Hydraulic assessment of nanofluids based on mineral oil and natural ester in windings of power transformers

Abstract

It is common for electric power transformers to be cooled by mineral oil. However, this type of oil has begun to be replaced by oils of natural origin (esters), due to environmental and fire safety reasons. The latter are biodegradable and have an ignition point much higher than that of mineral oils. On the other hand, different authors have found that the dielectric and refrigerant properties of the oils used in transformers can be improved when some types of nanoparticles are added. In order to assess this improvement, this work presents the results obtained by a research in which different nanofluids, produced through commercial dielectric oils (mineral and natural), nanoparticles of titanium (IV) oxide and magnetite, were thermally characterized. The results of this characterization have been used to perform simulations based on computational fluid dynamics. This comparison has allowed to observe the pressure drops and the mass flows in the internal channels of the windings of a real power transformer.