| Issue |
E3S Web Conf.
Volume 664, 2025
4th International Seminar of Science and Applied Technology: “Green Technology and AI-Driven Innovations in Sustainability Development and Environmental Conservation” (ISSAT 2025)
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 02003 | |
| Number of page(s) | 11 | |
| Section | Energy Engineering (Production, Distribution and Storage) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202566402003 | |
| Published online | 20 November 2025 | |
Effect of transformer oil color on breakdown voltage
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic State of Bandung, Bandung Barat, Indonesia
2 School of Engineering, University of Warwick–United Kingdom, Coventry, Indonesia
* Corresponding author: ck_wachjoe@polban.ac.id
Insulation in high voltage applications is crucial, especially transformer oil. Transformer oil plays a key role in electrical power systems as an insulating medium. Over time, transformer oil undergoes a color change, which can serve as an indicator of oil degradation due to the formation of acids, resins, and sludge. This study aims to analyze the effect of transformer oil color changes on the decrease in its breakdown voltage. The methodology involves accelerating the color change of transformer oil through additional heating. The results of this experiment will provide an empirical relationship between the color change of transformer oil and its breakdown voltage. By establishing this color-versus-breakdown voltage relationship, the evaluation (maintenance) of transformer oil can be done quickly (without breakdown voltage testing). In general, the oil remains suitable for use up to a breakdown voltage of 70%. The experimental results show that as the oil color becomes darker, the content of amorphous carbon and other components (especially water) increases. The breakdown voltage decreases by 27.22% when the oil reaches a darker color, and this reduction in breakdown voltage increases exponentially.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2025
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.