Feb. 13, 1934. C. F.

HILL ET AL
1,947,085
ELECTRICAL APPARATUS
Filed Sept. 22, 1931

WITNESSES
INVENTORS
(2a//es/A7//a/a/
u/a/77es 7. Goff
BY
2.4-3.5%ATTORNEY
 Patented Feb. 13, 1934 s 1947,085

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,947,085

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS
Charles F. Hill, Edgewood, and James T. Goff,
Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse
Electric and Manufacturing Company, a corpo
ration of Pennsylvania W
Application September 22, 1931
Seria No. 564,280
6 Claims. (C. 175-361)
This invention relates to electrical apparatus in We prefer, however, to employ a polymerized
which the active parts are subject to heating and vegetable oil, and particularly, jelled tung oil.
which is required to be insulated from the walls The single figure of the drawing is a side ele
of a surrounding tank or container. vation partially in section, illustrating a trans
5 The present invention is more particularly di- former organized in accordance with our inven- 60
rected to a construction of electrical apparatus, tion.
Such as transformerS, in Which novel means is Referring to the drawing, a tank 1 is employed
employed for insulating and cooling the which contains the transformer or other electri
apparatus. cal apparatus, and, as illustrated, comprises a
10. It is common practice to immerse electrical ap- core 2 upon which is wound a primary Winding 65
paratus, such as transformers, in an insulating 3 and a secondary winding 4. The primary Wind
and cooling oil. There are, however, limitations ing is connected by means of conductors 5 and 6
to the use of oil as an insulating and cooling ma- to the terminals 7 and 8, and the Secondary Wind
terial, because of the fire hazards that accom- ing 4 is connected by means of conductors 9 and
l5 pany its use and because of the necessity of in- 10 to the terminals 11 and 12. About the core 70
specting the transformer from time to time to and coils of the transformer, the electric insulat
insure that the oil is maintained at the proper ing material 13, is placed and by means of this
level in the tank, and retains its normal insulat- material the heat generated in the core and
ing characteristics. Under certain conditions of coils of the transformer is conducted to the tank
20 Operation of transformers employing insulating wall. 75
oil, explosive hydrocarbon gases or hydrogen or a The refractory powdered or granular material,
mixture thereof, may be given off from the trans- together with the bonding material, may be placed
former oil which may unite with the oxygen of in the tank in one of several Ways. The two
the air and form an explosive gaseous mixture. materials may be mixed and then molded in place
25 Such a mixture is especially dangerous when the in the tank, heat being applied during the mold- 80
transformer is located in an enclosure such as the ing operation, or the granular material may first
room of a building. be placed within the tank and the impregnating
It is an object of our invention to provide a new material forced through the Spaces between the
material for insulating electrical apparatus, such particles of the granular material and heat after
30 as transformers, that will reduce fire hazards and wards applied to solidify the impregnating ma- 8
be substantially explosion proof. terial. Another method of applying the insulat
It is a further object of our invention to pro- ing material to the transformer is to pour. first
vide Such an insulating material that possesses the bonding fluid into the tank and then heat
sufficiently high dielectric strength and high heat the granular material and pour this material in
35 conductivity. a heated condition into the bonding fluid. The 90
It is another object of our invention to provide bonding fluid and granular material may be
an insulating material for Surrounding the appa - mixed by thoroughly stirring the two materials
ratus that is permanent in character and does not together and then placing this mixture in the tank
require frequent Servicing, in order to maintain and heating it to between 150° C. and 200° C.
40 the desired quality and, quantity of insulating for about five hours to produce the bonding ac-95
material within the tank containing the ap- tion.
paratus. \ As a specific example of our invention, we pro
In accomplishing the purpose of our invention, pose to use quartz sand or quartz gravel as the
We dispense with the usual insulating mineral oil inorganic granular material, either in a powdered
45 and substitute, therefore, an inorganic granular or granular form, but a number of other mate- 100
or powdered material having high dielectric rials, such as zirconium oxide, clay, alundum, car
strength and high heat conductivity and impreg- borundum or andralusite may be used. One or
nate this material with an insulating and heat more of the above named materials may be em
conducting material having a binding action. ployed for the insulating filler. Quartz sand or
