Insulating oil for transformer on fire in an electric cabin

The newspaper La Stampa of Turin reports on 17th October 2010 the news of a fire in a 130kV electric cabin in Ferriera di Buttigliera (Turin) occurred in the late evening of Saturday 16th October.

According to the article of the Turin newspaper, the fire could have been triggered by a machinery of an external company dedicated to maintenance.

The news induces to pay a particular attention to the “maintenance” activities of mineral insulating oils contained in electric transformer in operation. These activities are regulated by specific technical standards (i.e. IEC 60422 Ed. 3-2005, CIGRE Technical brochure no. 413),which clearly prescribe the accurate and punctual performance of inspections and treatments of insulating oils.

At the same time, in case of contamination by PCBs, the guidelines of D.M 29th January 2007 prescribe that the best available technique must be implemented to prevent explosions or fires with the spill of persistent contaminants (POPs) that could cause unreasonable risks for workers, public health and the environment.

In looking deeply, this same principle is shared by standard CENELEC (CLC/TR 50503)*, standard CEI 10-38* and the same guidelines * providing the criteria for the identification and the use of the best available techniques.

Please read also the article on The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is intentioned to revise the legislation on PCBs

*CENELEC (CLC/TR 50503)

Guidelines for the inventory control, management, decontamination and/or disposal of electrical equipment and insulating liquids containing PCBs (Linee guida per l’inventario, la gestione, la decontaminazione e/o lo smaltimento di apparecchiature elettriche e liquidi isolanti contenenti PCB).

“1 Scope

The scope of this Technical report is to provide guidance for the activities of inventory, control, management, decontamination and/or disposal of equipment and containers with insulating liquid containing PCBs, in compliance with the Council Directives (96/59/EC), using Best Available Techniques – BAT – (96/61/EC), Commission Decision (2001/68/EC), Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and/or with appropriate national or local legislation.

This Technical report is addressed, in particular, toward the Life Cycle Management (LCM) of  insulating liquids and it has been developed in accordance with the following objectives:

1. reduction of risks for workers, public health and the environment, arising from human error, malfunction, or failures of the equipment that could cause fires or spillage of  hazardous and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS)s;
2.  implementation of the “Best Available Techniques” (BAT),”Best Environmental  Practices”(BEP)and methodologies available for safety, whilst taking into account the surroundings and the criteria of self-sufficiency and functional recovery;
3.  technical feasibility of the activities within the prescribed time schedules, taking into  account current legislation and economic feasibility.”

*CEI 10-38

Technical guide for the inventory, inspection, management, decontamination and/or disposal of electrical equipment and insulating liquids containing PCBs.

1. reduction of the risk for workers, public health and the environment deriving from malfunctions and failures of equipment that could originate fires or spillage of dangerous and persistent products.
2.  implementation at ”state of the art” of the “best available techniques” and available safety methodologies, privileging criteria of proximity, self-sufficiency and functional recovery
3. technical and economical feasibility of the activities suggested or imposed by current regulations, within the prescribed time. ”

*Guidelines

Guidelines providing the criteria for the identification and implementation of the best available techniques

“D.2.1 Generalities and classification

The general methodological approach to which the decontamination technologies must make reference must satisfy the following requisites:

• the reduction of the risk for workers, public health and the environment deriving from malfunctions and failures of equipment that could originate fires or spillage of dangerous and persistent products;
• the implementation at ”state of the art” of the “best available techniques” and available safety methodologies, privileging criteria of proximity, self-sufficiency and functional recovery;
• the technical and economical feasibility of the activities suggested or imposed by current regulations, within the prescribed time.”