IEC 60480:2019 provides criteria for the re-use of sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) and its mixtures after recovery and reclaiming from electrical equipment (e.g. for maintenance, at the end-of-life).
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆), nitrogen (N₂) and carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), are gases commonly used for electrical equipment. Taking into account environmental concerns, particular attention is paid to re-use criteria for SF₆ and its mixtures with N₂ and CF₄ for its use in electrical equipment. Procedures for recovering and reclaiming used SF₆ and its mixtures are outside the scope of this document and are described in IEC 62271-4.
This document provides several annexes on the description of the different methods of analysis, on by-products, on the procedure for evaluating the potential health effects from by-products, on cryogenic reclaiming of SF₆, and on reclaiming recommendations.
Storage, transportation and disposal of SF₆ and its mixtures are outside the scope of this document and are covered by IEC 62271-4. Procedures to determine SF6 leakages are described in IEC 60068-2-17.
For the purposes of this document, the complementary gases used in SF₆ mixtures will be limited to N₂ or CF₄.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition, published in 2004. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
• specifications for the re-use of SF₆ have been confirmed;
• specifications for the re-use of SF₆ mixtures, namely SF₆/N₂ and SF₆/CF₄ mixtures are included;
• as a result of a new repartition of annexes in IEC 60376, IEC 60480 and IEC 62271-4, this new edition now contains the following five annexes:
- Annex A: Description of methods of analysis (on-site and laboratory);
- Annex B: By-products of SF₆ and its mixtures;
- Annex C: Procedure for evaluating the potential effects on health from by products of SF₆ and its mixtures;
- Annex D: Reclaiming recommendations.
- Annex E: Cryogenic reclaiming of SF₆;