2014 IEEE

International Conference on Liquid Dielectrics, Bled, Slovenia, June 30

July 3,

2014

Effect of viscosity and water content on the

breakdown strength of vegetable oils
1. L. Hosier, J. Gu, W. Chotchuangchutchavel, A. S. Vaughan

Tony Davis High Voltage Laboratory,

University of Southampton
Southampton,SOl7 lBJ,UK
ilh@ecs.soton.ac.uk

Abstract- The effect of viscosity on AC breakdown strength

was studied using aged sunflower oil. After ageing, the oil was
darkened and the viscosity and water content increased. Whilst
the electrical conductivity increased with ageing as anticipated,
the AC breakdown strength showed an unexpected increase. In
addition the effect of water on breakdown strength was probed
using carefully treated olive oil. Whilst extended periods of
drying did not change the electrical properties, adding water
increased the electrical conductivity and reduced the breakdown
strength. This indicates that increased viscosity is the cause of
the observed unexpected increases in AC breakdown strength.
Keywords-vegetable oil; ageing; dielectric breakdown

I.

INTRODUCTION

The insulation system currently used in the majority of high

voltage transfonners is composed of paper or pressboard
impregnated with a mineral oil [1]. However, this type of oil
has the disadvantage of coming from a non-sustainable source
(crude oil) and is also hazardous to the environment; hence less
toxic, renewable replacement oils are sought [1-3]. To this aim
vegetable oils have already been successfully used in a number
of small transformer installations in the United States [2,3].
Despite the environmental advantages of employing
vegetable oils in high voltage plant,historically,vegetable oils
have not enjoyed wide deployment due to their high pour point
and poor oxidation stability relative to mineral oil. However,
work has been undertaken to overcome these difficulties
through the use of suitable additives and antioxidants [2,4] and
commercial products are now available [3]. Furthermore, it
has been demonstrated that a vegetable oil filled transformer
[4] is capable of meeting all IEC requirements and that better
breakdown performance can be obtained in vegetable oil/paper
composites compared to an equivalent mineral oil/paper system
[5]. Therefore, vegetable oils show significant promise as a
replacement for mineral oil in new high voltage transfonners.
We have previously examined the ageing behavior of
various vegetable oils in detail [6]; indicators of ageing include
darkening, oxidation, increased viscosity and dielectric loss.
However the electrical breakdown characteristics were not
considered in these previous investigations. We address this
issue here and consider the effects of viscosity by utilizing
thermally aged sunflower oil and the effects of water content
through careful treatment of olive oil.

978-1-4799-2063-1 $31.00 2014 IEEE

II.
A.

EXPERIMENTAL

Thermal ageing

Sunflower oil (Co-op) was aged in fan ovens at 135C; 200

ml samples were placed in glass jars which were covered with
glass lids but not sealed. Clean copper sheet (0.1 mm
thickness, 90 cm2 surface area - for consistency with earlier
studies) was added to selected samples prior to ageing.
B. Sample characterisation
Ultraviolet/visible (UVIVis) spectroscopy was performed
using 5 ml PMMA test cells in a Perkin Elmer Lambda 35
instrument. Room temperature viscosity of 20 ml oil samples
was measured using a Physica Rheolab MCl instrument fitted
with a concentric cylinder test cell. The water content of 1 ml
oil samples was determined by an average of 3 tests carried out
in a GR Scientific "Co-Lou Compact" instrument.
Breakdown testing was performed using a ramped (50 Vis)
AC 50 Hz voltage according to ASTM D1816. A small
volume (capacity 8 ml) testing cell utilizing opposing 25 mm
diameter chrome plated steel ball bearings was employed in
which the electrode spacing could be adjusted between 0.5 and
2 mm. The oil was changed for each test and the ball bearings
were changed after every 5 tests with testing being performed
after a minimum 3 minute waiting time after filling the cell.
The results of 20 breakdowns per (200 ml) oil sample were
processed using Weibull statistics. Electrical conductivity
testing was carried out using a concentric cylinder testing cell
according to ASTM Dl169 (gap 2 mm, capacity 5 ml). A
Spellman SLlO HVDC power supply was used to apply a
voltage and the current was measured using a Keithley 6487
picoammeter.
A step voltage program was employed,
increasing in 100 V steps and measuring the current after a lOs
delay to ensure any capacitive currents have dissipated.
C.

