SF6 Gas Reconditioning & Recycling Process

About Concorde Specialty Gases Proprietary Technology For Comprehensive SF6 Gas Reconditioning

Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) gas is a physically stable, non-toxic, and inert gas with high dielectric strength and thermal stability. It is generally used in high voltage electrical equipment for power transmission and distribution, such as gas insulated circuit breakers, transmission lines, and gas insulated substations. Even with its excellent properties as an insulation product, SF6 has also been identified as a powerful Greenhouse Gas.

Despite the advantages that SF6 gas brings, its use is not without challenges, driven by environmental considerations and the goal of providing a total solution for our customers.

Concorde Specialty Gases has developed proprietary technology for the comprehensive reconditioning and recycling of contaminated SF6 gas, based on a new energy-efficient cryogenic process. This new technology is the first fully automated, no-loss SF6 gas recycling system.

Purity of Reconditioning SF6 gas

The purity of reconditioned or recycled SF6 gas is equal to or greater than 99.99 percent and is in accordance with technical grade ASTM D 2472 (the standard for new SF6 gas), which enables the gas to be reused again and again. Using recycled SF6 gas will help reduce carbon emissions and result in a cost-saving potential for end-users.

The most significant technical advantage of the new process compared with existing technology is that it can efficiently recycle/recondition SF6 irrespective of the type or level of contamination.

Existing technologies cannot treat all contaminants and all contamination levels in one process. Furthermore, the level of automation present in the new process allows significantly greater throughput and energy efficiency.

While SF6 is relied upon for its insulating and arc-quenching ability, the gas can deteriorate over time, particularly if the equipment has experienced regular switching. Inferior gas quality can diminish its capabilities, compromising the equipment’s performance and safety.

The process is designed so that no loss of SF6 occurs at any stage of operation. Unique detection instrumentation combined with an automated process control system is used to detect and prevent leakage that may result from operator or plant fault.

To ensure safety, all plant processes have been internalized to prevent human exposure and eliminate the chance of accidental exposure. Remove all nongaseous contaminants with solid-state absorbents contained within self-contained columns with the SF6 gas passes.

The solid waste products, now safely concentrated and contained, can be disposed of without human contact or environmental exposure.

The technical, safety, commercial and environmental advantages this new recycling technology brings are clear. The new recycling center offers a solution to a problem that previously had no commercially or environmentally friendly solutions.

Concorde’s technology benefits end-users by completing total product life cycle considerations while not altering the existing benefits of safety and reliability of this essential equipment. Customers can now benefit from not just a reduced physical footprint but a reduced environmental footprint as well.

Contact us or call 732-544-9899 for more information about our SF6 Reconditioning Services.

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Reconditioned SF6 Gas: An Environmentally Friendly Alternative