Corrosion Mechanisms for Electrical Fields Leading to the Acceleration of Copper Sulfide Deposition on Insulation Windings

Abstract

Numerous failures of high-voltage transformers and reactors are caused by copper sulfide formation in oil-immersed insulations. This study explored the effect of electrical fields on copper sulfide formation. Accelerated aging experiments were conducted for mineral oil that contains dibenzyl disulfide, which was aged along with insulation windings under different conditions, including single thermal aging and electrical–thermal aging. The corrosive sulfur deposits were quantified using SEM/EDX and ICP-AES. The properties of the insulation oils were also measured and analyzed. Corrosion mechanisms for electrical fields leading to the acceleration of copper sulfide deposition on the oil-immersed insulation were proposed.