Transformer Oil

MINERAL INSULATING OIL
Introduction:

Insulating liquids have been used in oil filled electrical equipment as
coolant and insulation since the 1900s.
Mineral insulation oil, refined from crude oil, has served the electrical
industry for nearly a hundred years.
The function of the oil is to protect the solid insulation used in the
construction of the equipment, to quench arc and to dissipate the
heat generated in the equipment during the operation.
In order for oil to carryout these functions it must have certain
properties:-

Low viscosity- so that, it can move freely
High flash point- to be able to quench arcs safely
Good electrical properties-to perform as an insulating liquid
Chemical stability-to resist oxidation and provide a long service life

The estimated life of power transformers is forty years; ideally, the
same expectation would be applied to the insulating oil.
In reality insulating oils have a limited service life which is
dependent on the operation of the unit and maintenance of the oil.

Significance of various test parameters
Appearance: The appearance of oil may show
cloudiness or sediments which may indicate the
presence of free water, insoluble sludge, carbon, fibers,
dirt etc.
Flashpoint: A low flash point is an indication of the
presence of volatile combustible products in the oil.
Prolonged exposure of the oil to very high temperature
under fault conditions may produce sufficient quantities
of low molecular weight hydrocarbons to cause a
lowering of the flash point of the oil.

Interfacial tension
The interfacial tension between the oil and water is a measure of the
molecular attractive force between their unlike molecules at the
interface.40 dynes/cm for new oil ensures freedom from all types of
dissolved impurities. Also it provides a sensitive means for detection
of polar contaminants in the oil including those deterioration
products acquired in service.
Viscosity:
Good oil should have low viscosity so that it offers least resistance
to flow, there by not affecting the cooling of transformer adversely.
Low viscosity also assist initial penetration of the oil into narrow
ducts and promotes circulation through the winding to overcome
local overheating.


Resistivity:

Resistivity of oil reduces considerably due to presence of moisture,
acidity and polar contaminants. Unsatisfactory results indicate a
greater extent of contamination and it may not be possible to restore
the oil to a satisfactory level by reconditioning. This will affect the
total insulation and consequently lower the Insulation Resistance
values which is not good for the operation of the transformer. Even
small traces of contaminating material will give a marked lowering of
the oil resistivity value. Low resistivity indicates the presence of
moisture and conductivity contaminants.


Dissipation Factor:
It is an established method used for the detection of gross defect in
the insulation. Dissipation factor represents the overall loss in the
bulk of the insulation. Tan delta characteristics provide useful
information regarding the state of the insulation. Higher Tan delta
value indicates the presence of dirt, conducting particle and other
extraneous contaminants in the insulation. At some point in the
system the insulation would have failed allowing current to flow
along paths where it is not desired. The subsequent damage to the
equipment may involve burnt conductors, ruined magnetic core
materials and destructive fires. The high dielectric loss can trigger a
thermal break down.

Neutralisation Number:
Neutralisation number or the acid content of the insulating oil is
defined as the number of milligrams of KOH required to neutralize
completely the acids present in one gram of the oil. The presence of
acids, besides corroding the various part of the equipment i.e.
transformer, it also lowers the dielectric strength of the oil and often
polymerize to form insoluble sludge which can clog the cooling
system.
Water Content:
Water may originate from the atmosphere or be produced by the
deterioration of insulating materials. High water content accelerates
the chemical deterioration of insulating paper and is indicative of
undesirable operating conditions.


Break down Voltage:

The breakdown voltage is of importance as a measure of the
suitability of oil to withstand electric stress. Dry and clean oil exhibits
an inherently high breakdown voltage. Free water and solid
particles, the latter particularly in combination with high levels of
dissolved water, tend to migrate to regions of high electric stress
and reduce breakdown voltage dramatically. The measurement of
breakdown voltage, therefore serves primarily to indicate the
presence of the contaminants such as water or conducting particles.


Break Down Voltage (BDV) Test:

2.5mm gap between electrodes

1. The test consists in applying to the electrodes an increasing
AC Voltage, the rate of increase of the Voltage being uniform and
equal to approximately 2 KV/sec starting from zero up to the value-
producing breakdown.

