2007 Annual Report Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena

Dielectric Properties Measurements of Transformer Oil, Paper and Pressboard with the
Effect of Moisture and Ageing
C.F. Ten, M.A.R.M. Fernando and Z.D. Wang
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
The University of Manchester,
Manchester M60 1QD, UK

Abstract: Dissipation factor (tan) and Capacitance

measurement at power frequency (50Hz) has been commonly

used to diagnose the insulation integrity and condition of
transformers. The main drawback of this technique is that the
measurement results obtained represent the status of the
"complete" transformer insulation systems a combination of
the bulk of oil, paper insulation and pressboard. The
contribution of each individual insulation material to the end
result is not well known, and the degradation status of the
whole insulation structure and each material are difficult to
separate. In order to improve comprehension of the
measurement results of this technique, the basic relationship
between tan and each insulating material has to be established
first. Hence, in this paper, experimental investigation has been
done by studying the dielectric properties changes (tan and
dielectric constant, r) of mineral oil, cellulose paper and
pressboard with the affecting parameters, namely moisture and
ageing. A simulation model of the combined transformer
insulation has been used to correlate the tan of each insulating
material to the measured combined value of a transformer.

carried out to study the dielectric properties changes of mineral

oil, cellulose paper and pressboard due to the effect of moisture
contents (MC) and ageing. To fit these results into the big
picture, a transformer insulation model was used to correlate
the tan of each insulating material to the measured combined
value.

Samples Preparation
A) Mineral Oil with Different Moisture Contents (MC)
The mineral oil samples used in this study is
NYTRO-10-GBN Insulating Oil. In order to obtain samples
with different MC, these mineral oils were conditioned in a
controlled air relative humidity (RH) desiccator [3] at room
temperature for one week. The air RH in the desiccator was
controlled by the combination of glycerol and distilled water.
Equation (1) is used to calculate the proportion of glycerol and
distilled water needed [3].

RH air =

Introduction
The reliability of a power transformer is largely
determined by its insulation condition. However, transformer
insulation deteriorates due to different stresses over its lifetime.
Insulation degradation reduces the dielectric capability of a
transformer to withstand electric stresses and increases the
probability of failure. It is therefore of importance to develop a
variety of dielectric diagnostic methods and give an early
indication of the changes of dielectric properties of insulating
materials used in a power transformer.
Among these dielectric diagnostic methods is the most
common industry practice dissipation factor (tan) and
capacitance measurements at power frequency. Apart from its
merit of short measuring time, variation of tan provides useful
information about the insulation quality [1]. Most importantly,
power transformers operating in the field normally have a
complete set of tan record, which serves as benchmark test
values, enabling future comparison [2].
However, the main downside of this technique is that the
measurement results obtained on a transformer represent the
insulation losses of the combined transformer insulation
systems involving oil, cellulose paper and pressboard as
insulating materials and their size and dimensions. The
contribution of each insulation material to the end result is not
well known, which makes it difficult to use tan and C in
estimating the degradation status of the whole insulation
structure and each material. Besides, this ambiguity also
hinders further application of this technique. Thereby,
fundamental understanding of the measurements results of this
technique is of valuable importance.
This paper focuses on establishing the basic relationship
between tan and each transformer insulation material to
facilitate future interpretation. Laboratory experiments were

1-4244-1482-2/07/$25.00 2007 IEEE

Weight water
18
Weight glycerol Weight water
+
92.1
18

(1)

This mixture was prepared and put into the desiccator two
hours beforehand to ensure they reach an equilibrium state
before mineral oil samples were put inside. The values of the
RH were verified by a hygrometer inside the desiccator. Four
different oil samples were prepared under four humidity levels.
The MC in these samples were determined by Karl Fischer
Titration method using Metrohm 684 Coulometer and 832
Thermoprep. Each sample was tested three times and the
average value was obtained. Given the saturation limit of
moisture in mineral oil is 55 ppm at room temperature [3], the
RH values of oil samples were calculated using (2).
W REL =

WMoistureCo ntent

W So lub leMoisture Content (T )

(2)

