Experimental and statistical investigation on the dielectric breakdown of magneto nanofluids for power applications

The insulating oil serves the dual purpose of providing insulation and cooling within transformers. This investigation aims to explore the impact of various nanoparticles on the dielectric breakdown voltage (BDV) of dielectric oils. The study examines the effect of the concentration of magnetic nanoparticles on the dielectric breakdown voltage of insulating oils. Nanoparticles such as iron (II, III) oxide (Fe₃O₄), cobalt (II, III) oxide (CO₃O₄), and ferrous phosphide (Fe₃P) were utilized to create nanofluids with carrier mediums consisting of mineral oil and synthetic ester oil. BDV determination was conducted using a VDE and S–S electrode system according to IEC 60156 standards. Nanofluid were prepared using a two-step method, and their concentrations ranged from 0.01 g/L, 0.02 g/L, and 0.04 g/L in base oils. Twelve iterations were conducted for each prepared nanofluid, and breakdown voltage measurements were recorded. The results indicate a noteworthy enhancement in the breakdown voltage of nanofluids. The statistical analysis was performed on the dielectric property of nanofluid samples for better breakdown accuracy. The maximum enhancement at specific nanoparticle concentrations was shown by each nanofluid. The results show that under the S–S electrode configuration, the greatest overall enhancement was observed for Fe₃P in mineral oil, with an enhancement of 70.05%, and Fe₃O₄ in synthetic ester oil, with an enhancement of 46.29%.