Power transformer fire and environmental risk reduction by using natural esters

The present paper presents the main results obtained by the Italian Working Group on Natural Esters recently promoted by the University of Rome "La Sapienza", the Firefighters Authority, the Department for Geological Survey of Italy (ISPRA) and the Department of Technological Innovations, Safety of Product, Plants and Anthropic Settlements of the National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL). This WG on Natural Esters was set up at the beginning of 2016 with the aim of establish the effective possibility of reducing the risks to human health and the environment, through increased spread of innovative transformers insulated with natural esters. In the paper are presented and discussed the following topics: main properties of natural esters and mineral oils; fire risk evaluation of distribution and transmission transformers, including an experimental comparison of fire behavior of natural esters and mineral insulating oils; risk evaluation and different remedial solution for leakage and spill of natural esters and mineral insulating oils.