B) Mineral Oil with Different Ageing Level

Six bottles (three 500 ml and three 1000 ml) of mineral oil
samples were prepared for the ageing experiment. The 1000 ml
bottles were sealed whereas the 500 ml were kept unsealed.
The sampled were differently aged under temperatures of 105
C, 115C and 135C in an air-circulating oven (inner size:
490x430x610 mm3) for up to 56 days. Table 1 shows the details
of the used temperatures and the ageing time periods.
In order to form a relationship between tan and the ageing
time, the different ageing temperatures were standardized to a
common value of 115C. The empirical 10 degree rule which
states the ageing rate is doubled in every increment of 10C [4]
was used in this regard to recalculate the equivalent ageing
time for samples which aged at temperature differ from 115C.
Sample 1 (both sealed and unsealed) were standardized to
ageing temperature of 115C and the equivalent ageing times

727

were calculated, as shown in Table 2. Their colours after ageing

process were recorded referring to [2].

the upper electrode was surrounded by a guarded ring of 10mm

in width. The cell capacitance varied with the thickness of the
samples and it was approximately 70 pF for a 1mm air gap [5].
The solid test cell was kept inside a desiccator under controlled
humidity of 21% (approximately half of the air RH of the
environment) using silica gel. Before the measurements, the
MC of all samples was measured.

Table 1: Temperature and aging time of oil samples

Sealed
Unsealed
Sample
Temperature
Aging
Temperature
Aging
1
2
3

135
115
115

time
[days]
62h/24
7
21

[C]
105
115
115

time
[days]
14
21
56

Results and discussions

A) Effect of Moisture on Mineral Oil
Fig. 1 depicts the variation of tan and r of mineral oil as
a function of RH. The results clearly demonstrate that the tan
generally increases with the increase of oil RH. When RH
reaches a certain threshold, the increase of tan becomes
significant.
On the other hand, the r is obviously less sensitive to the
changes of RH of the mineral oil. Irrespective of the change of
RH, it stays almost constant at approximately 2.23 0.02, which
is closely similar to the theoretical dielectric constant of mineral
oil (r =2.2).

C) Paper and Pressboard with Different Moisture Contents

Two oil-free papers and four oil-free pressboards, all
measuring 150mm x 160mm were divided into two sample sets.
Each sample set consists of a paper of 0.25mm thickness and
two pressboards with each having a thickness of 1.5mm and
3mm.
The two sample sets were separately impregnated under
dry and wet conditions. For the dry condition, the samples were
first dried in the air-circulating oven at 1050C for 24 hours.
They were then further dried in a vacuum oven at 1050C, 7.5
mbar for 24 hours. Mineral oil was put into the vacuum oven at
the same time for degassing and dehydration. Finally, the
samples were immersed into the pre-processed mineral oil for
impregnation and kept for another 48 hours. The vacuum oven
settings remain unchanged for this impregnation process.
For wet condition, the samples were conditioned by
exposing them to atmosphere at room temperature and RH of
around 50% for 48 hours and were then immersed into
pre-processed mineral oil for impregnation under vacuum for
72 hours. After the first measurements, the wet samples, soaked
in mineral oil, were heated in the air-circulating oven for two
hours at 800C. This step was repeated on the paper sample after
the second measurements.

2.0
Tan Delta ( %)

2.5
2.0

1.5

1.5

1.0

1.0

0.5

0.5

0.0
0

0.0
20
30
40
50
60
Relative Humidity (%)
Tan Delta
Dielectric Constant

Dielectric Constant

[C]

10

Fig. 1 Tan and r of Mineral Oil as a Function of RH

B) Effect of Aging on Mineral Oil
Figure 2 shows the variation of tan of aged mineral oil
(sealed and unsealed) as a function of ageing time at 1150C.
From Fig. 2, it is clear that for both sealed and unsealed cases,
the tan increases with the ageing days. In this case, the new
mineral oil serves as control, thus it is considered as the baseline
of "unaged - 0 aged days".
It is observed that as ageing times increases, there is a
significant difference in tan values between sealed and
unsealed oil samples. For example, at aging time of 21 days,
tan for sealed sample is about 3 times higher than unsealed
sample. This is believed to be mainly caused by the by-products
or catalysts produced during aging process. Catalysts existence
was reported to help accelerating the ageing process [6].These
major catalysts from ageing are thought to be moisture and acid.
Although aged oil in unsealed bottle also produced these
catalysts, the open situation allowed these by-products to be
evaporated out from the sample. This evaporation is proved by
the decreasing oil level at the end of ageing. As most of these
catalysts are evaporated out from unsealed oil sample, the
ageing rate is not as fast as the sealed sample. This factor may
help to explain the lower tan value in unsealed oil sample.
However, the colours of the aged oil samples show a
contradict result. Judging from the colours, one would suggest
that the unsealed oil samples are more severely aged compared
to the sealed oil samples [2]. Since unsealed oil samples are in
direct contact with the air, oxidation process is more active than
in the sealed oil samples.
The oil samples were then treated under relative humidity
of 50% for a week, the moisture contents measured show that

