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IEC 60376
®
Edition 3.0 2018-03

PRE-RELEASE VERSION (FDIS)

Specification of technical grade sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and complementary

gases to be used in its mixtures for use in electrical equipment
IEC 60376:2018-03 PRV(en)
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IEC 60376
®
Edition 3.0 2018-03

PRE-RELEASE VERSION (FDIS)

Specification of technical grade sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and complementary

gases to be used in its mixtures for use in electrical equipment

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION

ICS 29.040.20

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® Registered trademark of the International Electrotechnical Commission

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10/1056/FDIS

FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD (FDIS)

P ROJECT NUMBER :
IEC 60376 ED3

D ATE OF CIRCULATION : C LOSING DATE FOR VOTING :

2018-03-16 2018-04-27

S UPERSEDES DOCUMENTS :

10/1017/CDV, 10/1025A/RVC

IEC TC 10 : F LUIDS FOR ELECTROTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS

S ECRETARIAT : S ECRETARY :

Italy Mr Massimo Pompili

O F INTEREST TO THE FOLLOW ING COMMITTEES : HORIZONTAL STANDARD :

TC 14, SC 17A, TC 20, SC 36A, TC 38, TC 112

F UNCTIONS CONCERNED :
EMC E NVIRONMENT Q UALITY ASSURANCE S AFETY

S UBMITTED FOR CENELEC PARALLEL VOTING N OT SUBMITTED FOR CENELEC PARALLEL VOTING

Attention IEC-CENELEC parallel voting

The attention of IEC National Committees, members of

CENELEC, is drawn to the fact that this Final Draft International
Standard (FDIS) is submitted for parallel voting.

The CENELEC members are invited to vote through the

CENELEC online voting system.

This document is a draft distributed for approval. It may not be referred to as an International Standard until published as such.
In addition to their evaluation as being acceptable for industrial, technological, commercial and user purposes, Final Draft
International Standards may on occasion have to be considered in the light of their potential to become standards to which reference
may be made in national regulations.
Recipients of this document are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

T ITLE :

Specification of technical grade sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) and complementary gases to be used in its mixtures
for use in electrical equipment

PROPOSED STABILITY DATE : 2022

N OTE FROM TC/SC OFFICERS :

Copyright © 2018 International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC. All rights reserved. It is permitted to download this
electronic file, to make a copy and to print out the content for the sole purpose of preparing National Committee positions.
You may not copy or "mirror" the file or printed version of the document, or any part of it, for any other purpose without
permission in writing from IEC.
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–2– IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018

CONTENTS

FOREWORD ........................................................................................................................... 4
1 Scope .............................................................................................................................. 6
2 Normative references ...................................................................................................... 6
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms ........................................................................ 7
3.1 Terms and definitions .............................................................................................. 7
3.2 Abbreviated terms ................................................................................................... 7
4 General requirements ...................................................................................................... 8
5 Requirements for technical grade SF 6 ............................................................................. 8
6 Requirements for complementary gases to be used in SF 6 mixtures ................................ 9
7 Environmental impact .................................................................................................... 10
8 Handling, storage and transportation ............................................................................. 10
8.1 Gas handling procedures ...................................................................................... 10
8.2 Storage and transportation .................................................................................... 10
Annex A (informative) Sulphur hexafluoride ......................................................................... 11
A.1 General ................................................................................................................. 11
A.2 Chemical properties .............................................................................................. 11
A.3 Physical properties ............................................................................................... 11
A.4 Electrical properties .............................................................................................. 12
Annex B (informative) Environmental effects of SF 6 and its mixtures ................................... 14
B.1 General ................................................................................................................. 14
B.2 Ecotoxicology ....................................................................................................... 14
B.3 Ozone depletion .................................................................................................... 14
B.4 Global warming/climate change (greenhouse effect) ............................................. 14
B.5 Reducing the environmental impact of the use of SF 6 and CF 4 in
electrical equipment ............................................................................................ 15
Annex C (informative) Detection techniques ......................................................................... 16
C.1 Detection techniques of SF 6 ................................................................................. 16
C.2 Detection techniques of N 2 ................................................................................... 17
C.3 Detection techniques of CF 4 ................................................................................. 17
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................... 18

