May 31, 1960 J. G.

HOPPE 2,938,313
PROCESS OF POTTING ELECTRICAL APPARATUS
Filed June 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet

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PROCESS OF POTTING ELECTRICAL APPARATUS
Filed June 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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 United States Patent Office 1.
2,938,313
Patented May 31, 1960
2
ess for simultaneously impregnating and potting electrical
apparatus.
2,938,313
Further objects and advantages of this invention will
become apparent by reference to the following descrip
PROCESS OF POTTINGELECTRICAL APPARATUS s tion and the accompanying drawing, and the features of
John G. Hoppe, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to General novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed
Electric Company, a corporation of New York out with particularity in the claims annexed to and form
ing a part of this specification.
Filed June 6, 1957, Ser. No. 664,123 In order to provide a higher sand content in the pot
0 ting material and also to combine the impregnating and
2 Claims. (C. 53-22) potting operations, I proposed placing an unimpregnated
core and coil assembly in the enclosing case, completely
filling the case with sand, and then forcing the impreg
This invention relates to the process of potting electri s
nating material into the case under a pressure differential,
cal apparatus with hardenable impregnating materials for example in accordance with the disclosure of the
such as asphalt, and more particularly to a process for aforementioned. Mees' application. I have found that
potting electrical apparatus of the type in which sand is with this approved process, a sand content of approxi
used as a filler for the impregnating material in order to mately 80 percent by weight can be provided in contrast
improve the heat transfer characteristics of the apparatus. 90
with the maximum of 50 percent by weight obtainable
Certain electrical apparatus, such as transformers, are when the asphalt was preloaded with the sand. I have
housed in an enclosing case. In order to improve the further surprisingly found, contrary to any expectation,
heat transfer characteristics of the apparatus, it has been that with this higher sand content, the asphalt will not
customary to fill the case with a hardenable insulating soften and flow out of the case even though the case is
material, such as asphalt, referred to as "potting' and it punctured and raised to temperatures far in excess of the
has also been common separately to impregnate the core normal flowing temperature of the asphalt.
and coil assembly of the transformer with such material The invention together with additional objects and
by means of an impregnating treatment. One important advantages will be best understood from the following
impregnating treatment which has been employed is that description of a specific embodiment, when read in con
nection with the accompanying drawing in which:
described in Patent 2,872,344 of Robert D. Mees and 80 Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a typical hermetically
assigned to the assignee of the present application. sealed transformer prior to assembly with the case;
In order further to improve the heat transfer charac
teristics of such apparatus, it has been common practice oneFig. 2 illustrates one step in the process according to
embodiment of the invention;
to load the asphalt with a granular material, such as sand
prior to pouring it into the case. As a specific ex 35 ingFig. 3 illustrates another step of the process accord
to one embodiment of the invention;
ample, hermetically sealed transformers have been in the
past treated and potted by initially impregnating the core oneFig.embodiment
4 is an exploded view of one step according to
of the instant invention;
and coil assembly with asphalt in accordance with the
process described in the aforementioned Mees' patent, oneFig.embodiment 5 illustrates a step in the process according to
of the instant invention;
assemblying the impregnated core and coil assembly in O Fig. 6 illustrates the impregnation step of the in
an enclosing case leaving. a small opening as the only en- i. stant invention;
try into the case, pouring hot asphalt loaded with ap
proximately 50 percent by weight 300 mesh silica into ingFig. to
7 illustrates another step of the invention accord
one embodiment thereof; and
the case through the opening therein until the case is Fig. 8 illustrates another step of the invention accord
filled, and finally securing a cover on the pouring open As ing to a further embodiment thereof.
ing completely to seal the case. Referring now to the drawings, in Fig. 1, there is shown
While the foregoing method has been generally satis a typical hermetically sealed transformer having a core
factory, it has long been considered desirable to increase and coil assembly 1, secured to a cover 2 for the enclos
the sand content of the asphalt above 50 percent by 50 ing case 3, with a plurality of suitable external terminals 4
weight in order to further improve the conductivity and projecting
to improve the vibration resistance of the apparatus. It coils of thethrough the cover 2 and being connected to the
has further been found that with the present impregna shown). Enclosing coil core and assembly by suitable leads (not
case 3 has a recessed opening 5
tion and potting process, many void spaces were present formed
particularly in the area immediately surrounding the core SS In thetherein.
