AC Breakdown Voltage and Partial Discharge Activity in Synthetic Ester-Based Fullerene and Graphene Nanofluids

This paper deals with the study of the AC breakdown voltage (BDV) and partial discharges (PDs) activity of synthetic ester-based nanofluids (NF) with two kinds of carbonic nanoparticles (NPs), namely graphene (Gr) and fullerene (C₆₀); the synthetic ester (SE) being Midel 7131. The BDV measurement was achieved at various concentrations of NPs and different electrodes gap distances, while the partial discharges activity was studied only at the optimal concentration that gave the best improvements of BDV. First, a detailed improved procedure for preparing our NFs is presented. Then, the zeta potential measurements are performed on these NFs, and their stability is checked. After the preparation and characterization of samples, the BDVs and PDs parameters are measured according to IEC 60156 (modified gap distance) and IEC 60270 standards, respectively. Finally, conformity of the experimental data with Normal and Weibull distributions is examined, and the BDV at cumulative probabilities of 1% and 50% are then deduced. It is shown that BDV outcomes for all studied liquids obey both Normal and Weibull distributions, and the BDVs at cumulative probabilities of 1% and 50% are improved. Moreover, adding Gr and C₆₀ nanoparticles at different concentrations enhances the BDV values for investigated electrode gaps (0.1 to 2.0mm). The best improvement is obtained with a concentration of 0.4 g/L for 0.5mm and 0.7mm electrode gap with fullerene and Graphene nanoparticles, respectively. For a 2mm gap distance, the best improvements are of about 12.67% and 16.64% with 0.4g/L of C₆₀ and 0.3 g/L of Gr, respectively. It is also shown that the addition of C₆₀ significantly reduces the activity of partial discharges compared to pure SE, while the addition of Gr destroys the partial discharges resistance of pure SE.