The present methods of ascertaining the probable sludging of transformer oils are laborious. A simple test, comparable to that used in obtaining the dielectric strength, would be of considerable value in reducing test manpower, equipment and expense. Present investigators measure such properties as oxygen absorption, colour change, increase in acidity, carbon dioxide evolved, water formed, the power factor, and the lnterfacial-tension value. Numerous dielectric materials exhibit anomalous dispersions. The attendant rise in dissipation factor encountered at the points of dispersion is helpful in determining the amounts and types of polarization present. Transformer oils, although initially non-polar, are subject to oxidation. This oxidation produces materials of polar molecular structure which govern the power loss in alternating current electric fields. The problem is one of correlating such losses to the state of the oil under test. This thesis deals with the investigations carried out on the above problem. Absorption bands for transformer oils have been found. The present work describes the presence and location of such absorption bands, and illustrates how the dipolar state of the oil affects the position of the loss peaks. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

The deterioration of electrical insulating oils results in the formation of complex oxidation products, many of which are polar in structure. The significance of the microwave-frequency dielectric-loss measurement, when applied to the evaluation of aged transformer oils, is investigated. A cylindrical cavity, operating in the TE₀₁ mode, is used to measure the loss tangent of aged transformer oils. Q-factor measurements are made by a dynamic method which is described. The problem of mode interference in the cavity is investigated in detail. It is found that the loss tangent of transformer oils, measured at X-band, increases as the oil deteriorates through oxidation. The increase is influenced by several factors but closely parallels the increase in acidity. Sludge particles do not in themselves cause a significant increase in the dielectric losses. An indirect correlation between the loss tangent and the sludge content of an oil may exist but has not been established. The change in the dielectric constant of an oil caused by the presence of dissolved water, or by the ageing process, is too small to be measured by the method used. A small but measureable increase in the loss tangent is produced by the presence of water in concentrations of approximately 75 parts per million. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

This study is focused on the analysis of transformer oil commonly used in South African transformers and the characterisation of the blends of these oils with either synthetic antioxidants or those extracted from natural sources. The virgin naphthenic based uninhibited transformer oil was shown to have no acidic or saponifiable constituents. Although the oil used in this study is naphthenic based it was found to contain bicyclic compounds identified as tetralin (aromatic) and decalin by GC-MS. The oils were void of typical wear metals and only additive metals/non-metals were present. The blending of transformer oils with synthetic antioxidants was successful as confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and FT-IR data. The blending showed increased antioxidant activity of the oils as well as thermal stabilities (DPPH assay and TGA respectively). Apparent activation energy for the decomposition reaction was determined by means of the Ozawa, Flynn and Wall (OFW) and Kissinger models. The apparent activation energy for BHT-B, DBP-B and VO were found to be 57.0, 63.7 and 69.3 kJ molˉ¹ , respectively for 10% mass conversion obtained from TGA data (OFW model). The dissipation factor for the oil blends was established to be favourably lower than that of unblended oils; however an undesirable decrease in the dielectric breakdown voltage of the blends was observed (16, 26 and 50 kV for BHT-B, DBP-B and VO respectively). The blending of transformer oil with synthetic antioxidants is a common practice, however greener approaches are always favoured. In this study, a greener approach was employed by blending the transformer oil with turmeric plant extract in an effort to improve the oil’s performance. Turmeric is known for its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. Solvent extraction of turmeric powder and subsequent blending into transformer oils, revealed the dissolution of 5 components from turmeric into the oil, viz., curcumene, sesquiphellandrene, ar-turmerone, α-turmerone and β-turmerone (curlone). In this work, we analysed novel turmeric-oil blends in terms of oxidation and thermal stability in comparison to that of virgin transformer oil. The DPPH assay confirmed that addition of these blends into the oil increased its ability to scavenge the free radical DPPH. Thermogravimetric analysis showed an increase in thermal stability when compared to that of virgin unblended oil. Evidently blending of synthetic antioxidants/turmeric extract has potential to enhance the performance and increase the life-span of transformer oils. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.

