Hyosung Heavy Industries (298040.KS), a Korean power equipment manufacturer, is introducing the country's first 145kV (kilovolt) circuit breaker that does not use sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆).
The company said Sunday it has developed a 145kV circuit breaker using dry air instead of SF₆ gas and will begin mass production.
SF₆ is known as a gas that withstands high-voltage conditions inside circuit breakers and effectively interrupts electrical currents. However, its high global warming potential (GWP) has driven a growing industry push to find alternatives.
Hyosung Heavy Industries applied dry air — composed of nitrogen (N₂) and oxygen (O₂) — to the newly developed 145kV breaker instead of SF₆, enhancing greenhouse gas reduction. The company also incorporated vacuum circuit breaker technology to secure insulation performance and current interruption capability while ensuring stable operation.
Hyosung Heavy Industries is the first in Korea to apply both technologies to a 145kV circuit breaker. It is also the second in the world to do so based on STL standards, the international accredited testing laboratory consortium.
The European Union revised its fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-gas) regulations in 2024, progressively tightening controls on fluorinated greenhouse gases including SF₆. Alternative technologies are being adopted more rapidly, particularly in Europe, driving growth in the related market. According to Business Research Insights, the global SF₆-free circuit breaker market is projected to expand from approximately $5.4 billion (about 8.147 trillion won) in 2024 to more than $7.4 billion by 2033.
Hyosung Heavy Industries plans to expand its SF₆-free circuit breaker product lineup into higher-voltage ranges. The company also aims to strengthen its push into the next-generation power equipment market in line with tightening global environmental regulations and growing demand for power infrastructure upgrades.