The Purpose of Flash Point Testing for Insulating Oil

Assess the safety risks of insulating oil

Flash point is the lowest temperature at which insulating oil can ignite when exposed to an external fire source under standard test conditions when oil vapor mixes with air to form a combustible mixture. It is a core safety indicator for measuring the flammability characteristics of oil products. By detecting the flash point of insulating oil, the fire hazard level of the oil can be directly determined, and the possibility of flash, fire, or even explosion during storage, transportation, on-site refueling, and equipment operation when encountering sources of fire such as open flames, high-temperature components, and electric sparks can be evaluated. Developing targeted safety operation standards and protective measures based on the test results can effectively prevent oil related fire safety accidents.

Monitor the operational degradation and deterioration status of insulation oil

Insulating oil, which has been used in oil filled electrical equipment such as transformers and transformers for a long time, will be continuously affected by factors such as high temperature, strong electric field, oxidation, moisture and impurity pollution, and undergo chemical reactions such as thermal cracking and oxidative decomposition, generating low molecular weight hydrocarbons and volatile flammable substances. These substances will directly lower the flash point of insulating oil. Regular flash point testing can timely capture the deterioration trend of oil products, determine whether there is abnormal deterioration in oil quality, avoid the continued use of insulation oil with excessive deterioration, and ensure the core performance of oil products such as insulation and heat dissipation.

Warning of internal hidden faults in oil filled electrical equipment

When hidden faults such as local overheating, arc discharge, and insulation breakdown occur inside oil filled electrical equipment, a large amount of heat is generated in a short period of time, rapidly intensifying the thermal decomposition of insulating oil and generating a large amount of volatile combustible components, which in turn leads to a significant and rapid decrease in the flash point of the oil. Combining flash point detection data with equipment operating parameters, analysis of dissolved gases in oil, insulation performance testing, and other results can assist operation and maintenance personnel in accurately identifying abnormal faults inside the equipment, conducting maintenance and troubleshooting in advance, and preventing small hidden faults from escalating into major power safety accidents such as equipment burnout and explosion.

Meet industry standards and compliance requirements for operation and maintenance work

China's power industry has established clear flash point standard limits for scenarios such as the acceptance of new insulation oil upon entry, periodic monitoring of in-service insulation oil, and oil quality re inspection after major repairs of electrical equipment. Conducting flash point testing for insulating oil is a necessary step in verifying whether newly purchased oil products meet procurement technical standards, whether transported oil products meet continuous service conditions, and whether the oil products after maintenance and replacement are qualified. Only when the flash point index meets the standard, can insulating oil be officially put into use or continue to serve in equipment, ensuring that the operation and maintenance of power equipment strictly comply with national and industry technical specifications and safety management requirements.