Transformer oil reclamation by combining several strategies enhanced by the use of four adsorbents

Abstract

From an environmental perspective, petroleum‐based aged oils removed from power transformers are source of several pollutants and therefore cannot be disposed of without due care. The degradation of oil in in‐service transformers is due to various factors concurrent with the operation of the units over several years. The present study proposes a new strategy to rejuvenate used mineral oils by combining centrifugation, dehydration and sorption with four different adsorbents: activated carbon (ACH), silica gel (SG), magnesium oxide (MO) and activated bentonite (AB). The process of regeneration proposed in this study resulted in a level of restoration that saw the used oil take on the characteristics of new oil (colour, dissipation factor, resistivity, permittivity, acid number). The results also showed that the optimum form of the re‐refined base oil can be attributed to a 10% (w/w) quaternary mixture of the adsorbents, itself comprised of 1% ACH, 6% SG, 1% MO and 2% AB. The anticipated benefits are reduced risk of dielectric breakdown blamed for over 75% of extra high‐voltage (EHV) power transformer failures and extended transformer life expectancy by retarding the solid insulation aging processes.