Equipment end of life
Management of SF
6
gas
GE Information
02- 2017
L80- 001EN/04
1/6
SF6 gas : Environmental impacts
Introduction
The SF6 gas contributes to the greenhouse effect:
The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomena, which by capturing a part of
the infra- red rays reflected from ground to space, enables the Earth to have
an average temperature of 1
5 C.
The most abundant gases, which participate in the creation of this green-
house effect are Water Vapour, Carbon Dioxide, Methane. However, since the
beginning of the industrial era, Man has released gases into the atmosphere,
which artificially increase the greenhouse effect.
Even if Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) is only present in the environment in low
levels, it creates a greenhouse gas, which has the capacity to absorb the
infra- red rays emitted by the Earth, which is 22,800 times higher than that of
Carbon Dioxide.
N.B.
:
1 kg of SF6 gas emissions are, thus, the equivalent of
22,800 kg of Carbon Dioxide, which corresponds to the green-
house effect gas waste released by a gasoline vehicle covering
120,000 km.
SF6 gas is used in High- and Medium- Voltage switchgear for its breaking and
insulation capacities.
The SF6 emissions can be generated in the equipment manufacturing, oper-
ating, maintenance and decommissioning processes. The losses are, either,
accidental (equipment breakage),or structural (equipment’s leaktightness).
Under no circumstances, SF6 gas should be released to the environment:
N.B.
:
In accordance with the International Kyoto Agreements,
European Regulations on fluorinated gases and IEC 62271- 303
applicable standards (e.g.. IEC 61634), SF6 gas handling opera-
tions (filling, recovery) must be carried out by trained and quali-
fied personnel, using tools and procedures enabling gas releases
to be limited.
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