Increasing the fire safety of distribution switchgear with fire-resistant hydrocarbon fluids

Fire-resistant hydrocarbon fluids have been shown to be an excellent arc-extinguishing media that are very resistant to fire and explosion. These characteristics, combined with their lubricity and biodegradability properties, make them a natural choice when evaluating dielectric fluids for use where the risk of fire must be minimized. New methods of refining and manufacturing these fluids are improving their heat transfer and electrical characteristics while maintaining their environmental acceptance. These improved fluids will assure the design engineer and electrical equipment owner of the ability to choose and maintain state of the art dielectric fluids well into the next century