Robust High Temperature Insulation Alternative to Nomex

Technology Licensing Opportunity - This is not a procurement. Robust High Temperature Insulation Alternative to Nomex For Resilient Operation in an Electromagnetic Pulse or Geomagnetic Disturbance Opportunity: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), managed and operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), is offering the opportunity to enter into a license and/or collaborative research agreement to commercialize the Robust High Temperature Insulation technology. Background: Existing oil impregnated paper (IOP) insulation for transformers is vulnerable to decomposition from elevated temperatures. The decomposition causes conductive daughter products to accumulate within the paper, which can take a month or more to diffuse out of the insulation. This decreases the anticipated safety margin for the insulation designed into a transformer. The loss of expected margin increases the chance of failure during power surges, or harmonic over voltages in saturated transformers during a geomagnetic disturbance (GMD or electromagnetic pulse (EMP E3). Specific failure mechanisms were explored for cracked bushings in an unrelated project which led to identifying knowledge gaps for thermal, voltage, and frequency impacts on insulation under certain conditions. Description: Researchers at INL have developed a more durable insulation to improve grid robustness. The material can endure high temperatures and easily integrate into current manufacturing techniques. Nomex is the typical solution for high temperature insulation. The material has good dielectric properties and low degradation rates at temperature above insulating paper. Capitalizing on the properties of glass Nano particles and high temperature binding agents, a composite insulating material can be created which could replace paper without requiring significant retooling of transformer manufacturing. Applications: Interested industries may include marine, aerospace, power utilities, and the industrial base supplying them with power electronics and large power equipment. Surface treatment for corrosion resistance in extreme thermal or chemical environments and extreme temperature filtration applications are possible. Advantages: This composite could replace paper without requiring significant retooling of transformer manufacturing. This insulating material will facilitate smaller and cheaper power equipment designs allowing lighter designs for airplanes, smaller designs for ships, and more robust equipment in substations, improving resilience against GMD and EMP E3. This material has a simple manufacturing process which will be more cost-effective than a series of other materials which have been developed. Impact: This material can improve the safety of large power equipment due to its resilience from potential failures from GMD and EMP E3. As mentioned, the simplicity of the manufacturing process could lead to a more cost-effective process. Development: TRL 2. This technology is undergoing optimization and material testing to demonstrate the technology. IP Status: US Patent Application No. 62/680,179, “Electronically Insulating Materials, Electrical Devices, and Related Methods,” BEA Docket No. BA-1003. INL is seeking to license the above intellectual property to a company with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Exclusive rights in defined fields of use may be available. Please visit Technology Deployment’s website at https://inl.gov/inl-initiatives/technology-deployment for more information on working with INL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process. Companies interested in learning more about this licensing opportunity should contact Jon Cook at [email protected].