Aging of Transformer Insulation Paper

Abstract As a transformer ages, the chemical and physical properties of the cellulose insulation materials in the transformer change, and the paper loses its strength and becomes brittle. The average molecular weight of the cellulose chains decrease with age, and degradation products are formed, including water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and furans. The molecular weight changes in the cellulose have been studied by several methods, but the GPC method for determination of the molecular weight has been shown to offer advantages over other methods because it yields the total molecular weight distribution. The tensile strength of the cellulose insulation in transformers also changes with age as a result of the changing molecular weight of the cellulose. Work carried out in our laboratory on the aging of cellulose insulation is reviewed in this paper. Our studies have included investigations of insulation materials from retired transformers as well as accelerated aging of insulation paper in transformer oil in the temperature range of 129–166°C under vacuum. In the study the relationships between the molecular weight of the cellulose and the furan degradation products and tensile strength have been delineated, and they have been correlated with information on the kinetics of degradation of the insulation paper.