Eaton Corporation Vacuum Interrupters Have the

Electrical Group
1000 Cherrington Parkway
Low Environmental Impact
Moon Township, PA 15108 Required for Todays Medium
United States Voltage Switching Applications
Page 1 887-ETN CARE (877-386-2273)
Eaton.com By: R. Kirkland Smith, Ph.D.
Senior Member, IEEE

This paper was presented at the IEEE T&D Conference & Exposition EPA in Denmark have both recommended that alternatives to SF6 be
October 28 - November 2, 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. used wherever such alternatives, such as vacuum, are viable. Den-
mark has followed up on this by enacting a set of green taxes on the
Abstract consumption of certain industrial greenhouse gases such as
hydroflourocarbons, perflourocarbons and sulfur hexaflouride (HFCs,
Vacuum interrupters offer the lowest environmental impact of all PFCs and SF6).
medium voltage switching technologies over the entire product life
cycle. Vacuum interrupters are comprised of materials that are all Selecting low environmental impact technologies is now increas-
environmentally benign and safe to handle during periodic out-of-ser- ingly important to engineers tasked with choosing equipment for an
vice maintenance and at end-of-life disposal. Vacuum interrupters application. Typical factors affecting the choice are listed in TABLE 1.
can perform well in all medium voltage switching applications Performance, vendor stability and price have always been important.
required in modern power systems with exceptionally long life and Now environmental impact and total life cycle costs are equally
low maintenance. In contrast, SF6, the other major technology for important. When a technology can have a negative impact on the
circuit interruption, is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. In addi- environment, then actions are required to protect workers, the pub-
tion, SF6 arc by-products possess significant health concerns for lic and the environment from short term and long term exposure
handling and disposal. Environmental concerns have spurred effects. Active government involvement usually results in increased
increasing regulation of the manufacture and use of SF6, leading to regulation. The addition of special handling procedures and govern-
higher costs for purchase, usage and disposal. Accordingly, environ- ment regulations usually increases the total life cycle cost to buy,
mental protection agencies have recommended that alternatives to maintain and dispose of equipment. The low environmental impact
SF6 be used wherever such alternatives are viable. By choosing of vacuum switchgear requires the use of only simple, non-special
switching devices employing vacuum interrupters, the user can maintenance procedures and standard disposal methods, making
obtain the benefits of both excellent switching performance and low vacuum the best choice to achieve the lowest total life cycle costs.
environmental impact.
TABLE 1. FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING
Index Terms - Environmental Impact, Gas Insulation, Global Warm- MEDIUM VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR.
ing, Greenhouse Gases, High Voltage Circuit Breaker, SF6, Sulfur 1. Available Ratings
Hexaflouride, Switchgear, Vacuum Circuit Breaker, Vacuum Inter-
rupter. - Voltage
- Short Circuit Current
- Continuous Current
Introduction - Low Environmental Impact:
2. Special Switching Conditions
Increasingly Important When Choosing a
- Frequent Operation
Medium Voltage Switching Technology - Capacitor Switching
- Low Inductive Switching
Vacuum interrupters offer a technology for use in medium voltage
switching devices that provides the lowest environmental impact 3. Vendor Stability
over the entire product life cycle. Vacuum interrupters are comprised - Reliable Delivery
mainly of ceramic, stainless steel, copper and copper-chromium; - Long Term Service Support
materials which are all environmentally benign and safe to handle 4. Environmental Impact
both during periodic out-of-service maintenance and at end-of-life - Worker and Public Safety
disposal. Moreover, vacuum switching devices can perform all - Disposal of Used Equipment
medium voltage switching operations required in modern power - Long Term Environmental Impact
systems with exceptionally long life and low maintenance. By choos- 5. Total Lifetime Costs
ing vacuum switching devices, the user can obtain the benefits of
both excellent switch in performance and low environmental impact. - Purchase Price
- Maintenance Costs
The features of low cost and low maintenance have already encour- - Disposal Costs
aged users worldwide to buy vacuum in such numbers that vacuum
now has the largest share of the medium voltage switchgear mar-
ket. The recognition that vacuum also has a low environmental
impact is tilting the balance further in favor of vacuum.