Figure A.1 – Pressure/temperature/density characteristics for SF 6 [3] .................................. 12

Table 1 – Requirements for technical grade SF 6 ..................................................................... 8

Table 2 – Requirements for N 2 to be used in SF 6 mixtures ..................................................... 9
Table 3 – Requirements for CF 4 to be used in SF 6 mixtures ................................................... 9
Table A.1 – Main chemical characteristics of SF 6 [3] ............................................................ 11
Table A.2 – Main physical characteristics of SF 6 [3] ............................................................. 12
Table A.3 – Main electrical characteristics of SF 6 [3] ............................................................ 13
Table C.1 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis of technical grade SF 6 (not
exhaustive) ........................................................................................................................... 16
Table C.2 – Detection techniques for on-site analysis of technical grade SF 6 (not
exhaustive) ........................................................................................................................... 16
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IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018 –3–

Table C.3 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis of technical grade N 2 used in
SF 6 mixtures (not exhaustive)............................................................................................... 17
Table C.4 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis of technical grade CF 4 used
in SF 6 mixtures (not exhaustive) ........................................................................................... 17
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–4– IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________

SPECIFICATION OF TECHNICAL GRADE SULPHUR

HEXAFLUORIDE (SF6) AND COMPLEMENTARY GASES
TO BE USED IN ITS MIXTURES FOR USE IN ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
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agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
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6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

International Standard IEC 60376 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 10: Fluids
for electrotechnical applications.

This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition published in 2005. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.

This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:

a) the requirements for the use of SF 6 in electrical equipment have been confirmed;
b) a specification for complementary gases to be used in SF 6 mixtures with N 2 and CF 4 has
been included;
c) the introduction and scope have been merged;
d) a new repartition of the annexes of IEC 60376, IEC 60480 and IEC 62271-4 has been
included.
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IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018 –5–

The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:

FDIS Report on voting

10/XX/FDIS 10/XX/RVD

Full information on the voting for the approval of this International Standard can be found in
the report on voting indicated in the above table.

This document has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to
the specific document. At this date, the document will be

• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.

A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.

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–6– IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018

SPECIFICATION OF TECHNICAL GRADE SULPHUR

HEXAFLUORIDE (SF6) AND COMPLEMENTARY GASES
TO BE USED IN ITS MIXTURES FOR USE IN ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

1 Scope

This document defines the quality for technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) and
complementary gases such as nitrogen (N 2 ) and carbon tetra-fluoride (CF 4 ), for use in
electrical equipment. Detection techniques, covering both laboratory and in-situ
portable instrumentation, applicable to the analysis of SF 6 , N 2 and CF 4 gases prior to the
introduction of these gases into the electrical equipment are also described in this document.

This document provides some information on sulphur hexafluoride in Annex A and on the
environmental effects of SF 6 in Annex B.

Information about SF 6 by-products and the procedure for evaluating the potential effects of
SF 6 by-products on human health are covered by IEC 60480, their handling and disposal
being carried out according to international and local regulations with regard to the impact on
the environment. Handling of SF 6 and its mixtures is covered by IEC 62271-4.

Procedures to determine SF 6 leakages are described in IEC 60068-2-17.

For the purposes of this document, the complementary gases used in SF 6 mixtures will be
limited to N 2 or CF 4 .

2 Normative references

The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their
content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition
cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including
any amendments) applies.

IEC 60050-212, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary – Part 212: Electrical insulating

solids, liquids and gases (available at http://www.electropedia.org)

IEC 60050-441, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary – Part 441: Switchgear, controlgear

and fuses (available at http://www.electropedia.org)

IEC 60050-826, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary – Part 826: Electrical installations

(available at http://www.electropedia.org)

IEC 60480, Guidelines for the checking and treatment of sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) taken
from electrical equipment and specification for its re-use

IEC 62271-4, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 4: Handling procedures for
sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) and its mixtures
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IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018 –7–

3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms

3.1 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 60050-212,
IEC 60050-441 and IEC 60050-826 and the following apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:

• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/

• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
NOTE Some of the more important terms are listed here for easy reference.