Varying the water content

Yellow olive oil (Asda light and mild) was used. Vacuum
drying was employed (Fig. 1a) to reduce the water content and
distilled water was added to increase the water content. The
latter samples were magnetically stirred for 2 h (sufficient to
ensure that the optical transparency of the solution measured by
UVIVis did not change); it was possible to prepare oils with

2014 IEEE

International Conference on Liquid Dielectrics, Bled, Slovenia, June 30 - July 3,

300

2014

100

250
80

Q.

eo"E
Q)
"E

200

150

,{!.
g..
c:
a
iii
'"

100

I-

E
'"

a
u

c:

Q;

60

40

- odays

20

50

5days
10days
- 15days
-

0
0

20

60

40

80

100

120

300

140

400

500

100

c:
a
iii
'"

60

c:

40

E'"

en
'"

eo
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a
u
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:>
- 60PPM
- 160PPM
- 280PPM
- 450PPM
- 670PPM
- 1000PPM

20

800

900

1000

1100

12

14

16

0.5
-+- No copper
-+- With Copper

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0

0
400

600

800

1000

Fig. l. Olive oil experiments (a) eflect of drying on water content,

uncertainty is IO PPM, (b) UVlVis check for cloudiness (absorbance over all
wavelengths) in samples with the given (measured) water content.

10

500
-+- No copper
-+- WITh Copper
450

between 60 and 1000 PPM water content, although residual

cloudiness (due to scattering from a disperse aqueous phase)
remained in the 670 and 1000 PPM oils (Fig. I b).
III.

Ageing time (days)

Wavelenath (nm)

A.

700

0.4

80

e:.

600

Wavelength (nm)

Drying time (hours)

Q.

eo"E
Q)
"E

400

350

a
u

RESULTS

Q;

Effect of viscosity on electrical breakdown

UVlVis results indicate only a small change in optical

absorbance when ageing was undertaken without copper, but a
much larger increase was observed when ageing was
undertaken with copper (arrowed, Fig. 2a). Accordingly, the
viscosity (Fig. 2b, uncertainty 0.002 Pas) and water content
(Fig. 2c, uncertainty I 0 PPM) show a much greater increase
after ageing in the presence of copper. Sunflower oil was
chosen for this investigation as it previously exhibited a large
increase in viscosity (up to almost 2 Pas) after identical ageing
in small volumes (20 ml) [6]; here the increase (Fig. 2a) is
much less,presumably due to the larger volume of 200 ml. The
water content (Fig. 2b) tends towards a saturation value of
around 500 PPM which is probably due to a gradual loss of
water to the atmosphere during ageing.

300

250

200
0

10

12

14

16

Ageing time (days)

Fig. 2. Physical characterisation of aged sunflower oil (a) UVlVis spectra
after ageing with copper, (b) viscosity, (c) water content.

The results of the electrical breakdown measurements are

shown graphically in Figs. 3a and 3b; for simplicity, the
indicated electric field was calculated from the breakdown
voltage divided by the electrode gap. Whilst this approach is
not strictly correct due to field enhancement resulting from the
chosen electrode geometry, a more complex approach was not

978-1-4799-2063-1 $31.00 2014 IEEE

2014 IEEE

International Conference on Liquid Dielectrics, Bled, Slovenia, June 30 - July 3,

TABLE I.

warranted since the field enhancement was typically less than 4

% and, therefore, much less than the scatter in the obtained
datasets. Also, in all cases, we have sought only to compare
samples tested with the same electrode gap. Table I shows the
Weibull breakdown strengths (E, uncertainty I kV/mm) and

2014

RESVLTS OF BREAKDOWN TESTING AND VISCOSITY VALVES

Ageing
conditions

Viscosity
(Pas)

Weibull results

Electrode
gap (mm)

E (kVlmm)

o d (Un-aged)

0.056

0. 5

14. 6

3. 2

o d (Un-aged)

0.056

1. 0

10. 8

3. 5

5days

o d (Un-aged)

0.056

2. 0

7. 4

6. 0

15days

5 d, no copper

0. 057

1. 0

9. 7

4. 3

10 d, no copper

0.062

1. 0

12. 3

4. 0

70

15 d, no copper

0.076

1. 0

15. 4

5. 9

'0

50

5 d, with copper

0. 101

0. 5

14. 7

4. 6

:.0
'"
.n

30

10 d, with copper

0.213

0. 5

22. 9

3. 7

c..

