Schneider Electric SM AirSet switchgear
Preventing global warming with air and vacuum barrier technology
Same functions and size as existing SF6-using product line


SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) gas has been used for medium- and high-voltage current insulation and blocking. However, it has been revealed to be a greenhouse gas 23,500 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and has been identified as a cause of global warming. Companies are working to develop technologies to replace existing SF6 gas.

On the 31st, Schneider Electric launched 'SM AirSeT™,' an eco-friendly digital high-voltage switchgear that does not use SF6 gas. This product is an eco-friendly version of the SM6, Schneider Electric's secondary electrical distribution product line.

In the past, there were products that eliminated SF6 from power switchgear. However, when utilizing auxiliary applications, switches were replaced with vacuum circuit breakers, which complicated the equipment and prevented transformer fuse protection. Switchgear, the circuit-breakers that control current flow, must be capable of interrupting current, be self-insulated, and ensure safe operation.

Schneider Electric uses air-insulated shunt vacuum interruption (SVI) technology to replace SF6 high-voltage switchgear with SF6 gas-free high-voltage switchgear using air and vacuum. While still as easy to use as before, the switch's performance is the same, resulting in significantly improved reliability. Using air reduces greenhouse gas recycling costs and reduces equipment maintenance and replacement costs.

This eco-friendly switchgear connects to the EcoStruxure architecture to collect and analyze data. Users can continuously monitor the switchgear's status via a tablet or computer, without having to physically visit the machine. This allows them to proactively identify hazards before they occur and manage assets remotely.

“Our eco-friendly and digital switchgear SM AirSet has the same performance as our existing SF6-based switchgear,” said Frederic Godemel, Vice President of Schneider Electric’s Power Systems business unit. “Customers can take a step closer to ESG management with an eco-friendly product that has the same performance as our existing products.”