Influence of TiO2 nanoparticle size on creeping flashover property of transformer oil-impregnated pressboards

Nanoparticles have exhibited great potential in improving insulating property of liquid and solid dielectrics. To explore their modification mechanism on transformer oil-impregnated pressboards, TiO2 nanoparticles with different diameters of 5nm, 10nm, and 15nm were synthesized and used to prepare transformer oil-based nanofluids. The creeping flashover characteristics of both pure oil-impregnated paperboards (OPs) and nanofluid-impregnated pressboards (NPs) were examined under lightning impulse and AC voltages. It was found that the creeping flashover property of NPs is significantly improved with the decreasing of nanoparticle size. Especially, it is enhanced by 2.44 times under positive lighting impulse as nanoparticle size reduced from 15 nm to 5 nm. The results of space charge decay and trap characteristics reveal the decrease of nanoparticle size can lower trap depth and greatly enhance the space charge dissipation rate, leading to more uniform electric field distribution at the interface between nanofluid and pressboards and higher creeping flashover property.