Measurement of swarm parameters of c-C4F8/CO2 and its insulation characteristics analysis

In c-C₄F₈ and c-C₄F₈/CO₂ mixtures, the swarm parameters including ionization coefficient, attachment coefficient and effective ionization coefficient were obtained at the ratio of the electric field strength to the gas density between 150–550 Td by the steady-state Townsend (SST) method. Static breakdown voltages at each ratio were also measured at the SST condition. The limiting field strengths were obtained by two methods: computing the density-normalized effective ionization coefficient as a function of the overall density-reduced electric field strength; and measuring static breakdown voltages as a function of the product of gas density and electrode separation. Good agreement was obtained by these two methods, which ensures the correctness of the former method. The limiting field strengths of c-C₄F₈ and c-C₄F₈/CO₂ mixtures were compared with those of pure SF₆, SF₆/CO₂ mixtures and pure c-C₄F₈. It is found that buffer gas CO₂ does not reduce the limiting field strengths of c-C₄F₈ greatly, the limiting field strengths of c-C₄F₈/CO₂ mixtures are higher than those of SF₆/CO₂ mixtures or even pure SF₆, and so c-C₄F₈/CO₂ mixtures are suggested to be possible substitutes for SF₆. Foundation item: the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50777041)