SWITZERLAND - PFIFFNER Group has announced a new, high voltage air-insulated switchgear (AIS) which should help to set a new standard for the safe and sustainable operation of electrical grids.

Sulfur hexafluoride, commonly known as SF6, is a man-made gas utilized primarily as an electrical insulator and arc suppressant. While extremely effective in circuit breaker applications, according to PFIFFNER Group, it is also one of the most harmful greenhouse gases in existence. As such, component manufacturers in the electrical grid sector have been seeking solutions in recent years to limit its usage. PFIFFNER‘s solution instead uses an eco-compatible gas that eliminates the use of SF6 and F-gases entirely.

“Arcs can get extremely hot, upwards of 25,000 K, and a large concentration of gas must be forced into the area between the contacts at high speed to extinguish the arc and thus, interrupt the current. As such, components must meet stringent performance and reliability standards to ensure safety and efficacy.” explains PFIFFNER’S Team Lead.

“The industry has been aware of the issues of working with SF6 for many years, however, alternatives, that can match its performance have been difficult to find. With this new circuit breaker, we believe we have found a solution that delivers on sustainability without compromising performance or safety, by means of the application of innovative concepts.”

For Dr. Juergen Bernauer, CEO, PFIFFNER Group, the new circuit breaker builds upon the company’s well-established core values of quality, transparency and trust: “As a Swiss company we take enormous pride in our heritage, and as a family-owned company that is accountable to customers rather than shareholders, we have the agility to respond quickly to market trends. The new circuit breaker is an excellent example of innovation coming together with sustainability to create a new, ground-breaking solution that helps to improve performance while also making a positive difference for the planet.”

Source: PFIFFNER Group