1.3.2 Transformer Oil: Oil Used For Insulation in Transformers Is Mineral Oil and It Is Obtained
1.3.2 Transformer Oil: Oil Used For Insulation in Transformers Is Mineral Oil and It Is Obtained
1.3.2 Transformer Oil: Oil Used For Insulation in Transformers Is Mineral Oil and It Is Obtained
2 Transformer Oil: Oil used for insulation in transformers is mineral oil and it is obtained
by refining crude petroleum. Animal oils and vegetable oils are not used for this purpose as these
form fatty acids on heating which are corrosive for the cellulosic paper used in insulation.
Mineral oils were in use as liquid dielectrics in electrical equipment for over hundred years now.
Despite the availability of a variety of synthetic oils, with far more superior properties, mineral
oils held its way, due to their abundant availability and economy. Three properties that are
fundamental to use of mineral oil as dielectric are:
The reliable performance of mineral insulating oil in an insulation system depends upon
certain basic oil characteristics, which can affect the overall performance of the electrical
equipment.
The main requirements of transformer oil as listed in various national and international
standards only state the minimum requirements for transformer oil (table 1.1), whereas many
transformer producers and electricity companies and boards have their own stringent
specifications based on the required conditions. With advanced refining techniques, it is possible
to produce transformer oil tailor-made to suit the exact requirements for such specification.
1
Table 1.1 Characteristic requirements of IS, IEC and BS specification for uninhibited transformer oil