Revised IEC Standard for Maintenance of in Service Insulating Oil

For reliable operation of oil-filled electrical equipment, monitoring and maintenance of insulating liquid is essential. Mineral insulating oil is the most widely used insulating liquid for cooling and insulation in oil-filled electrical equipment. The characteristics of the oil, supplied as unused, may change during service life. Therefor, the oil quality should be monitored regularly during its service life. In many countries power companies and electrical power authorities have established codes of practice for this purpose. In general these cover monitoring guidelines and corrective actions depending on the oil status. If a certain amount of oil deterioration is exceeded then the possibility and risk of premature failure should be considered. While the quantification of the risk can be very difficult, a first step involves the identification of potential effects of increased deterioration. IEC60422 is guide for supervision and maintenance of mineral insulating oils. This standard is now revised to take account of changes in oil and equipment technology and has due rega rds, for the best practices currently in use, worldwide. Changes are also made to use current methodology and comply with requirements and regulations affecting safety and environmental aspects.

Keywords:

Insulating oil , oil in service , maintenance , PCB , oil disposal