Thesis (DR. ENG.)--John Hopkins University, 1938. / Cover title. Mimeographed. Bibliography: leaves 71-72.

Thesis (DR. ENG.)--John Hopkins university, 1938. / Cover-title. Mimeographed. "References": leaves 71-72.

Διηλεκτρικά υγρά (έλαια) χρησιμοποιούνται ευρέως για τη μόνωση κύριων τμημάτων του εξοπλισμού υψηλών τάσεων. Ειδικά τα φυτικά έλαια εμφανίζουν αυξανόμενο ενδιαφέρον έναντι των ορυκτών ελαίων, λόγω των ιδιαίτερων φυσικοχημικών χαρακτηριστικών τους (π.χ. υψηλότερη διηλεκτρική αντοχή, βιοδιάσπαση κτλ). Στην παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία, πραγματοποιήθηκε μελέτη ηλεκτρικών φαινομένων και φαινομένων οπτικής εκπομπής κατά τη διάρκεια καταπόνησης φυτικού ελαίου FR3TM σε ανομοιογενές ηλεκτρικό πεδίο. Συγκεκριμένα, χρησιμοποιήθηκε διαμόρφωση ηλεκτροδίων ακίδας-πλάκας (1 cm και 2 cm) και εφαρμόστηκε τυποποιημένη διακοπτική κρουστική υψηλή τάση. Μεταξύ άλλων, εξήχθησαν συμπεράσματα σχετικά με τη φάση προεκκένωσης εντός του ελαίου υποβαλλόμενου σε αυτό το ανομοιογενές πεδίο. Αυτά εμφανίζουν πρακτικό ενδιαφέρον αφού στον εξοπλισμό υψηλών τάσεων τα διάκενα είναι ομοιόμορφα σε λίγες μόνο περιπτώσεις. Η όλη πειραματική εργασία εκτελέσθηκε στο Εργαστήριο Υψηλών Τάσεων του Τμήματος Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών και Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών της Πολυτεχνικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. / Dielectric liquids (oils) are widely used for the insulation of main parts of high voltage equipment. Especially, vegetable oils have increasing interest compared to mineral oils, due to their particular physicochemical features (e.g. higher dielectric strength, biodegradability etc). In the present diploma thesis, a study of electrical and optical emission effects was realized during the stressing of vegetable oil FR3TM in an inhomogeneous electric field. More specific, point-to-plane electrode configuration was used (1 cm and 2 cm) and standard switching high voltage was applied. Among other results, conclusions related to the pre-breakdown phase in the oil subjected to this inhomogeneous field were figured out. These conclusions have interest from the practical point of view since in the high voltage equipment the gaps are uniform in a few cases only. The experimental work as a unit was carried out in the High Voltage Laboratory of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the Engineer Faculty of the University of Patras.

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A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering Date submitted: 28 August 2015 / Many generator transformers were installed many years ago during the initial commissioning of Eskom’s power stations. Many of these transformers have started showing signs of significant ageing of the paper insulation and hence require regular monitoring. There are two methods that are currently being employed to assess the degree of ageing of the paper insulation in a generator transformer, which are paper sampling and furan level measurement. This dissertation investigates an alternative method of predicting the degree of ageing of the paper insulation instead of what is used currently. This method uses the Arrhenius equation that relates time and temperature to determine the degree of degradation of organic materials. The reliability of the Arrhenius estimation method is assessed by comparing the predicted DP (Degree of polymerisation) values with the measured DP values of the same transformer paper insulation. The results obtained showed that there is reasonable correlation between the DP values estimated from the Arrhenius equation and the DP values estimated from the measured furan levels. The accuracy of the prediction method is reduced when the oil temperature greatly differs from the paper insulation temperature. The application of the Arrhenius equation to estimate the ageing of paper insulation is a great milestone in the quest to predict the remaining life of a transformer. It is the only method available to do this prediction and using online temperature measurement on transformers makes the method more reliable. / MT 2017