Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Transformer Oil Detail
Transformer Oil Detail
Transformer Oil Detail
Best Practices
Transformer
Testing, Maintenance
and Monitoring
Interview with John McDonald Testing and Maintenance: Tips for Reducing Wasted Time
GE Grid Solutions Best Practices for a Half Century When Testing Transformers
54 Transformer
Oil Properties
Although
traditional
naphthenic oils
have provided
generally
acceptable
properties for
transformer
oils, tests have
proven that an
oil with a higher
paraffinic carbon
content can
deliver improved
performance
and extended
Photo: Exxon Mobil
transformer life.
Transformer Technology September 2019 55
Issue 3
Introduction
This article highlights the key Several typical transformer oils, all
properties of transformer oils with with a significant naphthenic carbon
different chemical compositions content (represented by the blue bars)
and the tests that were undertaken – see were compared to a new oil
in determining if oils with a higher with a much higher paraffinic carbon
paraffinic carbon content can deliver content (as shown by the green bars),
enhanced performance versus those see Figure 1. The new transformer oil
with a higher naphthenic carbon Figure 1. Percentage of aromatic with higher paraffinic carbon content
carbon content (Ca), naphthenic
content. carbon content (Cn),
was developed to provide improved
and paraffinic carbon content (Cp), properties versus typical naphthenic oil
These key properties include: based on ASTM D2140 performance.
0
loadings and size.
• Material compatibility which can
affect leak prevention.
NapOil2 NapOil4 NapOil3 ParOil
300
oil (shown by the black dot), as
demonstrated in Figure 2. A higher
200 paraffinic carbon content and lower
aromatic carbon content can improve
100 the oxidative stability of the oil to help
maximize transformer lifespan.
Issue 3
Minutes
stress. A negative gassing tendency
300
is advantageous, therefore, in
minimizing the build-up of hydrogen
200
gas because the oil can adsorb gas
under partial discharge conditions in
the presence of gas bubbles. 100
with a negative
-20
-30
gassing tendency -40
indicates that -50
it can adsorb -60
60
40 FAIL
20 PASS
Gassing Tendency, uL/min
-20
-40
-60
-80
-100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Ca, %
ParOil Spec
58 Transformer
Oil Properties
Weight, %
molecules may also emit hydrogen. 31
As a result, product composition and 30
degassing performance can suffer.
20
To help counter this, the new paraffinic
oil has been developed with a very low 10 6
aromatic carbon content, as shown in 2
Figure 6. This delivers potential safety, 0
health, and environmental (SHE) NapOil2 ParOil
benefits due to lower exposure to Paraffinic Carbon Content Naphthenic Carbon Content
aromatics. Importantly, the aromatics Aromatic Carbon Content
content of the paraffinic oil is also very
consistent, providing a more constant
gassing tendency. Table 1. Viscosity dependence on temperature and composition
Lower viscosity can also improve Figure 7. Mouromtseff number and importance
heat transfer by providing better oil of low viscosity
circulation inside the transformer
to facilitate effective cooling. Figure Mouromtseff Number for comparing
7 illustrates the importance of the heat transfer rates of liquid coolants:
Mouromtseff number and low viscosity.
ρ = density
An oil with a high Mouromtseff ρaKbCpd K = thermal conductivity
number equates to an oil with a good Mo =
Cp = specific heat
heat transfer rate. Because viscosity μe
μ = viscosity
appears in the denominator of the
equation, an oil with a lower viscosity
exhibits better heat transfer and more
effective cooling.
Transformer Technology September 2019 59
Issue 3
0.155
0.150
Thermal Conductivity, W/m.K
0.145
0.140
0.135
The low viscosity
of the paraffinic
0.130
oil at low
0.125 temperatures can
NapOil2 NapOil4 ParOil
be beneficial for
Figure 9. Specific heat versus temperature
by ASTM E1269
the cold-start of
2.20 transformers in
2.15 cold climates.
2.10
Specific Heat, kJ/kg.K
2.05
2.00
1.95
1.90
1.85
1.80
1.75
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Temperature, C
NapOil2 NapOil4 ParOil
60 Transformer
Oil Properties
PF 100
PF 100
oils and the paraffinic oil performed 0.20 5.0
similarly in the overall compatibility 4.0
0.15
testing, the paraffinic oil exhibited a 3.0
0.10 2.0
similar or lower Power Factor @ 100°C 0.05 1.0
(212°F) after the immersion. A lower 0.00 0.0
PF100 is desired because it indicates
Corkprene Nitrile - Comm
lower impurities and, therefore, less
attack on the elastomers. 0.45 0.18
0.40 0.16
0.35 0.14
This is a result of the paraffinic oil 0.30 0.12
PF 100
PF 100
having lower aromatic and naphthenic 0.25 0.10
carbon contents than most naphthenic 0.20 0.08
oils, which decreases the “solvency” 0.15 0.06
0.10 0.04
strength of the oil. The lower solvency 0.05 0.02
strength is also reflected by the 0.00 0.00
higher aniline point of the paraffinic VitonTM Nitrile - High
oil, compared to the naphthenic oils
(which is not shown here). Improved NapOil2 NapOil3 NapOil4 ParOil
material compatibility is a result of
lower solvency strength.