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Elia Group

Elia_en-co

How the WIKA GD-20-W gas density sensor is transforming substation monitoring

An environmentally and economically outstanding SF6 solution in partnership with Elia
Saving resources, protecting the environment and driving digitalisation – all at once: The innovative wireless GD-20-W gas density sensor makes it possible. Over two years, WIKA, a market leader in sensing solutions, collaborated with the Belgian transmission system operator Elia to pilot the GD-20-W. The sensor, which can be easily integrated in IIoT environments, enables a wide range of alarm settings. In case of low density or high temperature, it instantly sends a warning, even outside of scheduled transmission times. This significantly reduces the risk of SF6 leakage.

"Elia Group"
DiederikMoers_en-co

“We have a huge amount of high-voltage electrical equipment installed across Belgium – and it is only growing due to the increasing demand for renewable energy. Digital monitoring of these assets is the logical step to keep up with growth and ensure the availability of the grid.”

Diederik Moers
Head Asset Condition & Control, Elia Group

Challenge

SF6 gas:
Essential yet hazardous

SF6 gas is essential for grid operators, used in substations, wind turbines, and gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), especially in high-voltage systems for onshore and offshore wind farms. However, SF6 is the most climate-damaging greenhouse gas. The EU’s new F-gas regulation (effective January 2035) mandates the use of treated or recycled SF6 for maintenance, making recovery crucial for environmental and economic reasons.

The goal:
Minimising SF6 leakage to a minimum

SF6 gas is typically monitored using density monitors, triggering an alarm when the density drops below a threshold. However, by this point, 7–8 % of the SF6 may already be lost. Preventing SF6 leakage is crucial, as the amount lost in each plant isn’t tracked. Effective monitoring is vital for maintaining system availability, as plants in the “red zone” may need to shut down, potentially causing power loss. With SF6 costing around €1,500 per 50 litres, the financial impact is significant.

Solution

The approach:
Implementing a pilot project with Belgian transmission system operator Elia

WIKA has partnered with Elia, a long-standing customer. “Elia has a lot of SF6 gas in its grid,” states Jannik Schäfer. “Elia is also prepared to be innovative,” adds Manuel Micheler. Additionally, Elia embraced the opportunity to directly influence product development and provide feedback on the required features of the solution. This made Elia the perfect partner for this project.

The solution:
A wireless gas density sensor

Laying cabling in an existing substation and retrofitting new sensors is a significant effort, as is manually reading mechanical density monitors on-site. To address this, a wireless sensor was developed. The GD-20-W gas density sensor provides continuous monitoring of gas condition parameters in closed tanks. Elia requires 100 to 400 of these sensors per 400 kV substation. An intensive test phase with pre-series products has been conducted over the past two years.

Benefits

Ready to go

WIKA is confident in its new product, having rigorously tested it for practical suitability through piloting with Elia. Their partnership was key to successfully developing the new gas density sensor in a short time. Customers can expect a solution of uncompromising quality. The WIKA team is excited to launch the GD-20-W sensor, providing an environmentally and economically outstanding SF6 solution that is transforming substation monitoring for good.

A successful partnership between Elia and WIKA

“With the comprehensive digital monitoring of SF6 gas in switchgear, we ensure that we detect leakage as quickly as possible and much faster than with classical gas densimeters. This enables us to reduce our SF6 emissions by initiating the repair faster. WIKA is helping us to achieve our goal of reducing SF6 emissions.”

Thomas Wijnhoven
Asset Manager Substations, Elia Group

ThomasWijnhoven_en-co

The product: GD-20-W gas density sensor with wireless LoRaWAN® output signal

  • For indoor and outdoor SF6- and alternative gas insulated equipment
  • High-accuracy sensor technology
  • Permanent monitoring of the relevant gas condition parameters in closed tanks
  • Long battery life
  • Very compact design
GD-20-W_en-co

Related solutions, products and technologies

T&D Solutions

T&D Solutions
Service

Service
Digitalisation

Digitalisation

Interesting facts

About sulphur hexafluoride

■ SF6: the most potent greenhouse gas
■ Global Warming Potential: GWP 24,300 – 1 kg of SF6 gas equals 24,300 kg of CO2
■ Extremely long atmospheric lifetime: approximately 3,200 years
■ Exceptional insulating properties: five times the electric strength of air
■ Critical for power systems: prevents short-circuits and arcs

About Elia System Operator S.A

■ Belgian transmission system operator
■ Owns and operates the entire Belgian high-voltage electrical grid
■ The Elia Group also includes the German transmission system operator 50Hertz
■ 50Hertz builds and operates the electricity transmission grid in northern and eastern Germany with more than 2,100 specialists
Visit the Elia Group website

Visit the Elia Group website
View success story (PDF)

View success story (PDF)
Read more success stories from WIKA customers.

Read more success stories from WIKA customers.

Contact

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