Effect of Rice Husk Filler on the Structural and Dielectric Properties of Palm Oil as an Electrical Insulation Material

Siti Sarah Junian, Mohamad Zul Hilmey Makmud, Zuhair Jamain, Khairatun Najwa Mohd Amin, Jedol Dayou and Hazlee Azil Illias
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Siti Sarah Junian: Materials and Minerals Research Group, Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
Mohamad Zul Hilmey Makmud: Materials and Minerals Research Group, Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
Zuhair Jamain: Materials and Minerals Research Group, Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
Khairatun Najwa Mohd Amin: Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, College of Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Pahang, Gambang, Kuantan 26300, Pahang, Malaysia
Jedol Dayou: Energy, Vibration and Sound Research Group (e-VIBS), Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
Hazlee Azil Illias: UM High Voltage Laboratory (UMHVL), Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-11

Abstract: This study uses natural fibre, which is moisture absorbent, as an innovative and economical filler for insulating oil. Rice husk (RH) is a natural fibre known to have water-absorbing properties and used as a supplementary cementitious material. This research utilises the water-absorbing properties of RH to improve the physicochemical and dielectric properties of insulating oil. RH was refined into a fine powder at a diameter of less than 63 µm. Palm oil (PO) was synthesised with RH at concentrations of 0 g/L, 0.01 g/L, and 0.1 g/L. The moisture-absorbent properties of RH were analysed by using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The particle size and distribution of RH in PO were also obtained using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a Zeta particle analyser. The breakdown voltage (BDV) strength of PO with RH was measured according to IEC 60156, and the dielectric frequency response was investigated in the range of 10 2 –10 5 Hz. RH is proven to absorb moisture from PO, as the O–H band intensity at the 3350 cm −1 is increased from the experimental results. Therefore, the mean BDV and dielectric insulation properties of PO dispersed with RH also increased accordingly.

Keywords: dielectric properties; breakdown voltage; natural fibre; palm oil; electrical insulation; rice husk; scanning electron microscopy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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