PCB Oil Disposal and Transformer Decontamination

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PCB Oil Disposal and Transformer Decontamination
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• Many proud electrical asset managers will
  proclaim that their fleet of transformers is
  PCB-free, yet although they have worked long and
  hard to achieve this outcome some PCB oil still
  resides in their system. In our experience most
  electric utilities in Australia have methodically
  surveyed their transformer fleet (power
  transformers anyway) and maintain dedicated
  registers including transformer technical data,
  nameplate information, purchase and warrantee
  details, and importantly a history of oil
  analysis results with PCB levels noted.

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• PCB levels above 2ppm (parts per million)
  (also reported as 2mg/kg (milligrams per
  kilogram)) are defined to be PCB contaminated for
  the sake of handling, movement and disposal
  requirements. A line must be drawn in the sand
  somewhere, and this is it. Hence a transformer
  reported at 1.9ppm PCB would be considered
  PCB-free and not subject to the onerous
  requirements of PCB oil disposal.

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• In our experience the prevalence of PCB
  contaminated transformers and equipment is
  certainly on the decrease, and in general where
  we do find PCB levels above the threshold of 2ppm
  they are typically below 50ppm and mostly in the
  band between 2 and 10ppm. Regardless, PCB
  transformer oil that is reported as 3ppm may as
  well be 49ppm as the same process for its end of
  life must be followed.

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• When presented with an enquiry to please
  price to dispose of our redundant transformer,
  our first line of questioning is to ask if you
  can provide
• A picture of the nameplate
• A picture of the transformer
• A copy of the last oil test results

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• We ask these questions to streamline the
  process and to be able to price the job as
  accurately and quickly as possible. Very often a
  few quick pictures captured on a mobile phone can
  be texted or emailed to Benzoil on the spot.
  When this is not possible, we can send a
  qualified technical representative to attend site
  to get the necessary details.

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A picture of the nameplate

• Gives us critical information about the age,
  manufacturer, weight, size, oil volume and
  internal metallurgy. We need to know these
  things in order to consider transport from site
  and potential recoverable materials.

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A picture of the transformer

• Also assists in providing information related
  to lifting, handling, transport and possible
  preparatory work needed (depending on size), e.g.
  bushing removal, de-oiling. It is important to
  understand the surrounds at the site and access
  for trucks and lifting equipment. Often the site
  itself will make a forklift, crane, or the
  lifting machine available.

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A copy of the latest oil test results

• Hopefully PCBs were tested for and are
  reported on a NATA accredited lab report. If the
  report just details oil dissolved gas analysis
  (DGA) or other parameters and not PCB then we
  would offer to sample the oil and test as needed.
• Armed with the pertinent details, we can now
  consider what is needed to safely and
  professionally perform the job comprising PCB oil
  disposal.