Dielectric Liquids Research at MIT High Voltage Research Laboratory

The objective of this work is to present a critical overview of the dielectric liquid related research conducted at MIT High Voltage Research Laboratory (HVRL) during the period between mid-1960s and mid-2010s. There were five main research thrusts: (1) electrohydrodynamics, (2) electro-optical measurements, (3) condition monitoring, (4) improving liquid insulation characteristics, and (5) streamer discharges. Some important historical lessons will be drawn, which could provide insights regarding the future developments in these fields.