Tag Archives: transformer oil regeneration

Transformer Oil Recycling and Regeneration Unit for Offshore Drilling Platforms

Solutions, ,

The onshore deposits of oil and gas are depleting with each passing year and it prompts people to seek new energy sources.  Exploration and development of oil and gas from offshore deposits gives modern society the possibility to extend into the time when some other form of fuel will be able to replace oil and natural gas.

Offshore drilling is performed on special platforms, floating or semi-submerged drilling rigs.  The term “offshore drilling” was first used in 1869 when the project of a drilling rig for shallow-water operations was first patented in the USA.  Since that time, science has not remained idle.  So today we have mobile rigs that can be operated at the depth of between 300 meters and 3 kilometers. If the drilling is performed on these offshore platforms, they use special electrically-operated rigs that are powered by cable lines of 6 and 35 kW.  Single-motorized rigs are used when drilling from individual offshore platforms.  As a rule, floating semi-submerged platforms are equipped with diesel-electric drives to produce AC and DC current.

The number of machines, their capacity and the capacity of the driving engines of the main and additional units depend on the drilling depth and the sea depth.

An electric power transformer is an integral part of offshore drilling since it provides power for drilling platforms, converting the AC voltage into the voltage needed by the equipment it is servicing.  So, it is the electric power transformer that helps to determine the reliability and efficiency of the drilling rigs as well as the whole offshore drilling process.

Transformer oil in the power transformers is necessary to transfer heat and insulate the current-conducting parts from non-conducting parts.  During operations, insulating oil is exposed to a wide range of unfavourable factors that contribute to the degradation of its performance characteristics.  That is why oil needs reclamation on a timely basis to maintain its physical and chemical characteristics at the desired level.

When operated, drilling rigs are exposed to the risk of explosion.  The equipment used on offshore drilling platforms therefore, should come in an explosion-proof design.  This is also true for the equipment used for transformer oil reclamation.

Clean-MarineNigeriaGlobeCore is one of the leading manufacturers of oil purification and regeneration equipment. One of GlobeCore’s latest developments is the Clean Marine Unit specifically designed for transformer oil recycling/regeneration/reclamation on offshore drilling platforms. It is explosion proof and protected from saltwater moisture and corrosive materials.

The Clean Marine Unit is used to degas and purify transformer oil by removing mechanical impurities and by vacuumizing transformers in the offshore industry.

The GlobeCore Clean Marine may be operated in one of the following modes:

(1) transformer oil heating; (2) oil degassing; and (3) vacuumizing.

GlobeCore equipment, designed for offshore platforms, restores the performance characteristics of insulating oil, extends its service life and increases the reliability of electric power transformers.

Transformer Oil Regeneration by Fuller’s Earth

Solutions,

Transformers are considered to be the main element of the power stations, distribution stations, and power conversion units.  Operational reliability and service life of transformers largely depend on the condition of the dielectric insulating oil and solid insulation.

The dielectric transfomer oil is considered to have good performance characteristics when it is free from unwanted  impurities such as water, air, and mechanical particles.

Usually, insolation used in transformers consists of organic materials (cellulose and oil).  During the operation, factors such as the electric field, temperature, and contact with construction materials result in the oil’s aging.   If the water content, atmospheric oxygen and mechanical impurities in the oil increase, the performance characteristics of the oil will be reduced.  The transformer will fail much sooner if the oil becomes contaminated and moistened.

Even if the contaminated transformer oil is removed and fresh oil is properly placed into the transformer, the new oil will quickly become contaminated since about 15% of the contaminated oil is always left in the transformer when the oil is merely changed and not regenerated.  The residues of contaminated oil quickly penetrate the fresh product thereby shortneing the aging processes of the liquid insulation.

It makes no economic sense to buy oil very often.  Great somes of money are spent, but the beneficial results last only for a short period of time.

Having years of experience, GlоbeCоre is in the business of  manufacturing equipment for purification and regeneration of transformer oil, industrial oil, turbine oil and other types of industrial oils and fluids.  The company has succeeded in developing transformer oil recycling technology that exceeds modern industrial requirements.

GlobeCore adheres to the “preventive maintenance” principle that means performing periodic maintenance in order to prevent the need to perform corrective maintenance.

GlobeCore’s new mobile oil filtration stations in the CMM-R equipment line are considered to be the most effective means of regeneration since they were developed with regard to the contaminants and conditons that cause oil to prematurely age and degrade the solid insulation.  The CMM-R line of oil reconditioning units are based on the following important principles:

(1) Fuller’s Earth – a naturally-occurring material – serves as the  filter.  It retains different impurities due to its performance characteristic (porosity – 125 m2/g).  The new CMM-R units automatically reactivate their own sorbent materials inside the unit for uninterrupted processing without unloading spent sorbent and reloading new sorbent;

(2) GlobeCore equipment ensures complete transformer oil purification.  The operational principle of the CMM-R oil purification units is that oil is circulated through a closed path: contaminated oil runs to the unit (where it is regenerated) and goes back to the transformer already fully cleaned and regenerated.  Due to the constant oil circulation, contaminated oil is washed away from the transformer’s core, windings and solid insulation;

(3) During the processing, oil does not make contact with atmospheric oxygen that has a negative impact on insulation systems; and

(4) Oil regenerated in the CMM-R oil purification unit have increased resistance to oxidation.

Summing it up, GlobeCore CMM-R oil regeneration units have such benefits as:

  • trouble-free operation;
  • oil can be regenerated on an energized transformer;
  • reduction in financial expenditures since there is reduced need to buy new oil;
  • reduced manual labor costs.  There is only one operator required to service the unit when older traditional technology requires a group of workers to bring new oil, de-energize transformers, discharge oil, and then add new oil to the transformer;
  • mobility, When working with a large number of transformers there is no need to create a special infrastructure to carry out oil reclamation.  Mobile CMM-R oil purification units may be easily transported from one transformer to another; and
  • no hazardous discharges into the air, water or land.

GlobeCore technologies provide uninterrupted transformer operation and allow for reduction in operating costs.