Research status of replacement gases for SF6 in power industry

SF6 is widely used in the industrial field due to its stable structure and excellent properties. It is mainly used in electrical insulation equipment. Due to the boiling point of SF6, its use in extremely cold regions has been limited. It is harmful to the health of practitioners due to the toxicity of decomposition products. The gas has limited its wider use because of its strong greenhouse effect. As a result, researchers and electrical equipment manufacturing companies around the world are gradually searching for new environmentally friendly gases and have conducted research and exploration on theory and experiment. In this paper, the current status and existing problems of SF6 are summarized. The research contents and research methods of SF6 alternative gas direction are reviewed from the aspects of insulation performance, interrupter performance, and decomposition performance. The existing research results of the natural gas, SF6 mixed gas, perfluorocarbons, and CnFmX gas are summarized, and the future development trend of alternative gas for SF6 in the electrical industry is proposed.