Moisture management in cellulose insulation materials

The project focuses on the drying process for cellulose-based insulation materials used in large power transformers. It is critical that the insulation material is dry for the reliable operation and long life of the transformer. The material is, however, inherently difficult to dry and the drying process is complex and has mostly arisen from empirical study. There is therefore a need for improving the theoretical understanding of the underlying physicochemical and transport mechanisms within the material under drying conditions. To address the problem, computational modelling (molecular, coarse-grained and continuum modeling) combined with experimental methods (X-ray and neutron scattering, moisture measurements, etc.) will be used to help understand the full picture of the drying, from atomic to macroscopic level. In particular, the difficulties to remove water from cellulose surfaces and confined spaces as well as the role of kerosene in the drying process will be investigated.