Maintenance Of Transformer Oil
A mineral-based oil, transformer oil, is used for its chemical properties as well as dielectric strength. The oil inside your transformer acts as both an insulator, and a cooling agent. The oil can become contaminated over time and cause costly repairs as well as faults.
This contaminated oil needs to be removed and disposed of properly. This can be done by hiring services for transformer oil disposal via https://benzoil.com.au/services/transformers-switchgear/.
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You can avoid costly downtime and costly repairs by following a preventative maintenance program.
Oil Quality
Your transformer oil’s quality will affect its insulation and cooling properties. Normal operating conditions will result in a very small amount of oil quality loss due to oxidization or contamination. These can be summarized as:
- When oil comes into contact with oxygen, oxidization occurs. Sludge will build upon the transformer windings, resulting in decreased heat dissipation. As the windings heat up, more sludge will form. Increased temperatures and high acidity will accelerate the degradation of the oil’s insulation properties. If left untreated, the transformer will fail.
- Water and particulate are two common contaminants found in transformer oil. These contaminants can reduce the insulation properties of your transformer oil.
Test
Your annual preventative maintenance program should include testing your transformer oil. The oil can be tested to determine if corrective actions are needed. The initial testing will provide a baseline for comparison, and the annual testing will show any internal changes in your transformer.
This 4 part test is the minimum requirement for an annual maintenance program.
- Dielectric breakdown: This is the voltage that oil will resist. The dielectric breakdown is lower because many contaminants conduct electricity more effectively than oil.
- Acid Number/Neutralization: This test measures the amount of sludge that causes acid to be present in the oil.
- Interfacial tension: It is a test that detects the presence of polar compounds. These could indicate oxidation of contaminants or deterioration of the transformer materials. i.e. paint, varnish, paper.
- Color: The oil’s colour indicates its quality, age, and presence of contaminants.
Why Transformer Oil testing is so important
Transformers are utilized by the electric sector to transport electric energy from 1 circuit to another. The petroleum surrounding the coils at a power transformer supplies insulation, cooling, and protection from corona and arcing. It's normally acquired by fractional distillation and following treatment of crude oil. That is precisely why this oil can also be referred to as a mineral. You can click here to find the best Transformer Oil testing for your industry.
Transformer oil usage growing internationally
International transformer oil use is forecast to grow substantially by 2020. The Asia-Pacific region, notably China and India, would be the biggest users of transformer oils as a result of the growth of electrical networks raising the installation and update of transformers consequently raising the requirement for eucalyptus oil. Small transformers are supply transformers, these would be the biggest users of transformer oil.
Through the years this oil is subjected to electrical and mechanical stress and to chemical contamination. After the operation is reduced it may result in power outages. To preserve and prolong the life span of their power transformer and also to prevent severe breakdowns, routine testing of the oil is essential.
The significant standard for Many businesses
So what exactly does this standard mean in practice? It also determines the probable contamination of hydrocarbon fluids. By way of instance, jet fuel has to be exceptionally processed as dirt or water contaminations can lead to considerable threat to airport security. Surfactants in jet fuel can create the lifting of rust in storage tanks in addition to the absorption of water on coalescing surfaces.
Hi I am Alannah Summerfield a business analyst and part time blogger. I am crazy about gathering latest information around the world. I have started this blog to share my knowledge & experience.
