AIS instrument transformer SF6-free solutions

A joint statement of Pfiffner and Trench as AIS Instrument Transformer manufacturers

Environmental aspects are drastically gaining importance and becoming an essential part of today’s society. Recent natural disasters, floods and drought followed by wildfires send a clear signal that the status quo needs to change.

The decarbonization of the power generation sector is ongoing with renewable energy making an essential contribution. The T&D sector needs to follow and foster the decarbonization process.

With its outstanding insulation and safety properties, SF6 is traditionally used in AIS High Voltage Instrument Transformers. SF6 is, however, considered to be a gas contributing to global warming when it is released into the atmosphere.

Trench and Pfiffner, both leading manufacturers of AIS High Voltage Instrument Transformers with SF6 insulation, with the aim to support decarbonization efforts, commit to focusing their development activities in this product application on entirely F-gas free solutions. Both companies consider pure Air a suitable solution in AIS applications to reduce the environmental impact to the maximum extent possible and contribute significantly to the decarbonization required to safeguard our planet.

The “Clean Air or SynAir Technology” is based on field-proven SF6 designs offering the same operational benefits such as explosion safety, > 95% recyclability, maintenance freedom, and reliability.

While both companies will continue to develop their Air-based technology independently, they will work on standardizing aspects relevant to customers (e.g., diameter of filling devices) to reduce complexity for the Transmission Operators and their service teams.