Relation between the charging mechanism and the hydrophilic properties of anti-electrification additives

An equation is introduced to express the electrification current in insulating liquids. In the experiments concerning the electrification-inhibiting effect of ionic and nonionic additives used with transformer oil, nonionic additives were found to perform better. Further tests were made with 11 different nonionic additive agents (of the polyoxyethylene type) having known chemical structures in order to investigate the relation of structure and performance. In the case of interface activation agents belonging to the polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether, and polyoxyethylene oleyl ether groups, the level of electrification was found to rise with an increase in HLB (the balance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic bases). In the case of polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, electrification diminishes despite the rise in HLB. The reason for this would seem to lie in the special properties of the phenyl base. >