Now you only need one instrument
Against the backround of the „end of lifetime“-issue of gas insulated substations (GIS) the topics of a fault preventive diagnostics in the sense of a condition based maintenance (CBM) gains in importantance. At this, the determination of the SF6-quality criteria moisture, SF6-percentage and decomposition products is a must.

The measurement of the decomposition using IMS is a patented in DE 195 28 290.6-09, EP 0842 522 and US 6,011,258 and validated by neutral and international institutions.

The SF6-Analyser is the first and only instrument that carries all 3 sensors in one device. Particularly developed for the on-site use in gas insulated substations (GIS) it is operated by only one click so that specially trained personnel is not required and a correct on-site analysis still assured.

The SF6-Analyser measures:
1. The SF6-percentage in relation to Nitrogen and Air. This information is particularly important with respect to the filling process of the compartments as well as to the detection of possible leakages and the corresponding presence of possible reaction partners in case of electrical discharges.

2. The amount of highly corrosive decomposition products (SxOyFz-compounds) through an Ion Mobility Spectrometer that have mainly electrical reasons like sparks, hoping particals and especially partial discharges.

3. The moisture content of the SF6 through a ceramic Dew Point sensor, that reveals information about the insulating quality of the gas and the residual moisture as the amount of potential reaction partners in case of electrical discharges within the gas chamber.

The SF6-Analyser allows an acquisition of the most relevant information about the gas condition with only one connection to one single inspection device. This intelligent tool was particularly developed and designed according to the GIS manufacturer’s and – user’s requirements and can either be used on-site and on-line.
 

After realizing a connection of the SF6-Analyser with the filling valve of the compartment under investigation, the measurement process itself is executed automatically. All three above mentioned values will be displayed within a few minutes and are correlated with the Maximum Tolerable Impurity Levels of the CIGRE (SF6 RECYCLING GUIDE, Revision 2003) through a software-database and are interpreted in real time trough a green or red light. The main advantage of this all-in-one instrument as far as the GIS users are concerned is the fact that the SF6-Analyser allows a change from an event based to a fault preventive Condition Based Maintenance (CBM). Taking the increasing age of SF6-insulated substations into consideration this approach will reach a higher importance, especially to prevent mayor maintenance works or reinvestments of the equipment and thus to extend its lifetime. Furthermore the distinctive quality control of the SF6- Analyser allows to define and set up individual and GIS-specific maintenance and to extend the intervals of the SF6 exchange. Its reduced inspection time and SF6-consumption do not only reveal an economic but also an environmental impact and advantage.
 

Read more about SF6 here>>