Document pp4N6Z19zZJX5K4GBOrzdX8G6

i Askarel (PCB) Dielectric Fluids I. Historical In 1929 the General Electric Co. discovered that poly chlori nated biphenyls possessed the same good electrical insulating values as mineral oil dielectrics and that these PCBs are very unusual organic liquids because they do not burn. More over, It was discovered that their electric arc formed gases do not support combustion and that the electrical capacitance of PCBs is twice that of mineral oil. General Electric patented their discovery because the industry was in great need of fire safe dielectric fluids for special use in capacitors and transformers. The World Almanac docu mented the advent of PCB dielectrics as being one of the world's greatest discoveries. PCBs are manufactured at reasonably low cost. Possessing twice the capacitance of mineral oil allows making capacitors half the size of mineral oil units and yet able to do the same work. This has proved to be an .impelling economic ad vancement as the saving of materials and space are great. The unusual combination of safety from fire - good electrical insulating properties - and strong economic advantages account for the fact that since their discovery over forty years ago these PCB fluids have been used exclusively for certain types of essential capacitors and transformers. Replacements are not at hand today and it is most unlikely that anything similar can be found. II. Essential Applications A. Capacitors PCBs are used exclusively for ,the following type capacitors: 1. . Utility line power factor correction, including balance of all the EHV lines on down to power conservation at industrial and commercial sites. Absence of the PCB capacitors from these power and distribution lines would result in massive power failure and economic chaos. Picture I is a typical PCB power line capacitor. 2. By law, all air conditioning apparatus must be fitted with PCB motor-run capacitors to con serve power. Similar*1 2PCB capacitors are used for the efficient operation of most large motors used for industrial purposes and for large appliances. DSW 332095 STLCOPCB4078671 2- - Picture II is a typical PCB motor-run capacitor. 3. All fluorescent and mercury vapor lighting ballasts for indoor and outdoor lighting operate with PCB capacitors. '~ .. Picture III is a typical PCB ballast capa cltor. 4. Other essential PCB capacitor applications include induction heating capacitors for steel production and metal working; voltage regulator capacitors for communication sys tems such as telephones, TV, radio and micro wave, high energy storage capacitors for atomic fission, lasser operation, impulse testing of large electrical apparatus, special metal forming operations and a variety of space age related functions. Over the forty years of existence of PCB type capacitors attempts at possible replacement have been made in various areas of ap plication. None have been successful, with the exception of a case such as electronic circuits where It was possible to rede sign the entire system to solid state. As already mentioned, absence of PCB capacitors from our power systems would create a national holocaust. B. Transformers . Promptly following their discovery PCB fluids were employed to make fire-resistant type transformers for specialty applications in confined and populated areas to protect people and property from fire hazard. The generic name askarel was assigned to PCB dielec trics and as manufacturer of these fluids Monsanto patented the trade name Aroclor. Transformer makers assigned their own names. Examples are Pyranol (General Electric Co.), Inerteen (Westinghouse), Noflamol (Wagner Electric), and Chlorextol (Allis Chalmers). The askarel transformer is strictly a specialty type unit selected in place of mineral oil where judgements made about need for safety from fire warrant paying the askarel transformer unit premium cost. These judgements are made by individual Industrial electrical engineers, or by individual electrical architects and by organizations such as the utilities, and Government agencies including the Army and Navy. The judgements DSW 332096 STLCOPCB4078672 3- - and requirement for fire safe transformer use are incorporated into various civic building codes and requirements by the Fire underwriters. The popular size of askarel transformers ranges from about 350 KVA to 3>000 KVA. Accordingly they are quite small as compared against typical mineral oil : filled power transformers which are usually located in remote areas. In a number of instances the transformer selection is a matter of judgement of an askarel unit vs. an open dry type transformer. Here advantages of askarel units are their ability to withstand greater over loads, greater line surges, greater impulse resistance, satisfactory operation at higher voltage levels, lower heat loss, lower cost operation and lower noise levels. Also as the askarel unit is hermetically sealed it can be used in areas of high humidity, or where water flooding may be expected. A good example of this is the use of askarel transformers by utilities along our coastal areas, and the fact that our east coast electric train systems operate with