Predictive Testing of SF6

Not unless you open it up and inspect it, and as you surely know, one tries to avoid opening GIS because often you end up with more junk inside it than was there before you opened it...

These guys can help you:

http://www.dmsystems.co.uk/

http://www.pdtech.ch/index2.php?okatID=11

/rf_guy

Ion Mobility Spectrometry has been used for this. See:

http://tdworld.com/mag/power_diagnosing_health_sf/

I am involved with a company that manufactures and sells IMS analyzers. They do not presently make an analyzer for this specific application, but may be interested in working with you to develop an analyzer.

If you are interested, let me know and I will get you in contact.

Tad

Thank you for the information given in the link .It is quite informative and good to know the latest development. We have been replacing the bottles as per manufacturers schedule . The IR value of Poles give rough idea as to weather the bottle needs replacement earlier than manufacturer's recommendation .Some manufacturers provide gauge to know the SF 6 pressure inside which also can give idea but gas inside but cannot know about contamination of gas.

Thanx. Some manufacturers provide guages to monitor the SF6 pressure and also signals that are alarm based to remined you incase the pressure is low.

Also others provide counters to monitor the number of oprating times of the breaker and give recomended operations after which the breaker is taken for maintainace or service.

If the gas leaks then find the leakage source, clear it and refill the breaker, but please never operate a braker whose SF6 pressure is in acritical state.