Extraction and Characterization of Soybean Oil for use as Transformer Oil
Authors: Ajayi, E.D.
DOI Info: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15778298
ABSTRACT
Mineral oil resources, which have been widely used for years, are rapidly depleting due to their non-renewable nature. Furthermore, their environmental impact poses significant challenges; including contributing to global warming through carbon emissions and posing hazards to the environment in the event of leaks or spills. An alternative source of transformer oil from soybean was characterized in this work to determine its potential use. Some properties of the oil were determined to confirm the quality and ascertain its use as transformer oil. The following processes employed in this work are the pre-treatment of the soybean seed, extraction of oil using solvent extraction, and treatment of the oil for use as transformer oil. The percentage oil content was 20.84%. Properties such as viscosity, specific gravity, dielectric breakdown, flash point, and pour point were analyzed and the results obtained were; 7.6cst, 0.89, 30.93kV, 363 oC, and -36 oC respectively. It was discovered that the experimental values fall within the range of the required standard for oil which is to serve as transformer oil. Soybean oil exhibits the required physical properties that make it useful as alternative source of transformer oil.
Affiliations: Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
Keywords: Mineral Oil Soybean Oil Flash Point Dielectric Breakdown Pour Point Transformer
Published date: 2025/06/30