20

15 d, with copper

0.428

0. 5

26. 2

6. 5

99

98

0days

95

>R.
0

10days

90
80

.2

10

shape parameters (jJ). The breakdown strength decreases with

increasing electrode gap (Table I). All samples aged with no
copper were tested with a I mm gap, but due to the limited
voltage available, samples aged with copper had to be tested
with a gap of 0.5 mm. In both cases (when compared to the
appropriately tested un-aged oil) the breakdown strength
unexpectedly [7] increases with ageing time.
Electrical
conductivity measurements (Fig. 3c) show a negligible change
after ageing without copper (solid symbols, 4xlO13
- S/cm) but
a significant increase after ageing with copper (open symbols,
up to 2xlO12
- S/cm), with some field dependence possibly
arising due to polarization effects.

5
2
2

10

20

50

Field (kV/mm)
99

98

90

CIl

80

e:

$::;

10days
15days

70

'0
>=
:.0

5days

odays

95

50

Examination of failed samples reveals that a "bridge" is

formed between the electrodes; this phenomenon in silicone
fluids [8] arises from the migration of particulate matter to the
highly stressed region adjacent to the electrodes through
dielectrophoresis. It is easy to see how an increased viscosity
might hinder the analogous movement of water droplets in the
current oils leading to the observed increase in measured
breakdown strength. However it is not possible here to de
convolute the effects of increased viscosity from parallel
increases in water content, therefore we shall consider the role
of water content in systems where the viscosity is unchanged.

30
20
10
5
2+---------,,--,_L---L-,_--------
2

10

50

20

Field (kV/mm)

2.0e- 12
__ odays

__ 5days. no copper
__ 10days, no copper

-'2

.z::
ti

1.0e- 12

(j

Electrical breakdown measurements on olive oils prepared

with the indicated water contents (uncertainty 10 PPM) are
shown in Figs. 4a and 4b and numerical data are provided in
Table II. The water content of the oil,as supplied, is 280 PPM
and further drying the oil results in no change in the dielectric
breakdown strength of 32 2 kV/mm (0.5 mm gap). However,
adding water reduces the breakdown strength significantly, to
as low as 8 kV/mm. This reduction in breakdown strength was
previously ascribed to the formation of a water/oil emulsion [9]
and there is some evidence from the cloudiness of the 670 and
1000 PPM oils that this may also be the case here.
Conductivity measurements (Fig. 4c) do not indicate any
significant changes up to 280 PPM water content (lxlO13
- S/cm
with very little field dependence), however increased
conductivity was first noticed with 450 PPM water content (i.e.
presumably around the point where an emulsion is first formed

15days, with copper

:::l
""0
<=
a

B. Effect of water content on breakdown

__ 15days. no copper
a
5days. with copper
10days. with copper
a

1.5e- 12

.:oCUJJ"

....-rrrro
J-'o"

5.0e-13
---

....

. ..

1-0.0
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Applied field (kV/mm)

Fig. 3. Electrical characterisation of aged sunflower oil; Weibull plots of oils
aged, (a) without copper, (b) with copper; (c) plot of DC conductivity.

978-1-4799-2063-1 $31.00 2014 IEEE

2014 IEEE

International Conference on Liquid Dielectrics, Bled, Slovenia, June 30

TABLE II.

[9]). Measurements from 670 and 1000 PPM oils were

somewhat unstable,perhaps due to migration of water droplets,
but revealed the same trends. Here, increased water content
leads to a reduction in the AC breakdown strength,
consequently, in the previous experiments, the increased
breakdown strength must arise due to increased oil viscosity.
99

98

90

(PPM)

280PPM
160PPM
120PPM
60PPM

95

Water content

80

-"

70

4-

50

:.c
<1l
..Q

30

a..

