Mixing of Transformer oils

During recent years, the question of mixing of different types of

transformer oils has gained considerable importance and doubts
are often expressed as to whether the mixed oil would be able to
give satisfactory performance during its service life. The state
electricity boards and various electricity supply undertakings
who form the main consumers of transformer oils have normally
to fulfill their requirements by purchasing oil from different
sources, and therefore mixing of different oils is a problem for a
maintenance engineer, who has to top up a transformer with oil
of a different brand when the brand of oil he uses is in short
supply. This very often faced by O & M engineers as the bulk of
insulating oil is imported from various sources.
 O & M engineers of utilities confront the following prior to
mixing of oils: -

 Type of oil in the transformers, uninhibited/inhibited

 Type of inhibitor, if any, and compatibility thereof
 Brand type of oil to be mixed
 Percentage of oil to be mixed
 The IS: 335 (1963) (Specification for insulating oil for
Transformers and Switchgear) ¹ lays down in its clause
3.3: “Unused oils complying with the requirements of this
standard are considered to be compatible with one another
and can be mixed in any proportion. This provision does
not, however apply to inhibited oil”. The trend, these days
is to add antioxidants or inhibitors to the oil for prolonging
its service life. Every oil supplier usually develops his own
inhibitors and the formulation of these is a carefully-
guarded secret. The question then arises whether oils
containing various inhibitors of unknown composition can
be mixed without any serious damage. This paper reports
the results of the experimental work conducted on this
subject.
 Experimental work
The main objects of the experimental work are as follows:
1.  To determine the composition of oils and their mixtures.
2. To compare various physical, chemical and electrical
properties of the oils and their mixtures.
3. To study the ageing characteristics of inhibited and
uninhibited oils and ascertain their compatibility.
4. To determine the rate of deterioration of oils and their
mixtures.
5 To study the effect of transformer constructional
materials, viz. metals and insulating materials, on the
deterioration of oils and their mixtures.
 The selected oil samples termed A, B, C, D & E
were mixed in equal proportions with each other
resulting in the formation of ten sample mixtures,
viz. AB, AC, AD, AE, BC, BD, BE, CD, CE & DE.
The composition of the oils and their mixtures was
determined by using the analysis described by
Cornelissen and Waterman. ¾ The results of this
analysis are given in table 1.
 Table – 1
Properties of oils and oil-mixtures
Property Oil A Oil B Oil C Oil D Oil E

Density gm. Per cm³.          

At 20° C 0.8823 0.8772 0.8738 0.8968 0.8954
Viscosity, Centistokes          
at 35° C 29.58 28.91 33.43 35.22 32.84
Refractive index 1.4806 1.4808 1.4777 1.4958 1.4913
Pour point, ° C -51 -48 -51 -51 -40
Flash point, ° C 147 144 153 147 162
Interfacial tensions,          
dyne per cm 35.2 25 38.5 33 45
Neutralisation          
number, mg. of KOH 0 0.004 0.008 0.013 0
per gm.          
Saponification value, 0.06 0.05 0.03 0.12 0.05
mg. of KOH per gm.
Copper strip corrosion passes passes passes passes passes
test electric strength withstands withstands withstands withstands withstands
(40KV min.)
 Table – 2
Properties of oils and oil mixtures
Oil A + Oil B Oil A + Oil C Oil A + Oil D Oil A + Oil E
       
0.8807 0.8782 0.8896 0.8887
       
29.36 33.15 33.85 32.11
1.4807 1.4796 1.4885 1.4862
-51 -48 -48 -45
147 147 144 156
       
30 30 28 37
       
0.004 0.004 0.008 0
       
0.1 0.1 0.12 0.08
Passes Passes Passes Passes
Withstands Withstands Withstands withstands
 Table 3:
Composition of oil samples and their mixtures
Property Oil A Oil B Oil C Oil D Oil E Oil A Oil A Oil A Oil A Oil B Oil B Oil B Oil C Oil Oil
+ + + + + + + + C D
Oil B Oil C Oil D Oil E Oil C Oil D Oil E Oil D + +
Oil Oil
E E

Carbon 5 7 - 14 8 6 2 10 6 3 8 7 5 4 12
aromatic
%

Carbon 56 46 45 40 48 51 45 46 52 49 41 48 42 47 42
naphtheni
c%

Carbon 39 47 55 46 44 43 53 44 42 48 51 45 52 49 46
paraffinic
%

Average 255 263 310 283 279 259 300 278 265 305 265 270 294 292 281
molecular
weight
 Table – 4: Properties of oils and oil-mixtures
Oil A + Oil Oil A + Oil Oil A + Oil
Property Oil A Oil B Oil C Oil D Oil E Oil A + Oil D
B C E

Density gm. Per cm³. At 0.8823  0.8772 0.8738  0.8968 0.8954

20° C          
           
0.8807 0.8782 0.8896 0.8887
Viscosity, Centistokes at 29.58 28.91 33.43 35.22 32.84
       
35° C          
       
           
29.36 33.15 33.85 32.11
Refractive index 1.4806 1.4808 1.4777 1.4958 1.4913
       
           
       
Pour point, ° C -51 -48 -51 -51 -40
1.4807 1.4796 1.4885 1.4862
           
       
Flash point, ° C 147 144 153 147 162
-51 -48 -48 -45
           
       
Interfacial tensions,          
147 147 144 156
dyne per cm 35.2 25.0 38.5 33 45
       
           
       
Neutralisation number,          
30 30 28 37
mg. of KOH per gm. 0.00 0.004 0.008 0.013 0.00
       
           
       
Saponification value,          
0.004 0.004 0.008 0.00
mg. of KOH per gm. 0.06 0.05 0.03 0.12 0.05
       
           
       
Copper strip corrosion passes test passes test passes test passes test passes test
0.10 0.1 0.12 0.08
test          
       
           
Passes test Passes test Passes test Passes test
Electric strength (40KV withstands withstands withstands withstands withstands
       
min.)
       
