APPLIED CHEMISTRY SERVICES

Providing routine and non-routing testing, investigations, applied research, and consultation to the utilities industry for the purpose of diagnostics, condition assessment and life extension. More than forty years’ experience in testing, consultation, and applied research in the chemistry of insulating fluids, gases, and solids used in electrical equipment. Full-service tribology lab for testing lubricating/hydraulic oils, fuels, and coolants.

Areas of Focus

Our chemistry laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for chemical, material, and polymer testing, focusing on insulating oils and gases, lubricants, fuels and coolants, environmental and materials evaluation. We have significant expertise with characterizing insulating fluids, including traditional mineral oils, environmentally friendly vegetable oils and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Our research and development section is considered world-class and focuses on life extension, on-line monitoring and on-line oil purification of electrical equipment. We also have extensive experience in all aspects relating to electrical utilities PCB contamination, including analysis, on-line removal, and destruction with oil reclamation. Other services include extensive capabilities in polymer and material testing including failure analysis. Our materials and polymers testing lab is equipped with modern thermal analysis, rheology, spectrometric, chromatographic, and mechanical testing instrumentation. Powertech’s long history of testing enables us to provide knowledgeable consulting services.

Capabilities
  • State-of-the-art instrumentation for chemical, material, and polymer testing
  • Focus on insulating oils and gases, lubricants, fuels and coolants
  • Test packages for insulating fluid analysis, including commissioning tests, fault diagnosis, and forensic analysis
  • Degradation tests for solid insulation in oil-filled transformers
  • Consulting capabilities for fault diagnosis and maintenance of oil-filled equipment
  • ISO 17025:2017 accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) for specific tests listed in its scope of accreditation. For our current scope, please visit (Search | Standards Council of Canada – Conseil canadien des normes (scc.ca))
Services

Testing, consultation, and applied research to the utilities industry for the purposes of diagnostics, condition assessment, and life extension.

Site Assessment (Soil and Water)

  • Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons (EPH) – BCENV
  • General parameters: pH, conductivity, turbidity, moisture, solids
  • Leachable Metals (TCLP) – EPA 1311/6010D
  • Oil and Grease
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) – EPA 8082A
  • Metals (Dissolved/Total/SALM) – BCENV

Coolants

  • Conductivity – ASTM D1125
  • Freezing point estimation – ASTM D3321
  • Glycols – ASTM D3321
  • Metals – ASTM D6130
  • Nitrite – In-house
  • pH – ASTM D1287
  • Visual inspection (oil) – In-house

Fuels

  • API Gravity – ASTM D287
  • Cloud point – ASTM D2500
  • Distillation (including Cetane Index calculation) – ASTM D86
  • Particulate contamination – ASTM D6217
  • Pour point – ASTM D97

Lubricants (including refrigeration oil, compressor oil, diesel engine oil and hydraulic oil)

  • Acid number – ASTM D664
  • Base number – ASTM D4739
  • Colour – ASTM D1500
  • GC/MS contaminant scan – In-house
  • ISO Particle count (except diesel engine oil) – ASTM D7596
  • Metals (additive/wear/contaminants) – ASTM D5185
  • Oxidation stability (RPVOT) – ASTM D2272
  • Soot (diesel engine oil only) – ASTM D7844
  • Viscosity – ASTM D7042
  • Water – ASTM D6304

Waste Oil

  • Ash – ASTM D482
  • Density / Specific Gravity – ASTM D4052
  • Flash Point (Pensky Martens Closed Cup) – ASTM D93
  • Flash Point (Small Scale Closed Cup) – ASTM D3828
  • Heat Content – ASTM D240
  • Heavy Metals – ASTM D5185
  • Pentane Insolubles – ASTM D893
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) – ASTM D6160
  • Total Organic Halides (TOX) – EPA 9076
  • Water and Sediment – ASTM D1796

Electric Insulating Fluids

  • Acid Number – ASTM D664
  • Colour – ASTM D1533
  • Corrosive Sulfur – ASTM D1275B
  • DBDS – In-house
  • Degree of Polymerization – ASTM D4243
  • Density – ASTM D4052
  • Dielectric breakdown voltage – ASTM D1816
  • Dissolved gases – ASTM D3612C
  • Flash / Fire Point (Cleveland Open Cup) – ASTM D92
  • Furans – ASTM D5837
  • Interfacial Tension – ASTM D971
  • Metals (ICP) – ASTM D7151
  • Oxidation Inhibitor (DBPC) – ASTM D4768
  • Oxidation Stability – ASTM D2112
  • Particle Count – ASTM D6786
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) – ASTM D4059
  • Power Factor – ASTM D924
  • Resistivity – ASTM D1169
  • Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and decomposition products – ASTM D2685
  • Viscosity – ASTM D7042
  • Water (Karl Fisher in oil) – ASTM D1533
  • Water (Karl Fisher in paper) – ASTM D3277

Brochures & Documents