Abstract
For many years, SF6 has been the preferred dielectric medium in electrical power applications, particularly in high voltage gas-insulated equipment. However, with the recognition that SF6 has an extremely long atmospheric lifetime and very high global warming potential, governments have pursued emission reductions from gas-filled equipment. The electrical power industry has responded to this environmental challenge applying SF6-free technologies to an expanding range of applications which have traditionally used SF6, including gas-insulated switchgear, gas-insulated circuit breakers and gas-insulated lines or bus bars. Some of these SF6-free solutions include gas mixtures containing fluorinated compounds that have low climate impact, among them, a fluoronitrile and a fluoroketone developed as 3M™ Novec™ 4710 Insulating Gas and 3M™ Novec™ 5110 Insulating Gas, respectively. Both fluoronitrile and fluoroketone mixtures are successfully used in gas-insulated equipment currently operating on the grid where they reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 99% versus SF6. This paper reviews these leading components of alternative-gas mixtures with updates on the performance, safety and environmental profiles in electrical power applications.
Highlights
One metric for analyzing the potential environmental impact of SF6 alternatives is a comparison of the global warming potential (GWP) for the gases used within the different technologies
The safety of Novec gases has been evaluated through a series of toxicological studies which demonstrate that the hazard profiles of the gas mixtures containing these materials are safe to handle in gas-filled equipment
Both alternative gases have significantly lower GWPs than SF6. Their shorter atmospheric lifetimes prevent measurable accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere. This results in substantial reduction (>99.9%) in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the expected working life of equipment using these alternatives, irrespective of the GWP for the individual gas mixture components
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. To be sustainable alternatives, new be stable over the working life of this equipment without contributing to corrosion or compounds need to have acceptable combinations of environmental properties, including other adverse effects on the device. A fluoronitrile and a fluoroketone, were found to combine the as a key dielectric component in insulating gas mixtures while providing significantly requisite properties for electric power applications. They both have been shown to function lower climate impact. For the duration of this paper, these compounds will be identified as Novec 5110 gas and mixtures covering material performance in dielectric applications well. Material properties and performance in dielectric applications as well as safety and environmental considerations
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