2. The Circuit is opened automatically if an established arc
occurs between the electrodes

Break Down Voltage (BDV) Test:

The breakdown voltage is the voltage reached during the test at the
time the first spark occurs between electrodes, whether it be
transient or established.

The test shall be carried out six times on the same cell filling.

The first application of the voltage is made after the cell has been
filled, provided there are no longer any air bubbles in the oil, and at
least 10 minutes after filling.

After each breakdown,
the oil is gently stirred between the electrodes by means
of a clean dry glass rod, avoiding as far as possible the
production of air bubbles. For the subsequent five tests
the voltage is reapplied one minute after the
disappearance of any air bubbles that may have been
formed. If the observation of the disappearance of air
bubbles is not possible, it is necessary to wait for five
minute before new breakdown test is started.
The electric strength shall be the arithmetic mean of the
six results which have been obtained.


Di-electric Testing and Dissolved Gas Analysis of Insulating Oil

The diagnostic testing of insulating oil has been well established for
certain types of high voltage equipment - particularly power
transformers. For these devices, the diagnostic testing has been
successfully applied in determining the aging characteristics that are
the result of normal operational conditions and also those that are
the result of abnormal operation conditions viz. faults.
Normal aging is the result of oxidation process that causes
degradation of both the fluid insulation (oil) and the solid insulation
(cellulose).
Oxidation of the oil initially produces a
series of soluble products that are more
highly oxygenated than the molecules of
oil, these are products such as alcohols,
aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids.
Ultimately, oxidation of the oil can lead to
the formation of the solid product that is
commonly called sludge.


The monitoring of the acid concentration for in service oils provides
a convenient means of assessing the degree and the rate of oil
aging due to oxidation. The rate of oil oxidation can be assessed by
measuring the rate of change in the acid concentration of the oil.
Also of importance is the fact that since acid formation is a precursor
to the sludge, service limits for acid concentration can be set to
assure that sludge formation will not occur.
Deterioration of cellulose leads to the formation of carbon dioxide
and water. These products are soluble in the oil where they can be
detected. Rates of change in the carbon dioxide concentration in the
oil can be useful method for determining the rate of degradation and
therefore of aging of the cellulose insulation.


Conditions that can lead to accelerated aging of
cellulose are generally related to elevated levels of
oxygen and / or temperature. Elevated levels of
temperature are often the result of operational conditions
(i.e., overloading, faults).
In addition to the increased production of carbon
dioxide, accelerated aging may be evidenced by the
formation of carbon monoxide and by certain forms of
furfurals that are commonly referred to as furans.

These degradation products have come to be known as fault
gases. These gases include hydrogen as well as the hydrocarbon
gases methane, ethane, ethylene and acetylene.
It is important to note that each of these gases has a characteristic
energy required for its formation and as a result the individual gases
can be related to specific fault processes.
Fault processes such as arcing, partial discharge differ
tremendously in their energy content. Partial discharge is the lowest
energy process and it will characteristically produce significant
amounts of hydrogen.
Thermal processes will produce methane, ethane, ethylene as
well as hydrogen. Arcing will produce all of the fault gases. It is
only the fault process that will produce acetylene.


In the case of transformers, fault conditions can be detected based
on degradation products of the oil (usually gases) that are produced
as the result of an abnormal dissipation of energy within the unit.
The energy released through fault process such as heating, partial
discharge (or corona) and arcing can cause characteristic gases to
be formed by the chemical degradation of oil molecules.
The detection of these gaseous products helps not only in the
identification of the fault process but also for monitoring the fault
process.
Thermal phenomena produce ethylene and as temperature
increases the ethylene / ethane ratio increases.

In the case of transformers, any fault gas production is a
cause for concern as the fault gas should not be
released during normal operation.
Because of limitations imposed by design or by
operation, transformers often produce some fault gas
that may be acceptable.
The standards for acceptable levels of gassing are
usually established on the basis of past operational
experience.


In addition to the gassing behavior of the electrical
equipment, the monitoring involves the inclusion of data
related to the overall quality of the dielectric media.

Oil quality is generally assessed by such parameters as
acidity, moisture content, dielectric breakdown voltage,
interfacial tension, and dissipation (power) factor.


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MINERAL INSULATING OIL

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