The physico-chemical and electrical insulating properties of certain palm oil products, including triglyceride oils, fatty acids, fatty esters, and glycerol were evaluated for use in oil-immersed transformers. The studied triglyceride oils have excellent kinematic viscosity values: 30.25–40.49 mm² s⁻¹ at 40°C, 6.46–8.34 mm² s⁻¹ at 100°C; flash point: 278–320°C; moisture content: 16–175 mg kg⁻¹ and dielectrical breakdown voltage: 29.1–40.9 kV. Fatty acids and fatty esters have relatively lower kinematic viscosity and flash point values than triglyceride oils. The type of hydrocarbon chain, hydrocarbon chain length and molecular size were shown to have substantial effects on the physico-chemical and electrical properties of the studied oils. The drying process imposed on refined-bleached-deodorized palm olein (RBD POo) has reduced the moisture from 400 mg kg⁻¹ to 100 mg kg⁻¹ and improved the dielectrical strength from 31.1 kV to 76.8 kV. Blending of RBD POo with fatty acids or fatty esters has improved the kinematic viscosity of RBD POo and offers even higher flash and fire points than mineral oil. This study showed that palm oil and palm oil products have strong potential to serve as coolants and may be safer for use in oil-filled transformers as compared to mineral oil.

中文翻译：

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棕榈油产品在油浸式变压器中作为电绝缘介质的潜在应用

某些棕榈油产品（包括甘油三酯油、脂肪酸、脂肪酸酯和甘油）的物理化学和电绝缘性能已被评估用于油浸式变压器。所研究的甘油三酯油具有优异的运动粘度值：30.25-40.49毫米² 小号^-1在40℃下，6.46-8.34毫米^2个 小号^-1在100℃下; 闪点：278-320°C；水分含量：16–175 mg kg ⁻¹和介电击穿电压：29.1-40.9 kV。与甘油三酯油相比，脂肪酸和脂肪酯具有相对较低的运动粘度和闪点值。烃链的类型、烃链长度和分子大小对所研究油的物理化学和电学性质有重大影响。对精制漂白脱臭棕榈油精 (RBD POo) 施加的干燥过程已将水分从 400 mg kg ^{-1 降低}到 100 mg kg ^-1并将介电强度从 31.1 kV 提高到 76.8 kV。RBD POo 与脂肪酸或脂肪酯的混合改善了 RBD POo 的运动粘度，并提供比矿物油更高的闪点和燃点。这项研究表明，棕榈油和棕榈油产品具有用作冷却剂的巨大潜力，与矿物油相比，在充油变压器中使用可能更安全。