SF6 compressor - gas recovery

Starting position / boundary conditions

SF6 gas is a halogen compound, which as a greenhouse gas has a very harmful effect on the environment. It can remain stable in the atmosphere for 3200 years. The greenhouse effect for SF6 is 23'900 times as large as for the same quantity of CO2.

In the 1997 Kyoto protocol, SF6 was listed as one of the six greenhouse gases which are prohibited from freely escaping into the atmosphere.

Despite its harmfulness, SF6 is an essential gas and is used, for example, as an insulating gas in high voltage switches. SF6 has excellent properties for electrical insulation and the suppression of electrical arcs during switching. With the rapid increase in global electricity consumption, the demand for high voltage switches increases.

For maintenance of high voltage switches, special recovery units with compressors and vacuum pumps are needed. HAUG Sauer built since the 70s SF6 gas recovery compressors in the power range from 0.5 to 30 kW.

Our clients are the largest plant manufacturers of recovery plants and the world's leading energy engineering companies in the field of power supply.

Requirements

The suction pressure in this application is in the range of 1-9 bar(abs) and the final pressure at a maximum of 51 bar(abs). The flow rate requirement is in the range of 1 to 50 Nm3/h.

Gas density and processes with gas-tight and oil-free compressors are an absolute must in connection with the SF6 gas recovery.

The recovery systems are used irregularly during the maintenance of high voltage switches. If the recovery systems are in use in production so the design for continuous operation is carried out.

The systems are used worldwide in all climatic conditions. Therefore very reliable and maintenance-friendly compressors are demanded.

HAUG Sauer Solution

The HAUG Sauer solution includes a 1-2-stage compressor from the series Pluto, Mercure or Sirius. The compressor operates oil-free and dry running and is equipped with the hermetic and contactless magnetic coupling. The compressor is air-cooled. The package is adapted to the customer requirements, from the compressor block to completely cased system with control.

The key arguments for HAUG Sauer are: high reliability, great experience, absolute oil-free and gas-tight, individually tailored to the customer compressor solution.

Because of their oil-free, dry-running and hermetic gas-tight construction, HAUG compressors are ideally suited for use in the compression of SF6 gas.

• Gas contamination and the contamination of installations and equipment is avoided by oil-free compression
• Technically leak-tight gas compressors in operation and standstill and hence, no leakage to the environment
• Application in gas recovery systems for maintenance of high voltage switches
• Application in industrial and production plant where SF6 is used