Recently, nanofluids are introduced in the power utilities for the dielectric performance enhancement of power transformer oil. The compactness and fault improvement of the power transformers has resulted in the necessity of next-generation insulating fluid with inflated dielectric properties. This paper investigates the dielectric performance of the novel ester oil-based magnetic nanofluids with different nanoparticles under different electric stress conditions. Two biodegradable fluids used as the base liquid for the experiment are synthetic ester oil and natural ester oil while three magnetic nanoparticles used to synthesize nanofluids are iron (II, III) oxide, cobalt (II, III) oxide, and iron phosphide. The concentrations of the nanoparticles are varied to optimize the characteristics of the prepared nanofluids. The dielectric breakdown and relative permittivity of the nanofluids have been experimentally investigated. Further, the breakdown predictions have been performed using Weibull statistical distribution-based regression analysis. The experimental results show the improvement in the characteristics of prepared nanofluids with the change in nanoparticle concentration as compared with the host fluids.

Dielectric fluids or commonly oils serve as the protection of any power utility components, which make it selection crucial for utility. Due to its significance, consistent research has been performed and new insulants have been introduced for power utilities to attain better, reliable, and a longer lifespan than the former one. Nanotechnology-based insulating liquids are still under research but show the potential to achieve the objective of smart and futuristic insulation. This paper provides the critical review for the development of insulating liquid and promising results shown by the nanoparticles dispersed fluid termed nanofluids. The state-of-the-art research illustration includes synthesis, experimental investigation, and dielectric and physio-mechanical characterization of nanofluids. The enhancements in the characteristics of nanofluids are elucidated along with its possible mechanisms and shortcomings. INDEX TERMS Liquid dielectric, nanofluids, mineral oil, natural oil, nanoparticles, dielectric response, breakdown characteristics.

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