In contrast, sulfur hexaflouride (SF6), the other major interruption
technology popular for medium voltage applications is now recog-
nized as an extremely potent greenhouse gas. In addition, it has long
been recognized that SF6 arc by-products possess significant health
concerns for handling and disposal. These environmental concerns
have spurred increasing regulation of the manufacture and use of
SF6, leading to higher costs for purchase, usage and disposal. While
SF6 switching devices are functionally equivalent to vacuum in most
medium voltage applications through 40.5 kV, the negative environ-
mental impacts of SF6 are becoming increasingly worrisome.
Accordingly, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the
 Eaton Corporation Vacuum Interrupters Have the
Electrical Group
1000 Cherrington Parkway
Low Environmental Impact
Moon Township, PA 15108 Required for Todays Medium
United States Voltage Switching Applications
Page 2 887-ETN CARE (877-386-2273)
Eaton.com

Vacuum or SF6: Choosing Between the News article [5] that many of the nations of the world agreed to
Dominant Technologies for Medium Voltage reduce the emission of SF6 as part of the draft of a new treaty devel-
Switching Applications oped at Kyoto, Japan in December 1997. As a result, the prospects
for increased regulation of SF6 are strong and will likely get stronger
For circuit breakers, reclosers and contactors used in medium volt- in the future.
age switching applications, vacuum and SF6 are the dominant media
The present importance of SF6 as greenhouse gas is rather small
for current interruption. As Braun et al. [1] describe, both are oil free
since the total amount of SF6 in the atmosphere is very small com-
media, and both provide excellent performance in all types of
pared to other gases, such as CO2. A comparison of properties such
switching operations performed in modern power systems. In addi-
as atmospheric concentrations, lifetime in the atmosphere and glo-
tion, medium voltage interrupters built with either media can provide
bal warming potential is shown in TABLE 2 [6] for some key green-
sealed-for-life components forming the basis for low maintenance
house gases.
switching devices. For many years, engineers have made their
choice of interrupter technology on the basis of price, confidence in TABLE 2. COMPARISON OF SOME KEY GREENHOUSE
the supplier or personal preference. Since both types of switching GASES
devices perform well in service, the choice for the specifying engi-
neer has been between two good options, which is always a pleas- GAS CONCENTRATION ATMOSPHERIC GLOBAL WARMING
ant situation. PRE- IN 1992 LIFETIME POTENTIAL
INDUSTRY (100-YEAR TIME
SF6 environmental and regulatory issues must now be HORIZON)
considered. Type ppmv ppmv Years Per unit
Concerns about environmental impact, personnel safety and govern- CO2 280 355 50 200 1
ment regulations are now increasingly significant factors to consider CH4 0.700 1.714 12 17 24.5
in the technology choice as described by Christopher et al. [2]. Spe- CFC-12 Zero 0.000503 102 8,500
cifically, four concerns about SF6 are now becoming important fac-
tors when choosing a technology for medium voltage switchgear. SF6 Zero 0.0000032 3200 24,900

SF6 is a potent greenhouse gas and should not be released to Christophorou et al. [2] describe various estimates of the 1993 con-
the atmosphere. tribution of SF6 to the global warming potential to ranging from
SF6 arc byproducts are hazardous for maintenance workers. 0.01% to 0.07%. However, the concentration of SF6 in the atmo-
SF6 arc byproducts are hazardous waste requiring special care sphere grew at the rapid rate of about 8.7% per year over the
for disposal. decade from 1982 to 1992 [2]. At this rate, the concentration dou-
bles every ten years. Moreover, the very long lifetime of SF6 in the
SF6 is attracting regulations that add cost and complexity for
atmosphere, estimated at 3200 years, means that all of the released
users.
