Comparison of SF6/N2 and SF6/CO2 gas mixtures as alternatives to SF6 gas

The interest in SF₆ gas mixtures has been re-ignited in recent years by the issue of the greenhouse effect of the SF₆ gas, and most research work is now focused on a SF₆/N₂ gas mixture, which is suitable for application in electrical apparatus with slightly non-uniform fields. This paper presents a comparison of SF₆/N₂ and SF₆/CO₂ gas mixtures with a viewpoint of their possible applications to gas-insulated transformers, where both highly non-uniform field problems and partial discharges in gas/film insulation are inevitable. It is shown that in this case the dielectric strength of SF₆/CO₂ is superior to that of SF₆/N ₂ with a minor disadvantage related to the gas decomposition in SF₆/CO₂. However, this may not be a problem for the SF₆/CO₂ gas mixture to be used in gas-insulated transformers, where internal breakdown is not allowed     

SF6/N2 mixtures: basic and HV insulationproperties

The widespread use of SF₆ by the electric power and other industries has led to increased concentrations of SF₆ in the atmosphere. This causes concern as to possible effects on global warming, because SF₆ is a potent greenhouse gas. This paper first touches on this issue and then documents the behavior of high pressure gases such as N₂ and SF₆/N₂ mixtures that can be realistically considered as acceptable intermediate or long-term replacements for pure SF₆ in some HV applications. The possible use of dilute SF₆/N₂ mixtures as an alternative to pure SF₆ for some of industry's insulation needs (albeit at higher pressure) is documented, and existing knowledge on these mixtures and on the individual components (N₂ and SF₆), both basic and applied, is compiled. A guide to existing literature is provided     

Partial discharge and breakdown mechanisms in ultra-dilute SF6/N2 gas mixtures

With the goal of reducing SF₆ gas usage, we investigated partial discharge (PD) and breakdown (BD) mechanisms in ultra-dilute (0 to 1%) SF₆/N₂ gas mixtures. The experimental results and discussions are given in this paper. In particular, we focused our research on the transition characteristics of the electrical insulation performance with an extremely small amount of SF₆ content, the PD behavior on the applied voltage, and the relation among prebreakdown streamer, return stroke and BD. Moreover, we discussed the PD and so mechanisms with reference of space charge behavior. From these results, the transition threshold at which the influence of SF₆ gas on the discharge characteristics began to appear, was clarified to be SF₆ content k=10 ppm for a total pressure of 0.1 MPa     

Anomalous creeping flashover characteristics in N2/SF6 mixed gas under single pulse voltage

Creeping flashover characteristics for the needle electrode-plane electrode filled with N₂/SF₆ gas mixtures have been investigated. In the case of the needle-plane configuration, the flashover voltage was enhanced by an admixture of SF₆ into N ₂. On the other hand, by the insertion of a solid dielectric barrier between the needle and the plane, only the negative creeping flashover voltage was reduced drastically by the admixture of SF₆ gas into N₂ gas, and a highly emissive region at the top of a creeping corona was found in N₂/SF₆ gas mixture. This behavior is strongly affected by the creeping corona extension process, depending on the creeping distance and the gas pressure     

Seismic behavior of `candle' type SF6 outdoor circuitbreakers and associated SF6 insulated current transformers

The authors analyze the seismic behavior of live tank circuit breakers of the candle-type architecture, i.e. breakers that support only one chamber per column and have a closing resistor built in the interrupting chamber. This arrangement has a lower interrupting module weight and the resistor is in the axis of the column. In the case of T or V configurations with two chambers per column and with a closing resistor chamber in parallel to the main chamber, it results in some large masses off-centered on each side of the column. It is shown that the candle architecture makes possible a simple simulation and economical solution to the problem of seismic resistance, SF₆ current transformers associated with these breakers are also modeled by a simple computational model     

