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ABSTRACT
In this paper, the use of natural esters is discussed for both
power transformers and distribution transformers.
A comparison is given between fundamental characteristics
(breakdown voltage, viscosity and ageing stability) of
different vegetable oils and other types of oil. This
comparison is established using experimental results. Next,
issues related to technical, manufacturing and monitoring
aspects are described based on the experience from two
recent power transformer projects involving natural ester
fluid, one rated at 132kV, 90MVA for the UK, the other
rated at 242kV for Brazil (a shunt reactor). Finally,
temperature rise tests are presented that have been carried
out on distribution transformers filled with either mineral or
vegetable oil.
KEYWORDS
COMPARISON OF FUNDAMENTAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF TRANSFORMER
OILS
INTRODUCTION
In the face of increasing demand for the use of
environmentally friendly products in the industry, AREVA
T&D has been working to develop the use of vegetable oils
in distribution transformers and to extend its use to HV
power transformers and reactors.
In a liquid-filled transformer, the insulating liquid plays an
important function by providing both the electrical insulation
(in combination with a solid such as cellulose) and the
means of transferring the thermal losses to the cooling
system. The insulating liquid can also provide important
and easily obtainable information for use in diagnosing the
health of a transformer.
For more than one hundred years, the majority of liquidimmersed transformers have been filled with mineral oil.
The significant use of this petroleum-based product has
been justified until now by its wide availability, its good
properties, its good combination with cellulose and its low
cost. However, with environmental issues now becoming
extremely important, the use of a product with a high fire
point temperature and high biodegradability is becoming
extremely attractive. Thus, the recent availability of natural
ester fluids based on renewably sourced vegetable oils
has provided a new insulating liquid for use with
transformers.
To make the change from mineral oil to a natural ester
vegetable oil is an interesting challenge, as there are many
80
60
Vegetable oil 1 (67ppm)
40
20
0
1
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Series
5
4.5
Before ageing
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
30
25
Vegetable oil 1
0.5
Vegetable oil 2
Vegetable oil 3
20
Veg. Oil 1
Synthetic ester
15
Veg. Oil 2
Mineral oil
Veg. Oil 3
Synth. Ester
Mineral oil
Oil type
Silicone oil
10
5
0
20
40
60
80
100
Temperature (C)
Ageing stability
In addition to the BDV and the heat transfer characteristics,
insulating oil must have a good ageing stability. Oxygen,
which is present in the oil and can also ingress from the
environment, constitutes one of the more influential factors,
ageing the oil by oxidation. Temperature acts as a catalyst
as well as some metals such as copper. The ageing
stability of oil, therefore, is even more important if the
transformer is free breathing. Sulphur compounds are
present in mineral oils and act as natural inhibitors, but also
some synthetic inhibitors like DBPC can be added to
reduce the ageing process. As esters oils are more
biodegradable than mineral oil, they tend to have lower
oxidation stability. This lower oxidation stability can enforce
transformer manufacturers to use a sealed design (not free
breathing), although vegetable oil suppliers could also add
an inhibitor (which should be as green as possible).
For studying the oxidation stability of the different oil types,
the ageing was realized in accordance with IEC 61125 C.
This is the reference test to evaluate a new mineral oil. It
consists in ageing oil in the presence of a copper catalyst at
120C for 164 hours (for non inhibited oil) with a defined
oxygen flow rate. These tests were realized on new oils, as
1.2
Viscosity (mm2/s)
35
Heat transfer
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
Veg. Oil 1
Veg. Oil 2
Veg. Oil 3
Synth. Ester
Mineral oil
Oil type
Mineral oil
Natural ester
98
104
110
114
116
128
140
1
2
4
6.35
8
32
128
0.16
0.32
0.63
1
1.26
5
20
Manufacturing issues
Although the electrical design issues were critical to the
success of the transformer design, it was equally important
that the transformer could be manufactured, processed and
tested satisfactorily. A major issue was the effect of higher
viscosity on the processing time.
High viscosity of the insulation fluid increases the time to
fully impregnate the solid insulation, or even prevent full
impregnation. This is particularly relevant for thick
laminated insulation components. Tests showed that by
Monitoring issues
Physical characteristics of mineral oil are universally used
to check the condition of oil-immersed transformers. Such
diagnostic interpretation for ester fluids cannot use the
same criteria as is presently available for mineral oil.
Esters have a higher dissipation factor, which will mean that
values of tan delta will generally be higher for an ester-filled
transformer of comparable condition (figure 4). For mineral
oil, a higher value of tan delta generally indicates ageing of
the transformer. The existing acceptance criteria will need
to be re-assessed. A similar problem exists for volume
resistivity, as insulation resistance levels will be generally
lower for ester-filled transformers.
Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) criteria will need to be reassessed, as different amounts of gases are evolved and
the ratios of gases may not be the same. Initial
investigations suggest that present gas ratios may be used
to show major faults, but time will be needed to obtain a
sufficient library of data to be able to match the information
presently available for mineral oil.
Esters effectively contain more moisture than mineral oil
when measured in ppm (relative humidity values are
similar). This means that different acceptance criteria are
required compared to mineral oil. Also the voltage
breakdown acceptance criterion needs to be reviewed.
THERMAL ISSUES
TRANSFORMERS
IN
DISTRIBUTION
Symbol
Or
W
calculation
O - A
W - A
OM
gr
hr
0.8 x Or
W OM
H x gr
with H = 1.1
A + hr
hr
Or + hgr
hgr
CONCLUSIONS
Laboratory investigations show that:
o Ester oils are similar to mineral oil with respect to the
dielectric strength.
o Ester oils are seen to be more viscous than mineral oil
for a given temperature and are thus less efficient for
the transfer of heat by convection. Different types of
vegetable oil have different levels of viscosity effect.
o Ester oils are less stable with respect to oxidation than
mineral oil. However, depending on the type and the
presence or lack of inhibitor, the oxidation behaviour of
vegetable oils can be very different.
The understanding of chemical, physical, dielectric and
thermal properties of these fluids allows transformers to be
designed to encompass the differences compared to using
mineral oils, such that dielectric tests are not an issue.