SF6 will be active as a global warming agent for centuries. Since the
The short term effects of SF6 usage are on workers who perform global warming potential of SF6 is 24,900 times that for CO2 and the
maintenance or repair tasks and who measure and document the concentration of SF6 is growing rapidly and the SF6 will remain
gas content status of the equipment. In the medium term, the active for centuries, this means that the relative effect of SF6 on glo-
effects of SF6 usage focus are on the disposal of the used switching bal warming can significantly increase over time. In three decades, if
device at the end of its useful life. In the long term, the effects of the atmospheric concentration of SF6 continues growing at the
SF6 usage concern preventing the leakage of SF6 into the atmo- recent rate, the relative effect of SF6 will increase nearly 10 times.
sphere. Including these concerns about SF6 in the decision making So, even though SF6 is presently a relatively small contributor to the
process is now more important than in the past. global warming potential, its importance may grow quite markedly if
nothing is done to reduce the present trend.
In contrast, vacuum is simple to maintain in the short term, is easily
disposed of at end of its useful life in the medium term, and pre- The US Environmental Protection Agencys position, as explained by
sents no long-term effects for either people or the environment. Elizabeth Dutrow [6], is that the concentrations of all gases contrib-
uting to the problem of global warming should be reduced by as
SF6 is a potent greenhouse gas with a significant potential much as is practical. SF6 is specifically included in the US EPA plans
for global warming. for emission reductions. In fact, the US EPA recommends that alter-
native technologies to SF6 should be used whenever possible [6].
SF6 is considered to be a potent greenhouse gas with an estimated
The EPA of Denmark also recommends that alternative technologies
high potential for increasing global warming as described by Christo-
to SF6 should be used whenever possible [7, 8]. In the area of
phorou et al. [2]. SF6 is an efficient absorber of infrared radiation [2].
medium voltage electrical switching devices, vacuum is a readily
Moreover, unlike most naturally occurring greenhouse gases, SF6 is
available alternative technology to SF6.
largely immune to chemical and photolytic degradation. As a result,
the lifetime of SF6 in the atmosphere is estimated at 800 to 3200
years [2].These two properties are the reasons that SF6 is estimated
to have a potential for contributing to global warming that is approxi-
mately 25000 greater than that for CO2 on a per unit basis over a
100 year horizon [2]. As a result, Raloff reported in a recent Science
 Eaton Corporation Vacuum Interrupters Have the
Electrical Group
1000 Cherrington Parkway
Low Environmental Impact
Moon Township, PA 15108 Required for Todays Medium
United States Voltage Switching Applications
Page 3 887-ETN CARE (877-386-2273)
Eaton.com

SF6 arc byproducts are hazardous to maintenance workers SF6 is the highest priority objective that must be met when using
SF6 equipment in order to limit the effect of this gas for adding to
Byproducts of arcing in SF6 are toxic and therefore present a safety the long-term trend of global warming. The arc byproducts must also
concern for electrical maintenance workers. Adverse health effects be removed and disposed of as hazardous waste. The balance of the
have been observed in workers exposed to some arc byproducts, as interrupter consisting of insulating materials and metal components,
reported by Brown [3]. Lung irritation or the irritation of other mucus if fully cleaned of arc byproducts, can then most likely be disposed
membranes is an often-cited effect.Breakdown products include sul- of as normal industrial non-hazardous waste.
fur oxyfluorides, sulfur dioxide and sulfur tetrafluoride, which react
with water in the bodys mucus membranes to form other acidic The facilities and trained manpower to perform these recycling tasks
compounds that can damage the lungs [3]. Skin irritation is also are likely not to be found at the sites of most switchgear users.
