The headquarters of Sea Marconi in Collegno (Turin) has just hosted (on 18^th May) the 6^th international meeting of IEC TC 10 PT 5 (International Electrotechnical Commission) on the topic: “Specific Standard for Unused Natural Esters liquids for transformers and similar Electrical equipment”..

The meeting had the objective of formalising a pioneering technical norm for the use of biogenic based insulating liquids, i.e. derived from vegetable oils, stabilised by a transesterification process and subsequently additivated to improve the properties in terms of oxidation stability, pour point and other chemical-physical, besides dielectric properties.

This meeting was very important since on one side the dielectric properties of the liquids subject to the analyses were examined and on the other side the characteristics of the specific method for the oxidation stability have been deepened. The study has already scheduled an additional inter laboratory Round Robin Test on samples of natural esters on which several oil producers and six internationally qualified laboratories, including Sea Marconi, shall participate. One of the most innovative sides of the technical norm being studied by the working group is the normalisation of the biodegradability characteristics of the insulating liquids and the toxicity tests defining the minimum environmental requisites so that a biogenic liquid can be used in electric transformers and other equipment installed in particularly critical contests under an environmental point of view.

The IEC working group is composed of international experts nominated by the national committees. Prof. Shubhender Kapila (Missouri University of Science and Technology – USA) as conveyor, brilliantly coordinated the meeting to which participated: Russel Martin, M+I Material (UK); Pierre Boss, ABB Secheron (CH), Klaus Cichocki, Nynas (AT); Franz Schatzl, SGB (AT); Simon Rost, Elantas; Roberto Asano, ABB Bilbao (ES); Jose Antonio Rojas, Cotradis (ES); Yury Torshin (RU); Maria Augusta Martins, Labelec-EDP (PT); Yves Bertrand, EDF, (FR); Kevin Rapp, Cooper Power Systems, (USA); Giorgio Barbui, Fratelli Parodi, (IT); Vander Tumiatti, Sea Marconi, (IT); Roberto Campi, Fratelli Parodi, (IT); Marini Leandro, Fratelli Parodi, (IT).

Vander Tumiatti, as Assistant Secretary IEC TC10, actively participated to the discussion providing his proven experience and unique technical background.