Handed by:

Leybold-Heraeiis OmbH a C® Eno,° ATiovaldo de Siqueira

K6In-Bayenlal

Dr.-lng. M. Beyer
Privatdozent. Tedinisdle Hodisdiulo Braunsdiweig

Drying and impreghalihg

Reprint from WIRE Issue 90, August 1967

PROST & MEINER-VERLAG, 8630 Coburg, Germany

Reprint By 567/E +Sp

 Eng]° Ariovaldo de S'iqueiTa

Drying tlnd impregnating

By Dr.-lng, M. 8 e y e r, Privatdozent, Technische Hochschule Braunschweig

1. Summary lt can be seen that the nitrogen quanlilies absorbed for

The contribution contains the physical bases tor the drying
:e:s:three::v::rgu:shi;i:q:uc!scd:e,!anssso:1::ee::::t,:prgLae:n:t,:,::,;!si!s::
ques with reference lo the relationship of the characteristics
ol insulating oil and paper with the residual moisture
all four siibstances are proportional to pressure. The
nitrogen curve thus tollows Henry's Law. The water vapour
isotherms on the other hand, all have a deviation from
a 45 ° gradient, and they do not lollow Henry's Law, The
;aa,t,::,spo,:us?L';:ys,i,:,,::,I,i:nciT::,.:I.i::'Lewn:;::Lvaawp?,u,:

::at::'p*':nbaet:::Pta;i,Tebde.:::::r:,iSed:::cnr#e':.Sofdrying £S,ea+r::rdaytuTeendt:°pneendd'atnh,::isj°:Itv:;::r::speasc*¥th°f+::#dr:
ature, Shell Oil K8 shown in curve 3, can, at a temper-
2. The Fundamenlal Pilnciples ol Diylng and Degasslng
of Llqulds :tnu::eo:,i:;hc:n€:,ssaot,:e,eamp5:::;Tr:,:,,y75ooE.i;md.:syoqteer:

!n:tg::siy:::#:v:;ia:t:srp!r!n::!P:I.te:#:P,:syo*:Ill,:bh;e;dh:#n:,ni:n:d:
will be achieved. The good degassing of a liquid is neces-
sary so lhal during impregnalion of dried materials ex-
4cO4 040 3632 82420'cO120840

/ J
cessive etlervescence will not take place, and thereby a /
good penetration of impregnating liquid into small voids
//
;e!p:d::,?::;:em::s!ih:e::n.g::u?::n:e!,f:urir:;:::#o:,,:I:u[:e:,|e::r
fops::=js:Lbj::n,praenddoTt:at:I:yre:Fdvue::hgeLesssc,o#:n,rews:#uba:
2/
of influence on lhe quality ol the liquid to be treated.
/
Moisture, or respectively, water can be dissolved, emulsi-
tied, or roughly dispersed in a liquid, while gas in a

E:,u:g.iihaeb|e.::,£;:,is;a:y.erdo::';naes'ys.iL:feu?nh'!!is::5
/ 1/
:Shr:d;::xe:Tdqoetna!net:tBy:::I;:i%;t!£e::vraag::o:uer,s:::sfs:u:r:t,::::§ilso:i:
degassing or vapour pressure al a constant temperature
giving one the absorption isotherm.

:::tuerrea`ndg::;:o:°ernv::r!r°ei:t,Sounbs;:n:eas,'e;h;ai:'uurb:;i:yrt::i
pressure, or respeclively, nitrogen partial pressure.

I '
11
I I I
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
fl [.c] -
•,

I I

I,
tB'`,a
\0\¢ ?, y Flo. 2 i:'pU,reeg"h®.n,esd°':#[,E®ty t;,` :,a'4eo'o i.7. .,ei:Pt|°e #|`,ld[?ynd a me"

II I I
wit
x\Sv
` #lfr::iTfs'se:Yv:8o,:.,p.vma.,iF.i:sur:,s7c:I;ysinhso.yatTnugch.#:i
o0
giv
¥grjo€sctoenTap]::::ur:sate:nuept:s:ts,osro,:xbT,#7,:L:,h:tsaro::nadt
0`.
300 p.p.in.), and on cooling the oil it must relecise about
zl fat50C
zl
cho :;:rye,i;:o##:w,a!:#:I;sTn;h::,ai:::u:*inb:e::u;::;:;:nr:ed::.isi:n:
o{ this type therefore, always forms when a larger water

"
/ °') Enf-bcaw.B;gQoungsdrucK° T°rr TOO
fh°ent:,T!:Sorpr:es:eonn':dtobtyh:htee:g'eraastjfee;:°|uub::jt';:i:mwshe°n`

i:Pgp:ieedra`,r°mmor'ehew:,r:rdtuhcae:rh:;ya;rnesua'8i:°To°disss:?vn:din,
room temperature. This is then always a water in oil
emulsion.
Flo. 1 TahRed :::a#:T:P:?apboetr:®nnd #,a,a;:;e;a:,i#uprre:fhu:e n"'®geh `®I`lenl
The decision lo what residual moisture content a liquid
(after oeljon-Oioss) will need to be dried, depends upon to what extent the
::ts.°rbb::*:BOO:Sat::gs°dn„=ckA=bs8rabsedpr:sus:::jty°'Ca§ various residual moisture contents influence the qualify
 Eng.0 An'ovald.a de Siqueira

o{ the liquid, this is determined by the luture use o{ the
liquid. This fact will be explained using the example of
two different viscosily insulation oils.
2.1 Moisture Content and Elect rical
Properties o{ Insulation Oils
As is well known, for a good insulation oil the dielectric
power {actor, the insulation resistance and the dielectric
at:epnegnt5 vaer.ey 3ia.uptTos.'n iThEortaan,::. .::%:, ?2ro-P8e,:ti::
figures 3 and 4 these characteristics for a low viscosity
and a high viscosity insulation oil cire plotted against the
water content or respectively, the water vapour pcirlicil
pressure, from the work of Sanmann (3). The low viscosity
oil K8 is an insulation oil which is usually used for the
impregnation of lransformers, instrument transformers and
high vollage oil cables. The high viscosity oil lDM 915
(Mineral6lwerke Fuchs) is
impregnated ccible.
The graphs in Figures 3 and 4 show that the dieleclric
power factor is af{ected very considerably by emulsified
water, As the moisture content becomes lower the power
factor falls, until at 20 p.p.in. it reaches its minimum and
u::jfflajTsss:,ovnesaarnt,I::e::,:n+%eacsommab,,e:emor::,a:,ar::e:h::
pregnating the oil of this type ol apparatus never comes
wciter dissolved in the oil brings lherefore by itself no
fundamental improvement ol the dielectric power factor.
The dielectric strength behaves altogether differently. It
bs,:,x,'er:ohr::':::i':I::x::Lhme:,m2Udaiop?pr.emg.:oan:dw:imchoLsn:sn,I: As in this example, the quality ol insulation as with all
cibout 50 kv/cm lor both considered oils. In the region
ol the solubility boundary the oil begins to increase in
strength. After passing the solubility boundary the
dielectric strength remains approximately constant up to
a residual moisture content of 20 p.p.in, On the other
hcind, al smaller residual moisture contents the dielectric
strength again climbs by abt. 50 0/o. From these curves it is
proved that the dielecli.ic strength is independent ol how
much water is emulsified in the oil. The dielectric strength
will be determined by the dissolved water. It is interesting
to note that for a lfansformer oil (Figure 3) according to
the VDE speci{ication, a dielectric slrenglh of at least
200 kv/cm will be required. In order to reach with certainly
lhis value, a transformer oil of this sort will have to be
dried lo a residual moisture content of cipproximale]y
10 p,p.in. In comparison, if one dries this oil to a residual
Fr:JS+Ubere::unrt:nb'e?i`er`:isa:hiaon-itTopr'r?'omri:i::.nt:tilt?n:rqeuo!!!:
the dieleclric strength by 500/o to approximately 350 kv/cm.
Also the insulation resistance considerably improves when
an insulation oil tor mass the water solubility limit has been passed. In the zone of
very small residual moisture content the gradient is sleeper
lhan linear.
The curves plotted here, in pcirticular for the low viscosity
insulation oil in Figure 3, are ol particular significance for
high voltage equipment, because in this case after im-
into contact with atmospheric air c]gain. The extreme
drying to a residual moisture content of 0.5 to 5 p.p.in,
gives excellent electrical values which are maintained
during the complele lile of the apparatus becciuse of the
air tight seals.
liquids will be appreciably dependent upon the moisture
or gas content. When one considers the necessity for

