Transport Coefficients of High Temperature SF6–He Mixtures Used in Switching Applications as an Alternative to Pure SF6

Abstract

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas has a quite high global warming potential and hence it is required that applying any substitute for SF6 gas. Much interest in the use of a mixture of helium and SF6 as arc quenching medium were investigated indicating a high performance of arc interruption. The calculated values of transport coefficients of mixtures of SF6–He mixtures, at high temperatures are presented in this paper: to the knowledge of the authors, related data have not been reported in the literature. The species composition and thermodynamic properties are determined by the method of Gibbs free energy minimization, using standard thermodynamic tables. The transport properties including electron diffusion coefficients, viscosity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, are evaluated by using the Chapman–Enskog method expanded up to the third-order approximation (second-order for viscosity). Particular attention is paid to the collision integral database by the use of the most accurate and recent cross-sections or interaction potentials available in the literature. The calculations, which assume local thermodynamic equilibrium, are performed in the temperature range from 300 to 30,000 K for different pressures between 0.1 and 16 atm. An evaluation of the current interruption performance by adding He into SF6 is discussed from a microscopic point of view. The properties with regard to SF6–He mixtures calculated here are expected to be reliable because of the improved collision integrals employed.