TheFuranAnalysisProcess

Furananalysisshowstheconditionofthepaperinsulationwithanoilsample.Overtime,thecelluloseinsulatingmaterial
willexperiencedegradation.Anaromaticcompoundisproducedduringthisdegradationcalledfuran.Testingis
performedforfivefurans:
5H2F(5hydroxymethl2furaldehyde)oxidation
2FOL(2furfurol)highmoisture
2FAL(2furaldehyde)overheating,oldfault
2ACF(2acetylfuran)rare,lightningand
5M2F(5methyl2furaldehyde)local,severeoverheat.
Furanresultsareusedtodetermineanaverageexpecteddegreeofpolymerizationforthepaperintheequipment.The
calculateddegreeofpolymerizationisusedtoestimatepercentageofsolidinsulationliferemaininginsidethe
transformer.

Alookatthecoils.
Theamountof2furaldehydeinoilisusuallythemostprominentindicatorofpaperdecomposition,whichisfiguredinthe
followingmanner:
1.Thesolidinsulationinatransformerismadeupofkraftpaper.
2.Kraftpaperismadeupofcellulosefibers.
3.Celluloseisapolymerformedfromglucosemolecules.
Newkraftpaperhasanaveragecellulosepolymerchainthatis1,000glucosemoleculesto1,200glucosemolecules
long.Themanufacturingandtransformerdryingprocessbreaksdownthecellulose.Newpaperinanewtransformer,
therefore,hasshorterpolymerchainsfrom800glucosemoleculesto1,000glucosemoleculeslong.

Noticealltheparticulatesandpaperresidue.
Overtime,thereisanaturalandsteadybreakdownofthepolymerchains.Asthepolymerchainsgetshorter,the
mechanicalstrengthofthepaperisreduced.Thedegreeofpaperpolymerizationhasadirectcorrelationtothepapers
tensilestrength.Whenthedegreeofpolymerizationhasfallentoaround200,thepaperissoweakthatanystresswill
leadtofailure.Whenthecellulosechainsplitsandtwoshorterchainsareformed,thebreakdownprocessforcesoutone
ormoreoftheglucosemolecules.Thebreakdownalsocreateswater,carbonmonoxideandcarbondioxide.Theglucose

moleculechemicallychangesduringthiseventandcreatesacompoundcontainingafuranring.Furansaremeasuredin
partsperbillion.Thelifeofthepaperinsulationistypicallythelifeofthetransformer.