Algerian Large Electrical Network Conference

To the electrical networks of future

Needs for New Values in the Technical

Specifications of Insulating Power
Transformer Oils
By : Benlahneche Saâd-eddine
Transmission Chief Engineer
DTE/ST- GRTE
Arelec Member

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Introduction
- Challenges:
 Technical:
• New specific using issues
• Presence of corrosive Sulphur
• Level of oil quality needed for transformers of a wide power
rating range
• Extension of service life desired for units in operating conditions

 Safety:
• Good Behaviour against fire situations ( fire stability)

 Environmental: ( Green oils = Green power transformers)

• Excellent biodegradation behaviour ( Oil free from the formation
of the PAH; Oil produced from renewable resources, ..)

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Forces of Change
- Traditional mineral oils are unable to provide suitable
security measures especially against fire and the
environment despite their cheap price, availability and
their technical properties correctly accepted.

- The transformer is taking more reduced dimensions

with even lower weight, but in the other hand, it will be
exploited at higher rating.

- The volume of oil used in transformers begins to

decline significantly in active parts putting thus, the
oil at highly thermal and dielectric stresses in
operating conditions.

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Some Current Changes

- A - In Design Level :
- 12% Decrease in the total weight of the transformer
- 11% Decrease in case weight
- 10% Decrease in oil weight
- 13% Decrease in core and coil weight
- 9% Decrease in no-load losses
- 3.5% Decrease in load losses
- 25% Increase in number of pumps

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Some Current Changes
- B – Oil Volume in Rating Conditions over
the years :
Manufacturing Liters of oil per Current trend
marked by the
year kVA rating volume oil decrease
1915 7.6
1945 1.9
1960 1.3 The electric
industry
1977 0.5 must adapt
itself to this
In recent years 0.4 trend

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Sources &Ways to design and to Formulate PT Oils ( Key
element in the competitiveness for new requirements in
use):

- From :
 Pure substances :
• Mineral : Paraffinic or naphtenic
• Synthetic : Like synthetic organic esters
• Vegetal : Vegetable esters coming from seeds, crops, palms,
soya, …,ect.
• Polymers : Like silicone and polybutadiene oils, …..
 Mixture and blending of different oils:
• In all or partial proportions according to the miscibility criteria
 Formulated Packaging by adding some additives:
• For improvements some specific properties

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 PROPERTIES AND SPECIFICATIONS
A - Mineral Oil: Naphthenic / Paraffinic
Proportions
Cp = Paraffinic Carbon Type
Cp below 50% Naphthenic oil
Cp 50 – 60% Intermediate oil
Cp 60%< Paraffinic oil

Cn = Naphthenic Carbon Type

Cn Above 40% Naphthenic oil

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 What have been changed in
Mineral oil ?
- Today, the major tendency is the use of the naphtenic oil rather the
paraffinic one (Properties at low temperatures, Gassing behaviour,
Impulse breakdown, Solvency power,Solubility,Wax formation,….).
- Modern oils must meet these following specific properties such a
good heat dissipation and stability against degradation to ensure a
long life for power transformers
- Mineral oils are now standardized according to IEC 60296
document- edition 2012 which had replaced the one of 2003.
- It takes into account some of the more recent problems such :
 New interpretation of inhibited and uninhibited oil
 Metals passivators / deactivators (IEC 60666).
 Presence of dibenzyl disulfide (IEC 60535).
 Other additives
 Test of corrosive sulfur (IEC 60535)

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

The difference between inhibited and
uninhibited oil? The antioxidant use

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

Oxidation and Degradation of Mineral Oils

Induction period Induction period

for uninhibited oil for inhibited oil

Oil Type Acid number in Tan delta at

Sludge in %
m g KOH / g 90 °C in%
IEC limit for
1.2 0.8 0.5
uninhibited oil
IEC limit for
0.3 0.05 0.05
inhibited oil

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

Mineral Oil as a weak point in impregnated
insulation system

- Channels and oil ducts inside the coil level are the
ultimate concentration point where the action of
dielectric stresses is generally destructive
- The dielectric stress in the oil is 1.8 to 1.9 higher than
the one in the insulating paper [(εo is between 2 and
2.2); (εp =4.0 )]
- The dielectric strength of the pressboard is about 3 to
4 times higher than that of oil
- The mineral oil in this impregnated system is the
most sensitive point of partial discharge occurrence
- This problem can increase drastically by the
existence of high concentration of moisture or
decomposition products and conductive particles

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

How to tackle the difference in the dielectric
permittivity values

E1/ E2= ε2/ ε1

- It can be overcome by using an alternative oil,

mixed with mineral oil, having a dielectric
permittivity close to that of the paper and capable
of dissolving the maximum of humidity under the
operating conditions without affecting its
dielectric strength
- The conditions of this mixture are imperative to
meet the criteria of miscibility and material
compatibility, and should interfere positively with
the internal design of the transformer.

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 PROPERTIES AND SPECIFICATIONS
B – Vegetable Based Ester Oil

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 B – Vegetable Based Ester Oil

Their key features include :

- Good fire resistance behaviour
- High water solubility
- Excellent toxicity/ biodegradability behaviour

Certain properties are completely

adverse :
- High viscosity and flow point
- The dissipation factor and its oxidation
stability
- High pour point temperature

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 B – Vegetable Based Ester Oil

Some other properties are also

adverse :
- Gelled oil skin thin film forming by some
polymerisation reactions
- The dielectric withstand for long distance
gap of ester oil is significantly different from
that of mineral one with a rating tension for
power transformers higher than 150 kV

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Some practical used solutions to
overcome these adverse features

- We can lower the pour point with 10 ° C by adding the

dimethyl - acrylate at a concentration of about 1% with
practically no effect registered on its electrical
conductivity.

