EN IEC 60376:2018

Specification of technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and complementary gases to be used in its mixtures for use in electrical equipment

IEC 60376:2018 defines the quality for technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and complementary gases such as nitrogen (N2) and carbon tetra-fluoride (CF4), for use in electrical equipment. Detection techniques, covering both laboratory and in-situ portable instrumentation, applicable to the analysis of SF6, N2 and CF4 gases prior to the introduction of these gases into the electrical equipment are also described in this document. This document provides some information on sulphur hexafluoride in Annex A and on the environmental effects of SF6 in Annex B. Information about SF6 by-products and the procedure for evaluating the potential effects of SF6 by-products on human health are covered by IEC 60480, their handling and disposal being carried out according to international and local regulations with regard to the impact on the environment. Handling of SF6 and its mixtures is 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 2005. This edition constitutes a technical revision. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition: a) the requirements for the use of SF6 in electrical equipment have been confirmed; b) a specification for complementary gases to be used in SF6 mixtures with N2 and CF4 has been included; c) the introduction and scope have been merged; d) a new repartition of the annexes of IEC 60376, IEC 60480 and IEC 62271-4 has been included.

Spezifikation von Schwefelhexafluorid (SF6) technischer Qualität und komplementären Gasen für den Gebrauch in SF6-Mischungen zur Verwendung in elektrischen Betriebsmitteln

Spécification de la qualité technique de l'hexafluorure de soufre (SF6) et des gaz complémentaires à employer dans les mélanges de SF6 pour utilisation dans les appareils électriques

L'IEC 60376:2018 définit la qualité technique de l'hexafluorure de soufre (SF6) et des gaz complémentaires (l'azote (N2) et le tétrafluorure de carbone (CF4), par exemple) utilisés dans les matériels électriques. Le présent document décrit également les techniques de détection couvrant les instruments de laboratoire et les instruments portables in situ, applicables à l'analyse des gaz SF6, N2 et CF4 avant leur introduction dans les matériels électriques. Le présent document donne des informations relatives à l'hexafluorure de soufre (Annexe A) et à ses effets sur l'environnement (Annexe B). Les informations relatives aux sous-produits du SF6 et à la procédure d'évaluation de leurs effets potentiels sur la santé humaine sont données dans l'IEC 60480, leur manipulation et leur élimination étant assurées selon les réglementations internationales et locales, du fait de leur effet sur l'environnement. La manipulation du SF6 et des mélanges de SF6 est couverte par l'IEC 62271-4. Les procédures de détermination des fuites de SF6 sont décrites dans l'IEC 60068-2-17. Pour les besoins du présent document, les gaz complémentaires utilisés dans les mélanges de SF6 se limitent au N2 et au CF4. Cette troisième édition annule et remplace la deuxième édition parue en 2005. Cette édition constitue une révision technique. Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente: a) les exigences en matière d'utilisation du SF6 dans les matériels électriques ont été confirmées; b) une spécification relative aux gaz complémentaires (N2 et CF4 par exemple) à employer dans les mélanges de SF6 est incluse; c) l'introduction et le domaine d'application ont été fusionnés; d) les annexes de l'IEC 60376, l'IEC 60480 et l'IEC 62271-4 ont fait l'objet d'une nouvelle répartition.

Specifikacija tehničnega žveplovega heksafluorida (SF6) in komplementarnih plinov v mešanicah za uporabo v električni opremi

Ta dokument določa kakovost tehničnega žveplovega heksafluorida (SF6) in komplementarnih plinov, kot sta dušik (N2) in tetrafluorometan (CF4), za uporabo v električni opremi. V tem dokumentu so opisane tudi tehnike odkrivanja, ki zajemajo laboratorijske in prenosne instrumente in situ, ki se uporabljajo za analizo plinov SF6, N2 in CF4 pred uporabo teh plinov pri električni opremi.
Ta dokument podaja nekaj informacij o žveplovem heksafluoridu v dodatku A in o okoljskih učinkih SF6 v dodatku B.
Informacije o stranskih proizvodih SF6 in postopku za ocenjevanje morebitnih učinkov stranskih proizvodov SF6 na zdravje ljudi so zajete v standardu IEC 60480, ravnanje z njimi in njihovo odlaganje pa se izvaja v skladu z mednarodnimi in lokalnimi predpisi o vplivu na okolje. Ravnanje s SF6 in njegovimi mešanicami je zajeto v IEC 62271-4.
Postopki za določanje puščanja SF6 so opisani v IEC 60068-2-17.
V tem dokumentu so plini, uporabljeni v mešanicah SF6, omejeni na N2 ali CF4.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 16-Aug-2018
• Withdrawal Date: 27-Jun-2021
• ICS: 29.040.20 - Insulating gases
• ICS: 29.130 - Switchgear and controlgear
• Technical Committee: CLC/SR 10 - Fluids for electrotechnical applications
• Drafting Committee: IEC/TC 10 - IEC_TC_10
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 17-Aug-2018
• Completion Date: 17-Aug-2018
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 60376:2018 - Specification of technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and complementary gases to be used in its mixtures for use in electrical equipment

Relations

• Replaces: EN 60376:2005 - Specification of technical grade sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) for use in electrical equipment
• Effective Date: 07-Jun-2022

