design, application and experience of sf6 gas insulated...

-1-

IEEE/PES Substation Committee - GIS Subcommittee

Design, Application and Experience of SF6Gas Insulated Substations (GIS) and Lines (GIL)

SF6 Environmental Aspects

Daniel C. Lauzon

Email: [email protected]

-2-



What is sulfur Hexafluoride?

• SF6 is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic and non-flammable gas.

• 5 times heavier than air

• Extremely stable gas with high dielectric strength and excellent arc-quenching properties

buta potent greenhouse gas

1 lb SF6 = 22,500 lbs CO2 equivalent

-3-



Quenching Capacity of SF6

-4-



What to do about the high GWP of SF6?

• No legislation foreseen

• Handling Guidelines

• Corporate programs• The ReUse of SF6• Life Cycle Assessment

• Government programs• User Agreements

-5-



SF6 Handling Guidelines

Guide to the Checking of Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) Taken from Electrical Installations

IEC Standard 60480

SF6 Recycling GuideCIGRE WG 23.02

plus others

-6-



The SF6 ReUse Program

New gasChecking the state of gas

SO2 decomposition productsH2OAirOil

Electricalapparatus

good

ProducerSOLVAY

ProducerSOLVAY

Incineration

SF6 servicing unit

SF6 servicing unit

Normal Case

Special Case

Exceptional Case

-7-



The SF6 ReUse Program - Normal Case

• Determine gas quality

• Remove SF6 from electrical enclosure

• Filter contaminants

• Re-analyze

• Re-introduce SF6 into enclosure

-8-



The SF6 ReUse Program – Special Case• Contact a Solvay company to receive sampling kit

• Gas is analyzed to determine suitability for reclaiming

• Company sends used SF6 back to a gas handling facility in specially marked cylinders

• When a sufficient quantity is obtained, used gas is sent back to Solvay Fluor’s production facility in Germany

• Used SF6 is fed back into virgin SF6production stream

• Fulfills all requirements of virgin gas

-9-



The SF6 ReUse Program – Special Case

-10-



The SF6 ReUse Program – Special Case

-11-



Life Cycle Assessment

• Provides comprehensive consideration of entire power supply system.

• Looks beyond the environmental view limited to the greenhouse potential of a unit of SF6

Life Cycle Assessment is directed to allrelevant environmental criteria

-12-



AIS Technologyfour substations on outskirts

GIS TechnologyThree substations in the city

-13-



GIS reduces all potential environmental impacts studied

-14-



Life Cycle Assessment - Conclusions

• Use of SF6 leads to considerable environmental advantages

• Requires the use of GIS installations that ensure low SF6 emissions and rigorous application of a closed loop SF6 cycle (ReUse Program)

Technical and logistical prerequisites for this effort already exist

-15-



User Agreements

• Generally recognized that there are no suitable alternatives for SF6 in the short or medium term

• No plans foreseen to legislate phase-out of SF6

• Government bodies and agencies have implemented a number of voluntary programs aimed at reducing SF6 emissions

• Europe – CIGRE• USA - EPA

-16-



United States Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA’s SF6 Emissions Reduction Partnership for Electric Power Systems

The partnership’s primary goal is to

achieve environmental and economic benefits by reducing SF6 emissions

-17-



EPA’s Memorandum of Understanding

• To become a partner, interested parties sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

• MOU is a voluntary agreement between EPA and industry partners that outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party.

MOU commits partners to explore only the emissions abatement strategies that are both technically and economically feasible,

permitting individual partners to determine the best strategy for their particular situation.

-18-



Bibliography

Guide for SF6 Gas MixturesCIGRE WG 23-02, TF01

SF6 Recycling GuideCIGRE WG 23-10, TF01

Guide to the checking of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) taken from electrical installationsIEC 60480

Handling of SF6 and its Decomposition Products in Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS)CIGRE WG 23-03

Use and Handling of Sulfur Hexafluoride in High-voltage Switchgear and Control GearIEC/TR2 61634

Practical Guide to SF6 Handling PracticesTR-113933

design, application and experience of sf6 gas insulated...

Documents