John Sabau, aged 95, passed away suddenly on February 3, 2018.Â
He was a specialist in the physical chemistry of mineral insulating oils and the principle researcher of INSOIL Canada Ltd., which he founded after his immigration to Canada. After graduation from the University of Bucharest, where he studied Chemical Engineering, he joined a large electrical utility company, as manager of its chemical laboratory in Sibiu (Romania).
During his thirty years as laboratory manager for the electrical power industry, he studied the impact of electrical stress on the chemistry of liquid insulation in high voltage power transformers. His area of expertise included analysis and improvement of designs, functional diagnostics for the prevention of damage, and restoration of characteristics and prolongation of service life of power transformers. After his immigration to Canada in 1985, he developed several new technologies and laboratory testing procedures designed to enhance the service reliability of power transformers by improving the chemistry of mineral insulating oils.
He was successful in getting three of his methods recognized by ASTM. He was highly regarded at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary (AB, Canada) and he frequently published at DEIS conferences, in IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine and Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation. His numerous technical papers and patents published in North America, his visionand dedicated work earned him numerous accolades and recognition by bodies like the National Research Council, IEEE and ASTM.Â
