Ester Transformer Fluids

IEEE/PES Transformers Committee

Meeting October 7, 2003

C. Patrick McShane, Cooper

T.V. Oommen, ABB
Charles Tanger, Cargill

Meeting Mission: General Education Purpose Only

Overview
„ What are Ester Based Dielectric Coolants?
„ How do they compare to Mineral Oils?
„ What are the Key Benefits?
„ Where, in What, are EBDCs Applied
„ How have they Performed in the Field?
 Ester Transformer Fluids

Natural Ester Sourcing &

Processing

Charles Tanger
Cargill, Inc.
Natural Esters (Vegetable Oils)
„ Sources
„ Chemistry - Comparison to Mineral Oil
„ Refining
„ Key Properties - Comparison to Mineral Oil
Natural & Synthetic Esters
„ Synthetic Polyol Esters have been used as a
PCB substitute in specialty transformer
applications since the early Eighties in the
USA. They are formed by processing fatty
acids and alcohols.
„ Natural Esters are produced from seeds.
Vegetable Oils are Natural Esters
Vegetable Oil vs. Mineral Oil

Advantages Limitations

• Renewable Resource
• Much Higher Flash & Fire • Inferior oxidative stability
Points • Poorer low temperature
• Environmentally properties
Friendlier • Higher Viscosity
• Several Performance • Higher Cost to Produce
Improvements
Vegetable Oil vs. Mineral Oil

O O O
O O O

Naphthenic Mineral Oil Vegetable Oil

 Seed Oil Refining
CRACK, DEHUL L, FLAKE

Sun flower & Soybea n

PRES S (cano la, sunflower) HEXA NE EX TRACTIO N
Canola Meal Meal

HEXA NE DIS TILLA TION

.1-3% phosphatides
CRUDE OIL 1% fat ty acids
1 ppm chlorophyl

DEGUM (H 2O, H3 PO4) lecithin

ALK ALI REFINE (NaOH) Soap stock

BLE ACH (acidic cla y)

Volatile impurities:
DEODORIZE (250°C, vacu um, steam) odor (aldehydes & ket ones
fatty acids
HYDROGENATE / WINTERIZE (chill) Waxes & saturat ed fat s

“RBD” Vegetable Oil

Beans to Crude Vegetable Oil

Soybeans Cracked Soybeans Crude Soybean Oil

 Seed Oil Refining
CRACK, DEHUL L, FLAKE

Sun flower & Soybea n

PRES S (cano la, sunflower) HEXA NE EX TRACTIO N
Canola Meal Meal

HEXA NE DIS TILLA TION

.1-3% phosphatides
CRUDE OIL 1% fat ty acids
1 ppm chlorophyl

DEGUM (H 2O, H3 PO4) lecithin

ALK ALI REFINE (NaOH) Soap stock

BLE ACH (acidic cla y)

Volatile impurities:
DEODORIZE (250°C, vacu um, steam) odor (aldehydes & ket ones
fatty acids
HYDROGENATE / WINTERIZE (chill) Waxes & saturat ed fat s

“RBD” Vegetable Oil

RBD Oil
(Refined, Bleached, Deodorized)

RBD SBO
Vegetable Oil Refining
„ Start with beans or seeds.
„ End with purified oils.
„ Purified oils are the starting point for
transformer oils
 Ester Transformer Fluids
Key Properties & Standards

T.V. Oommen, Consultant

ABB, Inc.
Natural Esters for Transformers
• RBD edible vegetable oils used for base.

• Further processing e.g. Removal of polar

contaminates. Addition of performance enhancing
additives

• Dielectric fluids from natural esters, remain highly

biodegradable, with high flash and fire points, and
can test non-toxic to sensitive species .
 Use of Natural Esters in Electrical
Equipment
•New and Retrofill Application in the Field:

• Distribution Transformers: Single and Three Phase

Pole and Pad-mounted, Small Power.

• Medium power Transformers

• Mobile Substation Transformers

• Voltage Regulators

• Switchgear

•Transformer- Rectifier Sets

Transformer Oils – Physical Properties

STD. MIN OIL HI FIRE PT BIOBASED

PROPERTY
D 3487 D 5222 D 6871
Color, max. 0.5 2.5 1.0
Visual Examination B&C B&C B&C
Flash Point, °C, min. 145 275 275
Fire Point, °C, min. -- 300 300
Interfacial Tension,
40 40 --
25°C, dynes/cm, min.
Pour point, °C, max. -40 -21 -10
Spec. Grav., 15°C, max. 0.91 0.91 0.96
Viscosity, max. cSt: 100°C 3.0 14 15
40°C 12 130 50
0°C 76 2500 500
Relative Flash and Fire Points
400
Flash Point
Degree Centigrade ( °C)

350 Fire Point

300

250

200

150
Mineral Oil HMWH Silicone Oil Natural
Ester
Transformer Oils – Electrical Properties

STD. MIN OIL HI FIRE PT BIOBASED

PROPERTY
D 3487 D 5222 D 6871
Dielectric breakdown, KV min.:
Disk electrodes, min. 30 30 30
VDE elect., 0.04" gap, min. 20 -- 20
VDE elect., 0.08" gap, min. 35 -- 35
Impulse,1" gap, 25°C, min. 145 -- 130
Gas. tend., µL/min, max. 30 30 0
Diss. Fact. % max, 25° C 0.05 0.05 0.2
100°C 0.30 0.30 4.0
Transformer Oil – Chemical Properties
STD. MIN OIL HI FIRE PT BIOBASED
PROPERTY
D 3487 D 5222 D 6871
Oxidative Stability:
72 hrs - % sludge, max. 0.15 / 0.1 0.15 not estab.
Acid number, max. 0.5 / 0.3 0.30 not estab.
164 hrs - % sludge, max. 0.3 / 0.2 0.3 not estab.
Acid number, max. 0.6 / 0.4 0.60 not estab.
RBOT minutes, min. - / 195 195 not estab.
Corrosive Sulfur pass pass pass
Water, ppm, max. 35 35 200
Acid number 0.03 0.03 0.06
PCB Content not detectable not detectable not detectable
 Test & Verification Data Available

