Hyosung Heavy Industries Unveils 145kV Circuit Breaker with "Zero" Carbon Emission Gas

Hyosung Heavy Industries unveils the next-generation SF₆-free 145kV circuit breaker.

On April 1, Hyosung Heavy Industries announced that it has developed and will begin mass production of a 145kV circuit breaker that uses dry air instead of SF₆ gas for the first time in Korea.

SF₆ is known as a gas that withstands high voltage conditions inside a circuit breaker and effectively interrupts electrical current. Due to its high Global Warming Potential (GWP), however, efforts to replace this gas are increasing.

Hyosung Heavy Industries has enhanced its greenhouse gas reduction effect by applying dry air consisting of nitrogen(N₂) and oxygen(O₂) instead of SF₆ to its newly-developed 145kV circuit breaker. By incorporating vacuum circuit breaker technology, Hyosung Heavy Industries secured both insulation and current interruption performance while enabling stable operation of the circuit breaker.

Hyosung Heavy Industries is the first in Korea and the world’s second to apply both technologies to a 145kV circuit breaker based on STL (Short-Circuit Testing Liaison) standards, an international accredited testing laboratory consortium.

The European Union (EU) revised its fluorine-based greenhouse gas (F-gas) regulations in 2024, progressively tightening restrictions on fluorinated greenhouse gases including SF₆. Accordingly, as Europe accelerates the adoption of alternative technologies, the related market is also growing. According to market research firm Business Research Insights, the global SF₆-free circuit breaker market is forecast to grow from approximately $5.4 billion in 2024 to more than $7.4 billion by 2033.

Hyosung Heavy Industries plans to expand its SF₆-free circuit breaker product lineup to the high-voltage segment. The company also aims to accelerate its push into the next-generation power equipment market in line with tightening global environmental regulations and growing demand for power infrastructure transition.