commonly reported. Even in its pure form, SF6 requires caution in Therefore, used interrupters will have to be shipped to some central
that it can displace air and result in asphyxiation from lack of oxygen. location for final processing. The final processor could be the original
manufacturer, provided the OEM is still in business 30 years or more
In this authors personal experience developing SF6 interrupters in after the original manufacture of the interrupters. Alternately, a recy-
the 1970s and 80s, dealing with arced SF6 was always unpleasant cling and disposal center for SF6 interrupters may be set up to han-
at best. Nose and throat irritation was a routine event even when dle used interrupters. Such a center could relieve the switchgear
tested interrupters were purged and evacuated repeatedly. On at user of these disposal problems in return for a suitable fee. These
least one occasion, a co-worker was out sick for a few days as a used SF6 filled interrupters will of course be under pressure, so ship-
result of irritation from breathing arced SF6. ping containers and handling procedures will have to address the
The use of protective clothing and breathing apparatus should there- needs for safety in handling such pressurized equipment that may
fore be considered whenever significant exposure to SF6 arc byprod- not be in its new condition. Moreover, the insulating housings or
ucts is possible. Such exposure would be expected if an interrupting bushings of these interrupters will be old and possibly degraded by
chamber is opened for maintenance. Since modern medium voltage the effects of SF6 arc byproducts that may have attacked the materi-
SF6 interrupters are designed to be sealed for life, exposure to SF6 als overtime.
arc byproducts would not be expected while performing normal SF6 is attracting regulations that add cost and complexity
maintenance tasks. However, in the event of a failure of an SF6 for users
switching device, which results in a rupture of the pressurized enclo-
sure and the release of gas, there will most certainly be a significant The need to control the release of SF6 to the atmosphere incompli-
release of gaseous toxic byproducts. These gases could spread ance with an international treaty is leading to extra work for the
beyond the confines of the switchgear area potentially affecting switchgear user. The US EPA is suggesting that an inventory be cre-
more than the electrical maintenance workers. Moreover, workers ated to account for all of the SF6 in a users equipment. This inven-
involved in cleanup tasks would definitely need to evaluate the use tory must then be updated periodically to determine the change in
of protective clothing and possibly the use of a breathing apparatus inventory or the loss of SF6. This approach should identify which
to avoid exposure to SF6 arc byproducts. pieces of equipment are having leakage problems. Moreover, such a
means of identifying problem devices will almost certainly lead to
SF6 arc byproducts are hazardous waste requiring special requests for its repair or replacement. A similar call for record keep-
care for disposal and used SF6 interrupters must be dis- ing is also found in the CIGRE report [4] on SF6 recycling written by
posed of with special care an electrical industry working group. At present, such record keep-
Since the byproducts of arcing in SF6 are toxic, they are also a haz- ing requirements are voluntary. However, regulatory agencies have a
ardous waste. Special gas handling equipment described by Mau- historical tendency to tighten voluntary requests into mandatory
the, et al. [4], must be used to clean used SF6 gas to remove requirements. The importance of SF6 control to protect the environ-
gaseous arc byproducts. Solid byproducts are also found coating the ment and fulfill treaty obligations suggests that mandatory require-
insides of used SF6 circuit breakers. These solid byproducts are usu- ments will most likely be developed and imposed over time. The
ally in the form of a fine gray powder. Most of the powder settles to switchgear user in the process of choosing switchgear technology
the bottom of the housing, however, everything inside the housing would be wise to consider as a cost factor the possibility that regula-
is also coated with the powder. This powder must be collected for tory requirements on SF6 usage will increase in severity.
