Decomposition characteristics of C4F7N/CO2 mixture under AC discharge breakdown

Recently, the C4F7N/CO2 mixture has been highly considered as a promising SF6 alternative due to its low greenhouse effect and excellent electrical performance. Apart from its dielectric strength and arc-quenching capability, the decomposition characteristics of C4F7N/CO2 also play an important role in its future applications in gas-insulated electrical equipment. Therefore, decomposition experiments of the C4F7N/CO2 mixture were carried out under multiple AC discharge breakdowns by using a needle-to-plate electrode configuration. The compositions of the gas mixture before and after breakdowns were detected by using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. The results show that a trace amount of C3HF7 exists in the C4F7N product; the decomposition of the C4F7N/CO2 mixture mainly produces CO, CF4, CO2, C2F4, C2F6, C3F8, CF3CN, C3F6, C4F6, C4F10, C2F5CN, C2N2, HCN, C2F3CN, and HF. As the number of breakdowns increases, the content of most decomposition products increases significantly, while the content of C3HF7 decreases. The possible formation pathways of the decomposition products were determined, and the corresponding reaction enthalpies were calculated by quantum chemistry calculation. Relevant results not only reveal the decomposition characteristics of C4F7N/CO2 under AC breakdowns but also help us to better understand the corresponding physicochemical mechanisms, which will provide a good reference for stable operation and safe maintenance in applications.