I
drying cind degassing of a liquid, it can in every case be
0, '0,7 Ow '0-, shown lhal the qualities which matter are dependent on
H//an a.an wciler content. First, when one knows this relationship,
S00 'O,G j40 / one can decide to what residual moisture content drying
„ '0', «„
` Elnul3il
/ is required. This then gives the equilibrium vapour pres-

/Ai,
fd sure to which the liquid must be dried and degassed, so
a,"' . that finally the type and performance of the degassifying
4,
§„p € planl to be used can be determined.
?„ '0,, „,
2,2 Drying and Degassing Equipment
'4, „,, '00 fa I or Liquids
I

.-.- .
I

a '0', The drying and degassing of a liquid can take place in

0 zO vO 6i] 80...loo ]ap. iw] 160 ppm 200
Wossergehall w a simple manner, the heated liquid being put into a vessel
and the space over it evacuated. In Figure 5 a procedure
fig. 3 keloli®nshlp ®1 dlelecllic powoi laclo. lan 8, !pecilic iii!IIIallon
is sketched which is however, only suitable for rough
reslslance a and dlel®clli. ]llenglh Ed ®1 a low vl!co!ily lmi]lall®n
drying cind degassing, even when in this way one eva-
oil |lianslo.mer ®11| vilh w.lel coi`l®nl al ]]° C
cuates to a low pressure the space over the liquid. On a
1 p.p.in. = 10-6 parls ol woler in I parl of oil
The ordinale scale lor a is logclrilhmic
small particle ol wafer or vapour al a distance 'd' from
L6sung = Solution; Emulsion = Emulsion;
the lop surlace of the liquid the pressure of this head of
Wassorgeholl = Wc]ler Conlent liquid with the height ol 'd' rests conslanlly on it, for
instance, a head of oil of 11 in. corresponds lo a pressure
7,a
of 760 Torr. On a small water or vcipour particle 1 cm
A"/ow under the oil surface there is then a pressure of about
„ 17ZZI •1" I+£ 0.7 Torr, and 10 cm under the surlace there is a pressure
50,
J2.c„
I.6Su ` ulsion
/ ol around 7 Torr. In yet larger distances {rom the surface
the pressure is even higher. It is clear that with this method
a
00 „,, one can never dry to a small water vapour pressure, as
t.`+``..`
g the hydrostatic pressure of. the liquid itself prevents a

?Z'O
9
„,,
.
a I

-. lower water vapour parlial pressure in lhe liquid.

If one wishes to dry and degas a low viscosity liquid by
this means, then one sprays il into a vacuum chamber, and
a,

a
i] 20 vO
•
60
.
'ono
cO .]ap 120.
-. .]vO
.i
160 160 ppmz2O
as a result one obtains a lower residual moisture conlenl.
At the spray degassing in Figure 5b liquid globules {orm
due lo the effect of the surface tension, As is well known,
WossergchQ/I Tu
the surface tension is greater as the diameter of the
Fig. 4 Relallomhlp ol dleleclilc power lacloi lan ti, speclllc lnsulolion globule decreases. In these globules confined water
leli!Iance 9 and di®leclr]c !lrenglh Ed ol a hlgh v]!co!ify imulalion vapour cannot escape because ol the high surface tension
Oil |rnafs ifnp]egli..®d cable|, vllli w.lor cohlenl al 23° C of the globule. The outer pressure can therefore still be
L6Sung = Solution; Emulsion ± Emulsion; low. But even when the globules are large, and this effect
Wassergehcilt = Water Conlenl is insignificant, e.g. with globules with diameters ol several
 Eno.e Ariovald.a de Sioueira

millimetres, lhe diffusion rate o{ water is still too small vapour pressures, then the afore mentioned measul.es must
for the water vapour to reach the surlace of the drop in be made use of so that the primary ablaling components
the short tolling time. Admiltedly, by a multiple repetition can condense and return again to the liquid.
of this process a more intensive degassing is achieved,
but however, a greater elf iciency is elfected when larger
3. The Piinciples Of Drying and Degasslng
liquid surfaces are exposed to the vacuum.
of Solid Malerials
Figure 5 c shows a procedure in which the liquid is lirst
spread over a distributing plate, then it runs together 11 is intended to treal initially drying. The application of
the vacuum necessary for this consequently removes the
:%ft;:leo?e:d'8:iehrs`tx:ihd,:Psn;Co:;opf'aj:s.,r:Bbyutjcn°gnspe,Cat:V: gas simultaneously.

i::g:i:i:u:]sdrsoi:`,Oecd:jtsoaadiT:evveed.aFbeoqsTt:vn:'ycht::gd:S:rib,:t: The drying pi.ocess ccin be classified in three sections:

liquid surface by a lasler spread of the oils.
A far greater liquid surface ol thin liquid films can be
obtained by using a Degassing Column (Figure 5d). By
the distribution of the liquid over the packed column one
obtains an extremely large surface of many square melres
which moreover is constantly renewed. Also, the duration
of the liquid in this sort ol degassing chamber is adequa-
tely long to enable an equilibrium between the moisture
vclpour partial pressure in the liquid and the surrounding
pressure in the degassing chamber to be established.
To start with, the liquid will be forced over a heat ex-
chonger into the {irst degassing stage, in this way by con-
Teaci!:ni#'toarrv:firub::UaTniaTn'#rpor:Sshu::e:{h::t%:e:
syphon seal, the liquid reaches a second tower where it is
:i:i:rtd:;t:ngd:eo::a;Sn:d:#raT:C§:rL?:::e°;n::;:u:g#:?:r::,r:e:S§::i
process of one, two or three stages one is able to dry the
liquid to a residual moisture content ol between 0.5 and
5 p.p.in. This represents the best choice of the various
drying and degassing processes for liquids.
The storage tank for the dried and degassed liquid must
Vapourisation of the water in the material to be dried,
M:g::':3nto°{hteh:u#er (::,Pu°sY:n:)? the material to be
Removal of the water vapour.
3.1 Vapourisation of the Water
Because of the high heal o{ vapouriscition of water (about
f#k:c:i¥g:,t:3::':a:a;;!s:,;:ni::n:d:hs:::air::a:,:;:;:mi:chT?;;'e:o:E!u!:a:- EH
The heat conducted through the area of contact ol the
bodies lo be dried with their heated surfaces can be
disregarded in these cases, as the heal contacls are small
and correspondingly the heal flow by this means is slight.
The pressure independent heat transler by radiation is in
accordance with the Stefan-Boltzmann Law. Accordingly,
the transferable amount o{ heal is:
Q=c'.F.[(*)4_(=)4]wherec'=

Phea,in:Ltfin.exts,I:5fns,ehteo!aE'uE:;aasts:::ssTamgee,pie;;#ewT,i a = lhe amount of heat lronsforable by rodialion (kcol/h)

