Solar Power Generation
Superior performance for solar power plants requires a superior and proven dielectric fluid
Specifying the dielectric fluid for your transformers may seem to be a small part of designing, developing, or operating a solar farm. But choosing a superior high-performance fluid can make a meaningful impact on your bottom line and on transformer performance. Bio-based FR3™ fluid has been a key player in solar power generation applications—both land-based and floating—since 2010 [need to verify this date], and its benefits are unmatched.
Low Maintenance
Many large solar plants are situated in remote locations, making maintenance undesirable and costly. With FR3 fluid in your transformers, maintenance can drop dramatically. Most maintenance involves removing moisture from a transformer’s insulation paper and liquid. But FR3 fluid “wicks” water from a transformer’s windings and is self-drying; it consumes free water in the fluid and thereby averts dielectric failure while extending the life of the paper. And unlike mineral oil, FR3 fluid does not produce damaging byproducts like sludge.
Increased Load
Compared to mineral oil, FR3 fluid in your transformers allows you the flexibility of increasing load capacity up to 20%—and potentially more when your transformers are designed to use FR3 fluid—without accelerating asset aging.
With FR3 fluid, your transformers will efficiently and easily handle peak load times for solar power generation applications. And since transformers designed for FR3 fluid are more compact than mineral-oil-filled transformers, you’ll get more capacity in a smaller footprint—plus less costly transport and installation.
Reduced Containment
Because of its unique chemical and physical properties, FR3 fluid is classified as a high-firepoint, fire-resistant, less-flammable K-class liquid, posing far less risk of equipment damage or destruction than mineral oil.
In fact, there have been zero reported pool fires in transformers filled with FR3 fluid. FR3 Fluid enables transformers to be installed with highly simplified containment and can eliminate the need for costly fire-mitigation systems, which may mean reduced insurance premiums.
Environmentally Friendly
FR3 fluid is a natural ester dielectric fluid derived from vegetable oil and commonly used in power generation transformers of all voltage classes. Unlike mineral oil, FR3™ fluid is classified as a K-class, “high-fire-point,” “fire-resistant,” and “less-flammable” fluid. Also, in contrast to mineral oil, FR3 fluid is CO2 neutral, and it is 100% biodegradable in as few as 10 days. Because of FR3 fluid’s attributes, transformers with FR3 fluid are ideal for both land-based and floating solar power plants as they require simplified spill containment and remediation. In fact, bioremediation in case of a spill typically does not require costly equipment and labor.
Some Cargill products are only approved for use in certain geographies, end uses, and/or at certain usage levels. It is the customer's responsibility to determine, for a particular geography, that (i) the Cargill product, its use and usage levels, (ii) the customer's product and its use, and (iii) any claims made about the customer's product, all comply with applicable laws and regulations.