Alternative Environmentally Friendly Insulating Gases for SF6

Trace Analysis of C4F7N Insulating Gas Mixtures by Spontaneous Raman Spectroscopy and Gas Chromatography

2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl) propanenitrile (C4F7N) is being researched as an alternative to sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) for applications in gas-insulated switchgear. We independently assessed the effectiveness of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and a novel method of feedback-assisted multipass cavity spontaneous Raman spectroscopy (SRS) for the trace quantification of impurities in C4F7N and its related byproducts. A total of 14 gases were identified with estimated concentrations as low as 20 ppm (ppm) for C3F6 using GC-MS and 7.4 ppm for CH4 using SRS and as high as 500 ppm for CF4 using GC-MS and 1430 ppm for CO using SRS. While GC-MS is highly effective in selectively detecting and quantifying trace contaminants, it necessitates separate detectors for various gases, such as CH4 and H2. SRS succeeded in detecting CF4 and C2F6 at concentrations of 465 and 100 ppm, respectively, and in placing an upper bound of several hundred ppm for the other analytes. Crucially, SRS holds potential for portability-and thus for field applications-in gas-insulated switchgear equipment diagnostics.

Rational Design of Reliable Computational Protocols for Predicting Dielectric Constants of Gaseous Molecules

A rapid prediction of the dielectric constants from a wide range of organic compounds is of paramount importance given the pressing need to find alternatives to SF6, one of the seven greenhouse gases. However, the availability of a universally applicable equation for predicting dielectric constants remains limited. This study endeavors to systematically develop a universal equation for predicting the dielectric constants of gaseous organic molecules in a systematic manner. The reliability of these newly developed equational protocols is evaluated through both quantitative (i.e., root-mean-squared deviation) and qualitative (i.e., Spearman's rank correlation coefficient) analyses. Equational optimization of the traditionally unreliable Clausius-Mossotti equation highlights the critical role of selecting a suitable variable to be incorporated into an adapted Clausius-Mossotti equation, ultimately enhancing the predictive accuracy. Furthermore, it is revealed that the nature of the chosen variable has a more significant impact on prediction accuracy than the quantity of variables introduced. These findings shed light on the ongoing efforts of developing a dependable protocol for predicting not only dielectric constants but also other vital insulating properties, such as dielectric strength.

Development of computational design for reliable prediction of dielectric strengths of perfluorocarbon compounds

The development of robust computational protocols capable of accurately predicting the dielectric strengths of eco-friendly insulating gas candidates is crucial; however, it lacks relevant efforts significantly. Consequently, a series of computational protocols are employed in this study to enable the computational prediction of polarizability and ionization energy of eco-friendly, perfluorinated carbon-based candidates, followed by the equation-based prediction of their dielectric strength. The validation process associated with the prediction of the afore-mentioned variables for selected datasets confirms the suitability of the B3LYP-based prediction protocol for reproducing experimental values. Subsequently, the validation of dielectric strength prediction outlines the following three conclusions. (1) The referenced equation adopted from a previous study is incapable of predicting the dielectric strengths of 137 organic compounds present in our database. (2) Parameterization of the coefficients in the referenced equation leads to the accurate prediction of the dielectric strengths. (3) Incorporation of a novel variable, viz. molecular weight, into the referenced equation combined with the parameterization of the coefficients leads to a robust protocol capable of predicting dielectric strengths with high efficiencies even with a significantly smaller fitting dataset. This implies the development of a comprehensive solution capable of accurately predicting the dielectric strengths of a substantially large dataset.

Exploring the Decomposition Products of 1,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene and Perfluoro-(3-methylbutan-2-one) Gas Mixtures in Medium-Voltage Electrical Switchgear as Alternatives to SF6

In this work, binary and ternary gas mixtures of 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, HFO-1234ze(E), and perfluoro-(3-methylbutan-2-one), CF₃C(O)CF(CF₃)₂, with CO₂ and synthetic air, are presented as alternatives to SF6 in medium-voltage electrical equipment. They were used in four medium-voltage switchgear cubicles replacing SF6 gas, and after a period of time, under permanent 30 kV AC voltage, gas mixture samples were extracted and analyzed on the same day using a validated methodology based on gas chromatography (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) and thermal conductivity (TCD). CF₄ (tetrafluoromethane), C₂F₆ (hexafluoroethane), C₃F₆ (hexafluoropropylene), C₃HF7 (1,1,1,2,2,3,3-heptafluoropropane), CH₂F₂ (difluoromethane), and the cis and trans-C₃H₂F₄ (1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene) have been identified as decomposition products in these gas mixtures. In addition, a quantity of water has been observed, as well as CO in one of the cubicles. The most abundant decomposition products identified in gas mixture samples (C₃HF₇ and C₃F₆) together with water and CO content have been quantified using commercial gas mixture reference standards. The toxicity and global warming of the analyzed compounds are evaluated to determine the most adequate gas mixture among those studied as a candidate to substitute SF6.

Study on the Compatibility of Gas Adsorbents Used in a New Insulating Gas Mixture C4F7N/CO2

An environment-friendly insulating gas, perfluoroisobutyronitrile (C4F7N), has been developed recent years. Due to its relatively high liquefaction temperature (around −4.7 °C), buffer gases, such as CO2 and N2, are usually mixed with C4F7N to increase the pressure of the filled insulating medium. During these processes, the insulating gases may be contaminated with micro-water, and the mixture of H2O with C4F7N could produce HF under breakdown voltage condition, which is harmful to the gas insulated electricity transfer equipment. Therefore, removal of H2O and HF in situ from the gas insulated electricity transfer equipment is significant to its operation security. The adsorbents with the ability to remove H2O but without obvious C4F7N/CO2 adsorption capacity are essential to be used in this system. In this work, a series of industrial adsorbents and desiccants were tested for their compatibility with C4F7N/CO2. Pulse adsorption tests were conducted to evaluate the adsorption performance of these adsorbents and desiccants on C4F7N and CO2. The 5A molecular sieve showed high adsorption of C4F7N (22.82 mL/g) and CO2 (43.86 mL/g); F-03 did not show adsorption capacity with C4F7N, however, it adsorbed CO2 (26.2 mL/g) clearly. Some other HF adsorbents, including NaF, CaF2, MgF2, Al(OH)3, and some desiccants including CaCl2, Na2SO4, MgSO4 were tested for their compatibility with C4F7N and CO2, and they showed negligible adsorption capacity on C4F7N and CO2. The results suggested that these adsorbents used in the gas insulated electricity transfer equipment filled with SF6 (mainly 5A and F-03 molecular sieves) are not suitable anymore. The results of this work suggest that it is a good strategy to use a mixture of desiccants and HF adsorbents as new adsorbents in the equipment filled with C4F7N/CO2.