+i-,
also overcome the small but unavoidable leakage o{ the C = radiation conslqnl for dark bodies I 4.96 kcal/m8h grd4
vessels on lrans{erence ol the liquid. For this, a set of 8i = emission ratio ol radiating §urface (0.7 for iron with scc]Ie)

pumps o{ low air capacity usually sullices. e2 = emission latio ol absorbing sur`aco (a.8 Ior paper; 0.1 Ioi
With the above method of drying liquids it is necessary aluminium. oxidised)
F = absorption surface of lho subslance lo be dried (m2)
that either in the intake pipe of the degassing tower itself
Ti = temperature ol the radiating sui.lace (°K)
or in the intake manifold of the vacuum pump, oil con-
T2 = temperature of the absorbing surlclce (°K)
densers or separators ore included. With this, one can
ensure thcll light volatile com-
cl
ponents, e.g. additives, will not
be sucked off by the vacuum
pumps but will stc]y in the degas- FIfllrdrpeiienfgqsljng
sing liquid or alternatively, flow
back lo it. On the other hand, il
may be necessary to put resin
JL- l.J'ufe
seporalors tor the vacuum pump
to avoid ablaling resin compo- -VoklllJm -
onsohluB
nents from reaching the vc]cuum
Pump.
The le`mperalure ol which the
-. Vokl'um -
onschlilB
Vokullm-
onschllJl]
]RTi[
„,c'
liquid will be dried and degassed
becomes solely dependent on the
viscosily of the liquid. The tem-
perature must be chosen so that 8ehdlterenlgosiing Spr`Uhenfgosung
the liquid will easily pass through
the degassing column in a thin
film. Thereby, in general one will
concentrate on carrying out the
Tellerenlgosiing

|r',"
zum logerbeh6lfer
/„4

degassification at the absolutely Flg. 5 Diagiamalic pl!nclplas ol va.Ious d®ga!!ing eqtiipmenl

Lo,y::t,?qousisjbLeeitnegm3:rga::sr:!tp.::eAPst,lew:f|rtt:::rn:S;U,::
usual degassing it is not possible to apply ci pressure
i!i:§i;,::e:¥i\#,:ec;a,=U:s:u;U:Ukm=!Ujp;;:::i#'a!5§r::r;ikn!!:::s:u:n:g'gg:aj:uo::3!ito:i

i:s|il#i;hvw:I?I:r:ercs:P:r::essF#:;a`Tt;hne:#:U;;hh:,:n#C§!°:hta::awst':: lt thel.e is situated between the radiating surlace and the

molerial an absorption sheet, the heat Q mentioned in
;nodi::ndt:ao'„Ch°em,?q°un:3ntt:b°:£heeg::s3:id.h:`v:nedjyr:ed::i'ych:;I the above equation will be reduced by a half.
 Eng,. An'ovald-a de Stoiiei,r3
rhhuesh[:°dtet;::Sd`:rodnuteh:a::Tevceuc,I::nd!:n::is.S:rheerde:::en,d[:n!
vacuum it is compcirolively slight. A proper drying process
should commence al atmospheric pressure to permit air
circulation lo thus obtain good heal transfer through
convection, Commonly one can in c] re-circulating system
obtain about four times as much heal lransfer as in a
closed system.
Since the supply of the requisite heat very substantially
::::rsT#i:h:o#rroitji:::`ryt}negdprry:::sspra°ccceos:a:!#t:I:::
optimum condilions of the heat input. One also tl.ies to
find new sources of hecit. It is possible in this connection to
use direct current healing or dielectric healing, these can
be successfully used for all the drying ol cables.
3.2 Water Vapour Dif{usion
The rate of drying depends upon the water vapour dif{u-
sion from inside the materials to be dried. The diffusion
:£#aart:°:,Stk:Wdsjfftuhs::nd#j.a:hjiT;ordtewpi::d,Sheu5;fnus:::
pcilh the time will be quadrupled. This is very easily
explained: lhe diffusion time must at one time be propor-
``+ tional to the diflusion path, but al others, with an increase
ol the diflusion path a drop in concentration occurs, which
again reduces the diffusion rate. Therefore, for cable of
double thickness lo obtain an equal residual moisture
content on the inside, the drying takes about four times
as long.
3.3 Wciter Vapour Removal
Basically one can chemically absorb or adsorb, condense
clnd pump out water vclpour. The chemical absorbing is
not generally used except with dehumidifiers (i.e. silicagel).
On the other hand, the condensation of water vapour in
water cooled condensers will be applied to every drying
process, as it represents the ef(ective means for the re-
moval ol water vapour. But it must be taken into account
that with this sort o{ condensation, the attainable water
vapour partial pressure depends on the temperature of
the condenser. With the usual cooling water temperature
of 12 to 14 ° C, a water vapour partial pressure of around
t5 to 20 Torr is achieved. The quantity ol water vapour
whidi is condensed in a condenser can be very large. As
is well known, a water cooled condenser is an effective
_LpouwmE::,rjaTa:::s::rpeosu:Lnet#:s7r:hs::rep:emg;o:.„Ttoh:t::tveer
Blld 6 llump lel Y.poiltie.in 20 wllli |el Condense. and cooling unil.
Capocily 20,000 m8/h water vapour cit 10-I Torr
vapour with pump sets. For drying processes with extre-
mely large quantities of wc]ter vapour one can employ a
vchai:::rcpornegseunrsee:f¥it:u?:e.T8-?r#so:di4e5v:dFTao:::;r
out this especially economic method ol removing water
vapour (condensation) a special pump set has been
::#nE:f`(fi'g,rh:f]).an essen,ial component is a multiple
lt follows that in the course of the drying process the
entire water vapour will condense in the condenser. The
Sauncdce8t:snbgai,taasiep::::::rti::::too:ec::i}St:::e°5uR,;,°'tso-
exlract air and uncondensable gasses: it can accordingly
have a small rating. The mulliple condenser works in three
::|adse;.a!:rthw:|i{]rbs:PsE::;e-d!Tn:hseor:hgj:?h:6#:e?°v::r:u=
itself can condense. In the pressure region from 20 to
:r:ou:,qn:::rprac,:',:swa?I:r,ewJ!bebr:,::rrecuo`fa:ebdoi#jtt;hz°ougci
When the pressure drops below 5 Torr the water circula-
tion will be disconnected, the refrigerating machine cools
with freezing mixture an additional internal spiral tube
;f;Tu!nrdc,:rer:cs:p:odTe:lie:rnts:phisc:p:ies:ev,,:hEo,#'auft::i:p,;:psu:n:er
will freeze out on the spiral tube. With this arrangement,
an enormously high ccipocily for water vapour will be
achieved with relatively small pump sets. The pump set
:i.:o:o:!bs:.i,,p;#oaJnrai:nt,e:c,#::a:cr;:::,;i.a,-1:Ta:I:r:aA;:p#E:!
for use when large quantities of water vapour at a pres-
sure region between 10 and 5 .10-2 need to be evacuated.
Because of this extraordinarily high water vapour capacity
the drying time will be reduced to about half that with
conventional pump sets.
What has been explained for the drying and degassing
of liquids also applies for the drying and degassing ol
solid malericils, that the delerminalion ol the necessal.y
drying rate depends on what degree of residual moisture
conlenl of the material is required for the particular appli-
cation. Additionally, for every material to be dried the
particular temperature condition corresponding to lhe
characteristics o{ these materials has to be determined.
In the case of paper insulated cable, details concerning
this will have to be discussed.
3.4 Drying and Degcissing of Paper
Generally paper contains 6 to 7 °/o moisture. A part of this
water is condensed in or on the paper, another part is
absorbed, and a lillle portion is closely chemically bound.
The condensed water becomes separated al a pressure of
several Torr and al the usual drying temperatures. Then
as the pressure becomes less the closely absorbed water
will be removed. The diemically bound water must slay in
the paper lo preserve the paper slructul.e. The measure-
ment of the water vapour partial pressure in relation to
'FhoeoT°i#[rt:hc:::intv:ict::,P:F:r!;amsobn:e(ng)Cat:r!epdre°s:trbe¥
8::nn::,:bt:u:,?L5:nT::r;r3:tj::nb,aenpessuc#su[tt:rso(u]ghtt)e::uvr:
ing with a moving balance. With this arrangement they
have been able to indicate ci moisture contenl as low as
0.01 0/o, Figure 7 shows the result of this investigation. They
incline in the upper regions to agree with the previous
authors.
Fundamentally, one is able to derive from these meosure-
ments that to maintain a residual moisture conlent of less
Lheares:.:i/:ntleToer?U:libarituemmpwe::::r:aoioautr,epar:tss9UoroecTust
11 is particularly pointed out here that Figure 7 is concern-
ed with equilibrium vapour pressures. These pressures are
 Eng.a Ariovaldo de Siauei'ra