20

98

95

Ii

20

100

50

280 PPM
450 PPM
670 PPM
1000 PPM

90

:::J

80
70

50

30

:.c

Weibull results

Electrode gap
(mm)

E (kVlmm)

60

0. 5

31. 4

6. 1

120

0. 5

33. 7

7. 1

160

0. 5

32. 1

7. 4

280

0. 5

35. 5

7. 8

450

0. 5

19. 3

4. 5

670

0. 5

11. 9

7. 2

1000

0. 5

8. 2

8. 6

CONCLUSIONS

The water content of olive oil was varied over the range 60
to 1000 PPM. Whilst the dielectric properties were not
influenced by drying the oil, adding water led to increased
conductivity and reduced breakdown strength. This indicates
that (a) increased oil viscosity is the cause of the above
unexpected AC breakdown behavior and (b) vegetable oils
exhibit a high AC breakdown strength and a low electrical
conductivity provided that a water/oil emulsion is not formed.

Field (kV/mm)

99

10

2014

The viscosity of sunflower oil was increased through

thermal ageing, the oil was darkened with increased water
content especially when aged in the presence of copper. Whilst
the electrical conductivity increased after ageing as anticipated,
the AC breakdown strength unexpectedly increased.

10

July 3,

RESULTS OF BREAKDOWN TESTING

IV.

Finally,since increases in oil viscosity can clearly influence

breakdown measurements, AC breakdown tests may not
provide an accurate measure of oil ageing/oil condition in plant
employing oils whose viscosity increases after thermal ageing.

AC
20
10

REFERENCES

5
2
2

10

20

50

Field (kV/mm)

1.4e-12

1.2e-12

.!2

.
.

1.0e-12

8.0e-13

60PPM
160PPM
280PPM
450PPM
670PPM ( 1)
670PPM (2)
1000PPM ( 1)
1000PPM (2)

ti

2.0e-13

0.0
0.0

..
4.0e-13

1.0

C. P. McShane, "Vegetable oil based dielectric coolants", IEEE Ind.

Appl. Mag., 8, pp. 34-41, 2002.

[3]

T. V. Oommen, "Vegetable oils for liquid filled transformers", IEEE,

Electr. Insul. Mag., 18, pp. 6-11, 2002.

[4]

R. Badent, M. Hemmer, A. 1. Schwab, "Inhibited rape seed oil as

substitute for mineral oils", In Proc. 2002 Conf. Electr. Insul. Diel.
Phen., pp. 268-271.

[5]

1. Li, S. Grzybowski, Y. Sun, X. Chen, "Dielectric properties of

rapeseed oil paper insulation", In 2007 Ann. Rep. Conf. Electr. Insul.
Diel. Phen., pp. 500-503.

[6]

1. L. Hosier, A. Guushaa, E. W. Westenbrink, C. Rogers, A. S. Vaughan,

S. G. Swingler, "Aging of Biodegradable Oils and Assessment of their
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[7]

M. Hemmer, R. Badent, T. Leibfried, "Electric properties of vegetable

oil impregnated paper insulation", in Proc. 2003 Conf. Electr. Insul.
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[8]

1. P. Crine, "Silicone Oil as Replacement Fluid for PCBs in

Transformers", Electr. Eng. 1. , 11, pp.ll0-113, 1986.

[9]

B. Du, J. Li, B. Wang, J. Xiang, Z. Zhang, "Influence of Water Content

on the Electrical Properties of Insulating Vegetable Oil-Based
Nanofluids", In Proc. 2013 IEEE Electr. Insul. Conf., pp. 49-51.

..

.,I'cJJ

.-
0.5

[2]

6.0e-13

C. P. McShane, "Relative properties of the new combustion resistant

vegetable oil based dielectric coolants for distribution and power
transformers", IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl., 37, pp. 1132-1139, 2001.

2:

:::l
-0
C
0

[1]
100

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Field (kV/mm)
Fig. 4. Weibull plots (a) effect of drying on olive oil, (b) effect of additional
moisture on olive oil; (c) DC conductivity plot of all oils.

978-1-4799-2063-1 $31.00 2014 IEEE