[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 100 (Friday, May 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 28448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13565]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Public Meeting To Gather Information for an Assessment of the 
State-of-Knowledge of the Properties of Possible SF6 
Replacement Gases

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce 
Department.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: Notice of public meeting to gather information for an 
assessment of the state-of-knowledge of the properties of possible 
sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) replacement gases.

DATES: The meeting will be on Wednesday, June 18, 1997 from 9:00 am 
until 1:00 pm.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in Lecture Room B at the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
James Olthoff, 301-975-2431.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology is in the process of evaluating available data on the 
properties of dielectric gases and mixtures, in order to assess the 
potential use of these gases or mixtures in high-voltage applications 
which currently utilize sulfur hexafluoride. The end purpose of this 
investigation is to provide a thorough assessment of the state-of-
knowledge of the properties of possible SF6-replacement 
gases. This report is intended for use by high voltage equipment 
manufacturers, electric utilities, and the Environmental Protection 
Agency in making decisions about the future use of SF6 by 
the electric-power industry. The purpose of the meeting is to gather 
information from informed individuals from within equipment 
manufacturing companies, electric utilities, gas companies, and 
academia. Four major areas will be discussed during the meeting: (1) 
Possible ``drop-in'' gases or mixtures that could substitute for 
SF6 in existing equipment; (2) the identification of gases 
or gas mixtures that may be likely candidates for use in further 
designs of high voltage equipment; (3) the identification of gases 
which have potentially useful dielectric properties, but for which 
insufficient data is currently available to allow a decision as to 
their practical use; and (4) areas of research required for the 
development of environmentally acceptable alternatives to pure 
SF6 use. A draft copy of the NIST report will be provided to 
participants, upon request. The tentative meeting schedule is as 
follows.

9:00 a.m.  Introduction
9:20 a.m.  Possible universal application ``drop-in'' gas mixtures
10:00 a.m.  Likely gases for arc interruption and high voltage 
insulation
11:00 a.m.  Future Research and Development: Continue search for 
substitutes
11:40 a.m.  Comments, input, further discussion

    Input from the discussions may be incorporated into the NIST final 
report prior to its publication.

    Dated: May 16, 1997.
Elaine Bunten-Mines,
Director, Program Office.
[FR Doc. 97-13565 Filed 5-22-97; 8:45 am]
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