Effect of nanoparticles on breakdown, aging and other properties of vegetable oil

Abstract

Vegetable based natural ester oil is considered as the alternate natural source of traditional mineral insulating oil in electrical transformers and performs dual functions of insulating and cooling materials. In order to maintain both improved electrical and thermal properties, the composite of aluminum oxide and zinc oxide (AhO3+ZnO) nanoparticles was dispersed into soya bean oil, and a blend of sunflower and olive oil with percentage concentration of 0.005g/L to form the nanooils. The purpose of this research is to compare the findings of various tests such as, breakdown voltage, tan delta, flash point, pour point, water content, viscosity and FTIR, performed on nanooil samples before and after aging with that of mineral oil. In case of aged soya bean nano oil, the breakdown voltage, flash point and viscosity are 26%, 22% and 5% higher, and the pour point, water content and tan delta are 1%, 12% and 0.5% lesser than those in mineral oil, respectively. Similarly, in case of aged nano blend of sunflower and olive oil, the breakdown voltage, and flash point are 23% and 41% higher, and the viscosity, pour point, water content and tan delta are 2%, 5%, 15% and 0.7% lesser than those in mineral oil, respectively. All these results showed that the addition of Nanoparticles to the vegetable oil improved electrical and thermal properties more than mineral oil.