3.1.1
electrical equipment
item used for such purposes as generation, conversion, transmission, distribution or utilization
of electrical energy, such as electric machines, transformers, switchgear and controlgear,
measuring instruments, protective devices, wiring systems, current-using equipment,
insulated bushings, surge arresters

[SOURCE: IEC 60050-826:2004, 826-16-01, modified – "insulated bushings, surge arresters"

has been added.]

3.1.2
technical grade SF 6
SF 6 gas having a very low level of contaminants in accordance with IEC 60376:2018, Table 1

3.1.3
SF 6 mixture
gas mixture formed by SF 6 and a complementary gas, typically N 2 or CF 4

3.1.4
container
vessel (cylinder) suitable for the containment of pressurized gases either in gaseous or liquid
phase, according to local and/or international safety and transportation regulations

3.1.5
contaminant
foreign substance or material in an insulating liquid or gas which usually has a deleterious
effect on one or more properties

[SOURCE: IEC 60050-212:2010, 212-17-27, modified – “solid” has been removed.]

3.2 Abbreviated terms

GCB gas circuit breaker
GIL gas insulated line
GIS gas insulated switchgear
GIT gas insulated transformer
GVT gas insulated voltage transformer
LCA life cycle assessment
OEM original equipment manufacturer
GWP global warming potential
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–8– IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018

4 General requirements

It is the responsibility of the supplier to guarantee that the delivered gas or gas mixture is
non-toxic, in accordance with international and local regulations.

5 Requirements for technical grade SF 6

SF 6 for use in electrical equipment as pure gas or in an SF 6 mixture shall fulfil requirements
given in Table 1. The accuracy of the measuring devices shall be taken into account when
checking the quality of the gas.

Further handling and storage of the gas and operation of equipment may introduce additional
quantities of contaminants. This situation is covered in IEC 60480.

Table 1 – Requirements for technical grade SF 6

Substance Concentration
> 98,5 % volume in the gas phase
SF 6
For use in mixtures: > 99,7 % volume in the gas phase
< 10 000 µl/l (i.e. 1 % volume) for pure SF 6
Air
For use in mixtures: < 2 000 µl/l (i.e. 0,2 % volume)
< 4 000 µl/l (i.e. 0,4 % volume) for pure SF 6
CF 4
For use in mixtures: < 800 µl/l (i.e. 0,08 % volume)
H2O < 200 µl/l (i.e. 200 ppmv)
Mineral oil < 10 mg/kg (i.e. 10 ppmw)
Total acidity < 7 µl/l (i.e. 7 ppmv)

Key

ppmv = parts per million by volume

ppmw = parts per million by weight

Regarding the values in Table 1 and depending on the situation, the following considerations
shall be taken into account:

– The error in the final mixing percentage of the SF 6 gas mixture mainly depends on
handling and purity of SF 6 and the complementary gas. The error due to handling can be
reduced by using gas mixing devices, or high accuracy manometers and thermometers
(e.g. class 0.1 or better). The error due to purity can be reduced by using high purity
gases (e.g. 99,9 % volume or higher).
– SF 6 for use in filling electrical equipment shall fulfil specifications given in Table 1. This is
with the exception of gas mixtures with a rated tolerance specified by the original
equipment manufacturer (OEM) to be less than ±5 % by volume of the SF 6 percentage. In
that case, to limit the total uncertainty after a typical gas handling operation such as re-
filling in order to comply with OEM specifications on the mixture composition ratio, higher
SF 6 purity grade > 99,7 % volume shall be used.
– For the determination of total acidity, the sum of all acidic compounds is reported as one
value and expressed as HF equivalent. For further information, refer to [1] 1 and [2].
– For humidity measurement, the limit expressed in Table 1 is equivalent to –36 °C frost
point at 100 kPa.

_______________
1 Numbers in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.
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IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018 –9–

NOTE 1 The concentration of the contaminants in SF 6 can be different between the liquid and gas phase.
Humidity and air are most likely present in the gas phase while oil is most likely present in liquid phase.

NOTE 2 Detection techniques applicable for laboratory and field verification of these limits are given in Annex C.

