Sulphur Hexafluoride

Christopher J. Ennis

SULPHUR HEXAFLUORIDE (SF 6 ) is the most powerful of all the greenhouse gases recognized by the Kyoto Protocol and evaluated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Although its concentration in the atmosphere is low, the combination of a high global warming potential and a very long lifetime make emissions of SF, a considerable con-cern. It is primarily used as an electrical insulator in the high-voltage distribution network, and major industrial users are beginning to restrict the use and emission of SF 6 . The Kyoto Protocol requires developed nations to cut their emission of six greenhouse gases. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change periodically assesses these gases and estimates a global warming potential (GWP) for each. The gasses, with their respective GWPs, are as follows: CO 2 (1), CH 4 (21), N 2 O (310), PFC (9200), HFC (11,700), and SF 6 (23,900). In this list, HFC and ...

Users without subscription are not able to see the full content on this title. Please, subscribe or login to access all content on this website.