SF/sub 6/ decomposition under power arcs. I. Physical aspects

Deals with sulfur hexafluoride (SF/sub 6/) decomposition under power arcs. The arcs were generated in two types of Alsthom circuit breakers, a puffer gas blast model FP-62, and a self-generated flow prototype. The gaseous decomposition products formed during the tests were analyzed and assayed by gas-phase chromatography. The main stable gaseous compounds identified were: SOF/sub 2/, SO/sub 2/, SO/sub 2/F/sub 2/ and, as the arc strikes an organic polymeric material (nozzle made of PTFE/CaF/sub 2/ 80/20), CF/sub 4/. The yields of the products were measured against the following parameters: dissipated energy, arc current, shape of the current wave, SF/sub 6/ pressure, water content, shape of the nozzle, and presence of an adsorbent.<
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