NOTE 3 For SF 6 measurement by speed of sound technique, available instruments are typically calibrated for
SF 6 /N 2 or SF 6 /CF 4 mixtures. The presence of significant quantities of a third gas as contaminant in excess of 1 %
would affect the accuracy of the measurement.

NOTE 4 Electrochemical sensors have certain cross sensitivities to other substances. The value of 2 µl/l,
measured by an electrochemical SO 2 sensor, can be interpreted as an approximation of the total acidity of 7 µl/l.
Different sensors can react differently to the presence of further substances or flow/pressure variations. Since the
electrochemical cells are not sensitive to SF 6 , any indication is triggered by some substance other than SF 6 .

6 Requirements for complementary gases to be used in SF 6 mixtures

SF 6 mixtures are used in electrical equipment mainly for cold ambient temperature
applications, typically under -40 °C. Other applications at normal ambient temperature include
gas insulated transmission lines (GIL) and gas insulated transformers (GIT). SF 6 is mixed with
a complementary gas, typically N 2 or CF 4 , in the percentage as specified by the original
equipment manufacturer in the operating instruction manual, typically from 10 % to 75 % SF 6
volume. The maximum permitted concentrations of other substances present in N 2 are given
in Table 2 and in Table 3 for CF 4 .

Table 2 – Requirements for N 2 to be used in SF 6 mixtures

Substance Concentration
N2 > 99,7 % volume
H2O < 200 µl/l (i.e. 200 ppmv)
O2 < 3 000 µl/l (i.e. 3 000 ppmv)
Mineral oil < 10 mg/kg (i.e. 10 ppmw)
Total acidity < 7 µl/l (i.e. 7 ppmv)

Key

ppmv = parts per million by volume

ppmw = parts per million by weight

Table 3 – Requirements for CF 4 to be used in SF 6 mixtures

Substance Concentration
CF 4 > 99,7 % volume
O2 < 500 µl/l (i.e. 500 ppmv)
N2 < 1 500 µl/l (i.e. 1 500 ppmv)
H2O < 200 µl/l (i.e. 200 ppmv)
Mineral oil < 10 mg/kg (i.e. 10 ppmw)
Total acidity < 7 µl/l (i.e. 7 ppmv)

Key

ppmv = parts per million by volume

ppmw = parts per million by weight

The error in the final mixing percentage of the SF 6 gas mixture mainly depends on the
handling and purity of the gas. The error due to handling can be reduced by using gas mixing
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– 10 – IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018

devices, or high accuracy manometers and thermometers (e.g. class 0.1 or better). The error
due to purity can be reduced by using high purity gases (e.g. 99,9 % volume or higher).

The concentration of N 2 in Table 2 and the concentration of CF 4 in Table 3 are calculated by

subtracting from 100 % volume the sum of all contaminants. For the determination of total
acidity, the sum of all acidic compounds is reported as one value and expressed as HF
equivalent, for further information refer to [1] and [2].

NOTE 1 The concentration of the contaminants in CF 4 can be different between the liquid and gas phase.
Humidity, O 2 and N 2 are most likely present in the gas phase while oil is most likely present in liquid phase.

NOTE 2 Detection techniques applicable for laboratory and field verification of these limits are given in Annex C.

7 Environmental impact

SF 6 , CF 4 and SF 6 mixtures with N 2 and/or CF 4 have a certain environmental impact. Due to

this impact, SF 6 , CF 4 and their mixture gas shall be handled carefully to prevent deliberate
release of SF 6 and CF 4 gas into the atmosphere.

More detailed information concerning environmental impact is reported in Annex B.

8 Handling, storage and transportation

8.1 Gas handling procedures

The need to handle SF 6 and SF 6 mixtures in accordance with the present document, arises
when:

• the gas is introduced into electrical equipment,

• the gas pressure is topped up in closed pressure systems,
• the gas is drawn from a container for analysis.

For other handling procedures, for example when the gas has to be recovered from an
enclosure, a proper handling procedure shall be defined and implemented to limit any release
of SF 6 into the environment wherever possible. Further information concerning handling
procedures for SF 6 and SF 6 mixtures is provided in IEC 62271-4.

8.2 Storage and transportation

Information concerning gas storage and transportation is provided in IEC 62271-4.