SF6新气痕量杂质对SF6电气设备寿命的影响

为了给电气设备中的SF6新气质量控制提供参考,研究了SF6新气中痕量杂质对电气设备运行寿命的影响。通过一个与电流互感器共气室的直线隔离开关装置,模拟了中心导杆上金属尖端放电内部缺陷。在220kV单电压和220kV、3 150A同步升流升压2种方式下,分别充入不同品质的SF6新气进行约100h的试验。并采用SF6气相色谱质谱分析技术、加拿大SF6杂质分析仪DPD,跟踪检测SF6气体痕量杂质各组分体积分数变化情况。结果表明,设备中充入低品质SF6新气(含有较高浓度的全氟烷烃、氟化硫酰、及碳硫氟化物等多种杂质),在放电末期产生较多的SO2F2、SOF2和SO2。而酸性的SO2对设备具有腐蚀作用,因此,当SF6新气中痕量杂质过高时,其充入电气设备后,将减少SF6电气设备运行寿命,尤其是开断设备。     

通过检测SO2发现SF6电气设备故障

通过几例SF6电气设备故障的分析和检出,说明检测SO2能够诊断SF6电气设备故障。SO2是SF6主要分解物SOF2的水解产物,是稳定气体,在分解物中一般含量较高,当故障涉及到固体绝缘材料时,SO2含量更高,检测SO2方法很多,用检测管简易方便,有足够的灵敏度。     

低SF6含量混合气体电晕放电特性仿真研究

低SF6含量混合气体绝缘介质最有可能替代SF6气体应用于气体绝缘设备中。本研究采用有限元-通量校正传输(FEM-FCT)法求解低SF6含量的SF6/N2混合气体二维流注电晕放电的数学模型,考虑了空间电荷对场域的畸变作用,研究了SF6/N2混合气体二维流注电晕的放电特性,展示了流注电晕放电发展过程中间隙内部各种带电粒子浓度和空间电场的分布。仿真表明:棒-板间隙中空间光电离对流注电晕发展的影响强于阴极光发射;外施电压幅值小时,流注形成和发展速度较慢,流注电晕相对稳定。     

六氟化硫断路器分析及检修方法

通过对SF6断路器采用SF6气体作为灭孤介质的优缺点进行了分析,论述了SF6气体优良的灭孤性能和其分解副产物的腐蚀性能及解决措施,并对SF6断路器的检修方法进行了阐述.     

UHF detection of leader discharges in SF6

The ultra-high frequency (UHF) technique of partial discharge detection has been used to study the partial discharges produced by electrode protrusions and surface contamination in a gas insulated substation (GIS). The paper describes the stages of discharge development from inception to breakdown. The work has shown that the UHF technique may be used to identify distinct phases of discharge activity corresponding to discharge inception and a prebreakdown condition. The prebreakdown activity is detected as an increase in the UHF signal magnitude which has been attributed to the formation of leader-type discharges. These discharges form an essential part of the breakdown process, and their detection can be used to identify when the system is close to breakdown. The paper describes a filtering technique that may be employed to optimize the sensitivity of UHF leader detection     

Dielectric strength of SF6 insulation in EHVdisconnectors

A new method for the calculation of parameters of SF₆ insulation for extra HV GIS disconnectors is given. This method is based on a new criterion for leader inception, which is connected with the value of the peripheral electric field near the boundary of the streamer zone. The presence of such a critical field is confirmed by analysis of experimental results and physical considerations     

Spark decomposition of SF6: chemical and biologicalstudies

Because electric arcs, sparks or corona can decompose SF₆ insulators into byproducts having chemical properties different from SF₆, environmental concerns arise regarding inadvertent human exposures to electrically decomposed SF₆. Biological assays using mammalian cell culture systems have revealed that SF₆ , spark-decomposed under specific experimental conditions, can produce cell death. Chemical analysis of spark-decomposed SF₆ has identified the major decomposition pathways and byproducts. Biological testing of individual byproduct mixtures has indicated that these major decomposition products may not account for the majority of the cell-killing effects seen in the assays. Further experiments have suggested that S₂F₁₀ may be produced and accumulate under the specific decomposition conditions and that this compound may be a major contributor to the observed cell lethality. It is concluded that testing of samples from commercial facilities and assays of decomposed gas after ameliorative treatments would both be appropriate investigations     

