SF6 Gas Circuit Breaker, New Solution for Generator Main Circuit Switching

After a short circuit in a large capacity generator main circuit in power plant, current zero transition may fail to occur for many cycles. The authors show that with a suitably designed SF6 gas circuit breaker arc resistance acts to cause current zero transition, making interruption possible, and further that characteristics of SF6 gas make it eminently suitable for generator breakers having the large current carrying capacity demanded in large power plants and also having the capability for repetitive switching of large load currents, as demanded in pumped storage power plants.