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EconiQ® retrofill for gas-insulated lines ELK-3, 420 kV and 550 kV

Replacing SF₆ in installed high-voltage gas-insulated lines (GIL) with an eco-efficient gas mixture to improve the environmental and lifecycle performance of the equipment

The innovative EconiQ retrofill solution uses eco-efficient fluoronitrile based gas mixture to replace SF6 in installed gas-insulated lines. This can be done with minimum changes to existing equipment while ensuring performance of the equipment and significantly lowering environmental impact.

In this process, SF6 from the installed gas-insulated lines is evacuated and filled into gas bottles for recycling or disposal and the GIL is then flushed to remove any humidity. The new eco-efficient gas mixture is then filled into the GIL and the switchgear is re-energized to connect back to the grid. The process is relatively quick and enables the reuse of passive gas components designed for SF6 to be converted into non-SF6 equipment, thereby improving their environmental and lifecycle performance.

EconiQ is Hitachi Energy's eco-efficient portfolio for sustainability where products, services and solutions are proven to deliver exceptional environmental performance.

Applications

  • Installed ELK-3, 420 kV and 550 kV gas-insulated lines

Why Hitachi Energy?

  • Our solution is developed specifically to reduce the quantity of SF6 in installed high-voltage equipment without doing any major changes or upgrades on the existing equipment. All work can be performed without opening and dismantling the installed GIL. There is no need to change installed sealings, only gas is replaced.
  • Our eco-efficient gas mixture significantly reduces the CO2 equivalent emissions as compared to SF6  while providing the identical ratings, same reliability and life cycle performance.
  • Extensive GIS know-how and service support for smooth process in planning and execution at site.

Key product benefits
 

  • A smooth process of replacing SF6 with an eco-efficient gas mixture 
  • Retrofill can be completed without dismantling the installed GIS or GIL 
  • No major maintenance or repair work needed 
  • Gas replacement does not require changing the installed sealings 
  • Maintains regular outage times
  • Converts SF6-based equipment to operate on an eco-efficient gas mixture for GIS or GIL 
  • EconiQ retrofill in passive components eliminates approximately 50% of the SF6 of a substation
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EconiQ™ retrofill for gas-insulated lines

Brief performance data

Performance data - EconiQ retrofill for gas-insulated lines ELK-3   420 kV 550 kV
CO2 equivalent relative reduction to SF6 % 98.8 98.8
Rated nominal value U  kV 420 550
Power frequency withstand voltage kV 650 740
Rated switching impulse withstand voltage (250/2500 µs)  kV 1050 1300
Rated lightning impulse withstand voltage (1.2/50 µs)  kV 1425 1675
Rated current at 40°C (50Hz, 60Hz)  A 4000, 5000 4000, 5000
Rated short time withstand current/duration kA/s 63/3 63/3
Rated peak-withstand current  kA 171 171
Temperature range °C -25/+40 -25/+40
Type of installation   Indoor/Outdoor Indoor/Outdoor

Get to know more

EconiQ retrofill for gas-insulated lines ELK-3, 420 kV and 550 kV

Product leaflet

Hitachi Energy partners with National Grid on world’s first replacement of SF₆ in existing high-voltage equipment

Press release

Achieving the world’s first SF6 replacement with National Grid

Success case

Replace SF₆ in existing high-voltage equipment with EconiQ retrofill

Youtube

Implementation of a pioneering eco-efficient solution, EconiQ retrofill

Youtube

EconiQ retrofill: A game-changing technology to replace SF₆ 

Youtube

EconiQ retrofill: The sustainable solution for reducing greenhouse gas SF₆ 

Youtube

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