What is BS EN IEC 60376-Specification of technical grade sulphur hexafluoride about?
BS EN IEC 60376 is an international standard on fluids for electrotechnical applications which provides criteria for the re-use of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and its mixtures after recovery and reclaiming from electrical equipment.
BS EN IEC 60376 defines the quality for technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and complementary gases such as nitrogen (N2) and carbon tetra-fluoride (CF4), for use in electrical equipment.
BS EN IEC 60376 provides some information on sulphur hexafluoride in Annex A and on the environmental effects of SF6 in Annex B.
Who is BS EN IEC 60376- Specification of technical grade SF6 for?
BS EN IEC 60376 on technical grade sulphur hexafluoride is relevant to:
- Manufacturers of electrical equipment such as transformers, capacitors, switchgear and controlgear, etc
- Chemical insulation industry
- Testing laboratories
- Electrical industry
- Electrical engineers
Why should you use BS EN IEC 60376- Specification of technical grade SF6?
Sulphur hexafluoride is used as an electrically insulating material in circuit breakers, cables, capacitors, and transformers. However, determining their properties and identifying the level of contaminants is crucial for its performance.
BS EN IEC 60376 provides you with requirements for technical grade SF6 and complementary gases to be used in SF6 mixtures and their concentrations. Given their environmental impact, best industry guidance on handling of SF6, CF4 and their gas mixtures is also covered, thus ensuring incidents of deliberate release is prevented.
Compliance with BS EN IEC 60376 can thus ensure the physical, chemical and electrical properties of SF6 are retained, contaminants that have a deleterious effect on one or more of these properties are identified, and qualities of dielectric strength, high thermal interruption capabilities and high heat transfer performance are maintained.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN IEC 60376:2018 supersedes BS EN 60376:2005, which is withdrawn. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
- The requirements for the use of SF6 in electrical equipment have been confirmed
- A specification for complementary gases to be used in SF6 mixtures with N2 and CF4 has been included
- The introduction and scope have been merged
- A new repartition of the annexes of IEC 60376, IEC 60480 and IEC 62271-4 has been included