• Physical, chemical and electrical characteristics

• Heat transfer properties
• Water solubility data
• Decomposition under thermal and electrical stress
• Functional life test data
• Long term aging data
• Field performance in commercial units
• Environmental performance data
• Retrofilling units having other fluid types
 Test & Verification Data Available

References:
•IEEE, CIGRE, ACS, CIRED Publications
and Proceedings
•ASTM D6871-03 Standard
•Manufacturers/Suppliers Literature
•Published Testing Laboratories Reports
(e.g. Doble Engineering, EPRI, US EPA ETV, UL, FM)
 Ester Transformer Fluids

Performance & Applications

C. Patrick McShane
Cooper Power Systems
Performance Improvements vs. MO

„ Insulating Paper Aging Rate Reduced

„ Essentially no Sludge Precipitate
„ Reduction of Paper Moisture Levels
„ Much Lower Gassing Tendency Value
„ Reduced Coking on Bare Copper
„ Potential Self Sealing “weeping” leaks
Insulation Paper Aging Rate
Reduced
„ Accelerated Paper Life Testing using the
Sealed Tube Method, comparing aging in
natural ester fluid versus mineral oil to
reach a defined life end point:
– Thermal Upgraded Kraft: Up to 8 times
longer.
– Non-Upgraded Kraft: > 10 times longer.
Comparison of Tensile Strength vs. Time

Sealed Bomb Accelerated Aging

Thermally Upgraded Paper at 170 oC
20000
mineral oil
100

Retained Tensile Strength (%of unaged)

EFR3
natural ester
(error bars = 1σ)
Tensile Strength (lb/in )
2

15000
75

10000
50

5000
25

0 0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000

Aging Time (hours)

Visual Comparison vs. Aging Time

Natural Ester Mineral Oil Natural Ester Mineral Oil Natural Ester Mineral Oil Natural Ester Mineral Oil
Sealed Tube Test - ML 152-2000 Sealed Tube Test - ML 152-2000 Sealed Tube Test - ML 152-2000 Sealed Tube Test - ML 152-2000
Upgraded Paper 500 hr @ 170°C Upgraded Paper 1000 hr @ 170°C Upgraded Paper 2000 hr @ 170°C Upgraded Paper 4000 hr @ 170°C
Essentially no Sludge Precipitates

„ Mineral oils, when oxidized tend to form

and precipitate sludge, potentially reducing
dielectric and thermal performance.
„ Natural ester oils, when oxidized, tend to
polymerize but not form sludge precipitates.
Hot Oil, Open Beaker Aging Test

Edible Oil Base HMWH Base Conventional MO

Reduction in Paper Moisture
7
m in e ra l o il
6 n a tu ra l e ste r
Water Content (wt %)

re tro fill
5

0
0 1000 2000 3000
o
A g in g T im e a t 1 7 0 C (h o u rs )
Lower Gassing Rate
„ ASTM D2300 Gassing Tendency:
– Mineral Oil typically around -5µL/min.
– Natural Esters between -50 to - 80 µL/min.
„ Doble Partial Discharge -TCG:
– Mineral Oil ------------- ≈ 1,500 ppm
– Natural Esters ---------- ≈ 1,100 to 1,300 ppm
Reduced Coking Tendency
„ Immersed Hot Copper Surface Test:

– With air head space, natural ester produced

1/40 coking relative to mineral oil.

– With nitrogen head space, natural ester

produced non-detectable coking.
Relative Coking on Hot Copper
Mineral Oil Produced Up to 40 Times by Weight
 Aerobic Aquatic Biodegradation
Test Method: EPA OPPTS 835.3100
100
CO2 Evolution (% of theoretical max)

80

"100% biodegradable" above 60% of theoretical maximum CO2 evolution

60 100
Edible Oil
Envirotemp Based
FR3 fluid

Mineral Oil
conventional transformer oil

Biodegradation (%)
sodium citrate reference material 75
40 Ultimate
(EPA Biodegradability
"ultimate biodegradability") Control Sample

50

20 test performed per EPA OPPTS 835.3100 by

Thomas A. Edison Technical Center 25
Franksville, WI 53126 USA
Wisconsin DNR Laboratory #252021770
report issued April 23, 1999

0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Elapsed Time (days)
 Initial Commercial Uses of
Natural Esters
•Distribution and small power units:
•New Units 1999
•Retrofill 1999

•Medium Power Transformers:

•Retrofill 2001
•New Units 2003

•TR Sets
•Retrofill 1999:

•Switchgear
•New Units 2002:
Field Performance

Average Values of Nine 3 Phase Pad-

Mounted Transformers 77th Month Samples
New Ave. Std. Dev.
Moisture ppm 15 33 14
Dielectric Strength 62 70 10
Fire Point 359 359 2
Viscosity 32.7 32.4 0.3
Dissipation Factor 0.12 .15 .03
Thank You ! - Questions?