Negative corona in air using a point/cup electrode system

Calculations and simulations of potential and charged-particle distributions have been made by various workers for single pulses along the axis of point/plane electrode systems but not for the overall current. The difficult geometry makes this inevitable. In this paper the authors describe measurements of corona currents in air using a high-symmetry `point/cup' electrode system comprising a hemispherical-tipped point which is concentric with a concave hemispherical electrode; and simulations based on a spherically symmetric geometry. The simulations assumed avalanches to originate from the random release of electrons in the inter-electrode gap. The predicted onset voltages and the shape of the experimental curves for corona current vs. Voltage were in good agreement with the experimental results over a range of point-tip radii (0.5 to 3 mm) and pressures (0.02 to 0.10 MPa). Space charge effects were not included in the simulation so it follows that the accumulation of space charge is negligible at the onset voltage in air, although it is likely that it will have an increasing effect as the voltage increases     

Control of corona characteristics with third electrode and biasvoltage

A novel corona control system consisting of a point-to-plate air gap with a cylindrical third electrode has been proposed. Negative and positive coronas from a point-to-plate air gap with a cylindrical third electrode set up close to the corona point of the needle have been investigated with emphasis on the role of the cylindrical third electrode, the bias voltage amplitude and polarity. It was found that the point-to-plate air gap with the cylindrical third electrode had a negative resistance characteristic on its I-V characteristic for negative polarity discharge, which is very different from the same electrode system without the third electrode. Discharge characteristics of the needle point, such as the corona onset voltage and the corona activity, could be controlled by adjusting the field intensity of the corona point by changing the corona point height from the third electrode and varying the bias voltage amplitude and polarity of the third electrode     

空气湿度对导线电晕起始电压的影响

我国特高压工程中,输电线路要经过山地、湖泊等高湿度地区,空气湿度对架空输电线路电晕放电有较大影响。为研究湿度对导线电晕放电的影响,利用同轴线-筒电极研究了不同大气湿度对交流以及直流正负极性电晕起始电压的影响规律。试验结果表明:湿度对直流正极性电晕起始电压影响较小,而对直流负极性以及交流电压电晕起始电压影响较大:在相对湿度达50%～60%时,直流负极性与交流起晕电压最高。分析认为,空气湿度对空间电荷分布的影响以及湿度对导线表面状态的影响是导致起晕电压变化的主要因素。     

特高压双回直流架空线路电晕起始电压的计算分析

为研究特高压双回直流架空线路的电晕起始特性,本文考虑线路排列方式和绞线的实际结构,结合气体放电理论建立了特高压双回直流线路的起晕电压计算模型。根据正负极起晕的不同机理,在利用优化模拟电荷法对绞线表面空间电场求解的基础上,计算了各极子导线的起晕电压。分析并讨论了导线布置、温度与气压及绞线参数等因素对起晕电压的影响。计算结果表明：-+/-+排列方式时线路起晕电压值较高。另外,导线半径的增大、气压的升高、分裂数的增加都能显著提高起晕电压。导线对地高度、极间距、上下层导线高度及分裂间距也都会不同程度影响起晕电压。绞线绞入率逼近于0时,绞线起晕电压接近光滑导线的起晕电压。     

低气压下直流正极性冰电极电晕特性研究

覆冰将改变绝缘介质的放电过程，导致电力系统绝缘性能下降，为深入研究覆冰绝缘子串中空气间隙的电晕放电特性，基于冰棱-冰板电极系统，通过脉冲电流传感器和紫外线成像仪CoroCAM IV+揭示了气压对起晕电压、放电模式、放电波形及其幅值等的影响。通过数学分析提出表征不同大气压下不同间隙长度时起晕电压的修正公式，分析和讨论气压对放电脉冲及其幅值的影响。理论分析表明，随着气压的降低，覆冰空气间隙起晕电压呈幂函数或指数函数降低，特征指数同间隙长度相关。试验结果与理论分析一致，进一步揭示了覆冰环境下电晕放电的特性。     

The effect of humidity on the charge/phase-angle patterns of AC corona pulses in air