and coil resulting from draining off of the impregnat Figs. 1 andfirst2, step of my improved process, as shown in
the cover 2 with the core and coil assembly
ing material leaving spaces or pockets which were not positioned thereon is assembled in the open end 6 of the
filled by the subsequent potting operation; these void enclosing case
spaces are: particularly detrimental where high corona case 3 in any 3suitable and the cover is secured to the enclosing
manner, as by soldering with in
resistance is required. In addition, it has been con 60 duction heating by means of a suitable induction heating
sidered desirable to combine the impregnating and pot
ting processes into a single process. Prior efforts to in coil 7. The opening 5 remains open and as shown in
Fig. 3, the assembly is now turned on end and the en
crease the sand content above 50 percent by weight have closing case 3 completely filled with sand through the
been unsuccessful since the viscosity of the asphalt be opening 5. In order to achieve substantial filling of the
comes too high to permit pouring. - enclosing case 3 with sand, it may be found desirable to
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide
an improved process for potting electrical apparatus. vibrate the assembly by means of a conventional vibrat
Another object of this invention is to provide an im Figs.table
ing 8 actuated by a driving motor 20. As shown in
4 and 5, the opening 5 is next closed by a plug 9
proved process for potting electrical apparatus with hard having a smaller opening 10 formed therein, plug 9
enable impregnating material having a granular material
filling which provides a higher content of such granular 70 being seated in the recessed opening 5 and soldered in
position.
material than prior processes. . . . As shown in Fig. 6, enclosing case 3 with the smaller
A further object of this invention is to provide a proc opening 10 remaining open is then lowered by means of
 2,938,313
3 4.
a suitable tray 11 into an impregnating tank 12. Im
pregnating tank 12 is provided with means for heating that
the same, such as, steam line 13, a hardenable impregnat
ing material input line 14, a pressure applying line 15,
a vacuum line 16 connected to suitable vacuum pumping
apparatus 17, an impregnating material drain line i8
and a cover member 19 adapted to be sealed on the tank
i2. Suitable valves are provided for opening and clos
ing the various lines in the proper sequence as is well
known in the art. After the case 3 on the tray 11 is
positioned within the tank 12, the lid 19 is closed. Tank
12 is then filled with heardenable impregnating material,
such as asphalt through line 4, and the material is
forced into the case 3 through the smaller opening 10 to
fill the case and impregnate the core and coil assembly
1 by means of a pressure differential established by a
suitable combination of vacuum drawn through line 16
and pressure applied through line 15. After completion
of the potting and impregnation process, the impregnat
ing material is drained from tank 12 through line 18, the
cover 19 is opened and the case 3 removed. The im
pregnating material is then hardened, in the case of asphalt
merely by cooling, and the small opening 10 is closed,
as by soldering as shown in Fig. 7. The excess im
pregnating material which may have adhered to outer
surface of case 3 is then removed by any conventional
degreasing process, for example as by spraying with
trichloroethylene as shown in Fig. 8.
I have found that in the case of relatively small
hermetically sealed transformers potted and impregnated
in accordance with my improved process, that an opening
5 approximately 34 inch diameter is adequate for admit
ting the sand. I have found that 400 mesh silica produces
a highly satisfactory product; when a finer mesh is used
the device cannot be impregnated since the Sand packs
too tightly together and cannot be penetrated by the im
pregnant and on the other hand, if a coarser mesh is
used, the sand content cannot be made sufficiently high.
I have further found that a A6 inch diameter opening
10 is adequate for introducing asphalt to the interior
of the case.
I have found that it is essential that the asphalt be
forced into the case and into the sand and core and coil
assembly under a pressure differential; merely pouring
hot asphalt into the sand will not even impregate the
sand much less impregate the core and coil assembly.
I have successfully used a pressure-vacuum impregnat
ing process as shown in Fig. 4 of the aforementioned
Mees' application to impregnate and pot hermetic trans
formers. More specifically, the case 3 is placed in the
tank 12, the lid 19 closed and sealed, and the tank with
the transformer therein is then heated at approximately
150 degrees C. for 30 minutes. 20 inch vacuum is then
pulled and released several times and the tank is then
flooded with asphalt preheated to 150 degrees C. to above
the top level of the transformer with existing vacuum.
The vacuum is then pulled, followed by the application
of nitrogen pressure at 80 pounds per square inch, the
pulling vacuum and subsequent application of positive
nitrogen pressure being repeated several times. The
asphalt is then drained from the tank, the transformer
removed and after cooling the small opening 10 is
soldered shut and the excess asphalt removed as above
described.
It will be understood that in my improved process,
other impregnating processes may be utilized so long as
the impregnating material is forced into the case under
a pressure differential.