in no case comparable with the vacua which one mea- As already mentioned with the drying and degassing of
sures at some point or other in the tank during a normal liquids, here also occurs the question of how the elec-
drying process, because a pressure gradient always exists li.ical chcirocterislics of paper insulation depend upon the
from the inside of the mc]terial lo be dried to the mea- moisture content and lhei.efore upon the equilibrium
suring point. When the tanks are closed {rom the vacuum
pumps, pressure equalisalion takes place, the total pres- ::,teEyvawl::rseprr:]S;u:en.thecsy:jindvr:cs:i,g:I:leo,:sc,¥cer:,c::mr:e,:
sure in the tank climbs and finally attains after a certain core cable. The results are shown in Figure 8. Accordingly
lime - assuming a liltle leakage of the tank - cin equili-
brium value. This measured total pressure as is well :h;od.i;_`]eit:i:::SET.ryfdarcot::::iw,eheenn:,a?rse=Sounr:ta°n`t`or:emr
known, is composed ol the water vapour partial pressure
and the partial pressure of the air. This water vapour fncy:i:e?I:;s::earapn,::;.I:e.ip,e.:i'if.i,:s:Laji::brsees:sj::'i;
partial pressure corresponds to the observed equilibrium retains this value up to very low pressures. Thus one
water vapour partial pressure. can allain the optimal electrical characteristics ol this
sort of paper dieleclric when one dries to an equilibrium
vapour pressure o{ about 0.1 Torr, i.e. to a residual mois-
. lure ol less than 0.1 0/o. Accordingly lor the voltage which
a particular dielectric is designed for and will be operat-
ed at later, i.e. requirements which specify the material
SO,C,

0*
::!I:ae:|!;eo:ftnr!cr,i,:nngef:in:js;::as:`5,::,::es:?rne5S::,ii-:;!h:::;ao#
sO,C
With these small pressures considerable volumes of wafer
vapour result. 11 one wishes to remove 0.5 0/o water, e.g.

§.fi:rrg:eaf:£fems3,8#h{%o9t,oo,€;::p::;::u=:s#;:;:ee.,s]frg:E:T:::Tr#::u
one must vapourise and extract 1.5 of water. At a pres-
sure of 5 .10-2 Torr lhis is 28,000 m3 of water vapour,
`'-. |o-2 |0-I loo |0' 10Z tort
The Vaportherm pump shown in Figure 6 is suitable even
= Wossorda mprpar I.ialdr u¢k for such large water vapour quantities. If it is necessary
lo dry al an even lower pressure a diffusion pump must
Fig. ' ::Jda'|:,g,]P,£a::,e::uT,a::::'n° ;:onf'feun,le ®f hlgh Y®Ilego <ab]o peper be connected in series.

Gewichtsprozenle
= 0/o by weight H20; Wasserdamplparlialdruck
= Waler vapour partial pressure 4. Delermihalion of tlte End ol lhe Drying
For economy in the drying process the establishment of
The construction o{ the materials lo be dried plays an the end ol the process, which is the determination o{ the
essenlial part in the drying process. With a high voltage moment at which the treated material is regarded as
"dry", is particularly important. If one stops the process
cable layers o{ paper lie around the metallic conductor.
To allain, in not loo long a time, ci vapour pressure ot too early the material contains more moisture than is
less than 1 Torr (residual moisture 0.10/o) in the interior acceptable for its desired characteristics and one gels
of the insulation, one must in the region of the cable con- poor products. 1{ one continues the drying process for
ductor achieve a pressure at least a tenth smaller, accord- an unnecessarily long time, i.e. dries out beyond the
ing to the thickness of the insulation. Additionally, as the desired final condition, it is true one achieves a higher
cable is siluafed in several layers in the tray or on the degree of safety, but the drying time becomes unecono-
drum, il follows that a larger pressure drop exists between mically long. The exact determination of lhe right moment
lhe cable lying underneath in the tray and the surlace. is never simple, since one cannot directly measure the
Similar relationships exist with condensers, instrument
transformers and transformers. One can say in good
approximation for all these materials, that the pressure i:eu,li,e:,I:a?rs,,:u:: oTuo:nrFerc:t,;sr,:rt:oc:dl;:r:a:::y:y':e::vce,::haeie:Pee:n:d::n:i u
in the interior of the insulation is about 50 to 100 times the drying process. One therefore frequently determines
higher than the pressure measured in the tank spclce. the duration of a drying process from empirical values.
From these considerations the required vacua al the
suction side o{ lhe pumps for a particular residual mois- #ye:n:ntyeppe°ns5:b:L'y,h:fmdee:::re::i::,:r?f:yprt:sesu::dris::
ture content in the interior ol the cables is determined. This procedure assumes however, that the leakiness of
the drying vessels is negligibly small. One closes the
valve between the drying vessel and the vacuum pumps,
then the total pressure in the tank increases until the
\ equilibrium pressure establishes itself. This equilibrium
\9 pressure consists of both the water vapour pressure and
\ the gas partial pressure. When the established water
vapour partial pressure corresponds to the water vapour
partial pressure which is required tor good drying, the
`o^ a
#:;Ss!Leedd.dTehger::tt:;gd:yf:Tie:;i;echieevc:?;a:;dfotrh:qt:#Lnr?u#
depends substantially on the construction of the materials
to be dried, ln general these pressure rise measurements
can be discontinued afler some time on the exponential
'o8! 'oSo°9 'Q°i± 12wass.',°*hou.'f i ` 'd-`'°" ~P CU,Ve.

Fig.eTph®ev'eer'a,'::,nos,h]:,bzeotwkev®nc:Et:"::,lens::.;'£ncre:]hsia:`qeujijnbd,[udLe[:`a',r:: ::is,.:?,retdo:n3rfssssuhr:wris:.hceomn:r,?!af|;ninb:iga.::ogm,Tat,i.Cft``i!
yapour pressure certain that drying will be completed when the pressure
(Alter Wanser) does not I'eadl the given pressure P2 after the main valve
Wassorgeholl = Moisluro content 0/o in the vacuum line has been closed tor a time interval 12.
 Eng,a Arfoyald-o ae Siquejra
7

Thus the control occurs in the following manner: Alter wafer with a separated tube system. With impregnated
once reaching the pressure p] (A) the pressure in the tank cable this has proved impracticable. With the solidifi-
increcises lo and readies in a time interval t2 the given cation of the impregnating compound on the outside,
pressure level p2. When lhe pressure p2 (8) is attained cavities are formed at the inside of the paper because
before the expiration of the time interval t2 then the dry- ol the volume contraction of the oils, which appreciably
ing is not yet finished, and the main valve will auloma- impairs the electrical quality of the products.
licolly open and the drying conlinue. After a specified
An appreciable shortening o{ the cooling process is easily
time interval ti the main valve will again close and the
#:Lngahb|es::.:ir,c::a.tjpnng:;st,tern,iTFirse3?|T'#sg.cgou:Paonu,::
3:::::::C::in(bDS,aogga:Ti,`fdi'yi:I:ai::c:nLh:.:n',:rkveas`tp2,:t: good impregnalion through the insulation becciuse ol
over a time period ti when the pressure rise control oper-
the positive pressure o{ the circulation pumping. Figure 10
shows schematically an instollalion for the drying cind
:nt:i.e?ism:°t:ih:Sdi;Fngsi::!i!Fs#'Tuheep£J;Gen:'f,r::#:: impregnating of super tension cable operating on this
intervals li and t2 depends on lhe type of materials to
be dried. principle. Here in the vessel (1) are drums of cable which
are dried initially through lhe vacuum pump (2). Finally,
impregnating takes place with insulation oil which has
been dried and degassed in the degassing column (5),
\ and which floods the vessel from the storage tank (4).
\ The closed circuit cooling now begins by passing the
insulation oil through the cooled coiled pipe system (3).
8 f During this closed circuit cooling process insulcition oil
A C

+ - will constantly be returned to the tank (I) from the storage

lank (4) through a pressure retaining pump, to keep a
... I

• II
small constant positive pressure.
£2 I I
f,
This equipment exhibils a further leature; alter {inishing
I