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2018
1DGRPHãþD
SIST EN 60376:2006
6SHFLILNDFLMDWHKQLþQHJDåYHSORYHJDKHNVDIOXRULGD6)LQNRPSOHPHQWDUQLK
SOLQRYYPHãDQLFDK]DXSRUDERYHOHNWULþQLRSUHPL
Specification of technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and complementary gases to
be used in its mixtures for use in electrical equipment
Bestimmung der Reinheit der technisch einsetzbaren Qualität von Schwefelhexafluorid
(SF6) sowie Gasen für den Gebrauch in SF6-Mischungen zur Verwendung in
elektrischen Betriebsmitteln
Spécification de la qualité technique de l'hexafluorure de soufre (SF6) et des gaz
complémentaires à employer dans les mélanges de SF6 pour utilisation dans les
appareils électriques
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 60376:2018
ICS:
29.040.20 Izolacijski plini Insulating gases
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 60376

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
August 2018
ICS 29.040.20 Supersedes EN 60376:2005
English Version
Specification of technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF ) and
complementary gases to be used in its mixtures for use in
electrical equipment
(IEC 60376:2018)
Spécification de la qualité technique de l'hexafluorure de Bestimmung der Reinheit der technisch einsetzbaren
soufre (SF6) et des gaz complémentaires à employer dans Qualität von Schwefelhexafluorid (SF6) sowie Gasen für
les mélanges de SF pour utilisation dans les appareils den Gebrauch in SF -Mischungen zur Verwendung in
6 6
électriques elektrischen Betriebsmitteln
(IEC 60376:2018) (IEC 60376:2018)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2018-06-28. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2018 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 60376:2018 E
European foreword
The text of document 10/1056/FDIS, future edition 3 of IEC 60376, prepared by IEC/TC 10 "Fluids for
electrotechnical applications" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and approved by
CENELEC as EN IEC 60376:2018.
The following dates are fixed:
(dop) 2019-03-28
• latest date by which the document has to be
implemented at national level by
publication of an identical national
standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national (dow) 2021-06-28
standards conflicting with the
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 60376:2005.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 60376:2018 was approved by CENELEC as a European
Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following note has to be added for the standard indicated:

IEC 60068-2-17 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60068-2-17.
ISO 14040:2006 NOTE Harmonized as EN ISO 14040:2006 (not modified).
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications

The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments)
applies.
NOTE 1  Where an International Publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod), the relevant
EN/HD applies.
NOTE 2  Up-to-date information on the latest versions of the European Standards listed in this annex is available here:
www.cenelec.eu.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year

IEC 60050-212 -  International Electrotechnical Vocabulary - - -
Part 212: Electrical insulating solids, liquids
and gases
IEC 60050-441 -  International Electrotechnical Vocabulary - -
(IEV) -
Chapter 441: Switchgear, controlgear and
fuses
IEC 60050-826 -  International Electrotechnical Vocabulary - - -
Part 826: Electrical installations
IEC 60480 -  Guidelines for the checking and treatment EN 60480 -
of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) taken from
electrical equipment and specification for
its re-use
IEC 62271-4 -  High-voltage switchgear and controlgear - EN 62271-4 -
Part 4: Handling procedures for sulphur
hexafluoride (SF ) and its mixtures
IEC 60376 ®
Edition 3.0 2018-05
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Specification of technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF ) and complementary
gases to be used in its mixtures for use in electrical equipment

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 29.040.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-5744-9

– 2 – IEC 60376:2018 © IEC 2018
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 7
3.1 Terms and definitions . 7
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 7
4 General requirements . 8
5 Requirements for technical grade SF . 8
6 Requirements for complementary gases to be used in SF mixtures . 9
7 Environmental impact . 10
8 Handling, storage and transportation . 10
8.1 Gas handling procedures . 10
8.2 Storage and transportation . 10
Annex A (informative) Sulphur hexafluoride . 11
A.1 General . 11
A.2 Chemical properties . 11
A.3 Physical properties . 11
A.4 Electrical properties . 12
Annex B (informative) Environmental effects of SF and its mixtures . 14
B.1 General . 14
B.2 Ecotoxicology . 14
B.3 Ozone depletion . 14
B.4 Global warming/climate change (greenhouse effect) . 14
B.5 Reducing the environmental impact of the use of SF and CF in
6 4
electrical equipment . 15
Annex C (informative) Detection techniques . 16
C.1 Detection techniques of SF . 16
C.2 Detection techniques of N . 17
C.3 Detection techniques of CF . 17
Bibliography . 18

Figure A.1 – Pressure/temperature/density characteristics for SF [3] . 12
Table 1 – Requirements for technical grade SF . 8
Table 2 – Requirements for N to be used in SF mixtures . 9
2 6
Table 3 – Requirements for CF to be used in SF mixtures . 9
4 6
Table A.1 – Main chemical characteristics of SF [3] . 11
Table A.2 – Main physical characteristics of SF [3] . 12
Table A.3 – Main electrical characteristics of SF [3] . 13
Table C.1 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis of technical grade SF (not
exhaustive) . 16
Table C.2 – Detection techniques for on-site analysis of technical grade SF (not
exhaustive) . 16

IEC 60376:2018 © IEC 2018 – 3 –
Table C.3 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis of technical grade N used in
SF mixtures (not exhaustive). 17
Table C.4 – Detection techniques for laboratory analysis of technical grade CF used
in SF mixtures (not exhaustive) . 17
– 4 – IEC 60376:2018 © IEC 2018
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
SPECIFICATION OF TECHNICAL GRADE SULPHUR
HEXAFLUORIDE (SF ) AND COMPLEMENTARY GASES
TO BE USED IN ITS MIXTURES FOR USE IN ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide
...