Transformer Insulating Oil

Transformer Insulating Oil

Electrical transformers need an adequate insulation. One of the most important components of insulation system is transformer insulating oil. It is a fluid or liquid substance that is common for transformer system and known as the most popular insulating material all over the world.

Transformer Insulation System

Each transformer has its own complex system of insulation. There always must be a combination of solid and fluid (or liquid) insulating components.

There is a plenty of possible insulating materials, but there are also the most common types.

Transformer insulation can also have major and minor insulation. The major insulation separates windings from the iron core, and the minor is used between the parts of coils or windings.

Types of Transformer Insulation

1. Fluid and liquid insulation:

Petroleum-based oils are the most common insulation in a practice of many countries.

There also can be different high-flash point fluids:

• silicones;
• hydrocarbones;
• clorinated benzenes;
• insulating oils.

2. Gas system:

• hydrogen;
• air;
• fluorogases.

3. Solid Insulation:

• the most frequently used paper insulation, wich can be wood- or nylon-based
• other different types of materials

Insulating Oil Types

As we can conclude, the oils can be both as part of insulating complex or can be a main component of it.

There are basic types of insulating oil:

1. Mineral oil

Also known as naphtenic oil. It is a naphtha-based product, that is the most common in usage as transformer insulating oil.

Mineral oils consist of hydrocarbon components, that usually come from residual oil fractions of the appropriate viscosity level. In other words it is a by-product of the  petroleum distillation.

2. Paraffinic oil

There is another range of oil, that is based on naphtha, but has a different origin and features from mineral oil.

Technically paraffinic oil is a refined mineral oil but in another configuration. 

This kind of oil has lower oxidation level. But it’s impossible to remove the products of this harmful effect. They dissolve themselves in paraffin, so they spoil the fluid content.

3. Silicone oil

It is a chemically produced substance that can be as transformer filling. Silicone oil consists of liquid silicone polymers. They are the chemical analogues of similar organic compounds.

Si atoms replace carbohydrate atoms, and so the substance of silicone oil is formed.

The main disadvantage of silicone oil is that it is hardly biodegradable.

There are also ethereal oils. They are organic and have plant origin. The issue is that they are polluted and aged very quickly.

Functions of Insulating Oil

1. Liquid insulation between the windings and other parts of transformer;
2. Cooling system;
3. Protection from oxygen and cellulose interaction.

Advantages of Transformer Insulating Oil

The insulating oil of high quality has its range of positive features

First of all, oil as an insulating medium has high dielectric strength. So it is effective and demands less power costs then the other types of liquid insulation.

Also oils have enough viscosity level, which is helpful in loads of situations. First of all the transformer oil will not have evaporation losses.

Transformer insulating oil not only has higher power efficiency, but also has a wider temperature flexibility. It makes the operation easier and more relevant to circumstances.

Insulating oil Maintenance

To keep the insulating oil system in order you should provide complex service.

What is important firstly, the transformer oil must have relevant quality certificate. It also should proceed the analysis before using. So it is not advisable to operate with oils of dubious quality.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of new technologies that can bring any substance into a clear state.

Transformer oil quality indicators

• contamination content – oil mustn’t have any bad contaminants that may cause failures in a system;
• flash point – a temperature, which gives vapor. The higher flash point, the better work of transformer is;
• pour point – a lowest temperature, which leads to freezing of oil. This point is crucial for regions with cold climate;
• viscosity – a parameter, that is important for heat transfer possibility. It should be low but also not water-like.

Transformer oil Treatment

Different transformer oil treatments can solve range of problems.

GlobeCore company has invented the equipment for transformer oil treatment.

There are different configurations of units, that operate with transformer oil. One of them is oil regeneration system.

It includes technologies that can complete several tasks:

1. Transformer oil purification;
2. Improvement of dielectric strenth.

There are also options of degassing and the other important procedures.

Some of the units are able to perform on-site oil service.

There are different types of transformer oil equipment:

1. Veriaty of CMM units, that are designed for transformer oil processing;

2. UVR units, that also can perform plenty of different operations

Transformer oil Purification

Oil purification is one of the ways to restore insulating fluid. The purifying system uses different possible filtrating material.

The combination of physical and chemical approaches helps to move out any bad contaminants from oil. This procedure became efficient and easy with GlobeCore equipment.

• CMM-R regeneration system

It is a special and unique machining complex. The CMM-R plant works with a sorbent, which picks up all the exterior solids.

This transformer oil Regeneration System can go in combination with degassing and other units.

https://globecore.com/products/oil-processing-equipment/oil-regeneration/cmm-r-oil-regeneration-systems

• UVR unit

It is a system that can purify transformer oil as well. It is also able to operate with fuels.

The plant is provided for different volume and configurations of fluids.

UVR  maintains:

1. Purification of heavy fuel oil and dark diesel ;
2. Heavy fuel and dark diesel lightening;
3. Removing of sulfur and hydrogen sulfide compounds.

All of the latest industrial oil service equipment has an easy control system. The newest units have a computer system, which shows all the important indicators. Most of the difficult operations are automatic. The invention of intelligent technologies helps to make any manufacturing and service process easy and safe.