Specific labelling of containers shall be implemented in accordance with the mode of transport
and the local and international regulations.
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IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018 – 11 –

Annex A
(informative)

Sulphur hexafluoride

A.1 General

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) is a synthetic gas formed by 6 atoms of fluorine gathered around a
centrally situated atom of sulphur. The chemical bond between fluorine and sulphur is known
as one of the most stable existing atomic bonds. Six of them grant the molecule very high
chemical and thermal stability.

SF 6 has a unique combination of properties: high dielectric strength, high thermal interruption
capabilities (about 10 times that of air) and high heat transfer performance.

A.2 Chemical properties

Pure SF 6 is odourless, tasteless, colourless, non-toxic, non-flammable, very stable and inert.

Its compatibility with materials used in electric constructions is similar to that of N 2 , up to

temperatures of about 180 °C. Operation at higher temperatures up to 500 °C is possible, but
SF 6 may decompose (producing by-products) in the presence of some catalytic materials.

Table A.1 lists the main chemical characteristics.

Table A.1 – Main chemical characteristics of SF 6 [3]

Formula SF 6
CAS number a 2551-62-4
Molecular weight 146,05 g/mol
Sulphur content 21,95 %
Fluorine content 78,05 %
Molecular structure Octahedral with fluorine atoms at the six corners
Bonds Covalent
Collision cross-section 0,477 nm 2
Decomposition temperature in quartz container 500 °C
a The CAS number is assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service who maintain a registry of chemical
substance information. It has no chemical significance. More information is available on ECHA website.
Refer to [7].

A.3 Physical properties

SF 6 is one of the heaviest known gases: in normal ambient conditions it is approximately five
times heavier than air. So there is a risk of asphyxiation under conditions of insufficient
ventilated areas with a low oxygen concentration (see IEC 62271-4).

The mixing with air by convection and diffusion is slow, but once it has mixed it does not
separate again.

Its solubility in water is four times lower than that of air. The thermal conductivity of SF 6 is
lower than that of air, the overall heat transfer properties are two to five times better due to its
lower viscosity and higher density.
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– 12 – IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018

In electric power equipment the normal pressure range of SF 6 is between 0,1 MPa and
1,0 MPa absolute. The pressure/temperature/density characteristics of the gas are shown in
Figure A.1.

Density
Pressure (MPa)

65 g/l 60 g/l 55 g/l 50 g/l

1
45 g/l
0,9
40 g/l
0,8
35 g/l
0,7
30 g/l
0,6
25 g/l
0,5
20 g/l
0,4
15 g/l
0,3
10 g/l
0,2

5 g/l
0,1

0
–50 –40 –30 –20 –10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Temperature (°C)
IEC

Figure A.1 – Pressure/temperature/density characteristics for SF 6 [3]

Table A.2 lists the main physical characteristics.

Table A.2 – Main physical characteristics of SF 6 [3]

Density at 20 °C and 100 kPa 6,07 kg/m 3

Thermal conductivity at 25 °C and 100 kPa 0,013 W/(m·K)
Critical temperature 45,58 °C
Critical pressure 3,759 MPa
Critical density 740 kg/m 3
Solubility in water at 20 °C 6,31 cm 3 SF 6 /kg H 2 O
Sound velocity at 0 °C and 100 kPa 129,06 m/s
Refractive index 1,000 783
Heat of formation (-1 221,58 ± 1,0) kJ/mol
Entropy of reaction -349,01 J/(mol·K)
Specific heat at constant pressure at 20 °C and 100 kPa 96,60 J/(mol·K)
Sublimation point -63,8 °C at 0,1 MPa

A.4 Electrical properties

The excellent dielectric properties of SF 6 are due to the strong electronegative character of its
molecule. It has a pronounced tendency to bind free electrons forming heavy ions with low
mobility making the development of electron avalanches very difficult.
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IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018 – 13 –

The electric strength of SF 6 is about three times higher than that of air under the same
conditions.

Because of its low dissociation temperature and high dissociation energy, SF 6 is an excellent
arc quenching medium.

Table A.3 lists the main electrical characteristics of SF 6 .

