SF6 Circuit Breakers - Construction, Types and Working

7/27/2019 SF6 Circuit Breakers - Construction, Types and Working
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SF6 Circuit Breakers – Construction, Types

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In an SF6 Circuit breaker, sulphur hexa uoride gas is used as the arc quenching medium.

The sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) is an electronegative gas and has a strong tendency to absorb free

electrons. The contacts of the breaker are opened in a high-pressure flow sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) gas
and an arc is struck between them. The gas captures the conducting free electrons in the arc to form

relatively immobile negative ions. This loss of conducting electrons in the arc quickly builds up enough
insulation strength to extinguish the arc.
Comparing to other circuit breaker types, the SF6 circuit breakers have been found to be very effective
for high power and high voltage service.
SF6 CBs are available for all voltages ranging from 144 to 765 kV or even above. Continuous currents up to
8000 A, and symmetrical interrupting ratings up to 63 kA at 765 kV and 80 kA at 230 kV.
Construction of SF6 Circuit Breaker
Table of Contents 
1. Construction of SF6 Circuit Breaker
2. Working of SF6 CB
2.1. SF6 CB Practical Working Animation
3. Types of SF6 Circuit Breaker
4. SF6 Circuit Breaker Designs
5. Advantages and Disadvantages of SF6 Gas
6. Related Articles
A sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) circuit breaker consists of fixed and moving contacts enclosed in a
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The chamber is called the arc interruption chamber which contains the SF6 gas. This chamber is
connected to sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) gas reservoir. A valve mechanism is there to permit the gas to the
arc interruption chamber.
347 the contacts of breaker are opened, the valve mechanism permits a high-pressure sulphur
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hexafluoride (SF6) gas from the reservoir to flow towards the arc interruption chamber.

Construction of SF6 Circuit Breaker
The fixed contact is a hollow cylindrical current carrying contact fitted with an arcing horn. The moving
contact is also a hollow cylinder with rectangular holes in the sides.
The holes permit the sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) gas to let out through them after flowing along and
across the arc.
The tips of fixed contact, moving contact, and arcing horn are coated with a copper-tungsten arc-
resistant material.
Since SF6 gas is costly, it is reconditioned and reclaimed using the suitable auxiliary system
after each operation of the breaker.
Working of SF6 CB
The working of an SF6 circuit breaker is similar to the working of a normal circuit breaker we discussed in
previous articles.
In the closed position of the breaker, the contacts remain surrounded by sulphur hexafluoride gas
(SF6) gas at a pressure of about 2.8 kg/cm2.
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When the breaker operates, the moving contact is pulled apart and an arc is struck between the
contacts.
 (For more details visit arcing phenomenon in a circuit breaker.)
Themovement of the moving contact is synchronized with the opening of a valve. The valve permits
sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) gas at 14 kg/cm2 pressure from the reservoir to the arc interruption

chamber.

The high-pressure flow of sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) rapidly absorbs the free electrons in the arc
path. It forms immobile negative ions which are ineffective as charge carriers.

Theresult is that the medium between the contacts quickly builds up high dielectric strength and causes
the extinction of the arc.
After the breaker operation (i.e. after arc extinction in circuit breaker), the valve is closed by the
action of a set of springs.
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SF6 CB Practical Working Animation

The practical opening and closing of an SF6 circuit breaker are animated in this video.
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Types of SF6 Circuit Breaker


The sf6 circuit breaker has been developed by several manufacturers and several designs have emerged.
Thetypes of sf6 circuit breakers can be broadly identified as

1. Double pressure Type
2. Single Pressure Puffer Type
In double pressure type sf6 circuit breaker, the gas from the high-pressure system is released into
the low-pressure system through a nozzle, during the arc extinction processes. This design has become
obsolete.
Double Pressure Type
In single pressure type sf6 circuit breaker, the sf6 gas is compressed by the moving cylinder system
and is released through a nozzle while extinguishing the arc. This design is most popular over a wide
range of voltages from 13.6 kV to 760 kV.
Single Pressure Puffer Type
SF6
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In both the double pressure and single pressure types, SF6 CBs are of either the dead tank design or live

tank design.

The dead tank design is for outdoor installations and live tank (or modular design) is for indoor
installations.

Increasingly dead tank breakers are integrated into SF6 insulated substations for indoor or
outdoor installations.

The SF6 Circuit Breakers are available as in following designs.

1. live tank circuit breaker

2. dead tank circuit breaker
3. grounded tank designs.
The live tank means the interruption happens in an enclosure that is at line potential. Such SF6 CB has
an interrupter chamber that is mounted on insulators and is at line potential. An interrupter with such a
modular design can be connected in series to operate at higher voltage levels.
Live tank and Dead tank circuit breaker
The dead tank means that interruption takes place in a grounded enclosure. Current Transformers are
located on both sides of the break (i.e., interrupter contacts). In such circuit breakers, the interruption
maintenance takes place at ground level. And its seismic withstand is better than circuit breakers with the
liveHOME MACHINES
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However, they require more insulating gas in order to provide the proper amount of insulation between
the interrupter and the grounded tank enclosure. The modular dead tank CB has been specially developed
for integration of SF6 insulated substation systems.
347grounded tank means that interruption happens in an enclosure that is partially at line potential
The
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and partially at ground potential. The evolution of the grounded tank CB design is the result of installing a
livetank CB interrupter into a dead tank CB design.

Advantages and Disadvantages of SF6 Gas
 to the superior arc quenching properties of sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) gas, the sulphur
Due,
hexafluoride gas (SF6) circuit breakers have many advantages over oil circuit breaker and air blast circuit

breakers. Some of them are listed below :

1. Due to the superior arc quenching property of sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6), such circuit

breakers have very short arcing time. They are used in Gas Insulated Substations.
2. Since the dielectric strength of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) gas is 2 to 3 times that operation
due unlike of air, such breakers can interrupt much larger currents.
3. The sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) circuit breaker gives noiseless operation due it’s closed
gas circuit and no exhaust to atmosphere, unlike the air blast circuit breaker.
4. The compact design of SF6 gas CBs substantially reduces space requirements and
building installation costs.
5. The SF6 gas circuit breakers can handle all known switching phenomena.
6. SF6 gas circuit breakers perfectly can adapt to environmental requirements. They have
completely enclosed gas system that eliminates any exhaust during switching operations.
7. Contact separation is minimum in SF6 gas circuit breakers due to dielectric strength
provided by the high-pressure SF6.
In general, the only disadvantage of the SF6 Circuit Breakers is their relatively high costs. The
cost has been somewhat coming down in recent years.
Next: Vacuum Circuit Breakers
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Comments
vampit says
January 28, 2019 at 4:15 am
nice article
Reply
alongamento peniano says

May 13, 2019 at 11:41 am
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Excellent information about sf6 circuit breakers.
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I am a huge fan of studyelectrical.com
Thanks for sharing this.

Reply
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 SET2X Manual says

May 17, 2019 at 2:57 am
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May 22, 2019 at 6:21 pm
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May 26, 2019 at 9:58 am
https://studyelectrical.com/2014/07/sulphur-hexaflouride-sf6-circuit-breaker-construction-working-advantages.html#Construction_of_SF6_Circuit_Br… 10/13
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