Influence of pressboard physico-chemical composition on static electrification in power transformers

As part of a research program in the field of flow electrification in power transformers, some fundamental studies have been undertaken on the physical chemistry of this phenomenon. The two main constituents involved in the process of charge generations are oil and pressboard. As oil composition is difficult to deal with, the choice has been made to understand the overall chemistry through the role played by the pressboard, whose composition is better mastered. In order to identify the chemical species in the pressboard responsible for the charge generation, in view of perfecting additives to neutralize the phenomenon, the French Institute of Pulp and Paper carried out modifications on commercial pressboards, and manufactured some others. Charge accumulation, measured from capacitive currents on insulated electrodes facing the pressboard ducts, has been observed for modified and manufactured pressboards with regard to oil flow rate and temperature. All the experiments have led to various behaviors in terms of kinetics and magnitude of the charge accumulation. The obtained results tend to prove that chemical composition of pressboards, with regard to their content in chemical functional groups (hydroxyl or carboxyl groups) or radical nature (lignin), as well as board manufacturing parameters (pulp refining, layer composition) and surface properties seem to be at the origin of the electrification phenomenon.