disposal. Molecular sieve filters are also installed inside SF6 circuit The most recent expansion of government regulation of SF6 is seen
breakers to absorb moisture and arc byproducts. The filters from in Denmark where a set of green taxes were enacted on the con-
both the gas handling equipment and from the interrupter chamber, sumption of certain industrial greenhouse gases (HFCs, PFCs and
along with the collected solid byproducts and cleaning supplies SF6 )[9, 10]. Just before Christmas 2000, the parliament in Denmark
must also be treated as hazardous waste for disposal. amended the Act on taxes on certain chloroflourocarbons and
Used SF6 interrupters must be processed before disposal in order to halons (CFC tax). SF6 is one of the industrial gases subject to this
remove all SF6 gas and any SF6 arc byproducts. The SF6 gas must tax. This is an example of a government concern about an environ-
be removed in order to avoid its release into the atmosphere. The mental factor, first expressed as a proposal, that then becomes tan-
used SF6 gas can then be cleaned and reused in other new or exist- gible in the form of a tax to effect behavior. And the addition of a tax
ing equipment if contaminant concentrations are sufficiently low. If certainly increases the cost of using SF6.
the used SF6 cannot be adequately cleaned of contaminants, then
the used SF6 must be destroyed. In either case, the SF6 must not be
allowed to escape into the atmosphere. Controlling the emission of
 Eaton Corporation Vacuum Interrupters Have the
Electrical Group
1000 Cherrington Parkway
Low Environmental Impact
Moon Township, PA 15108 Required for Todays Medium
United States Voltage Switching Applications
Page 4 887-ETN CARE (877-386-2273)
Eaton.com

Vacuum Has the Lowest Environmental Impact Vacuum interrupters offer the lowest environmental impact of all
of Modern Medium Voltage Switching medium voltage interruption technologies over their entire product
Technologies life cycle. Vacuum switching devices are an immediately available
alternative to SF6 for medium voltage switchgear. Even apart from
Vacuum switching devices have a very low impact on the environ- recently recognized environmental concerns, vacuum has become
ment. They present no hazards to the general population either in the market leader in medium voltage switchgear because of its
operation during a long useful life or after disposal. Moreover, haz- excellent performance, low maintenance and competitive costs.
ards to electrical workers during maintenance tasks are minimal. Therefore, vacuum is clearly the preferred medium voltage switch-
gear technology for the specifying engineer to combine the recog-
A vacuum interrupter, often abbreviated as VI, is comprised mainly nized advantages of excellent performance, low maintenance, and
of ceramic and stainless steel for the body of the interrupter, copper competitive costs with the new requirement of the lowest environ-
for the electrodes and a powder-metal composite, such as copper- mental impact.
chromium, for the contacts. These materials, in the forms found in a
VI, are all environmentally benign and safe to handle. Moreover, References
there is no gas to leak out. So, during the life of the product, vacuum
1. D. Braun, W. Heilmann and A. Plessi, Application criteria for
interrupters have no environmental impact. Even if the VI is broken
SF6 and vacuum circuit breakers, ABB Review, April 1989, pp.
apart for any reason, the internal parts are not hazardous to touch,
25 - 33.
and further, there are no airborne compounds of concern. End-of-life
disposable is simply handled by the normal methods used with any 2. L. G. Christophorou, J. K. Olthoff, and R. J. Van Brunt, Sulfur
industrial non-hazardous waste. In fact, enterprising persons could, Hexaflouride and the electric power industry, IEEE Electrical
with some effort, even cut apart the VI to reclaim the copper for Insulation Magazine, 1997, pp. 20-24
recycling.
3. P. Brown, Health hazards that lurk in inert gas, New Scientist,
Periodic out-of-service maintenance tasks also present no unusual 16 Feb 1991
hazards for electrical workers. The non-hazardous materials used in
the interrupter present no problems during normal maintenance 4. G. Mauthe, B. M. Pryor, L. Niemeyer, R. Probst, J. Poblonski, H.
tasks. At most, the user may contact the exterior parts of the VI, D. Morrison,. P. Bolin, P. OConnell, and J. Henriot, SF6 recy-
made of non-hazardous materials, such as ceramic and stainless cling guide re-use of SF6 gas in electrical power equipment
steel, for cleaning when the switching device is de-energized for and final disposal, Electra, No. 173, August 1997, pp. 43-71.
periodic out-of-service maintenance. In addition, there are no pres- 5. J. Raloff, Nations draft Kyoto climate treaty, Science News,
surized components to be concerned about. 1997, Vol. 52, December 20 & 27, p388.