Table A.3 – Main electrical characteristics of SF 6 [3]

Critical breakdown field relative to pressure (B) 89 V·m -1 ·Pa -1

Relative dielectrical constant at 25 °C and 0,1 MPa absolute 1,002 04

Loss factor (tan δ ) at 25 °C and 0,1 MPa absolute < 2,0 × 10 -7

Effective ionisation coefficient  α . α E

  = A −B
 p  p p

α: m -1
E: V·m -1
p: Pa
A: 2,8 × 10 -2 V -1
B: 2,4 m -1 ·Pa -1
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Annex B
(informative)

Environmental effects of SF 6 and its mixtures

B.1 General

Activities where gases are produced or used may cause releases to the atmosphere. Three
major aspects are considered:

• ecotoxicology: toxic material and gases with effects on the environment and all forms of
life;
• ozone depletion: increase in dimensions of the holes in the stratospheric ozone layer;
• global warming/climate change: increase in the greenhouse effect.

B.2 Ecotoxicology

SF 6 , N 2 and CF 4 are not toxic and have no reported potential to be acutely or chronically
ecotoxic. As their solubility in water is very low, they present no danger to surface and ground
water or the soil. A biological accumulation in the nutrition cycle does not occur. Therefore,
SF 6 , N 2 and CF 4 do not harm the ecosystem. SF 6 , N 2 and CF 4 are:

• not carcinogenic: not causing cancer;

• not mutagenic: not causing damage to the genetic constitution;
• not nitrifying: no enrichment in the food chain.

B.3 Ozone depletion

SF 6 , N 2 and CF 4 do not contribute to the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer [3]
because they do not contain either chlorine or bromine.

B.4 Global warming/climate change (greenhouse effect)

Both manmade and natural greenhouse gases contribute to the greenhouse effect. The Kyoto
Protocol [5] is an international agreement to control the emission of manmade greenhouse
gases.

The greenhouse gases to be monitored according to the Kyoto Protocol are carbon dioxide
(CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons
(PFCs), nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ). The latter four substances
are fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases).

The concentrations of different gases relevant to the environment including those in the Kyoto
Protocol are regularly monitored by several scientific bodies. In particular the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) periodically prepares assessment
reports, updating the existing information on emissions and evaluating their potential future
impact on the environment according to different hypothesis of their emission trends. The
latest is the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) published in 2013 [4].

The Fifth Assessment Report provides the global warming potential (GWP) of SF 6 and CF 4
which are calculated over a time period of 100 years warming potential of 1 kg of a gas
referred to 1 kg of CO 2 . The strong infrared absorption of SF 6 and its long lifetime in the
environment are the reasons for its high GWP which is 23 500 times higher than that of CO 2 .
CF 4 has a GWP which is 6 630 times higher than that of CO 2 .
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IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018 – 15 –

B.5 Reducing the environmental impact of the use of SF 6 and CF 4 in

electrical equipment

Major failures causing gas releases are extremely rare as records from 50 years of
experience show. The quantities released in such extreme cases are again very limited by the
fact that the standard design of products is compartmented, limiting the fault to the place
where it originates. The gas quantities concerned are subsequently small fractions of the total
gas banked in a substation.

The electric industry utilizes SF 6 and its mixtures in a closed cycle, banking it for example in
gas insulated switchgear (GIS), medium-voltage and high-voltage gas circuit breakers (GCB),
high-voltage gas insulated lines (GIL), gas insulated voltage transformers (GVT) and gas
insulated power transformers (GIT). To avoid any deliberate release to the environment, gas
recovery and re-use have the highest priority.

The GWP of SF 6 and CF 4 alone is not enough to measure the environmental impact of
electric power equipment based on SF 6 technology. The environmental impact of any specific
application should be evaluated and compared using the life cycle assessment (LCA)
approach as regulated by ISO 14040 [6].

To reduce the overall environmental impact:

• design equipment with reduced quantities of SF 6 and CF 4 and lower leakage rates;
• improve handling processes and handling equipment for all life cycle stages according to
the present document; refer to IEC 62271-4;
• quantify and minimize emissions during testing, manufacturing, installation, operation and
maintenance of electric power equipment;
• reclaim gas at the equipment's end of life according to IEC 62271-4.

