for

Future Gas Insulation Lines for Transmission Networks

KH Elnaddab1, A Haddad1 and H Griffiths1 1 High Voltage Energy Systems Group, School of Engineering, Cardiff University INTRODUCTION *E-mail: ElnaddabKA @cf.ac.uktransmission and distribution lines. Connection of offshore renewable energy generation sources require cable-type Subsea interconnectors are also achieved using cables. Environmental pressures call for undergrounding of overhead lines. Current cable technologies may have power capacity and long term performance issues, in addition to installation and maintenance costs. GIL has attractive properties to fulfil the above requirements. Existing GIL use a mixture of SF6 and N2 as an insulating gas. Proposed future environmental improvement of GIL is to use mixtures of CF 3I. On going investigation in this project Review properties of GIL. Review properties of CF3I gas and its mixtures with N2 and CO2 and suitability for HV applications Investigation of voltage, current and power characteristics in long length GIL Laboratory tests of short GIL section with CF 3I mixtures. Characteristic of Existing GIL Technical Data for Different Transmission Systems at 400 kV
OHL4*240 / 40Al/St Thermal power limit (MVA) Thermal current limit (A) Resistance R (m/km) Losses at limit current (W/m) Losses at 1600 (A) (W/m) 1790 2580 30.4 600 at 2500 A 230 X-bounded Oil cable 1200 1120 1610 23 150 at 1650 A 145 XLPE cable 1600 1150 1660 19 GIL

GIL Bus Design

3190 4600 6.9

190 at 1660 440 at 4600 A A 177 53

Drivers for GIL Networks SF6 has traditionally been the preferred dielectric for use in both gas-insulated transmission lines and for circuit breaker applications. SF6 is the most potent greenhouse gas in existence. With a global warming potential 23,900 times greater than CO 2, one pound of SF6 has the same global warming impact of 11 tons of carbon dioxide A new gas has been identified as a potential alternative for high-voltage applications which is known as Trifluoroiodomethane (CF3I). it is a colourless, odourless, and inert gas that has a global warming potential of 5 or less and an extremely small ozone depletion potential of 0.0001.

Power Transfer Characteristic of GIL Model of a Single-Circuit GIL Voltage Characteristic of GIL Current Characteristic of GIL

CONCLUSION The main advantages of the GIL compared to other transmission systems (overhead lines and cables) are very high power transmission ratings due to the low resistive losses, very low electromagnetic field, and no risk of fire or external harm. Application of CF3I gas as an insulation medium in high voltage equipment could bring significant environmental benefits.