Research of the Dielectric Loss factor tanį of
Transformer Oil by Multi-Parameter Regression Analysis
Dou Peng , Daowu Yang, chengFeng Wang
Changsha University of Science and Technology
Changsha, CHINA
doupeng06@126.com
Abstract: The dielectric loss factor tanį is sensitive to the
insulating ability and the aging degree of transformer oil, which
is an important parameter to monitor the safe operation of
transformer. The physical, chemical and electrical properties of
transformer oil are affected by various factors and each one has
interrelation with others. The properties of oil can be evaluated
by establishing relationship model among them. The physical,
chemical and electrical parameters of transformer oil have been
studied with simulated thermal aging experiment and it is found
there is interrelation among them. The model of functional
relation for tanį respectively with water content, flash point,
viscosity, total acidity and service period are established by
multiple linear regression analysis.
I. INTRODUCTION
Usually, the relationship between two parameters of
transformer oil was researched more [1] [2] [3] [4], however
the relationship between a variety of physical, chemical and
electrical parameters was reported rarely: Kanxue Yu studied
[5]the tan į, conductivity, surface tension, acid and current
density of streaming electrification with oil aging, get some
correlation between them; Mohamed [6] et al had been
examined 12 transformers of a certain region for 8 years,
researching the relationship between physical, chemical and
electrical performance parameters to evaluate the performance
of transformer oil. This paper studies the physical, chemical
and electrical properties of transformer oil with accelerated
aging test, and analyzes the experimental dates with multiple
linear regression method to evaluate the performance of
transformer oil with mathematical model.
II. EXPERIMENTAL
2.1 The simulation experiment with accelerated oil aging
General the initial oxidation temperature of transformer
oil is 60 ~ 70 ° C, the oil is deteriorated little at this
temperature and the parameters are not changed obviously.
But when the temperature reaches to 120 ° C, oxidation is
more intense; while at 160 ° C, oxidation is most intense. In
order to incarnate the various changes of parameters at
oxidation state and cause the obvious changes of parameters
at a short time, the temperatures of 4 groups of 25th
transformer oil were maintained respectively at
978-1-4244-2487-0/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE
MaLi
Hunan Province Ultrahigh Voltage Power
Transmission Company
Changsha, CHINA
85,125,135,150 ° C in the experiment, the flash point,
viscosity, acid number, water-soluble acid, moisture
content, tanį were measured every 12 hours.
III RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figure 1 shows that the acid number of transformer oil
increases with the aging time. The temperature is higher, the
acid number increases more quickly.at 150 ° C, acid number
has been increased rapidly. Because temperature decides the
oxidized degree of oil, it is indicated that the acid is caused
mainly by oxidation of transformer oil. From Figure 1, 3 when
acid number increases rapidly, the moisture content of oil
reduces also quickly, it can be clearly seen at the late stage of
aging. The moisture content and acid may be due to coming
from the oxidized oil, So moisture content reduces greatly
caused by evaporation with the increase of temperature, At the
same time, the oxidation of transformer oil becomes more
intense with the increase of temperature and aging time so that
the acid number increases greatly. In figure 5 the water-
soluble acid pH of transformer oil reduces with the aging time,
the water-soluble acid possibly comes from the aged oil and
the outside pollution. In this experiment the possibility of
outside pollution is low, acids are mainly source from
oxidized product. In figure 6 the tanį of transformer oil
increases with aging time. Because water is strong polarity
material, dissociated very easy under the electric field , can
increase the conduction current of transformer oil, so as to
affect tanį obviously, therefore the decrease of moisture
content leads to decrease of tanį, but in this experiment tan į
is instead of increasing, indicating that it exists other
important factor to influence tanį greatly. From Figure 1 and
6,the rate of increasing of tanį is also larger when rate of
increasing of acid number is larger, this phenomenon can be
explained that there has mutual relation between them,
possibly generated many polar materials caused by oxidation,
so that the acid number and tanį are both changed. The above
analysis indicates there is a certain relationship among various
factors.
  
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Figure.1 Transformer oil total acidity as function of time
Figure.5 Transformer oil pH as function of time

 
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Figure.2 Transformer oil viscosity as function of time
Figure.6 Transformer oil tanį as function of time


e& 3 The regression analysis of parameters of transformer oil
 3.1 The selection of parameters
e&
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 e& As the above analysis, tan į, acid number, water-soluble

e& acid, moisture content are all the functions of time, but the

flash point and viscosity are less relations with time. because

tanį is sensitive to the quality of oil, with the literature[5],
 tanį is taken as dependent variable, and acid number,
 moisture content, Viscosity, flash point, time are independent
         variables, to establish the calculating model of tan į, which
WK combines with water, acid number , viscosity, flash point and
time in the round.
Figure.3 Dependence of water content in transformer oil on the 3.2 linear regression model
experimentation periods The multiple linear regression model of tan į:

 Y = b0 + b1x1 + b2x2 + b3x3 + b4x4 + b5x5 (1)

e&
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 e& Y is tanį; x1, x2, x3, x4, x5 respective is acid number, moisture
 e& content, viscosity, flash point and time; b0, b1, b2, b3, b4,
e& b5 are model constants, their values are obtained by the least

squares method (see Table 1).



        
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Figure.4 Transformer oil flash point as function of time
 TABLE 1. Model constants when Y is tanį [5] YU kan-Xue, Xie Heng,Ren Wen-e.“ Research of Thermal Aging of
Transformer Oil by Multi-Parameter Regression Analysis”.
Transformer, 1998, vol 35 , No 12,pp14-16.
< ᐌ᭄ e& e& e& e& [6] Wahab Mohamed A A, Hamada M, Zeitoun A G et al “Novel modeling
    for the prediction of aged transformer oil characteristics”. Electric
E Power Systems Research, 1999, vol 51 , No 1,pp 61-70
   
   
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tanį
   
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The F-test is used to check up regressive effect. Such as

85 ° C, the measurement results for tan į as the dependent
variable regression model, when fiduciary level a = 0.105 , F =
40195 > F1 - a = 3148, the regression is remarkable.

IV. CONCLUSION
This paper studies the relationship between physical,
chemical and electrical performances of transformer oil from
various parameters, puts forward an aging equation with the
regression model, and establishes the regression model of tan
į between various parameters. The relationship between these
parameters can be used to evaluate the aging degree of oil and
extrapolate other parameters with several known parameters,
to ensure the reliability of power supply . But the use of
multiple linear regression to establish the relationship between
various parameters is still discussed.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We gratefully acknowledge the support from ultrahigh
voltage Power Transmission Company Hunan province, and
Department of Electrical and Information Engineering in
Changsha University of Science and Technology for advanced
control of power systems. Appreciation is given to MaLi, LiYi
for their inputs to this research.

REFERENCES

[1] Wang Wen-chang. “The relationship of interfacial tension and dielectric

factor”.Transformer, 1995,vol.9,No2,pp 6-9.
[2] Wang wen-chang. “The relationship of interfacial tension and acid
number” . Transformer, 1996, vol 5, No 2, pp 8-11.
[3] Wen Nian-zhu.“Applied technology of Electrical Oil”.Beijing:
publishing company of water conservancy and water electricity china,
1998,p32-34
[4] LIANG Jun, Cheng Chong- Yuan. “On Relation between Transformer
Oil Acid Value and Breakdown Voltage”. .Chongqing University of
Science and Technology. 2006, vol 8, No 2,pp29-32