Karthik M, Nuvvula Ramakrishna S S, Dhanamjayulu C, Khan Baseem
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, SRM Madurai College for Engineering and Technology, Madurai, 630 612, India.
Deparmtent of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, NMAM Institute of Technology, NITTE Deemed to Be University), Nitte, Karnataka, 574110, India.
Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 1;14(1):17814. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-68714-y.
Transformer is a well-known power system apparatus utilized in conjunction with solid insulations such as paper and press board, as well as liquid insulations like mineral oil, a petroleum-based fluid. Despite the notable drawbacks associated with mineral oil, such as limited resources for future generations and its non-eco-friendly nature, its usage remains ubiquitous. There is a growing imperative to explore alternative fluids that surpass mineral oil in terms of environmental impact and performance. Amidst the global shift towards green energy, this study focuses on vegetable seed oils such as corn oil, soybean oil, mustard oil, and rice bran oil as potential substitutes. The research evaluates these oils based on key transformer properties including breakdown voltage, water content, interfacial tension, viscosity, acidity, flash point, and fire point. Interestingly, rice bran oil and soybean oil exhibit promising characteristics that suggest they could effectively replace petroleum-based fluids in transformers. Furthermore, the study extends to blending mineral oil with vegetable seed oils in various compositions, incorporating natural and synthetic antioxidant additives ranging from 0 to 1%. Comparative analyses between samples with and without additives reveal that the inclusion of 1% propyl gallate yields outstanding performance improvements. For instance, a blend comprising 25 ml of mineral oil and 25 ml of soybean oil, supplemented with 1% propyl gallate, demonstrates 90% higher effectiveness compared to other blends and additives tested. Moreover, the research employs statistical regression analysis to establish relationships between different parameter variables, providing deeper insights into the performance and compatibility of these blended oils in transformer applications. This comprehensive investigation underscores the potential of vegetable seed oils as viable alternatives to mineral oil, contributing to the advancement of eco-friendly solutions in power systems.
变压器是一种广为人知的电力系统设备，它与诸如纸和压纸板等固体绝缘材料以及矿物油（一种石油基流体）等液体绝缘材料一起使用。尽管矿物油存在显著缺点，如对后代而言资源有限且不环保，但其使用仍然无处不在。探索在环境影响和性能方面优于矿物油的替代流体的紧迫性日益增加。在全球向绿色能源转变的背景下，本研究聚焦于玉米油、大豆油、芥子油和米糠油等植物种子油作为潜在替代品。该研究基于包括击穿电压、含水量、界面张力、粘度、酸度、闪点和燃点等关键变压器性能对这些油进行评估。有趣的是，米糠油和大豆油展现出有前景的特性，表明它们可以有效地替代变压器中的石油基流体。此外，该研究还扩展到将矿物油与各种成分的植物种子油混合，并加入0%至1%的天然和合成抗氧化添加剂。对有添加剂和无添加剂样品的比较分析表明，加入1%的没食子酸丙酯可显著提高性能。例如，一种由25毫升矿物油和25毫升大豆油组成并添加1%没食子酸丙酯的混合物，与测试的其他混合物和添加剂相比，有效性高出90%。此外，该研究采用统计回归分析来建立不同参数变量之间的关系，从而更深入地了解这些混合油在变压器应用中的性能和兼容性。这项全面的调查强调了植物种子油作为矿物油可行替代品的潜力，有助于推动电力系统中环保解决方案的发展。