I
£' 1`,,
'1
Trockenzeit i I
F19. . ?.IinecIple ®1 C®nlr®l 1®1 lh® dele.mlnall®n ol lh® end ol lhe d.ylng
i::ackp=oisruersesu?:;aT'':3::inazneii'-dr#n:iTieme,
5. Impregnal[on
One must convey the impregnating compound into the
drying vessel under vacuum to prevent al impregnating
a renewed absorplion of gas and moisture in both the
impregnc)ting compound and the impregnating material.
The impregnating compound will then through capillary
action be drawn into the gas clnd moisture lree capillary
tubes; so that the material being impregnated will be
completely impregnated, The impregnating compound
` and the material lo be impregnated has therefore to be
dried at round lhe same temperature and lo the same
water vapour partial pressure.
-. The cooling must take place in the vessel itsell in order
.\j !o avoid the absorption of moisture {rom the air by the
f'
= bmeprr:#:I:a#,Ch°ev:::,`ethwe;,jmb:r:::a,:i::'t::ko#f':,re°dt
impregnating lank through a vacuum tight valve, also
tilled with insulation oil, direct lo the lead press (6) for
the application of the cable sheath. By this technique
the absorption by the impregnated cable ol moisture from
the air is again avoided. By this means the extremely
good electrical characteristics ol the insulating oils when
dried to a residual moisture content of below 1 p.p.in.,
as shown in Figure 3, are maintained. Figure 11 shows
the drying and impregnating tank ot this equipment
during manufacture. Al the mouthpiece (on the right of
the photograph) the cable valve will be connected,
Pressure impregncifion is always effeclive when the im-
pregnating compound exhibits a highly temperature
dependent coefficient of expansion, and is very viscous
or solid at ambient temperature. During cooling after

:Tepr:.g:glee,:,:,aer's,ho.n::.in.a,::I,`hr:mm':,:,::.nka(!t:r5if.hne,:
Usually the process occupies a long period of time. To
accelerate cooling one can cool the vessel itself with

Flo.`°#£d'.a,c:#::e7qu:p:p.|Zeef!jo':vf'£|,:n:|o[,mfrec#c'u'£:::%,I::a!°chqb®|]:

I:'9. `' ?u'g]}8 5°o:dk¢TP'®gn®'.ng Vessel 10. IupeJ lel.!lon oil filled cable
i; !:;c:u:u:in:i:':::;:a:e;:er'um :: i:ooagEg:,:';sncko,':LLnsula'ion o„
 En¢.. Ariovaldo rip ,9io`i`i.fira

impregnalion the impregnoling compound con be, under (6):K¥;;:;qapu:,i;b,i:i.i.;?h:,?oanns%';mEe.rJ;,i.n€r#ncs:a;#:i.'rnstYE.ie€f,S::gT:'7S;

certain circumstances, so viscous that it cannot be taken
up into the capillaries of lhe material being impregnat- (7)::nd`[s°:fi'erE.I:nE,}nE'+UzS.SA:a(ig?55S3:h7a6'!e.S.?;'68?asdielektrisdlevelhaHen
ed. Thus cavities result which are disadvantageous for a
dieleclric. (8) Marx, E.: Hochspannungsproktikum. 2. Aull. Sptinger-Verlag, Berlin
'952.
6. Reforehcef
`g)#::on;'s:,:::;S2.a,ai#,SjpT::n;;.,i:i"scean,"tiinvseu,=,:::odin:;:r;:fdpo,'oecr.mi:,a';::
(')2:6:#;n5a4i?;:YE;s:¥:::e':SE'eiF.a,8&Se-nu::teYqaseT':,a,TEE:::°|#'.°Tehch°niE
(10) Oeljen, 0. W.: Conlerence in Cl`icago, Sopt.1960.
(„ -B.ri*.aunnng, vK;n a,::":,e6y,:'i '#; : H3Lesr,sf:e.nT:gi#:r.in:Trzo-:ny,n,:o,unpi(11) Measurement by Sd`ulles,1955.
744 . . . 749.
(1 2) ¥Eaon.S::'rj&.,:,Die (T;;6in:.n986V.a.n. ¥,a.chspannungskabeln im Hochvakuum,
(3) :8raTi:: nto%ipet°e'n:,°|s:|']ne';:te?eTsheY::,SS:LS a,uu'n:|% I:5;I,i.Sd`en I i gen-
t,3,¥:i,dh:nsHatarE:nn.,,#achd,:i,Feen¥fELon:saj::g:3,se±:,i:,i,93cht:36oje:.ng:3b.e.n.;2a3T
(4)A:Z:L'f#r.:TOMde,e;i!ed:,:`Aebs::nd:irg:6;':ing:2V9°2nv';:!j.e7r6o'::'L?,:r!;3'vagn4d2.3:
(14):,°ey?a:rjunKg°u¥n;:n:}'akt:#Lp%:'::sne'n.V€h9e'LaeT::ri:£::I:35°(|'g'6°i'jeHrn3:
t5, £La::., ,:.a,t.i,o¥:.,eErn::,;;::,ngjF, i,.g35;:,::g4e4,tie,ec,,:C ,{qu{ds, Trans.

-I,-
I

¢
 Eng,a Arjova`do de SIQHel'ra

S®me Aspects and Devel®pmehts Of Vacuum Drying and lmpregnatl®h

By G. W. OET]EN
Leybold-Hochodeuun-Andagen GmbH , Cologne , Germany

During the last two years the drying, degassing and impregnation Of Saper-insulated electric
parts has been iateusively develaped in two direedorls :
1. When apSlying all aviliary mcaus constantly rising charges (Saper-evedght) can
be dried in rehahaely short and tJus ecoromieally reasondle it:rnes.
2. More exact haledge o:n fundaneatal procedures e'rrables more quantitedg)e
progr'roses as to the processes to be chose`n and al:lows a rrore ettact coatrol Of the
_i resuds than hitherto.
' `.\,
Several eo¢anples ulll shall the possibihiy Of s'u:gp.lying the req:Irired quantities Of energy in
H1- vacu:urn procedures, in ecomondcalky reasorndle tj;mes, by a swlable choice of the heating
methods. ASart from procedures dready lmouneve nil:I consider an arrangement whwh simul-
taneously swMlhes heat and renoq]es evater vapors by means Of circulated sxperheated evater-
steam and, in the ttghi of the latest tests the reaction Of extremely dried imSregnating agents
evtll be treated.