askarel units in stead of dry type transformers which failed during j the snow storms. Open dry units are also not well j suited for many Industrial sites where there is a . dusty or corrosive environment. Maintenance of the open dry unit is excessive even when located in more favorable atmosphere. . Another important factor is that the size of an as- , karel unit for a given rating is usually significantly smaller than a comparable dry type transformer. As transformers like most everything else are usually fitted into the minimum space area It would be very difficult in many instances to replace existing aska rel units with dry type units. Due to all of these considerations representatives of the electrical industry advise that if askarel type units and PCB fluids were not available the result would be a blackout of the entire North East section of our country and some other areas. Again, as in the case of capacitors there are no known satisfactory fire resistant fluids available as replacement for transformer (PCB) askarels. There are several types of askarel transformers: 1. Industrial load -- small to medium power center transformers^ " These power centers are used by the steel DSW 332097 STLCOPCB4078673 4- - mills, textile mills, paper mills, flour mills, automotive manufacturing, air craft manufacturers, chemical manu facturers, petroleum refiners, copper mines and in general by over all indus try. The Government is a large user of askarel transformer load centers at all the space centers and atomic energy centers, such as Cape Kennedy, Houston, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Hanover, etc. The Army and Navy use askarel unit power supplies, not only domestically but around the world. Examples are at ship docks and communication power supplies as for example the Dew-line early warning system. Askarel power supplies are used by all of the Government's mints. 2. Distribution Type Transformers Many utilities use askarel distribution type transformers, especially for under ground networks. : Examples of large users are Commonwealth Edison, Con Ed., Boston Ed., Pla. Power, Fla. Power and Light, Pacific Gas and Electric, Kansas City Power and Light, American Electric Power, TVA, Bonneville, The Bureau of Reclamation and many others. Also under the heading of distribution transformers are the many installations at airports, office buildings, schools, hospitals, shopping centers, stores and many Government buildings and institutions. 3. Other important uses include rectifier transformers, metering transformers, instru ment transformers, electric railroad trans formers, subway transformers, as the new Metro system being built in Washington, D.C. Picture IV shows a typical askarel type transformer. DSW 332098 STLCOPCB4078674 5- - III. Annual Consumption of Dielectric PCBs In the states the' annual pounds of electrical PCBs used Is divided nearly equal between capacitors and transformers. Including the pounds of transformer PCBs blended by General Electric Co. the total pounds of PCB-containing dielectric fluids used in the states over the years 1955 through 1970 are shown in the attached tabulation prepared as confiden tial information for certain Government people. The world-wide use, including the USA domestic quantity is somewhat over double the use in the USA. Around the world, starting about 33 years ago the same essential uses for PCBs in capacitors and transformers de veloped rapidly in Canada, Germany, Prance, Belgium, Swit zerland, Britain, Spain, Italy and Scandinavian countries. This was followed by strong use in Mexico and So. America, in Japan, Australia, India, Russia and in other iron cur tain countries. Today these fluids are employed world-wide including remote areas where some of the applications in volve critical defense uses. In addition to their manufacture in the USA the PCBs arej now produced in: | England Germany Prance Russia Japan Italy Spain ' Czechoslovakia Rumania (contemplated) The many millions of pounds of PCB have been produced for over forty years with no unusual health hazard to humans!, nor known environmental damage. IV. Steps Already Taken to Avoid Environmental Pollution PCBs are highly stable, non-corrosive, inert, high boiling, essentially water insoluble materials. Because of their high stability and inertness they had not been thought of as potential environmental pollutants, and the most widely used PCBs were known to be practically non toxic orally to animals. Accordingly PCBs had rather large use in a variety of non electrical systems open to the environment. Also special precautions had not been taken to prevent scrap from the electrical use of PCB from entering the environment. Some entered sewers and streams and some of the scrap found use to oil roads. DSW 332099 STLCOPCB4078675 Table 1 Annual Domestic USA Use of PCB Dielectric Fluids (millions of pounds] ~" Year 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 i960 1961 1962 1963 Pounds 27.5 40.6 36.4 27.5 30.7 33.4 30.5 28.2 29.3 Year 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 Pounds 34.5 38.8 42.6 48.1 . 