Electric Field and Current Density Performance Analysis of Sf6, C4f8 and CO2 Gases As An Insulation

Abstract

SF6 gases are not only widely used as an insulating component in electric power industry but also as an arc extinguishing performance in high voltage (HV) gas-insulated circuit breaker (GCB). SF6 gases is generally used in the production of semiconductor materials and devices. Though these gasses is widely used in many application, the presences of temperature hotspot in the insulations may affect the insulation characteristics particularly electric field and current density. Therefore, it is important to determine the relationship between electric field and current density of gasses used in the insulator in the presence of hotspot. In this paper, three types of gases in particular Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6), Octafluorocylobutane (C4F8), and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) was used in the insulator for gas insulation with the presence of two hotspots. These two hotspost were detected by referring the rising temperature in the insulator which are 1000 and 2000 Kelvin temperature for hotspot 1 and hotspot 2, respectively. From the simulation results, it can be concluded that Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) is the best choice for gas insulation since it had the lowest current density and electric field compared to Octafluorocylobutane (C4F8), and Carbon Dioxide (CO2). It is observed that the maximum current density and electric field for SF6 during normal condition are 358.94 × 103 V/m and 0.643 × 109 A/m2, respectively. Meanwhile, during temperature rising at hotspot 1 and hotspot 2, SF6 also had lowest current density and electric field compared to the other gasses where the results for Emax and Jmax at hotspot 1 are 322.34 × 103 V/m and 1.934 × 109 A/m2, respectively; While, Emax and Jmax at hotspot 2 are 259.77× 103 V/m and 2.824 × 109 A/m2. The results of this analysis can be used to find the best choices of gas that can be used in the insulator.