Ternary gas mixtures for high-voltage industrial insulation

Gas dielectrics for insulating power apparatus, e.g., gas insulated transmission lines (GITL), were evaluated. Particular attention was given to mixtures using large proportions of an electron moderating gas (viz., N2, CHF3, or 1,1,1-C2H3F3) and smaller quantities of two electron attaching gases: SF6 and one fluorocarbon (e.g., c-C4F8). The proportions were sought at which the three gases function best as a team, moderating free electrons from higher to lower energies and there attaching them. Small amounts of the electron attaching additives can drastically raise the dielectric strength of the moderator. Certain combinations of SF6 and fluorocarbons do not produce the undesirable spark by products associated with either SF6 or fluorocarbons alone and also show improved negative polarity impulse breakdown characteristics over pure SF6. Small scale breakdown measurements were made of various ternary mixtures in the GITL geometry. It was found that nitrogen moderates electrons to extremely low energies, where SF6 attaches; the dipolar gases moderate to somewhat higher energies, where some fluorocarbons attach best.