history and fault correlation for thousands of transformers needed for
consistent dissolved gas analyses of natural esters.
However, laboratory determinations of the types and amounts of gases generated in natural esters
as well as their absorption characteristics confirm that interim use of a combination of the IEEE
key gases and condition methods presented in the mineral oil dissolved gas guide [17] are
valid for natural esters.

Discussion
Natural ester fluid properties and dissolved gas content for condition assessment can be used
much in the same way as is currently done for mineral oil transformers. The inherent differences
in fluid properties, both starting values and changes over time, must be taken into account in
order to get the most benefit of such measurements.
The primary functional property of dielectric strength is interpreted just as for mineral oil. Water
content, if in percent saturation, also translates across fluid type. As with mineral oil, viscosity,
pour point, flash point, and fire point should be expected to be stable. Other properties useful in
diagnostics change in ways similar to mineral oil but differ in magnitude. As in mineral oil, the
acid number, dissipation factor, and resistivity increase over time. In natural esters, they begin at
higher initial values and show greater increases than are seen in mineral oil. Interfacial tension
starts at lower values than does mineral oil and decrease to lower values.

References
[1] Less-Flammable Liquid-Insulated Transformers, Article 450.23, National Electrical
Code, NFPA 70, National Fire Protection Association
[2] Location and Arrangement of Power Transformers and Regulators, Section 152, National
Electrical Safety Code, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
[3] 5-4 Transformers, Section 2.3.1.1.1 Separation Distance, Property Loss Prevention Data
Sheets, Factory Mutual Global, May 2003
[4] C.P. McShane, K.J. Rapp, J.L. Corkran, G.A. Gauger, J. Luksich, Aging of Paper
Insulation in Natural Ester Dielectric Fluid, 2001 IEEE/PES Transmission & Distribution
Conference, October 28 - November 2, 2001, Atlanta, GA USA
[5] C.P. McShane, K.J. Rapp, J.L. Corkran, G.A. Gauger, J. Luksich, "Aging of Plain Kraft
Paper in Natural Ester Dielectric Fluid", IEEE/DEIS 14th International Conference on
Dielectric Fluids, July 7-12, 2002, Graz, Austria
[6] C.P. McShane, K.J. Rapp, J.L. Corkran, J. Luksich, "Aging of Cotton/Kraft Blend
Insulation Paper in Natural Ester Dielectric Fluid", TechCon 2003 Asia-Pacific, May 7-9,
2003, Sidney, Australia
[7] Standard Specification for Mineral Insulating Oil Used in Electrical Apparatus, ASTM
D3487-00, ASTM International
[8] IEEE Guide For Acceptance and Maintenance of Insulating Oil in Equipment, IEEE
C57.106-2002, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
[9] "Specification for unused mineral insulating oils for transformers and switchgear",
Amendment No. 1, March 1986, IEC Standard 60296, International Electrotechnical
Commission
[10] Standard Specification for High Fire-Point Mineral Electrical Insulating Oils, ASTM
D5222-00, ASTM International
[11] "IEEE Guide for Acceptance and Maintenance of Less Flammable Hydrocarbon Fluid in
Transformers", C57.121-1998, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
[12] "Standard Specification for Natural (Vegetable Oil) Ester Fluids Used in Electrical
Apparatus", ASTM D6871-03, ASTM International
[13] "Specification for unused synthetic organic esters for electrical purposes", IEC Standard
61099, International Electrotechnical Commission
[14] "Synthetic organic esters for electrical purposes - Guide for maintenance of transformer
esters in equipment", IEC Standard 61203, International Electrotechnical Commission
[15] Envirotemp FR3 Fluid Testing Guide, Section R900-20-12, Cooper Power Systems, July
2004
[16] IEEE Guide for Loading Mineral-Oil-Immersed Transformers, IEEE Std. C57.91-1995,
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
[17] IEEE Guide for the Interpretation of Gases Generated in Oil-Immersed Transformers,
IEEE Std. C57.104-1991, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
[18] Mineral oil-impregnated electrical equipment in service Guide to the interpretation of
dissolved and free gases analysis, IEC Standard 60599, International Electrotechnical
Commission
[19] Transformer Maintenance, Facilities Instructions, Standards, and Techniques, Vol. 3-30,
pp. 39-53, Hydroelectric Research and Technical Services Group, Bureau of Reclamation,
U.S. Dept. of Interior, Denver, CO, October 2000