What is the use of transformer oil?
Transformer oil or insulating oil is the oil that is stable at high temperatures and has excellent electrical insulating properties. Transformer oil is a cooling oil prepared by the recycling of used oil. A mixture of various hydrocarbon compounds has a property of insulation & cooling agent and this mixture is nothing but transformer oil.
Various types of oil are recycled and used in transformer but the majorly used transformer oil is mineral & synthetic oil. These are petroleum products & of two types i.e., Naphthenic based & Paraffinic based transformer oil.
Naphthenic based transformer oil is used in the transformer to distribute heat and keep the transformer cool. Paraffinic based transformer oil has good thermal & oxidation durability. As it oxidizes easily, it acts as an obstruction for heat dissipation.
Uses of transformer oil-
- It is mostly used in an oil-filled transformer.
- It is also used in high voltage capacitors & high voltage switches & circuit breakers.
- The use of transformer oil is also found in ballasts, fluorescent lamp, etc
- Transformer oil is used in oil-filled electrical power transformers to insulate and to dissipate the heat of the transformer.
- Transformer oil is also used to preserve the transformer’s core and windings.
- Stolen transformer oil is mixed with diesel and sold as fuel.
- It is used as fuel for industrial furnaces.
There are some environmental protection standards and laws which you need to know when it comes to disposal or recycling of used transformer oil. Because transformer oil can be a contaminant if not recycled or disposed of properly.
The older transformer machinery carries PCB which is more hazardous for the environment. So, whether the oil contains PCBs or not, the oil must be recycled through the proper process so that it may not be harmful to the environment. There are some transformer oil recycling companies that deal with the testing oil and all the proper disposal techniques.
originally published on quora @sequoia-global