THE manufacture of electrical components and the develop-
ment of vacuum techniques have become linked with each
other in so many ways since the invention of oil-sealed
" rotary pumps and mercury diffusion pumps that a long
•period spent in the development of these techniques would
have been unlikely if it had not been for the rapidly in-
creasing demands of the manufacturing industry. When
:. .a study is made, as we shall do, of the application of vacuum
'!.+i:::Faftqe:e:ie;cntritchalep€=:nfos#]imp:::g::etr;ngwft°hfo::P::;
; .. su.Pstances, it will be seen that the extensive experience
gained especially in the U.S.A. on high vacuum distillation
`tQchniques, has had considerable influence upon the de-
tTe.Iopments. It is not the task of vacuum engineering, nor
`~m?n; for that matter, to identify certain metriods and-data
. o£` vacuum techniques with different products of electrical
'000 Fl
8
/ plotted in relation to the water vapor equilibrium pressure.
4
. /
.
/ can also be recorded with sufficient accuracy, and naturally
/ but the characteristic shape of the curves is at all times
/ specified electric properties. .
1d'64 210-'64 210-264 2 Io-364
a, rrmHg
FIG. 1. Insulation resistance of the paper from the 130 kv single
cable as a function of water vapor pressure (equilibrium) measured
at 80OC.
engineering such as cables, transformers, capacitors and the
like, or even to link them as being particularly favorable.
A coordination of this form is a matter for the electrical
engineering branch, and depends upon the required stand-
ards set for the different products.
I shall endeavour to give a survey of the possibilities and
problems associated with vacuum drying and impregnating
techniques for paper-insulated components, as based on
know-how available in Europe, insofar as I am familiar
with this.
In order to establish a connection between one of the
values of vacuum engineering, namely pressure, and at
least two characteristic data of electrical engineering,
four curves are shown, each of which of course was plotted
under special conditions, but which attach a certain
general importance because they reproduce characteristic
features.
In Fig. 1, you find the insulating resistance for paper
The measurements have. been taken on a 130 kv single
cable at 80°C. When, independent from this, the water
content of the paper is measured in relation to the equili-
brium vapor pressure, as reported three years ago, then
instead of the pressure scale the water content of the paper
at the temperature given here. The relative shape of the
curves i§ largely dependent upon the thickness of the paper,
perceptible, and thus provides an initial indication of the
equilibrium pressures or water contents needed to obtain
2
Figure 2 gives a similar curve for the loss factor plotted
in relation to the water vapor equilibrium pressure,
measured this time on a 20 kv cable at 50 c/s.and a tern-
perature of 90°C. Here too, a certain water content of the
129
Eng.° Ariovaldo de S=iqueira
130
paper can again be recorded, as in the second scale, on the
basis of the measurements already quoted, in place of the
water vapor pressure in a state of equilibrium.
The water and gas content of impregnating agents has
been reported on in the journal Cfeeon£.a-Jngecec.a"r rcch„G.fa,
(No. 1, 9-13, 1954). In this paper, a list is given of the
measuring methodology, the states of equilibrium, the
relation to temperature and the solubility temperatures for
water vapor and certain gases in several interesting impreg-
nating liquids. Water and gas contents are given down to
values of less than 1 ppm. When these curves are again
correlated to the respective equilibrium vapor pressure,
as we have done above for paper, curves can be obtained
showing the dielectric resistance and the loss factor of a
certain oil plotted in relation to the water content or the
equi)ibrium vapor pressure, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.
WATER CONTE:NT %
0.'5
3825L516a.
a3
'oz 1o' 1 d)
WATER VAPOUR PRESSURE.,
FIG. 2. Loss factor (arbitrary dimensions) of water content (or
water vapor equilibrium pressure)` of the paper used in the
20 kv cable measured at 90°C.
OcOF\100R'ORR
I a
WATER CONTENT.
Flo. 3. Insulation resistance of the cable oil as a function of its
water content.
14'2'06866482816
1 •
\^IATER CONTENT,
FIG, 4. I.oss factor of an oil as a function of its water content.
G. W. OET|EN
These two curves, 3 and 4, have been taken from the
S®.efflcor 7owr»a/ (p. 320, 1956).
As Figs. I to 4 reveal, a relationship can, therefore, be
established under defined conditions between the electrical
data of the materials used and the equilibrium pressures
applied; it is of course only in the state of equilibrium that
reproducible results may be expected.
The operating pressures resulting from the measured
equilibrium pressures under certain operating conditions
during the drying or degassing process have as yet no
direct connection with these equilibrium pressure and the
operating pressure may be related for a particular product.
It will, however, be understood that in order to obtain the
required equilibrium pressures as speedily as possible, the
operating pressures must be considerably lower than the
equilibrium pressures.
When all the problems encountered in vacuum drying
and impregnating are reduced to a few of the most import- _
0.02 ant, we are faced with the following:
006
(a)L Supply of that amount of energy required for
heating the product and evaporating the water.
(b) Removal of the liberated water and the gases
contained in the products.
(c) Cooling of the impregnated product following the
impregnating process, that is before the product
may be exposed again to standard air, in order to
avoid any possible signs of oxidation.
1o-' 1 a-2 |0-3 |0-. |0-5 |0- The rapid and uniform supply of heat has a great bearing
mmHg
upon the total duration of the charge for very many of the
processes under discussion here. So that an overall impres-
sion can be gained of the total duration, I shall take the
liberty of recalling to mind the available possibilities,
even though their principles may be known, so that they
can be compared, by giving a few figures and illustrations.
They are:
(a) Previous heating by air circulation.
(b) Heating by direct flow of current. `t~
(c) Heating by means of dielectric losses, using high
frequency.
(d) Radiation heating.
. ., ... (e) Circulation of suitable vehicle media under vacuum.
ppm
When we take as an exanple a medium-sized cable
tank filled with 4 tons of paper and 15 tons of copper,
approximately 280 kg of water are contained in this
charge, and it can easily be worked out, even if the entire
charge were to be heated under air to 120°C and shut off
from a further supply of heat, that a drop in the tempera-
/ ture of the charge by about 50°C, in other words a
/ difference in temperature not tolerable in normal cases,
IE
cO cO
/ 40 50cO
would be necessary in order to deprive the charge of the
evaporation energy of the water.
For many electrical components, an obvious Solution is
also to supply energy to the parts by means of direct flow
of current. This method is widely used especially in the
ppm
drying of telephone cables, and also for power cables,
particularly for low voltages.
 Eng.0 Ariovaldo de Slqueira

Some Aspects and Developments of Vacuum Drying and Impregnation 131

Figure 5 shows a system of this description in which the
drying times are very largely dependent upon the pump
capacity since it has been possible to keep all other time-
limiting factors sufficiently small. Further reference will
be made to this example later in a brief section on vacuum
Pumps.
residual moisture given at different points of the cable, this
being particularly characteristic of this method. Figure 7
illustrates general plan of such a system, in the foreground
the high-frequency generator with the air-cooled spark gap,
and behind the cable tank with the connections.

FIG. 5. Schematic drawing of an installation to dry telephone cable,

heated with direct current and evacuated with mechanical boosters
and backing pump.

With respect to the method it may also be said that it
can be applied to good effect particularly in cases where the
copper cross-sections are the same in the whole charge and
the insulation thiclmesses are not too large because after
all the heat from the copper has to be conducted to the
paper which needs drying, by conductivity.
Heatingbymeansofdielectriclossesusinghighfrequency
constitutes an almost ideal method of supplementing
direct current heating when we have large insulation
thicknesses, dissimilar copper cross-sections and varying
paper thicknesses in one charge. Efefatrofech„ische Ze£.£-
schrG/f (Vol. 77, December, 1956) gives an outline of the
principles of this method and experience gained with it to
date. As far as I am aware, this method is used almost solely
for high-tension cables above 6 kv. Figure 6 shows a. cross-
section through a dried and impregnated cable, with the
MOISTURE CONTENT
OF PAPE:a
FIG. 7. Drying and impregnation tank for high voltage cable with
high frequency generator in the front and current inlets in the
middle of the tank.
When use is not made of additional electric heating
systems as described above, and the greater part of the heat
input is obtained by radiation from the heated walls,
allowance will generally have to be made for the time
taken up by this, which of course will be far more con-
siderable for large cable dimensions and big electrical
components than when 1:he charge can be split up into small
units with each being exposed separately to the radiation
and remaining convection heat.
When we take as an example the cable tank mentioned
earlier containing 4 tons of paper and 15 tons of copper, it
can be estimated that the amount of heat required to
evaporate the 280 kg of water must be radiated from
the surface area of this tank, which is approximately
60 m8. This means es 4.6 kg per m2 of surface area.
(It is of course quite clear that by means of heat conduction