As a consequence, total SF 6 contribution to the global warming from all applications amounts
to less than 0,1 % of the overall greenhouse gas effects.
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Annex C
(informative)

Detection techniques

C.1 Detection techniques of SF 6

Table C.1 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis

of technical grade SF 6 (not exhaustive)

Substance Detection technique Typical accuracy

Gas chromatography 15 µl/l to 50 µl/l (i.e. 15 ppmv to 50 ppmv)
Air
Density measurement 50 µl/l (i.e. 50 ppmv)
Gas chromatography 15 µl/l (i.e. 15 ppmv)
CF 4
Infrared absorption 80 µl/l (i.e. 80 ppmv)
Electrolytic cell 16 µl/l to 120 µl/l (i.e. 16 ppmv to 120 ppmv)
Chilled mirror 0,5 °C
H2O
Infrared absorption 20 µl/l (i.e. 20 ppmv)
Capacitance 2 °C to 4 °C
Photometry 2 mg/kg (i.e. 2 ppmw)
Mineral oil
Gravimetry 0,5 mg/kg (i.e. 0,5 ppmw)
Titration 1 µl/l (i.e. 1 ppmv)
Total acidity
Electro-chemical sensor 3 % of full range (SO 2 )

Key

ppmv = parts per million by volume

ppmw = parts per million by weight

Table C.2 – Detection techniques for on-site analysis

of technical grade SF 6 (not exhaustive)

Substance Detection technique Typical accuracy

Condensation 0,5 %
SF 6 Infrared absorption 0,5 %
Speed of sound 0,5 %
Electrolytic cell 1%
Chilled mirror 0,5 °C
H2O
Infrared absorption 20 µl/l (i.e. 20 ppmv)
Capacitance 2 °C to 4 °C
Total acidity Electro-chemical sensor 3 % (SO 2 )

Key

ppmv = parts per million by volume

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IEC FDIS 60376 © IEC 2018 – 17 –

C.2 Detection techniques of N2

Table C.3 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis

of technical grade N 2 used in SF 6 mixtures (not exhaustive)

Substance Detection technique Typical accuracy

N2 — —
Electrolytic cell 16 µl/l to 120 µl/l (i.e. 16 ppmv to 120 ppmv)
Chilled mirror 0,5 °C
H2O
Capacitance 2 °C to 4 °C
Infrared absorption 20 µl/l (i.e. 20 ppmv)
O2 Gas chromatography 15 µl/l to 50 µl/l (i.e. 15 ppmv to 50 ppmv)

Key

ppmv = parts per million by volume

C.3 Detection techniques of CF 4

Table C.4 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis

of technical grade CF 4 used in SF 6 mixtures (not exhaustive)

Substance Detection technique Typical accuracy

CF 4 — —
O2 Gas chromatography 15 µl/l to 50 µl/l (i.e. 15ppmv to 50 ppmv)
N2 Gas chromatography 15 µl/l to 50 µl/l (i.e. 15 ppmv to 50 ppmv)
Electrolytic cell 16 µl/l to 120 µl/l (i.e. 16 ppmv to 120 ppmv)
Chilled mirror 0,5 °C
H2O
Capacitance 2 °C to 4 °C
Infrared absorption 20 µl/l (i.e. 20 ppmv)
Total acidity Titration 1 µl/l (i.e. 1 ppmv)

Key

ppmv = parts per million by volume

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Bibliography

[1] Cigre Technical Brochure n°234, SF 6 recycling guide, Revised version 2003

[2] Cigré Technical Brochure n°567, SF 6 Analysis for AIS, GIS and MTS Condition
Assessment, 2013

[3] Sulphur Hexafluoride brochure (Solvay Fluor, 2015)

[4] IPCC Fifth Assessment Report Working Group I Report "Climate Change 2013: The
Physical Science Basis"

[5] Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations framework convention on climate change, Kyoto
1997; Doha amendment to the Kyoto protocol, 2012 December, 8th, Doha

[6] ISO 14040:2006, Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and
framework

[7] https://echa.europa.eu/en/information-on-chemicals

[8] IEC 60068-2-17, Basic environmental testing procedures – Part 2-17: Tests – Test Q:
Sealing

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