D) Aged Pressboard
A field-aged pressboard sample with a thickness of 1.8mm
was investigated in this study. It was collected from a failed
power transformer after 29 years in service and has been stored
in a cupboard for more than six months before the investigation
was conducted.

Measurements Procedure
Tan and r measurements are done using ELTEL
ADTR-2K. Measurements were repeated for three times for
each sample and the average value was taken. All measurements
were taken at room temperature.
A) Oil Samples Measurements
Apart from the samples prepared, new mineral oil with a
MC of 10 ppm was also tested for comparison purpose. When
the sample was poured into the test vessel, a suitable waiting
time was allowed for the air bubbles to disappear. New mineral
oil was used to wash the test vessel in between measurements
of different samples. This step is essential to clean up the vessel
from any residual liquid from previous samples which may
affects the results.
B) Paper and Pressboard Measurements
During the tan and r measurements, the sample was kept
between upper and lower cylindrical electrodes of a
three-terminal guarded solid test cell where the high voltage
was supplied to the lower electrode. The diameters of the upper
and lower electrodes were 100mm and 150mm respectively and

728

Tan Delta (%)

0.60

5.0

30

4.0
3.0

20

2.0

10

1.0
0.0

0.40

0.20

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6

Moisture Content (%)
Tan Delta

0.00
10

20
30
40
Ageing Time (days)
Sealed

50

Fig. 3 Tan and r of Paper as a Function of MC

60

80

Unsealed

Tan Delta (%)

Fig. 2 Comparison between Sealed and Unsealed Aged Oils

Table 2: Measurements of the Aged Oil Samples
Aged Days
Colour
Tan
r
@ 1150C
(%)
7
0.161
2.218
Bright
yellow
10*
0.218
2.318
Bright
yellow
21
0.687
2.219
Bright
yellow
7*
0.151
2.222 Amber
0.210

2.342

56

0.355

2.279

12
10

60

40

6
4

20

0
0

Sealed
Unsealed

21

Dielectric Constant

Dielectric Constant

Tan Delta ( %)

0.80

40

Dielectric Constant

pressboard could affect the tan and r results.

they are not significantly different from one and another in terms
of ppm value (varying from 25 to 36ppm).
From Table 2, it is observed that there is no general pattern
of r variation in relation to the ageing of oil. It is seen that the
changes of r values are not significant.

2
3
4
5
Moisture Content (%)

Tan Delta (Pressboard 3mm)

Tan Delta (Pressboard 1.5mm)
Dielctric Constant (Pressboard 3mm)
Dielctric Constant (Pressboard 1.5mm)

Fig. 4 Tan and r of Pressboard 1.5mm and 3mm as a Function

of MC

Brown

Dark
Brown
*Equivalent aged days after temperature standardization

Table 3: Tan and r of Aged Pressboard

r
MC (%)

Tan (%)
14.447

However, compared with ageing, moisture seems to affect the

tan more significantly.

3.671

4.4

Transformer Model
C) Effect of Moisture on Paper
Fig. 3 shows the variation of tan and r values for paper
samples with different MC level. It is clearly observed that tan
of paper increases as its MC increases. Moisture contents in
cellulose insulation are measured as the percentage weight ratio.
Moisture exists at capillaries of cellulose insulation in a free
water form. Conductivity of paper changes as the MC increases,
and subsequently increases its tan.
Unlike oil samples, r of paper is very sensitive to
changes in MC. It increases significantly as MC in paper
increases.

The windings in a transformer are generally placed

concentrically around the magnetic core, with LV winding
located closer to the core and HV winding outside. The main
insulation between these two windings consists of multiple
cylindrical oil ducts separated by a number of pressboard
barriers. These barriers are then mechanically separated and
supported by a certain amount of spacers.
Paper
Oil

D) Effect of Moisture on Pressboard

Fig. 4 depicts the variation of tan and r as a function of
MC for pressboard with thickness of 1.5mm and 3mm. It is
observed that for both cases, the tan and r show an increasing
trend as the samples MC increases.
As observed in the same figure, pressboard of 1.5mm
thickness with 5.445% MC appears to have a lower tan value
than the pressboard of 3mm thickness with 5.254% MC.