47.1 41.7 46.2 DSW 332100 STLCOPCB4078676 6- - On learning of the pollution problem prompt steps were taken by Monsanto in collaboration with the electrical industry and others. A. An early step was to eliminate the sale of PCB for plasticizer, sealer, hydraulic fluid and in fact all non-electrical use, with the exception of heat transfer regarded as a closed system. B. Because of essential use and lack of replacements and because PCB capacitors and transformers are hermetically sealed metal apparatus the electrical use of PCBs is continued. This is essentially the same posture taken by the Swedish Government where PCB environmental pollution in sea birds was first noted and where strict atti tudes toward environmental pollution are held. The Swedish Government has banned all non-electrical use of PCBs, but allows continued use for capacitors and transformers, hermetically sealed apparatus. C. Since it has been the more highly chlorinated (more refractory) PCBs that have been found, in general, in the environment, Monsanto developed Aroclor 1016 which has these materials removed. This is now sup plied as total replacement for Aroclor 12^+2 used by the capacitor makers. D. Obvious initial steps taken were improvement of Mon santo's plants and those of the capacitor and trans former makers to virtually prevent any PCB from entering the environment. E. Monsanto has built a large capacity incinerator capa ble of proper destruction of all PCB scrap fluid. Monsanto accepts all scrap PCB for incineration at three cents per pound. Several incinerators are available at locations other than Monsanto plants. F. Monsanto's Environmental Group has in operation a machine capable of incinerating small PCB capacitors such as ballast and motor-run units. G. In collaboration with Government agencies, Monsanto developed sophisticated analytical procedures used to probe for very small amounts of PCBs in plant effluents and from the general environment and from fish, birds and animals. . *3^ STLCOPCB4078677 7- H. Monsanto is continuing extensive studies to determine the biodegradability of the various common PCB isomers and related materials. V. Future Steps Underway A. Judgements and guide lines will be formulated about the proper disposal of solid scrap impregnated with PCBs - - and generated by the electrical industry. Examples are failed capacitors from ballast, motor run and power correction applications, and scrap core and coils from askarel transformers. The guide lines for disposal of both liquid and solid scrap must reach many end users, beyond the reach of Monsanto and the electrical manufacturers. B. To proceed with this and all aspects of PCB pollution as related to the electrical industry Committee C107 has been formed at ANSI. Working sub committees will be formed at a"meeting to be held in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 14 at the National Bureau of Standards. C. Composition of ANSI - C107 The broad representation at this group is indicated by the following respondents and the list of people invited to participate: 1. Respondents Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association Dr. A. Pozefsky General Electric Company Industrial and Power Capacitor Products Dept. John Street Hudson Falls, N. Y. 12839 N. R. Clark Universal Manufacturing Company 902 Crescent Ave. Bridgeport, Conn. 06607 Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers, Inc. E. L. Raab, Manager - Insulation General Electric Company Power Distribution Division 100 Woodlawn Avenue Pittsfield, Mass. 01201 Systems Section DSW 332102 STLCOPCB4078678 8- - National Electrical Manufacturers Assn. D. E; Allen, Manager, Marketing Services Power Distribution Division Allis-Chalmers Corporation Columbus & Preble Avenues Pittsburgh, Pa. 15233 J. F. Kuzela, Engineering Manager Power Capacitors Sangamo Electric Company P.0. Box 359 Springfield, 111. 62705 R. D. McClain Westinghouse Electric Corporation P.0. Box 341 Bloomington, Ind. 47402 W. C. Reinhardt, Manager, Res. & Dev. Central Moloney Transformer Division Colt Industries P.0. Box 101 ^' St. Louis, Mo. 63166 ' H. R. Rowe, General Manager Lighting & Capacitor Products McGraw-Edison Power Systems Division P.0. Box 160 South Milwaukee, Wis. 53172 Department of the Army David M. Crabtree, Chief of the Electrical Eng. Section Facilities Engineering Division Office of the Chief of Engineers Department of the Army Washington, D. C. 20314 Environmental Protection Agency Earl Pershing Floyd 5555 Ridge Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 43213 General Services Administration Reuben T. Morgan Federal Supply Service, Room 507 General Services Administration Washington, D. C. 20^)06 OS^ STLCOPCB4078679 9- - Aaron J. Woloshin Office of Environmental Affairs General Services Administration Washington, D. C. 20405 National Bureau of Standards Dr. Stanley P. Wasik . Research Chemist National Bureau of Standards Room Al45 Chemistry Building Washington, D. C. 20234 Rural Electrification Administration Department of Agriculture Dr. John Leutritz, Jr. Timber Products Specialist Distribution Engineering Branch Power Supply, Management and Engineering Standards Division Rural Electrification Administration Washington, D, C. 20250 Tennessee Valley Authority William R. Nicholas Asst. Chief of the Water Quality Branch In the Div. of Environmental Res, and Dev. Office of Health and Environmental Science Tennessee Valley Authority Chattanooga, Tenn. 37401 , Chem-Trol Pollution Services Inc. Louis E. Wagner, President 48l8 Lake Avenue Blasdell, N. Y. 14219 Doble Engineering Company A. L. Rickley, Vice President 32 Locust Street Belmont, Mass. 02178 Electrical Utilities Company A. 0. Hauser, President 2427 St. Vincent Avenue La Salle, 111. 