Variation of surface flashover voltage in SF6 withpressure

Surface flashover characteristics of solid spacers in a rod-plane configuration have been investigated in SF₆, at pressures to 400 kPa, for switching impulse voltages to determine the effect of spacer, spacer materials and polarity of applied impulses. The effect of spacer material on the flashover voltage is not significant. For negative polarity impulses, the influence of the spacer is also insignificant. But for positive polarity impulses, at pressures <200 kPa, the spacer efficiency becomes >1.0. On the other hand, at pressures >200 kPa, the presence of the spacer drastically reduces the flashover voltage of the system. At about atmospheric pressure also, the spacer efficiency in air has been found to be >1.0, with the same electrode geometry     

Prediction of breakdown in SF6 under impulse conditions

Prediction of fast transient voltage-induced breakdown in quasi-homogeneous field geometries requires compounding the breakdown probability over time, while taking into account the field-dependent probability of electron detachment. In this paper, a breakdown probability model has been developed to predict the impulse breakdown under quasi-uniform fields, as this is the fundamental condition, the knowledge of which facilitates computation of breakdown probability under more complex conditions. The model will facilitate computation of breakdown probability under more complex conditions. It accounts for the effect of the streamer formation length on the critical volume and the probability of initial electron production by electron detachment from negative ions. The proposed model has been verified through comparison with the measured impulse breakdown probabilities. The predicted breakdown probabilities are in good agreement (±10%) with those measured     

Breakdown behavior of SF6 gas-insulated systems at lowtemperature

The controversy surrounding low-temperature SF₆ breakdown is addressed in detail. Earlier relevant studies are reviewed, some of the existing data is analyzed in a new light, and further theoretical considerations are presented. These discussions served to outline an experimental approach aimed at confirming or invalidating breakdown invariance at subnormal temperatures. Low-temperature dc breakdown of an SF₆ gas-insulated system was investigated experimentally for temperatures ranging from -50 to 24°C, using associated pressure values that had been selected carefully to avoid phase transition of the gas-insulating medium. The context allowed experimentation under both uniform and nonuniform field conditions; the nonuniformity was due to the active role of the cathode-gas interface at high fields. The experiment was conducted for molecular densities ranging from 2.596 to 16.43×10¹⁹ cm^-3 (equivalent to pressures of 105 and 624 kPa, respectively, at 24°C) and for gap lengths starting at 0.5 mm and extending to 7 mm. Data sets show consistency, low statistical scattering, and high reproducibility. Data analysis led to several major conclusions. At constant density, the breakdown of the SF₆-insulated system is temperature dependent, which is responsible for a decrease in the electric strength, by ~10%. This decrease occurs for uniform field conditions, the effect being small if not negligible for nonuniform field conditions, and is noted to appear at a threshold temperature (-25 to -30°C), take a constant value, and be fairly independent of density     

Pattern analysis of partial discharges in SF6 GIS

The measurement of partial discharge(PD) of several faults in gas-insulated system (GIS) is discussed. Phase-resolved PD patterns have been measured using three different PD detection measuring systems: according to the IEC 270 recommendations, a VHF/UHF measuring system with narrow band filtering, and the UHF measuring system with wide band filtering. PD patterns are compared using computer-based discrimination tools. The influence of the selected center frequency on the PD patterns is discussed for the narrow band VHF/UHF measuring system. The influence of the number and type of GIS components between the discharging defect and the capacitive coupler on the shape of the PD patterns is analyzed. For several GIS components the signal reduction is studied. It was found that the shape of PD patterns is independent on the used PD detection circuit and the propagation path of the PD signals. As a result, discrimination and classification of PD distributions of several studied defects are possible using digital tools     

500kV SF6断路器爆炸事故分析

通过对某台500-SFM-50E型500 kVSF6断路器的爆炸事故原因分析,找到了爆炸的原因是断路器在热备用过程中并联电容被击穿引起的,并提出了防范措施,避免同类事故的发生。     

应用SF6气体分解产物的高压开关设备故障诊断

全封闭式组合电器（gas insulated switchgear,GIS）、SF6断路器等高压开关设备广泛应用于110kV及以上电压等级的电网中,设备故障诊断及状态判断是亟待解决的关键问题。分析SF6开关设备发生放电、过热等故障产生的气体分解产物,提出不同故障类型的分解产物特征气体,比较设备故障诊断现有判据,提出开关...