It will now be seen that my improved process allows
impregnation of the core and coil assembly and potting of
the assembly within the enclosing case to be accomplished
in a single operation in contrast with the two separate
operations previously required. As previously was
pointed out, I have found that with this process the
asphalt can be filled with approximately 80 percent of
said by weight as opposed to the no more than 50 percent
of sand by weight previously obtained. I have found
this higher percentage of sand improves the heat
transfer characteristics of the transformer by approxi
riately 12 percent. It has further been found that this
higher sand content provides superior vibration perform
ance and that corona discharge is reduced in high voltage
units thereby making it possible to manufacture many
additional transformer designs with this process which
O were impossible to build by the prior process since they
could not be made corona-free. It has further been found
possible to completely fill certain types of transformers,
for example those having vertically mounted core and
coil assemblies, which were impossible to fill by the
5 prior process. Most importantly, as is pointed out above,
with this high sand content and forcing of the impregnat
ing material into the said and core and coil assembly
under a pressure differential, it has been found that the
asphalt will not soften and run out when the case is punc
20 tured even though the temperature is raised far above
the normal flowing temperature of the asphalt. To illus
trate this phenomenon, I cast two blocks of asphalt in
cylindrical containers, one having the asphalt preloaded
with 50 percent sand and the other having the mold filled
25 with sand and the asphalt introduced therein by the above
referred to pressure-vacuum process thereby providing
substantially 80 percent sand content. These two blocks
were remover from their molds and heated to 100
degrees C. for one and a half hours. At the end of this
30 initial period, the preloaded asphalt with 50 percent Sand
had substantially flattened while the other block having
the 80 percent sand content showed no change whatso
ever in its original configuration. The blocks were then
heated for one and a half hours at 115 degrees C. after
35 which time the 50 percent sand preloaded asphalt block
had the configuration of a pancake, being completely
semi-fluid, whereas the other block having 80 percent
sand content again showed no change from its original
configuration. The block formed in accordance with my
40 process and having 80 percent sand content was then
heated for one hour at 175 degrees C., i.e., substantially
above the 150 degrees C. at which the asphalt was forced
into the mold, and after this period the block was semi
plastic but none of the asphalt had run out; the block
45 made in the conventional manner could not be heated
at this temperature since the asphalt would completely
run out of the sand.
This improved process and particularly the unexpected
result provides superior transformers which will not leak
50 asphalt even though they are operated at above normal
temperatures and their cases are punctured. Further,
it will now permit such transformers to be designed for
operation at considerably higher temperatures.
While my improved process is described in connection
55 with the treatment of a transformer, it will be readily
apparent that it is equally useable with other electrical
apparatus such as relays and motors.
it will now be seen that my improved process has
four major and distinct advantages over the prior proc
60 esses; it permits coil impregnation and potting to be
performed in a single operation, it provides superior vibra
tion performance, it provides improved heat-transfer per
formance, and most importantly and unexpectantly it
provides a unit in which the impregnating material will
65 not run out even though the case is punctured and raised
to a temperature in excess of the normal flowing tem
perature of the material.
While I have shown and described a specific embodi
70 ment of this invention, further modifications and im
provements will occur to those skilled in the art. I desire
therefore in the appended claims to cover all modifica
tions which do not depart from the spirit and Scope of
this invention.
What I claim as new and desire to Secure by Letters
75
 2,988,818
5 6
Patent of the United States is: substantially filling said case with approximately 400 mesh
1. The process of potting and impregnating a core and sand while vibrating said case; closing
coil assembly for electrical apparatus comprising the with a plug having a smaller openingsaid case opening
therein; placing
steps of: positioning said assembly in an open-ended en said case in an impregnating tank; subjecting said case
closing case; securing a cover on said open end of said with said assembly therein to a pressure-vacuum impreg
case, said case having a relatively small opening remain nation treatment with hardenable impregnating material
ing herein; substantially filling said case with relatively substantially to fill said case and to impregnate said as
fine sand while vibrating said case; closing said case open sembly; removing said case from said tank; closing said
ing with a plug having a smaller opening therein; placing smaller opening after
said case in an impregnating tank; subjecting said case 10 and removing excess removal of the case from the tank;
material from the exterior of said
with said assembly therein to a pressure-vacuum impreg CaSC.
nation treatment with hardenable impregnating material
substantially to fill said case and to impregnate said as
sembly; removing said case from said tank; closing said References Cited in the file of this patent
smaller opening after removal of the case from said 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS
tank; and removing
of said case.
excess material from the exterior 1,827,571 Fiene ----------------- Oct. 13, 1931
2. The process of potting and impregnating a core and 1947,085 Hill ------------------ Feb. 13, 1934
coil assembly for electrical apparatus comprising the steps 2,047,260 Franklin --------------- July 14, 1936
2,126,532 Cate ------------------- Aug. 9, 1938
of: positioning said assembly in an open-ended enclosing 20 2,337,678 Nowell --------------- Dec. 28, 1943
case; securing a cover on said open end of said case, said 2,478,754 Dubillier --------------- Aug. 9, 1949
case having a relatively small opening remaining herein; 2,578,024 Steinmayer ------------ Dec. 11, 1951