Suppressive effect and its duration of triazole-based passivators on copper sulfide deposition on kraft paper in transformer

The suppressive effect of triazole-based passivators such as 1,2,3-benzotriazole (BTA) and Irgamet 39 and duration of the suppressive effect on copper sulfide deposition are investigated by changing the time when passivators are added to oil. All corrosive sulfur tests were performed by the method stipulated by IEC 62535. In order to simulate the timing for adding passivators into actual transformers, preheated and non-preheated oils were used for corrosive sulfur test. Adding a passivator into preheated oil simulates the condition where a passivator is added into the transformer after a period of operation, and adding a passivator into non-preheated oil simulates the condition where a passivator is added before operation. Although the deposition rate of copper sulfide in preheated oil with the addition of passivator was lower in preheated oil without passivator, copper sulfide deposition still continued even while the passivator was detected in the oil. The result suggests that the precursors of copper sulfide have been already generated in preheated oil before adding a passivator. After the passivator was depleted in the oil, the period until onset of copper sulfide deposition in the preheated oil was shorter than in non-preheated oil since a protective complex layer was created on the copper surface and reaction with the passivator continued to prevent the deposition of copper sulfide precursors.