50 This material may be a polymerized vegetable oil, gravel is, however, preferred, because it has the lo
such as perilla, linseed oil, or tung oil, or a fusible highest heat conductivity and best dielectric
salt, such as boric acid, potassium nitrate, or sodi- characteristics of any materials tested, is easi
um nitrate, or it may be a gum or synthetic resin ly obtained and can be found in quantity with
that solidifies in a non-porous condition, that is, smooth rounded edges which is of value in pro
55 without giving of moisture, such as halowax, ducing a mixture of high dielectric strength. O
 2 1,947,085
The bonding material or binder is added to the the particles of Sand or gravel, and the mixture
inorganic insulating material in order to fill the afterwards impregnated with tung Oil and jelled
Spaces between the particles and thereby improve by further heating.
the heat conductivity and the electrical insulat Since many modifications in the materials and
ing characteristics of the quartz, Sand or Similar nethods of processing them may be employed 80
material. To obtain the highest dielectric other than those described without departing
Strength of the mixture, the bonding material from the spirit of our invention, we do not wish
used to fill the voids of the granular material to be limited other than by the Scope of the ap
should approach as near as possible the specific pended claims.
O inductive capacity of the granular material. It We claim as Our invention:
is, however, also desirable that the insulation 1. In combination, a tank, electrical appa
Shall be mechanically strong and conduct heat ratus contained therein, and heat conducting and
readily from the transformer. With these Sew insulating material disposed between Said appa
eral objectives in mind, it has been found that ratus and said tank comprising a mixture of
5 both Organic and inorganic bonding materials quartz sand and an impregnating jelled Wege
are Satisfactory, Such materials as jelled China table oil.
WOOd oil or tung oil, Sulphur boric acid, hallowax 2. An insulating material for electrical ap
or lead borate are found to be satisfactory. paratus including a pulverulent granular Solid
The dielectric strength of the jelled tung oil insulating material mixed with a Solidifying
and quartz, Sand is approximately one-half binder of jelled Vegetable oil. 95
that of the Eung oil itself, because of the great 3. In combination, a container, electrical ap
difference in Specific inductive capacity of the paratus contained therein, and an insulating
tung oil and quartz. The actual dielectric Substance filing the space between said appa
Strength. Of the quartz is greater than that of the ratus and the Walls of Said container comprising
25 oil. In order to improve the dielectric strength a granular filler and a jelled vegetable oil binder. 100
of the tung oil and sand combination, it may be 4. In combination, a tank, electrical appa
desirable to employ an insulating compound ratus contained therein, heat conducting and
formed Of three materials. We have found that electric insulating material embedding said ap
the dielectric strength of the resultant material paratus and Substantially filling the Space be
30 is increased by using a rather coarse gravel and tween the apparatus and Said tank, said material 05
adding a fusible Salt, Such as boric acid, there comprising a pulverulent inorganic filler and a
to heating the two materials together to the fus binder comprising a polymerized vegetable oil
ing point of the salt and stirring to thoroughly binder.
Wet the gravel. With the fused Salt. This hot mix 5. An insulating material for electrical appa
35 ture is then poured into place in the transform ratus comprising a granular inorganic filler and O
er tank, thus allowing the fused salt to seal the a fusible Salt fused and mixed with the filler to
jointS or points of contact between the particles Seal the points of contact between the particles
of gravel as it cools. This material is then im thereof, and an impregnating binder of jelled
pregnated With tung oil, which is jelled by heat vegetable oil.
40 ing. Bakelite varnish may be used in place of 6. The process of making, an insulating ma 115
the boric acid to wet the gravel and bond it at terial comprising heating a mixture of a rather
the contact points between adjacent pebbles. coarse quartz granules and a fusible Salt to the
The tung Oil Seals the mass against moisture. fusing point of the Salt and stirring to thor
A gum coating may be added over the top of the oughly wet the granules With the fused Salt and
45 mixture to aid in Sealing it against moisture if seal the points of contact between the particles, 20
desired. impregnating the resulting mixture with a binder
Boric acid powder and sand or gravel may including a drying vegetable oil, and then apply
be mixed dry and poured into place in the tank, ing heat to solidify the mass.
afterwards being heated to fuse the boric acid CHARLES F. H.
50 to allow the fused salt to seal the joints between JAMES . GOFF. 125

55 30

BO 135

65