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COMPUTATIONAL INVESTIGATION ON APPLICATION OF SF6 ALTERNATIVE GASES IN GAS BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKERS

COMPUTATIONAL INVESTIGATION ON APPLICATION OF SF6 ALTERNATIVE GASES IN GAS BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKERS



J. L Zhang (lead presenter)¹, Q. Zhang<sup>1

1</sup> School of Advanced Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Industrial Park,  Suzhou, 215123, China



* Corresponding address (Email: Jinling.zhang@xjtlu.edu.cn )



Abstract - Much attention has been paid to studies searching for alternative gases for SF₆ in context of switching arcs, due to high global warming potential of SF₆. The work reported includes both experimental and theoretical sides, whilst considering conventional gases such as CO₂, N₂ (or Air) and new gases like CF₃I [1]. However, the attention paid to the influence of gas properties on arc cooling under rapidly changing current is rare and, also, almost no concern is address to the effects of interruption chamber geometry (including the nozzle) on arc interruption with different gas media. Thus, there is, so far, still no clear guidance on choosing SF6 alternatives and the relevant design issues of interruption chamber.



The present investigation aims to run a systematic theoretical study on applying SF₆ alternative gases in the switching arc context. Conventional gases of CO₂, N₂ and/or Air will be considered, as well as SF₆ for comparison. The study is based on the two-pressure system with different nozzle interrupters used in the experimental investigations of [2, 3, 4] in which measurements of thermal interruption capability (characterized by the critical rate of rise of recovery voltage, RRRV) are reported. Our computational results will be compared with corresponding measurements to verify the arc model applied. A detailed analysis will be carried out on the dominant arc cooling mechanism during arcing process and their relation to the gas properties. The correlation of interrupter geometry with arc quenching performance of different gases will also be studied, aiming to provide some guidance on interrupter design in gas blast circuit breakers.







Keywords: gas blast circuit breakers; alternative gases; gas properties; dominate energy transport mechanisms





Reference:

[1] S. Xiao, X. Zhang, J. Tang and S. Liu, “A review on SF₆ substitute gases and research status of CF₃I gases”, Energy Reports 4, pp. 486–496, 2018.

[2] G. Frind, R.E. Kinsinger, R. D. Miller, H. T. Nagamatsu and H. O.  Noeske, “Fundamental investigation of arc interruption in gas flows EPRI EL-284 (Project 246-1)”, 1977.

[3] G. Frind and J. A. Rich, “Recovery speed of axial flow gas blast interrupter: Dependence on pressure and di/dt for air and SF₆”,IEEE Trans. Power App. Syst., vol. PAS-93, pp. 1675-1684, 1974.

[4] L. C. Campbell, J. F. Perkins, and J. L. Dallachy, “Effect of nozzle pressure ratio on SF₆ arc interruption,” in Proc. 4th Int. Conf. Gas Discharges, Swansea, U.K., 1976, pp. 44–47.