In November 2017, the first ±1100 kV high-voltage direct-current power transformer in the world, which was made by Siemens in Nurnberg, passed its type test. Meanwhile, in early 2017, a ±1000 kV ultra-high voltage (UHV) substation was officially put into operation in Tianjin, China. These examples illustrate that the era of UHV power transmission is coming. With the rapid increase in power transmission voltage, the performance requirements for the insulation of power transformers are getting higher and higher. The traditional mineral oils used inside power transformers as insulating and cooling agents are thus facing a serious challenge to meet these requirements. In this review, the basic properties of traditional mineral insulating oil are first introduced. Then, the variation of electrical properties such as breakdown strength, permittivity, and conductivity during transformer operation and aging is summarized. Next, the modification of mineral insulating oil is investigated with a focus on the influence of nanoparticles on the electrical properties of nano-modified insulating oil. Recent studies on the performance of mineral oil at molecular and atomic levels by molecular dynamics simulations are then described. Finally, future research hotspots and notable research topics are discussed.

For further analysis of the effect of nano-doping on the properties of high polymers and research into the mechanism behind modified interfacial hydrogen bonds, a study on the formation probability of nano-SiO₂/meta-aramid fibre interfacial hydrogen bonds and the strengthening mechanism behind interfacial hydrogen bonds on the thermal stability of meta-aramid fibres using molecular dynamics is performed in this paper. First, the pure meta-aramid fibre and nano-SiO₂/meta-aramid fibre mixed models with nanoparticle radiuses of 3, 5, 7 and 9 Å (1 Å = 10⁻¹ nm) are built, and then the optimization process and dynamics simulation of the models are conducted. The dynamics simulation results indicate that the number of hydrogen bonds increase due to the doping by nano-SiO₂ and that the number of interfacial hydrogen bonds increases with the nanoparticle radius. By analysing the hydrogen bond formation probability of all the atom pairs in the mixed model with pair correlation functions (PCFs), it can be observed that the hydrogen bond formation probability between the oxygen atom and hydrogen atom on the nanoparticle surface is the greatest. An effective way to increase the number of interfacial hydrogen bonds in nano-SiO₂ and meta-aramid fibres is to increase the number of hydrogen atoms on the nano-silica surface and oxygen atoms in the meta-aramid fibre. By using the radial distribution function (RDF), the conclusion can be further drawn that the hydrogen bond formation probability is at a maximum when the atomic distance is 2.7–2.8 Å; therefore, increasing the number of atoms within this range can significantly increase the formation probability of hydrogen bonds. According to the results of chain movement, the existence of interfacial hydrogen bonds effectively limits the free movement of the molecular chains of meta-aramid fibres and enhances the thermal stability of meta-aramid fibres. The existence of interfacial hydrogen bonds is one of the important reasons for formation of the stable interface structure between nanoparticles and meta-aramid fibres. In addition, a nanoparticle with a small radius improves the interfacial hydrogen bond energy density and interfacial interaction energy density, enhancing the stability of the mixed model interface.

To study the microscopic thermal aging mechanism of insulating paper cellulose through molecular dynamics simulation, it is important to select suitable DP (Degree of Polymerization) and force field for the cellulose model to shorten the simulation time and obtain correct and objective simulation results. Here, the variation of the mechanical properties and solubility parameters of models with different polymerization degrees and force fields were analyzed. Numerous cellulose models with different polymerization degrees were constructed to determine the relative optimal force field from the perspectives of the similarity of the density of cellulose models in equilibrium to the actual cellulose density, and the volatility and repeatability of the mechanical properties of the models through the selection of a stable polymerization degree using the two force fields. The results showed that when the polymerization degree was more than or equal to 10, the mechanical properties and solubility of cellulose models with the COMPASS (Condensed-phase Optimized Molecular Potential for Atomistic Simulation Studies) and PCFF (Polymer Consistent Force Field) force fields were in steady states. The steady-state density of the cellulose model using the COMPASS force field was closer to the actual density of cellulose. Thus, the COMPASS force field is favorable for molecular dynamics simulation of amorphous cellulose.

Natural ester, as a new environmentally green insulating oil, has been widely used in transformer. In an oil-immersed transformer, the normal aging, thermal failure, and discharge failure could easily lead to the decomposition of the oil-paper insulation system and produce different kinds of gases. Studying gas dissolution in natural ester and mineral oil could provide assistance in applying criteria to make a diagnosis of different kinds of faults in the transformer. In this paper, the molecular dynamics method was used to investigate the diffusion behavior of seven fault characteristic gases (including H₂, CO, CH₄, C₂H₂, CO₂, C₂H₄, C₂H₆) in natural ester and mineral oil. The simulation parameters of free volume, interaction energy, mean square displacement, and diffusion coefficient were compared between the natural ester and mineral oil. Meanwhile, the influence of temperature on the diffusion of gas molecules in two kinds of oils was also analyzed. Results showed that the free volume, the interaction energy, and the relative molecular mass of gas molecules were the factors influenced by the diffusion of gas molecules in natural ester and mineral oil. The order of the diffusion coefficients of gas molecules in natural ester was as follows: H₂ > CH₄ > CO > C₂H₂ > C₂H₄ > CO₂ > C₂H₆ and that in mineral oil was as follows: H₂ > CH₄ > CO> C₂H₂ > C₂ H₄ > C₂H₆ > CO₂. By comparing the diffusion behavior of gas molecules in natural ester and mineral oil, it was found that the smaller free volume and higher interaction energy of gas molecules in natural ester were the major reasons for the gas molecules to be more difficult to diffuse in natural ester. The rising temperature could enhance the free volume and reduce the interaction energy between gas molecules and oil. The diffusion coefficient of gas molecules increased exponentially with the follow of temperature. However, the temperature didn’t affect the ordering of diffusion coefficient, free volume, and interaction energy of gas molecules in natural ester and mineral oil.

Cellulose paper, whose main component is cellulose polymer, has been widely used in oil-immersed power transformer that gradually deteriorates during transformer operation. Thermal aging is the main degradation form for cellulose paper immersed in insulation oil (oil–paper insulation) in a transformer. One of the most challenging issues in oil–paper insulation is inhibiting the aging of cellulose paper and extending its life. In this work, a comparative study was conducted on the thermal-aging characteristics of cellulose paper immersed in a novel three-element mixed insulation oil and mineral oil at 130 °C for 150 days. The key parameters of cellulose paper were analysed, including the degree of polymerization (DP), thermal-aging rate, surface colour, and AC breakdown voltage. The furfural content and acidity of the oil, as well as the AC breakdown voltage of the insulation oil were also analysed. The results show that the cellulose paper immersed in novel three-element mixed insulation oil had much higher DP values than that immersed in mineral oil after the same thermal-aging time. The mixed insulation oil could significantly inhibit the thermal aging of cellulose paper and prolong its life. The thermal-aging rate of the cellulose insulation polymer immersed in mixed insulation oil is significantly lower than that immersed in mineral oil, whether in the process of oil–paper insulation continuous aging or in the process of aging after oil replacement with unused insulation oil. The furfural generated by cellulose degradation in the novel three-element mixed insulation oil was also less than that in the mineral oil. The mixed insulation oil had a higher acidity value during the thermal-aging process, which was mainly due to the natural esters in the components of the mixed insulation oil. However, the AC breakdown voltage of the mixed insulation oil was always higher than that of the mineral oil. This study offers a new perspective in inhibiting the thermal aging of cellulose polymer in insulation oil.