A Simplified Unified Model for Predicting the Dielectrophoretic Aactivity of Magnetic Nanoparticles Aimed at Enhancing the Dielectric Characteristics of Transformer Oil

The dielectric breakdown voltage (DBV) is a measure of an insulating fluids ability to withstand a high electric field stress without breaking down. Conventionally, the presence of water or particulate matter in a dielectric fluid comprises the liquid's breakdown strength. However, the addition of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in the base oil can increase the dielectric breakdown voltage of the fluid reversely, if the condition of the added particles in the fluid is in balance with that of keeping down the initiation and propagation of electrical streamers. In this study, we developed a mathematical model by a set of coupled, nonlinear equations using the COMSOL multiphysics finite element simulation suite and calculated the dielectrophoretic activity of magnetic nanoparticles suspended in the presence of electric field, which is the behavior responsible for enhancing the dielectric characteristics of transformer oil, in order to examine how the activity differ in a transformer oil-based magnetic fluid.