LV
and
Core
Barrier

HV

Spacer

Fig. 5 Insulation Structure Between LV and HV Windings

E) Effect of Ageing on Pressboard

The measurement results are as shown in Table 3. It is
hard to comment the results due to the unavailability of
comparable samples; however factors such as different raw
material (cotton instead of cellulose) and density of this aged

The insulation structure between the two windings can be

modeled as shown in Fig. 6. Despite being cylindrical in
shape, the radius of the LV winding is sufficiently large and
hence it is proper to assume that the combined

729

insulation

series/parallel

1-Y
Oil

Cb

Barriers
Paper

1-X

Co

CS
Spacers

plate

Cp

Fig. 6 Transformer Insulation Model

Parameters X, Y and t are as follows:
X = The ratio between the total thickness of
pressboard barriers to the radial width of the insulation
Y = The ratio between the total width of all the
spacers to the average perimeter of the insulation
t = The ratio between the interturn paper thickness to
the radial width of the insulation
By considering the width and the periphery of the
insulation as unity, the complex capacitance of the combined
oil /paper/pressboard transformer insulation can be modeled as

C o*C b* *
C * +
C
s
* + C* p

C
o
b

C * = C 0 ' j " =
(3)

*
C o C b*
C * + C * +

s
p

C o* + C b*

where is the permittivity and C0 is the geometry

capacitance.
By assuming the transformer height as unity, the complex
capacitances of oil (Co), paper (Cp), pressboard barriers (Cb)
and spacers (Cs) can be derived as (4)-(7).
(1 Y ) '
Co* = 0
j "
(4)
(1 X ) o o

C *p = 0 'p j "p

t
(1 Y ) '
"
Cb* = 0
b j b

Dimension used for ratio between the solid insulation to oil

dimension are X=0.2 and Y=0.25, which are the typical values
used in the design between winding to winding.
Table 4: Calculated Tan of transformer insulation for
"dry" and "wet" cases
Transformer
Materials
tan
r
tan (%)
(%)
Oil
0.063
2.2
(New- RH 18%)
Paper
0.060
2.386
2.7
(MC 0.7 %)
Pressboard
0.050
4.3
(MC - 0.5%)
Oil
0.350
2.2
(RH 50%)
Paper
28.750
27.500
4.0
(MC 1.2%)
Pressboard
50.000
9.8
(MC 4%)
Using the two extreme cases, it is clearly demonstrated
that the tan value measured of a transformer under the power
frequency can illustrate the condition of "wetness" of
insulation.
Dry

as

(5)

(6)

Wet

oil/paper/pressboard
capacitors.

Conclusions
This work focused initially on investigating how moisture
and ageing affects the dielectric properties (tan and r) of
individual transformer insulation materials at power frequency.
From the results, it can be concluded that tan of all tested
materials increases as the ageing time or MC increases. MC
affects tan significantly. Meanwhile, it is interesting to find
out that r of solid insulation material exhibits a sensitive
variation towards moisture effect.
The obtained experimental results on individual materials
are then correlated with the usually measured tan value of a
transformer through transformer insulation model. In a dry
transformer, it seems that the transformer tan value is closely
similar to the tan of oil. For the wet condition, the transformer
tan value increases significantly, more following the range of
pressboards tan value.
Practical cases are needed for further studies and more
work needs to be done to clearly identify the potentials of tan
measurement at power frequency.

References
C s* = 0Y s' j s"

(7)

The real part of permittivity () represents the dielectric

constant, r of the material whereas the imaginary part ()
provides the information about the losses in each insulation.
Information for (3)(7) is available from the laboratory
measurements described in previous sections.
Thus, the measurable tan of the combined transformer
insulation can be calculated using (3) as
"
tan =
(8)
'

For illustration purpose, the measurable tan of the

combined transformer insulation were calculated for two cases
- "dry" and "wet" transformer insulation, as shown in Table 4.
Data for the calculation are either extracted from experiment
results directly or obtained by means of extrapolation.

[1]

[2]
[3]

[4]
[5]
[6]

730

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