3Cj F and certain thermal convection, a further portion of

energy can be supplied.) But when, for example, Square
chambers with an edge length of 1 in (Fig. 8) are used
for small capacitors or coils, and a heater plate is also
placed between each layer of the capacitors, a radiating
Gee oof surface area amounting to 2.4 m2 for each layer is obtained
at a layer clearance of 10 cm and even assuming that 50°/o
PLACES F.RON WHICH SAMPLE:S
WEF`E TAKEN of this chamber space is filled with paper, there will be
water content of 3.5 I and consequently a comparative
SAMPLE BECINNING END
figure of z$ 1.4 kg of water which has to be evaporated
FROM
LOCATloN i
OF CABLE oF caBLE
%
per m2 of radiating surface area, in other words a value
which is more than three times more favorable than that
A a.06 a.14
a 0.'4 0.'5 given earlier for the large tank. Considering that by means
C 0.in 0.10 of radiation, even under the most favorable conditions,
D Oro5 0.'2
E 0.'' 0.'0 approximately 2cO-300 W.E./hr/m2 can be transmitted,
F 0.04 OJ)6 the shortest heating times result from this, when the
G a.07 a.06
heat conduction inside the bodies is disregarded. (This
FIG. 6. Cross-section of a cable giving moisture distribution of course can only be disregarded when the dimensions
in the three phase cable after dielectric drying. of the components are small enough, but which does not
 132
(8)
FIG. 8A and 8. Drying and impregnation installation for small
capacitors and a single drying chamber before the installation and
insulation. Impregnation fluid tank in the back.
apply, for example, when we have a full charge of cables.)
Radiation heating alone, therefore, offers special advan-
tages when, as a result of the technical conditions, the
radiating surface area can be made large in proportion to
the evaporated quantity of water, or-and this, too, is
sometimes a decisive aspect-when the complete drying
process takes up so much time that a reduction of the
heating time effected by means of additional measures is
unimportant.
The processes mentioned so far clearly illustrate that
particular difficulties in the supply of heat continue to
exist when large compact components have to be heated in
big tanks, or when the paper weightsurface area unit is
unfavorable, or when the electrical constniction of the
component does not permit heat input by electrical energy.
Eng,0 ATiovald-a de Sioueir3
G. W. OET]EN
A typical example of this is provided by large paper rolls
or even power transformers.
Therefore, when an attempt is made to combine for
these special cases, heat input with simultaneous rerlioval
of accumulating water vapor, a procedure must be
adopted which we have temed in German as ``D47„2/-
sfroffl£7och""„g", and which might be translated as "stream-
ing-vapor drying".
Figure 9 illustrates the two possible arrangements of
the method in one diagram.
P<PS
(8)
FIG. 9A and 8. Schematic drawings of the "Dzzaej!/sfroowfrock%w"g" _
ovacuun vapor dying).
`-
In Figs. 9A and 98, the vacuum tank is in any case evacu-
atedbyapumptoapartialairpressurewhichissmallerthan
the water vapor pressure P prevailing in the tanks during
the drying process. Furthermore, the tanks are extemally
heated and insulated to minimize the heat loss. After the
evacuation process, the vacuum pump can theoretically be
shut off from the system because the only purpose it then
serves is to remove any permanent gases that may form.
Experience, however, has shown that the pump can actu-
ally be shut down for lengthy periods when systems are
sufficiently tight. In case Fig. 9A, the pressure P in the dry-
ing tank should be higher than pressure P8 which charac-
terizes the equilibrium vapor pressure in the condenser.
The water vapor liberated in the tank, therefore, streams
into the condenser where it is condensed to the greatest
possible extent at the pressure P8. The blower located
behind the condenser draws in water vapor from pressure
P8 - 20 Tor is given as an exampleThnwards, and com-
presses it for example to 100 Tor. Above the impedance
valve connected at the outlet side, the water vapor is
 Some Aspects and Developments of Vacuum Drying and Impregnation 133

expanded to a required pressure, for example 80 Tor, I I 20.C

superheated to a required temperature Te, for example 40t
60
120°C, in the superheater connected at the outlet side, and I 'c-I
cO
then flows into the drying tank where it continues to
deliver its superheat to the product to be heated and dried
until the latter has also assumed a temperature FG. The
liberated water vapor, together with the cooled water vapor, I
streams back to the condenser where the excess water vapor
is condensed out, and the circulation starts all over again.
In the circuit as shown in Fig. 98, the only difference is o-2 ,o-I , ,o
that pressure P is smaller than pressure P„ and therefore WATER VAPOuR RAaTIAL PRESSUFtE:, mmHg
the blower is located between the tank and the condenser, FIG;:£:::¥eaceps::s¥i:foeft:°xbt]a;:.eq¥£b£;gunanEr:;8o:te,Wo£6?cC.able
so that the blower must compress the water vapor to a
pressure greater that P8.
The reductions in drying time attainable by means of 1

this method can of course only be calculated and tested

from case to case. In one case that was closely studied, the
L, t`ollowing advantages were discovered:
For a paper charge of 300 kg, in which the paper was in
C|
//
tightly wound rolls of approximately 2cO mm diameter, on Oua
aluminum tubes of 70 mm diameter, drying times of
about loo hours were attained with radiation heating only,
and a residual water content of 1.5°/o. In the same tanks 024
under the same conditions, water vapor circulation gave TIME FIOF` ADJUSTMENT, lir
times of maximum 24 hours (18 hours vapor circulation, 6 Flo. loo. Water content of capacitor paper a§ a function of water
hours final drying.) vapor equilibrium pressure at different temperatures.
The question of attainable drying times leads directly to
a second all important problem, nanely the removal of
water vapor or permanent gases. It has already been
mentioned in the introduction that curves can be plotted
for the different paper types, showing the equilibrium in
relation to the temperature. These give the water vapor
pressure as a function of the water content (Fig. lob). The
times taken to obtain the equilibrium were determined,
= = = =
and an example of this is given in Fig. 10A.
If it is intended to derive practical drying times from these
1`
I
physical data, they can only be calculated for each given n
I(

example, as illustrated in Fig.11. Assuming that the pres-

\~`§ure Po is around 10PL in order to obtain the shortest
times, and that P8 is approximately equal to P„ in other 1(

words the main impedance to flow is in the capillaries of the

condenser itself, drying times are obtained which are given
a
in Fig.11. Here, the preasurepo and the maximum water a 1 0 • •

content in the interior Of the reel are plotted in relation to T'ME', hr

the time, making allowance for the fact that the temperature
rise may vary with heating system and capacitor design.
When it is also considered that pressure P2 and the pressure
P3 vary by at least a factor 2 although practically by a
factor 4 -10, it may be said that the pressure Po, i.e. the
required minimum equilibrium vapor pressure inside the
reel, will b`e 40 - 100 times higher than the pressure
measured at the vacuum pump. In view of this, the intake
pressure at the vacuum pumps can be derived from the
equilibrium curves such as were plotted above. It may,
therefore, be asserted that for equilibrium pressures po of,
say, 10-1 Tor, several microns must be maintained at the
vacuum pumps in order to obtain favorable times.
In all points considered, it is always assumed that the
vacuum pumps are made big enough to correspond with
FIG. I 1. Schematic draw i _ig for basic calculation of drying time and
Some results of the water content in the middle of the noma|
capacitor. The curves I and 11 are drawn for 2 different
temperature curves correspondingly called I and 11.
the above-mentioned figures, in other works that the
bottleneck of the process is actually the flow impedance in
the capillaries of the condenser, or is produced by the
opening in the condenser housing.
It is clear that for low paper weights, relatively small
vacuum pumps are always to be found, especially when
condenser with long capillaries are used. But I intend to
showbymeansoftwootherexamplesinwhichmuchgreater
demands are made upon the vacuum pumps, to what
consequences the above considerations lead.

