Optimizing the Impact of Pour Point Depressants on Natural Ester Properties Using Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis

The global surge in green-insulating liquid adoption by manufacturers and utilities is driven by the escalating demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources. Natural esters stand out as a green insulating liquid, an alternative to mineral insulating oil. However, natural esters encounter pour point challenges, particularly in cold regions. This research aims to enhance the performance of natural ester-insulating liquids, contributing to the evolution of sustainable energy technologies. In this study, optimization of pour point depressants’ impact on crucial oil properties like dielectric loss, viscosity, and acidity is investigated. Viscoplex 10-171 and Viscoplex 10-312 depressants were optimized using Taguchi methodology aided by grey relation analysis. Experimentation involved five levels 0.6 wt.%, 0.7 wt.%, 0.8 wt.%, 0.9 wt.%, and 1 wt.%, structured within an L25 orthogonal array to determine the most effective concentration. The optimization findings suggest that incorporating the two depressants does not exert notable effects on the oil properties, with all experimental values aligning within the specified ASTM standard.