61301 s^i04 STLCOPCB4078680 -10- Monsanto Company W. B. Papageorge, Mgr. Environmental Control 800 N. Lindbergh Blvd. St. Louis, Mo. 63166 P. G. Benignus, Marketing Manager, Dielectric Fluids Rollins-Purle Inc. H. A. Alsentzer P.0. Box 2349 Wilmington, Delaware 19^99 C. W. Hart P. Williamson 2. List of National and Government Groups Invited American Public Power Association 2600 Virginia Ave. N.W. Washington, D. C. 20037 Alex Rodin, General Manager American Society for Testing and Materials 1916 Race Street Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 William T. Cavanaugh, Managing Director Association of American Railroads 1920 L Street, N.W. Washington, D. C. 20036 Thomas M. Goodfellow, President Assoc, of Edison Illuminating Companies 51 E. 42nd St. New York, N. Y. 1001J W. Ployd-Jones, Secretary Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. 320 New Center Bundling - - Detroit, Michigan 48202 Thomas C. Mann, President oSW 332105 STLCOPCB4078681 -11- Certlfied Ballast Manufacturers Assn. 2120 Keith Building Cleveland, Ohio 44115 M. R. Davies, Secretary-Treasurer Edison Electric Institute 750 Third Avenue New York, N. Y. 10017 W. Donham Crawford, Managing Director Institute of Electrical & Electronic Eng., Inc. 345 E. 47th St. New York, N. Y. 10017 Donald G. Fink, General Manager Manufacturing Chemists Assoc. 1825 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington, D. C. 20009 William J. Driver, President National Electrical Manufacturers Assoc. 155 E. 44th St. ' New York, N. Y. 10017 A. M. Salazar, Executive Secretary, Power Equipment Division National Fire Protection Association 60 Batterymarch St. Boston, Mass. 02110 Charles S. Morgan, General Manager Underwriter's Laboratories, Inc. 207 E. Ohio Street Chicago, 111. 6o6ll Baron Whitaker, President Water Pollution Control Federation 3900 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. Washington, D. C. 20016 Robert A. Canham, Executive Secretary DSW 332106 STLCOPCB4078682 -12- Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C. 20545 Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman Department of the Army The Pentagon . Washington, D. C. 20310 Lt. General E. J. Clarke, Chief of Engineers Department of Interior C Street Between l8th and 19th Sts. NW Washington, D. C. 20240 James R. Smith, Assistant Secretary - Water and Power Development Ellis L. Armstrong, Commissioner of Reclamation Henry R. Richmond, Administrator Bonneville Power Administration Carl L, Klein, Assistant Secretary - Water Quality and Research Environmental Protection Agency 1626 K St. N.W. Washington, D. C. 20460 William D. Ruckelhaus, Administrator Pood and Drug Administration Department of Health, Education and Welfare 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, Md. 20852 Charles C. Edwards, Commissioner of Pood and Drugs General Services Administration Federal Supply Service Washington, D. C. 20406 A. F. Sampson, Commissioner C. C. Travis, Director Standardization Div. National Bureau of Standards Washington, D. C. 20234 > Lewis M. Branscomb, Director DSW 332107 STLCOPCB4078683 -13- Rural Electrification Administration Department of Agriculture l4th.'S~t. and Independence Ave. S.W. Washington, D. C. 20250 David W. Hamil, Administrator Tennessee Valley Authority New Sprankle Building Knoxville, Tenn. 37902 James F. Watson, Manager of Power Chem-Trol Pollution Services Inc. 48l8 Lake Avenue Blasdell, N. Y. 14219 Lewis E. Wagner, President Doble Engineering Co. P.0. Box 105 Belmont, Mass. 02178 R. I. Lowe, President Electrical Utilities Co. 2427 St. Vincent Avenue La Salle, 111. 61301 A. 0. Hauser Monsanto Company 800 N. Lindbergh Blvd. St. Louis, Mo. 63166 W. B. Papageorge, Manager Environmental Control P. G. Benignus, Marketing Mgr., Dielectric Fluids Rollins-Purle Inc. 3208 Concord Pike Wilmington, Delaware 19803 John E. O'Brien, President os* *108 STLCOPCB4078684 -14- D. The Scope of Committee C107 . Procedures and guides for safe use, maintenance and disposal of as'karel and askarel-soaked materials used in electrical equipment E. Proposed Objectives .. - In addition to developing the procedures and guides referred to in the scope, above, it shall be the ob jectives of the ANSI Committee to: 1. Serve as a source for technical information and advice for Federal, State and local authorities and for the information of all others concerned. 2. Encourage the development of suitable disposal facilities and maintain a list of their capabili ties and locations, for the information of all concerned. 3. Serve as the advisory group for U.S. participation in CEE, IEC, COPANT, SEGRA and other international organizations. P. G. Benignus 9/3/71 SW 332109 STLCOPCB4078685