Eng,a Ariovald-o de S`ioueira

 E{i!j,fy ,r`::i,`dF.'|,\L,I i;,\? S\Queira
134 G. W. OET|EN
For example, when a drying plant for telephone cable is
charged with a ton of paper, about 70 kilos of water will
have to be removed. When the direct current heating
system which was described earlier, is used, it is quite
possible to supply the necessary heat for heating up or
evaporating in one hour or less. By using a water-cooled
condenser, this cable can then be dried down to about 2 %,
as is evident from the equilibrium curves, when it i§ assumed
that the equilibrium vapor pressure at 2% is approxi-
mately 300 Tor, and the exhaust pressure need not drop
below 30 Tor. The required condenser must, therefore,
enable condensation of about 50 kg of water in I hour,
so that the vacuum pump must remove a further 10 kg of
water in, say, another hour if the total drying time is to be
in the region of 2 hours. A pump set consisting of a Roots
blower with a normal capacity of 1800 mB/hour and a series-
connected gas ballast pump with a capacity of 180 m8/hour,
is perfectly capable of doing this work in the required time,
and the use of a larger blower with a capacity of, say, 2500
::ig|:E:/.h:ubr,.ewuse:sre:i::r:e::gdc¥:ieos:i:g.rTtf.e,:::r::
fore, enables short drying times to be obtained, at a most
reasonable technical outlay.
For the telephone cables, it was merely a matter of
drying them down, to give a water content in the region of
1 %. For high-tension cables, quite a different problem
arises, as will be shown in the next example.
When we keep to the above-mentioned example of 4 tons
of paper, i.e. 280 kg of water in one charge, an attempt
will be made to obtain the first 6%, i.e. down to 1 % in the
manner described above, although of course the much
thicker paper insulations must be allowed for with respect
to the time factor. When we give consideration in this
example only to the removal of water below 1 %, we find the
paper still contains 40 kg of water at the begiming of this
period, and of this amount 36 kg must be pumped off as
quickly as possible if we are to obtain a desired water
content of 0.1 yo. For the removal of water from 1 to 0.3 %
average, exhaust pressures of about 1 Tor may be reckoned
with, as based on the equilibrium curves and allowing for
corresponding impedances. Making the same allowances,
an exhaust pressure averaging 0.3 Tor (not final pressure)
should be reckoned with for the removal of the residual
water from 0.3 to 0.1 %. When we revert to the use of a
blower with a normal capacity of approximately 50cO m9/
hour also in this case, then this blower in combination with a
suitable gas ballast fore-pump will have a capacity of about
4 kg of water vapor per hour at 1 Tor and a capacity of
approximately 1.5 kilos per hour at somewhat less than
300 microns. For the first half of the period, we shall then
ha+e a time of about 7 hours, and for the second half a time
of 6 hours, so that calculated from the pumping speed, a
total drying period of around 13 hours can be attained in
order to reduce the water content from 1 to 0.1 %.
Naturally, these drying periods attainable from the
pumping aspect must be checked for other bottlenecks in
the process, as shown above in the example given for the
condensers.
Now that we have a conceptioh of the pressures and times
required in order to obtain certain drying effects in paper,
we must give the same consideration to the impregnating
agent for two particular reasons:
(a) the impregnating agent should not carry any water
and gas back into the product requiring impregnation,
and
(b) the impregnating agent, on entering the drying tank,
should not fom any bubbles or foam whatsoever,
otherwise there wiu be a great risk of the pores
becoming blocked.
Figure 12 again gives the equilibrium water .content
chrves as plotted in the papers published in CifeavG.e-
J72gc#G.c„7 Tcch#G.fa, referred to earlier. When an attempt
iiiii I
II I
I
`,
/ I vHA2%J
2 r-
`,
I I II
I
`i
3
3 Z
4 4
•
1
•, 1
r
0. 01 a.I I 10 100
Pf`ESsuf`E OF LOADING GAS, Pg.mmHg
FIG. 12. Gas content for different Substances as a function of
equilibrium gas or vapor pressure. I = Glycerin 80°C. 2 ± Di-
butylphthalate 20°C. 3 = Shell-oil K 8 23°C. 4 = Clophen 55°C.
is made to obtain these equilibrium values in a very finely
"atomized" impregnating agent, e.g. oil, it will be found-
that there are two major obstacles to this. On the one handj_
the surface tension of the droplet increases as the diameter
decreases, that it will become difficult to carry out degassing
at the small pressures necessary. But even when the droplets
are so large that this effect is of no significance, because for
example a diameter of several millimetres is used, the
diffusion rate for water in oil is too small to replace the
evaporated water in the surface. An obvious solution,
therefore, would be to carry out the degassing process by
recycling, i.e. repeatedly, and also to confront the gas phase
with large liquid surfaces. Figure 13 shows a design of the
degassing column, which overcomes these difficulties and
has rendered excellent service for many years past.
(a) The Raschig ring column that is used enables very
large surfaces to be accommodated in a small space, and
furthermore forces a renewing of the surface within itself
so that a repeated charge with corresponding dimensioning
i§ not necessary, and work can be carried out on a con-
tinuous basis.
(b) The continuous method of operation, together with
the single charge necessary, always guarantees that the

Some Aspects and Developments of Vacuum Drying and Impregnation
FIG. 13. Degassing and drying column schematic drawing and
photo for a continuous throughput of about 5 tanks per day.
Ldegassed impregnating agent in the storage tank has a
definite water content, that is when the operating pressure
in the column and the operating pressure of the storage
tank are ^properly supervised. By means of this method,
water contents can be obtained such as are desirable to
attain good electric values, i.e. water contents between 0.5
and5ppmaccordingtotheoperatingpressureinthecolumn.
A special application, i.e. technical application of such a
well dried impregnating agent that might be mentioned is
that under certain conditions as found, for example, with
oil cable, very small water residues which are difficult to
remove by evacuation can be taken up with this very
hygroscopic agent. Under certain circumstances it is easier
to replenish the circulated impregnating agent until it does
not take up any more water out of the paper, than to draw
off the water beforehand.
A further factor which has a bearing upon the total
charge time of a drying and impregnating process may in
many cases be the cooling of the products because we wish
to avoid exposing 120°C impregnated cable, to give an
h-xample, to nomal air. When allowance is made for the
various needs, these times, too, can definitely be reduced
and in fact this can be done so that it will be to economical
advantage as the following example given for cables will
show.
It is assumed that the cable tank is constructed as
favorably as possible from the outset, i.e. that the tank has
as little dead volume as possible, and that the heat capacities
to be cooled are kept as small as possible. The tank itself can
then be adjusted to the required temperatures relatively
quickly in an independent cooling system or by cooling the
system normally used for heating. To obtain a very rapid
cooling of the impregnated materials, it is advisable to
circulate the impregnating agent, to cool it, and to pump it
through the product to be cooled at the same time maintain-
ing favorable flow conditions. Figure 14 illustrates a
possible design of a cable tank of this type. Two cable pans
are placed above each other, oil-tight, on a perforated base
in a ring tank which has a flat base and, merely for other
reasons, a very slightly curved cover. On completion of the
impregnating process, the oil is pumped off centrally
135
FIG.14. Schematic drawing of a cable impregnation plant including
oil storage, degassing, drying and impregnation tank and high
pressure circulation system for quick cooling of the oil after
impregnation.
through several connections by means of a circulating pump,
cooled by a heat exchanger and fed back to the bottom of
the tank. Here, the oil is distributed under the perforated
bottom, flows through valves into the lower pan, and then
passes through similar valves into the next pan. Finally,
it is drawn off again at the top. A small pressure-holding
pumpdeliverstherequiredoilsofarbackintotheimpregnat-
ing tank that a certain excess pressure is always maintained
in the tank in order to prevent vacuoles from forming due
to the relatively rapid cooling. For this forced circulating,
the cable pans must be liquid-tight, so that it is necessary
to provide special gliders in the pans, which are open during
the evacuation process, and which are automatically closed
during the impregnating process as a result of the oil
pressure that develops.
When instead of pans, cable drums are used which are
inserted in a horizontal tank, a similar system could be used.
The cooling times attainable with these forced circulating
systems naturally depend very largely upon the viscosity of
the impregnating agent, especially at the low temperatures.
Practical experience has shown that when under normal
conditions cooling down to 40°C, for example, takes 100-
120 hours at a given viscosity of the oil, this time can be
reduced to 2530 hours by means of forced circulating.
However, when it is intended to go up to high viscosities of
20,000 to 100,000 centistokes at the end of the circulating
process, it will be necessary to use circulating pumps with
relatively high energy ratings, e.g. 30 to 40 kw, and the
pressures in the heat exchanger (of course, not in the
impregnating tank) will have to be raised under certain
circumstances, up to 30 or even 40 atm.
It was of course not possible in this brief report to give
a complete survey of the extensive field of drying and
impregnating of electrical components, it being merely my
intention to show by means of several examples that it is
possible, after determining several characteristic properties
of the substances to be dried and degassed, to estimate the
vacuum processes which are necessary technically and
feasible economically, to dimension the apparatus accord-
ingly, to adjust desired electric properties such as insulation
resistance and the commencement of ionization to previously
determined values, and to select the applicable electric
field strength in accordance with the process.
Eng.a Ariovaldo de Siqueira