Electrical Breakdown Mechanism of Transformer Oil with Water Impurity: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and First-Principles Calculations
Water impurity is the essential factor of reducing the insulation performance of transformer oil, which directly determines the operating safety and life of a transformer. Molecular dynamics simulations and first-principles electronic-structure calculations are employed to study the diffusion behavi...
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/11/2/123 |
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| author | Bin Cao Ji-Wei Dong Ming-He Chi |
| author_facet | Bin Cao Ji-Wei Dong Ming-He Chi |
| author_sort | Bin Cao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water impurity is the essential factor of reducing the insulation performance of transformer oil, which directly determines the operating safety and life of a transformer. Molecular dynamics simulations and first-principles electronic-structure calculations are employed to study the diffusion behavior of water molecules and the electrical breakdown mechanism of transformer oil containing water impurities. The molecular dynamics of an oil-water micro-system model demonstrates that the increase of aging acid concentration will exponentially expedite thermal diffusion of water molecules. Density of states (DOS) for a local region model of transformer oil containing water molecules indicates that water molecules can introduce unoccupied localized electron-states with energy levels close to the conduction band minimum of transformer oil, which makes water molecules capable of capturing electrons and transforming them into water ions during thermal diffusion. Subsequently, under a high electric field, water ions collide and impact on oil molecules to break the molecular chain of transformer oil, engendering carbonized components that introduce a conduction electronic-band in the band-gap of oil molecules as a manifestation of forming a conductive region in transformer oil. The conduction channel composed of carbonized components will be eventually formed, connecting two electrodes, with the carbonized components developing rapidly under the impact of water ions, based on which a large number of electron carriers will be produced similar to “avalanche” discharge, leading to an electrical breakdown of transformer oil insulation. The water impurity in oil, as the key factor for forming the carbonized conducting channel, initiates the electric breakdown process of transformer oil, which is dominated by thermal diffusion of water molecules. The increase of aging acid concentration will significantly promote the thermal diffusion of water impurities and the formation of an initial conducting channel, accounting for the degradation in dielectric strength of insulating oil containing water impurities after long-term operation of the transformer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:31:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1872c4b68e6546c6b7ca0f26ec356b8e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:31:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Crystals |
| spelling | doaj.art-1872c4b68e6546c6b7ca0f26ec356b8e2023-12-03T14:55:12ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522021-01-0111212310.3390/cryst11020123Electrical Breakdown Mechanism of Transformer Oil with Water Impurity: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and First-Principles CalculationsBin Cao0Ji-Wei Dong1Ming-He Chi2Key Laboratory of Engineering Dielectrics and Its Application, Ministry of Education, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, ChinaKey Laboratory of Engineering Dielectrics and Its Application, Ministry of Education, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, ChinaKey Laboratory of Engineering Dielectrics and Its Application, Ministry of Education, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, ChinaWater impurity is the essential factor of reducing the insulation performance of transformer oil, which directly determines the operating safety and life of a transformer. Molecular dynamics simulations and first-principles electronic-structure calculations are employed to study the diffusion behavior of water molecules and the electrical breakdown mechanism of transformer oil containing water impurities. The molecular dynamics of an oil-water micro-system model demonstrates that the increase of aging acid concentration will exponentially expedite thermal diffusion of water molecules. Density of states (DOS) for a local region model of transformer oil containing water molecules indicates that water molecules can introduce unoccupied localized electron-states with energy levels close to the conduction band minimum of transformer oil, which makes water molecules capable of capturing electrons and transforming them into water ions during thermal diffusion. Subsequently, under a high electric field, water ions collide and impact on oil molecules to break the molecular chain of transformer oil, engendering carbonized components that introduce a conduction electronic-band in the band-gap of oil molecules as a manifestation of forming a conductive region in transformer oil. The conduction channel composed of carbonized components will be eventually formed, connecting two electrodes, with the carbonized components developing rapidly under the impact of water ions, based on which a large number of electron carriers will be produced similar to “avalanche” discharge, leading to an electrical breakdown of transformer oil insulation. The water impurity in oil, as the key factor for forming the carbonized conducting channel, initiates the electric breakdown process of transformer oil, which is dominated by thermal diffusion of water molecules. The increase of aging acid concentration will significantly promote the thermal diffusion of water impurities and the formation of an initial conducting channel, accounting for the degradation in dielectric strength of insulating oil containing water impurities after long-term operation of the transformer.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/11/2/123transformer oilelectrical breakdownmolecular dynamicsfirst-principles calculation |
| spellingShingle | Bin Cao Ji-Wei Dong Ming-He Chi Electrical Breakdown Mechanism of Transformer Oil with Water Impurity: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and First-Principles Calculations Crystals transformer oil electrical breakdown molecular dynamics first-principles calculation |
| title | Electrical Breakdown Mechanism of Transformer Oil with Water Impurity: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and First-Principles Calculations |
| title_full | Electrical Breakdown Mechanism of Transformer Oil with Water Impurity: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and First-Principles Calculations |
| title_fullStr | Electrical Breakdown Mechanism of Transformer Oil with Water Impurity: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and First-Principles Calculations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electrical Breakdown Mechanism of Transformer Oil with Water Impurity: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and First-Principles Calculations |
| title_short | Electrical Breakdown Mechanism of Transformer Oil with Water Impurity: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and First-Principles Calculations |
| title_sort | electrical breakdown mechanism of transformer oil with water impurity molecular dynamics simulations and first principles calculations |
| topic | transformer oil electrical breakdown molecular dynamics first-principles calculation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/11/2/123 |
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