Withstands Withstands Withstands Withstands
Table – 5 : Amount of sludge and acids formed by oxidation of
uninhibited and inhibited oils and their mixtures
Sample Sludge % Acidity, mg. of KOH per gm

Oil A 0.58 0.87

Oil B 2.12 2.12
Oil C 1.48 3.3
Oil D 0.84 0.97
Oil B + Oil A 1.51 1.73
Oil C + Oil A 0.73 1.35
Oil C + Oil B 1.03 2.2
Oil A + I X 0.003 0.86
Oil A + I Y 0.35 0.8
Oil A + I Z 0.066 0.19
Oil D + I X 0.523 1.35
Oil A + I X + Oil A + I Z 0.76 1.31
Oil A + I X + Oil C 0.7 1.54
Oil A + I Y + Oil A + I Z 0.18 1.07
Oil A + I Y + Oil D + I X 0.67 1.35
Oil A + I Y + Oil B 1.58 1.73
Oil A + I Z + Oil B 1.55 2.02
Oil D + I X + Oil A + I X 0.235 0.97
Oil D + I X + Oil B - 1.54

I X – Inhibitor X; I Y – Inhibitor Y; I Z – Inhibitor Z;

Table – 6: Properties of inhibited oils before and after ageing
Interfacial, dynes per cm. at 32° C
Oil sample
Before ageing After ageing

     
Oil A 31 27.1
Oil B 26.5 17.5
Oil A + I X 31.8 26.4
Oil A + I Y 31.3 26.4
Oil A + I Z 33.8 30
Oil A + I X    
Oil A + I Y 31 27.4
Oil A + I X    
Oil A + I Z 30  
Oil A + I Y   29.7
Oil A + I Z 31.5  
Oil A + I X + Oil B 26 28.5
Oil A + I Y + Oil B 26 14.9
Oil A + I Z + Oil B 26.8 14.1
19.5

I X – Inhibitor X; I Y – Inhibitor Y; I Z – Inhibitor Z;

Table – 7: Properties of inhibited oils before and after ageing
Neutralization number mg. of KOH per gm Resistivity at 32° C, Ohms-cm

Before ageing After ageing Before ageing After ageing

0 0.03 2.03E+13 1.52E+13

0.004 0.1 1.7E+13 2.79E+13
0.017 0.02 3.05E+13 5.08E+13
0.052 0.025 3.05E+13 5.08E+13
0.021 0.021 7.12E+12 2.03E+13
       
0.042 0.055 2.54E+13 4.47E+13
       
0.017 0.017 1.83E+13 3.05E+13
       
0.044 0.034 1.63E+13 5.08E+13
       
0.025 0.081 1.73E+13 3.36E+13
0.035 0.016 1.60E+13 7.37E+13
0.021 0.055 5.08E+13 9.15E+13
 Table – 8: Some common inhibitors for insulating oils

Inhibitor Trade name

   
2:6 Ditertiary butyl p-cresol DBPC, ional, topanol
8 – Hydroxy quioline Oxine
2 2’ azo-bis-isobutyrinitrile ABIN
Bis (3,5 ditert-butyl 4 hydroxy phenyly) Ionox 220
Methane
Bis (2-hydroxy-3 tert butyl 5-methyl phenyl) AN-2246
Methane  
Bis (2-hydroxy-3 tert butyl 5-methyl phenyl) AN-6
Sulphide
Do decyl O & M Circle, -cresol ---
 
 MIXING OF OILS
• New oils can be mixed with each other irrespective of the source and degree
of refinement provided they conform to the same Standard Specification &
do not contain any additives. The composition properties & the ageing
characteristics of the oil mixtures are between those of the component oils.
• New oils containing additives may be mixed in a similar manner provided they
contain the same additive even though in a different concentration.

• Also oils with additives can be mixed with those without additives in any
proportion.

• The rates of deterioration of the prescribed mixtures are in between those of

component oils.

• Mixing oils which contain different additives may lead to formation of more
acids or sludge earlier than in normal time, if the additives are not
compatible
• If no data is available regarding two oils the properties of
the mixture should be studied including oxidation stability
before allowing them to be mixed. The presence or
absence of additives must also be confirmed.

• During topping of the equipment, the oil in use should not

have Neutralization number of more than 0.3 mg of
KOH/g.

• Field trials: Studies conducted using 400KV generator

Transformer in a utility system over a period of 2 years
have confirmed the compatibility of quality oils mixed
with paraffinic as well as naphthenic oils.