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A low-frequency dielectric response of a ferrofluid based on transformer oil and MnZn ferrite nanoparticles is investigated in a gradient magnetic field. Four ferrofluid samples of various nanoparticle concentrations were introduced into planar micro-capacitors located over a magnetized tip. The dielectric spectra were measured in the frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 200 kHz and in the local magnetic field up to 100 mT. The spectra exhibit a dielectric relaxation ascribed to nanoparticle interfacial polarization. The low-frequency spectrum of each ferrofluid decreases upon application of the magnetic field up to 20 mT. The decrease in dielectric permittivity is caused by a magnetic force acting on larger nanoparticles in the gradient magnetic field. It is assumed that the interfaces of the concentrated nanoparticles in the gradient field do not contribute to the effective dielectric response. This reduces the effective relaxation time and shifts the relaxation toward higher frequencies. The dielectric spectra are well described by a relaxation fit function consisting of one Havriliak–Negami and a conductivity term. The fitting confirms that the only effect of the gradient magnetic field on the dielectric spectra is the shift of the dielectric relaxation and the decrease of the amplitude in the imaginary permittivity. This behavior is evident from a master plot, where all dielectric relaxations are superimposed on a single line. The knowledge of the presented behavior of the ferrofluid may be valuable when applying a ferrofluid to sharply magnetized parts of various electrical equipment (wires, tips, screws, nails, edges) as a liquid dielectric medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquids in electrical devices often act as electrical insulators and cooling media. To enhance both dielectric and thermal properties of liquids, various nanoparticles can be dispersed in the liquids resulting in effective nanofluids. In this research, a new generation transformer oil prepared by a gas-to-liquid technology has been used to prepare a mono-nanofluid with fullerene C60 nanoparticles (0.01%w/V) and a hybrid nanofluid with C60 (0.01%w/V) and iron oxide nanoparticles (0.01%w/V), so-called C60-loaded ferrofluid. Both nanofluids and the oil were subjected to experimental investigation of frequency-dependent dielectric response, dielectric breakdown, and thermal conductivity at various temperatures. Finally, the three liquids were applied in a single-phase transformer, and temperature rise tests of the loaded transformer were conducted. The dielectric spectroscopy revealed three orders of magnitude higher dielectric losses in C60-loaded ferrofluid than in the oil and C60 nanofluid, where the losses are of conducting nature. In C60-loaded ferrofluid, an interfacial relaxation process is considered in addition. C60 particles in the oil increased its breakdown voltage by 17%, while the mixture of C60 and magnetic nanoparticles resulted in a 12.5% reduction of the breakdown voltage. The enhancement has been ascribed to the strong capacity of C60 to absorb electrons and their ability to weaken the photoionization in the head of the streamer. The thermal conductivity of both nanofluids decreases with temperature, and the effective medium theory can well predict it. A significant decrease in the transformer temperature rise up to 8 K has been found for C60 nanofluid, as compared with the temperature rise achieved with the transformer oil. The temperature rise was also reduced with C60-loaded ferrofluid (up to 5.6 K). The lower cooling efficiency of the hybrid nanofluid was attributed to the high dielectric losses generating undesirable heat with a counter-productive effect on the cooling process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In electrical engineering, the heat transfer can be enhanced by changing the thermophysical properties of insulating oils. In this paper, a single-phase power transformer with a nominal power of 5 kVA is subjected to a temperature rise test with three different transformer liquids. The first test is carried out with a novel gas-to-liquid transformer oil applied as a cooling and insulating medium. The other tests are conducted with ferrofluids based on this oil and MnZn ferrite nanoparticles of a low and a high nanoparticle concentration. The ferrofluids are characterized by magnetization curves, magnetic susceptibility and temperature-dependent magnetization measurements. The nanoparticle size distribution is determined from dynamic light scattering and the magnetization data. From the temperature rise profiles of the transformer at various inner locations, it has been found that the low-concentrated ferrofluid significantly reduces the transformer temperature rise. The enhanced cooling performance is ascribed to the thermomagnetic and natural convection, and increased thermal conductivity. The application of the ferrofluid with the high nanoparticle concentration resulted in a remarkable increase of the transformer temperature rise. The deteriorative cooling effect is attributed to the hindered natural and thermomagnetic convection due to the high ferrofluid magnetization and strong magnetic interaction of the ferrofluid with the magnetic field near the transformer core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work solves the comparison of two different thermal stress times for selected liquid insulation materials based on transformer oils by impedance spectroscopy. Research is focused on actual and progressive liquid insulation materials. The scientific objectives of the experiment are focused on the determination of hypotheses, defined by predictable electrophysical parameters in experimental conditions, which are described in the analysis of the measured results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broadband dielectric response of ferrofluids can be effectively controlled by application of an external magnetic field. The interaction of magnetic nanoparticles with magnetic forces and the resulting structural changes in the ferrofluids may tune their dielectric spectra. In this paper, we present an experimental study on the controllability of a dielectric spectrum of Mn-Zn ferrite transformer oil-based ferrofluid by means of a static electric field generated by a direct current (DC) bias voltage. Two experimental configurations of the DC bias voltage are applied. The spectrum of a complex permittivity measured in the frequency range from 1 mHz up to 200 kHz is firstly studied under an internal DC bias voltage applied on the electrodes of a measuring capacitor. Then, the sensitivity of the dielectric spectrum to the external DC bias voltage applied on an external pair of electrodes outside the measuring capacitor is investigated. It is found that the increasing internal DC bias voltage significantly shifts the whole dielectric spectrum to lower frequencies and gives rise to higher permittivity values. The external DC bias voltage is remarkably less capable of such tuning. The obtained dielectric spectra are described by a fitting function composed of Havriliak–Negami and conductivity terms. The fitting parameters are compared in the analysis of the two DC bias voltage effects. An interfacial polarization on the nanoparticles is considered to dominate the dielectric spectrum. The aggregation of nanoparticles due to the induced electric polarization and the acting electric forces is discussed as a primary reason of the changes in the dielectric spectra. The DC bias voltage-tunable dielectric spectrum thus complements the controllability of ferrofluids by external forces and may open a new avenue of research and applications in electrical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is focused on environmental pollution monitoring utilizing thin metal electrodes on glassy/ceramic substrates prepared by physical vapour deposition. Besides others, it is well known that environmental pollution on electrical insulation is one of the problems faced by distribution utilities and electricity transmission system. Due to this reason there is a need to deal with monitoring of environmental pollution as it strongly influences their capability to withstand the high-voltage stress without the breakdown. It is the aim of present work to propose new system for environmental pollution monitoring based on application of extra-thin metal electrodes. The influence of morphology and chemical composition of pollutants on the surface resistance and conductivity of selected insulators is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]