Therefore, vacuum interrupters present no environmental concerns 6. E. A. Dutrow, SF6 & the environment: a voluntary emission
during normal operation, or during periodic out-of-service mainte- reduction program for electrical systems, a presentation by E.
nance, and also after disposal at the end of a long and useful life. A. Dutrow to the IEEE Switchgear Committee in May of 1996.
Vacuum is the Low Environmental Impact 7. Proposal for regulating the industrial greenhouse gasses
Technology Choice for Medium Voltage HFCs, PFCs and SF6, January 21, 2000, DANISH ENVIRON-
Switching Applications MENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, Chemicals Division, File no. M
1010-0008, Ref. FJE/12, available from the Danish EPA website
Selecting low environmental impact technologies has become http://www.mst.dk/homepage/
increasingly important to engineers tasked with choosing equipment
for an application. For circuit breakers, reclosers and contactors used 8. S. Gade; Ban on Potent Greenhouse Gases MiljoDanmark,
in medium voltage switchgear, vacuum and SF6 are the dominant Danish EPA magazine, No. 1/2000, The Danish Environmental
media for current interruption; both are oil free media and both pro- Protection Agency http://www.mst.dk/homepage/
vide excellent performance in all types of switching operations per- 9. Green taxes: New tax aims to reduce Danish consumption, of
formed in modern power systems. While price, performance and industrial greenhouse gasses, Danish Environment & Energy
personal preference were in the past the key factors in deciding Newsletter, ISSN1600-6909, http://www.mex.dk/uk/
which technology to choose, the degree of environmental impact vis_nyhed_uk.asp?id=1075&nyhed sbrev_id=118
has become an increasingly important factor.
10. ]D. Barry, An unofficial translation based on the latest official Act
SF6 is recognized as having the potential for both present and long No. 49 of 11 October 2000 from the Ministry of Taxation. Trans-
term hazards. SF6 arc byproducts are hazardous for maintenance lated November 2000 http://www.skm.dk/slutfil.php3?Slut-
workers in the present. SF6 arc byproducts are hazardous waste FilId=1464
requiring special care for disposal in the present and future. In addi-
tion, SF6 is a potent greenhouse gas and should not be released to
the atmosphere in order to minimize its potential for producing a
negative environmental impact through increased global warming.
Therefore, the use of SF6 circuit breakers must now be considered
in the light of these potential present and future hazards.
 Eaton Corporation Vacuum Interrupters Have the
Electrical Group
1000 Cherrington Parkway
Low Environmental Impact
Moon Township, PA 15108 Required for Todays Medium
United States Voltage Switching Applications
Page 5 887-ETN CARE (877-386-2273)
Eaton.com

Biographies
R. KIRKLAND SMITH (S'73-M'75-SM'90) was
born in Camden, New Jersey, USA in 1948.
He received the B.S.E.E. ('70 degree in electri-
cal engineering from Drexel University, Phila-
delphia, PA, and the M.S.E.E. ('71) and Ph.D.
('74) degrees in electrical engineering from
the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,
with the specialization in electrical power
engineering. Dr. Smith has 26 years of
research and product development experi-
ence in a wide range of technologies in the
switching of electric current. He is presently
the Manager of the Power Test Laboratory at
the Cutler-Hammer Vacuum Interrupter Business Unit in Horse-
heads, NY, USA.Dr. Smith is a member of the Power Engineering
Society and participates in several working groups of the IEEE
Switchgear Committee. He is the chair of the TRV working group of
that committee. He is also the Convenor of IECSC17A/WG23 a
working group on power test procedures for high voltage circuit
breakers of the IEC Switchgear Technical Subcommittee.

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