Process for measuring degradation of sulfur hexafluoride in high voltage systems

Patent · Tue Apr 23 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5455493

Sauers, I

This invention is a method of detecting the presence of toxic and corrosive by-products in high voltage systems produced by electrically induced degradation of SF/sub 6/ insulating gas in the presence of certain impurities. It is an improvement over previous methods because it is extremely sensitive, detecting by-products present in parts per billion concentrations, and because the device employed is of a simple design and takes advantage of the by-products natural affinity for fluoride ions. The method employs an ion-molecule reaction cell in which negative ions of the by-products are produced by fluorine attachment. These ions are admitted to a negative ion mass spectrometer and identified by their spectra. This spectrometry technique is an improvement over conventional techniques because the negative ion peaks are strong and not obscured by a major ion spectra of the SF/sub 6/ component as is the case in positive ion mass spectrometry.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): None
• Application Number: ON: DE86013808
• OSTI ID: 5455493
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400104 -- Spectral Procedures-- (-1987)
440300* -- Miscellaneous Instruments-- (-1989)
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
SPECTROMETERS
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR FLUORIDES