- Flushing the service equipment with mineral oil or

synthetic esters is recommanded if the vegetable oil thin
film in the equipment is exposed to air and high ambiant
temperatue over an extended period of time

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Paradoxically to what is always happening with
Mineral oil

-The dissolved water reacts with ester-type oil to form long chains fatty
acids
- Hydrolysis increases then the acid value, but these fatty acids are less
aggressive than Mineral oil derived ones.
- Fatty acids can react with Hydroxyl groups of the cellulose via the
transesterification reaction to reduce the formation of new moisture
- Sludge formation during Naturel ester is negligible compared to
Mineral oil derived sludge

Sludge in Vegetable ester Sludge in Mineral oil

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

Dielectric Breakdown comparison between
Mineral oil and Naturel Ester as fonction of
moisture content

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Aging comparison between Mineral oil
and Naturel Ester impregnated systems
- The cellulose insulation impregnated with vegetal based oil
displays a much reduced rate of aging compared to that
impregnated with mineral oil.
- This corresponds to an overload capacity for a temperature
increase of nearly 20 ° C
- This feature combined with the good thermal conductivity of
vegetal ester; greatly outweigh the effect of viscosity

Mineral oil (68 °C) Vegetal ester (80°C)

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015
Aging comparison between Mineral oil
and Naturel Ester impregnated systems

Overload capacity of about 20°C

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 PROPERTIES AND SPECIFICATIONS
C – Synthetic Based Ester Oil

- It is synthesized from alcohols and organic acids. During

operation, it generates no dioxin or toxic products in the
presence of fire as the case of PCBs and has at the same time a
good biodegradability behavior.
- These esters have been developed primarily to resist against
oxidation and to absorb considerably higher quantities of
humidity without any deterioration of the dielectric system.
- Its high solubility is certainly the highlight of this type of oil where
the water saturation is reached at about 2600 PPM.

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 Comparison of physical properties of the
several oils

Mineral Synthetic ester Natural ester

Properties
uninhibited oil Midel 7131 Biotemp
Viscosity at 40 ° C / 2 mm / s 9 30 42
Viscosity at 100 ° C / 2 mm / s 2.5 5.25 9
Density at 25 ° C / kg / m 3 0.88 0.97 0.91
Pour Point ° C -25 / - 50 - 50 - 20
Specific heat at 20 ° C / J / kgK 1860 1880 1963
Thermal conductivity at 25 ° C / W / mK 0.126 0.144 0.17
Coefficient of thermal expansion / 1 / ° C 0.00075 0.00075 0.00068
Dielectric strength IEC 60156 / kv > 70 > 75 > 75
Relative permittivity according to IEC 60247 2.2 3.2 3.2
Tan delta at 90 ° C according to IEC 60247 <0.001 <0006 <0.02
Acidity / mg KOH / g 0.01 0.03 0.022
Aging RBOT / min (ASTM 2112) 300 420 197
Biodegradation after 28 days /% 25 89 95

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 INSULATING OIL : AS A TOOL OF ASSET
MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF
TRANSFORMER SPECIFICATIONS

- The evaluation of different electrical, thermal , dielectric and

magnetic withstands is often done by informations acquired via
the insulating oil where all statutes expressing the health of the
transformer are well illustrated .
- This correlation provided by the oil as a vector of information
between these withstands and deterioration processes, linked to
defect and failure states of the transformer, are the main source
of feeding of the asset manager and manufacturers with
analytical tools, focused on the management of transformer life
and the improvement of specifications and standards.
- This feedback guaranteed by this ongoing dynamic, will continue
in the future to make the necessary changes to requirements
because, simply, the transformer will remain for a long time, a key
equipment in the main electricity transmission systems of any
energy sources used

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 FUTUR AND PERSPECTIVES

- The intrinsic properties of the mineral oil have been

already in use well over a century of existence and will
continue to do so for future decades.
- Environmental pressures, continuously in growing
issues , allow to the alternative oils mixed with suitable
additives to be well positioned in the future.
- The arrival of insulating oils, loaded with
nanoparticles can significantly improve the properties
of heat transfer and dielectric strength, which will be
favorable for compact designs of modern units

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

 CONCLUSIONS

- In the case of power transformers, IEC 62535 standard – edition

2008 imposed significant changes in the production of mineral oils.
- The inhibited oils, containing the anti-oxidant additive, were little
affected by this standard ; unlike in the case of uninhibited ones
where important changes have been seen because of their market
share, providing thus satisfactory performances for transformers
with high rating power under very stressed loads.
- The retrofilling of power transformers with natural ester fluid drew
already its future, especially when is blended with appropriate
additives.
- The experience with power transformers will certainly be positive,
since it will be supported by modified designs made on the active
parts.
- Intensive normalization that followed this type of oil will further
accelerate its implementation in the coming years

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

CAGRE’15 - ALGER, HOTEL HILTON - du 24 au 26 Mars 2015