I. Fofana;J. S. N'Cho;U. Mohan Rao;P. Rozga;Feipeng Wang;A. Beroual
{"title":"Over 40 Years of Ester Dielectric Liquids for High-Voltage Transformers: A Retrospective on Evolution, Performance, and Future Prospects (An Extended report of the Hans Tropper Memorial Lecture 2025)","authors":"I. Fofana;J. S. N'Cho;U. Mohan Rao;P. Rozga;Feipeng Wang;A. Beroual","doi":"10.1109/MEI.2026.11440084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MEI.2026.11440084","url":null,"abstract":"This article reviews more than four decades of experience with ester-based insulating liquids in high-voltage power transformers, highlighting major milestones, performance advantages, technical challenges, and the evolving role of esters in enabling safer, more efficient, and environmentally sustainable power systems.","PeriodicalId":444,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine","volume":"42 2","pages":"5-19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147557799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Current Integration Method as a Highly Reliable Tool for Measuring Dielectric Properties","authors":"Yoshimichi Ohki;Naohiro Hozumi;Yasuhiro Tanaka","doi":"10.1109/MEI.2026.11440083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MEI.2026.11440083","url":null,"abstract":"Explore the current integration method, a revitalized, versatile, and practical tool for examining dielectric behaviors and evaluating insulation integrity, particularly of polymeric insulators and devices that use them.","PeriodicalId":444,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine","volume":"42 2","pages":"20-32"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147557523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"News from Japan: Development of Low-Dielectric-Constant Insulating Resins for 5G/6G Communication","authors":"Yoshimichi Ohki","doi":"10.1109/MEI.2026.11440074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MEI.2026.11440074","url":null,"abstract":"Dielectric materials play an important role not only in power and electrical equipment, but also in electronic and communication equipment. One type of communication equipment, now rarely used at least for long-distance applications but important until recently, is coaxial cable. Foamed and expanded polyethylene was used as the insulating material for this coaxial cable. Because the relative dielectric constant or permittivity of air is approximately 1.0, the lowest of all substances, the dielectric constant can be kept low by foaming the polymeric insulating material. As electromagnetism teaches us, electric energy or information, whether electricity or electromagnetic waves, is transmitted not through a conductor but through the conductor's insulation. The square root of the above relative dielectric constant is the refractive index, or the inverse ratio of the velocity of light or electromagnetic waves in a material to the velocity in a vacuum. Therefore, the application of insulating resins with a low dielectric constant to corresponding equipment is important to increase the speed of information transmission and communication. Toward the realization of a society with high-speed 5G/6G communications, insulating materials used in laminates and other materials are required to have a lower dielectric constant and dissipation factor to reduce transmission loss and increase transmission speed in the high-frequency band. For the these reasons, many resin manufacturers are actively working on developing insulating resins with a low dielectric constant for 5G/6G communications.","PeriodicalId":444,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine","volume":"42 2","pages":"42-44"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11440074","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147557691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"From the Editor","authors":"","doi":"10.1109/MEI.2026.11493693","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MEI.2026.11493693","url":null,"abstract":"This issue features two articles, the first of which is “Practical Experience with a Thermal Classification Test According to IEC 60034-18-31 for Type II Machine Insulation Systems,” by Hans Bärnklau et al. from VEM Sachsenwerk, Dresden, Germany, and Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. This article examines the practical challenges of qualifying alternative insulation systems for high-voltage rotating machines in light of potential restrictions on anhydride-based materials under REACH regulations. The article discusses the implementation of the accelerated thermal aging test according to IEC 60034-18-31, highlighting its significant spatial, temporal, and resource demands despite being termed “accelerated.” Based on experimental experience, the authors analyze how test voltage level, mechanical conditioning, and specimen design—particularly strand number and overhang length in bar-type specimens—strongly influence mechanical stress and aging behavior. They demonstrate that variations in specimen geometry can lead to noncomparable results and may artificially accelerate time to failure when elevated thermal aging alone is not feasible. The article provides valuable practical insight for manufacturers and test laboratories navigating insulation system requalification under evolving regulatory and technical constraints.","PeriodicalId":444,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine","volume":"42 3","pages":"5-6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11493693","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147732980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Young Professionals: Learning to Learn: Reflections from ISDEIV 2025 and a Career in Science","authors":"Moein Borghei","doi":"10.1109/MEI.2026.11493701","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MEI.2026.11493701","url":null,"abstract":"The city of Chengdu, home of giant pandas and spicy Sichuan cuisine, was the host to the electrical insulation community for the 31st International Symposium on Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum (ISDEIV) from September 21 to 26, 2025. The event, impeccably organized by Sichuan University (chaired by Shenli Jia) and technically sponsored by the IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society (DEIS) along with sponsorship from key industry leaders, brought together 288 researchers, engineers, and students from across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.","PeriodicalId":444,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine","volume":"42 3","pages":"36-38"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11493701","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147732981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Stories from China: Recent Progress on the Safety of Traction Power Supply of Electrified Railways in China","authors":"Zepeng Lv","doi":"10.1109/MEI.2026.11493697","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MEI.2026.11493697","url":null,"abstract":"The traction power supply system is the critical infrastructure of modern rail transportation and continuously provides electric energy for electric trains through the sliding contact between the pantograph and the catenary, as shown in Figure 1(a). During train operation, stable contact within the pantograph-catenary system (PCS) is crucial for ensuring a secure electrical energy supply. Excessive contact force (CF) intensifies mechanical wear on the pantograph carbon strip and the contact wire. Insufficient CF can lead to PCS offline arcing, which can further threaten the power supply safety. With increasing train speed, operational density, and operational complexity, the contact state of PCS becomes a key subject with more pronounced dynamic coupling of multiple factors. Consequently, the global rail transit industry has proposed higher demands on the stable operation and maintenance of PCS, particularly in terms of online monitoring technologies, precise maintenance capabilities, and active safety assurance, as illustrated in Figure 1(b). Currently, the safety and reliability of traction power supply systems are facing technological demands for continuous enhancement. Relevant research and engineering practices are driving progress from multiple dimensions, working together to address challenges under complex operating conditions and ensure sustained stability and secure power supply.","PeriodicalId":444,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine","volume":"42 3","pages":"32-35"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11493697","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147733005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Dec 2025 Table of Contents Reprint","authors":"","doi":"10.1109/MEI.2026.11440034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MEI.2026.11440034","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":444,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine","volume":"42 2","pages":"57-60"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11440034","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147557933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}