Retrofilling – upgrade your transformer

Retrofilling is the process of replacing mineral oil insulating fluid in an existing transformer with Shell MIDEL fluid. Doing so effectively upgrades the transformer while delivering other demonstrable benefits.

Reasons for retrofilling with Shell MIDEL:

1. Makes financial sense – get all the benefits of Shell MIDEL without investing in a new transformer
2. Remove fire risk – the high fire point of Shell MIDEL fluids eliminates the possibility of transformer fire, thereby protecting lives and property plus reinforcing business continuity
3. Lower impact from accidental leaks – The ester base oils used in Shell MIDEL fluids are readily biodegradable according to OECD 301 and biodegrade faster than conventional mineral oil. Compared with conventional mineral oils, the readily biodegradable ester base oil (OECD 301) can help reduce the potential environmental impact of a minor leak or a catastrophic failure of the transformer (EPA publication 800-R-11-002)
4. Demonstrate Corporate Social Responsibility – retrofilling your transformer with Shell MIDEL improves fire safety for your employees and customers without needing to invest in a new transformer
5. Recommended by insurance companies – insurance companies, such as FM Global, acknowledge that all transformers are at risk of failure which can result in fire or environmental damage, and can adversely affect business continuity. They regularly advise their clients to retrofill mineral oil transformers with ester fluids, such as Shell MIDEL.
6. Extend transformer life, delay transformer replacement – using Shell MIDEL will extend transformer life and delay investment in a new replacement transformer. The superior water tolerance properties of Shell MIDEL significantly increase the life of solid insulation, thereby extending the life of the transformer. Shell MIDEL has also been successfully used to enable wet transformers to be brought back into service
7. Cut operating expenses – maintenance of mineral oil transformers can be costly – consider oil filtration operations and maintenance of fire suppression systems. Using Shell MIDEL can help reduce maintenance OpEx requirements. Shell MIDEL is also much more tolerant of moisture ingress than mineral oil. For areas prone to wet conditions, retrofilling transformers with Shell MIDEL fluids can lead to increased asset reliability
8. Reduce substation footprint – FM Global guidelines mean Shell MIDEL transformers require significantly less space compared to mineral oil transformers. Using Shell MIDEL enables more than one transformer to be installed in the same footprint required for mineral oil – a compelling solution if new capacity is needed in an existing substation

To find out if your transformer is suitable for retrofilling (certain technical conditions may apply), contact our technical team at mideltech@mv-lub.com.

As Shell MIDEL Authorized Sales Partner Germany, MV-Lub carries out retrofilling projects across Europe – get in touch to discuss your transformer.