AC corona pulses have been measured using a computer-based commercial partial discharge detector. The pulse height distribution was measured in air as a function of phase angle and pulse height for a range of voltages using a point/cup electrode system. An earlier paper discussed the effect of space charge on the onset voltages for both positive and negative half-cycles and on the patterns obtained. In the work reported in this paper, the humidity was varied, and large changes were found in the patterns observed in both half-cycles. At high humidities the negative half-cycle corona largely ceased but a second positive corona onset appeared in the second quarter of the cycle. An explanation for these phenomena is proposed in terms of the effect of the production of negatively charged water molecule clusters. Their production results in a lower effective ionization coefficient and thus higher critical field, and their lower mobility results in a more effective negative space charge. The former reduces the positive space charge in the positive half-cycle thus allowing avalanches and streamers to develop during the second quarter of the cycle. The latter results in a stronger negative space charge during the negative half-cycle which suppresses the corona during that half-cycle.     

Flow electrification phenomenon in forced air-cooled rotatingelectric machines

The factors affecting air-flow electrification under both HVDC and HVAC of variable frequency have been investigated experimentally on air flow between coaxial-cylinder and point-to-cylinder systems in a synthetic open cycle. Instantaneous measurements of the air flow electrification (AFE) `streaming current' and corona current `radial current' are presented as a function of mass flow rate, air temperature, pressure and relative humidity, electrode configurations, and voltage amplitude, polarity and frequency. The results reveal that both streaming and radial currents augment with voltage, relative humidity, mass flow rate, and temperature. On the other hand, both the streaming and the radial currents do not vary with pressure. Increasing the frequency of the applied HVAC significantly reduces the streaming current, while the radial current increases linearly. Similar trends of the results are observed for both electrode systems. For the point-to-cylinder system under negative HVDC, increasing the mass flow rate drastically reduces both corona inception and breakdown voltages, while positive HVDC gives only a slight effect. The present work confirms the significant role of the AFE on the field failures occurring inside forced air-cooled rotating electric machines. Therefore, such phenomena should be taken into consideration in the design of such machines     

Influence of ground and corona currents on dielectric behavior of small air gaps

This paper investigates the influence of grounding on the field distribution and on the dielectric behavior of small rod-plate and rod-rod air gaps. This effect can be attributed to the grounding of one electrode. In the different arrangements with one electrode grounded or with the electrodes symmetrically charged the experimental results of the corona and breakdown are recorded and compared to the simulation results of the field distribution. It is resulted that the grounding influences significantly the electric field distribution, the dc corona and the dc breakdown. The field is less inhomogeneous in grounded rod - plate air gaps and in rod-rod air gaps with symmetrically charged electrodes, and consequently the values of the corona onset and the breakdown voltage are higher. In longer air gaps the corona current influences the field distribution and consequently the dc breakdown. The effect of grounding on the breakdown is weakened when the dc polarity of the voltage is negative, otherwise it is enhanced. In air gaps with lengths > 3 cm (negative dc polarity) or >8 cm (positive dc polarity) it is overlapped by the effect of the corona current. Relations between the field strength, the corona current, the corona onset and the breakdown voltage arise. The principle of action-reaction is valid.     

Gaseous electrical discharge characteristics in air and nitrogen at cryogenic temperature

In designing superconducting electrical power apparatus, the knowledge of cryogenic gas and liquid insulation characteristics is essential. The authors have studied the discharge characteristics of relatively long-gap configurations in air and nitrogen at a cryogenic temperature. A sphere-to-sphere electrode with a gap length of 20 to 150 mm is used for measurements in uniform electric field. The breakdown voltage characteristics basically obey Paschen's law at cryogenic temperature for 50 Hz, AC, DC and lightning impulse voltage applications. A rod-to-plane electrode with a gap length of 20 to 330 mm is used for measurements in nonuniform electric field. In air at cryogenic temperature and nitrogen gas at both room and cryogenic temperature, streamer-like corona discharge appears near the tip of the rod electrode before the breakdown, and the breakdown voltage increases linearly with gap length. In air at room temperature thin film-like corona discharge, however, appears near the tip of the rod electrode before breakdown, and the breakdown voltage becomes higher than the other case. In order to examine the variation of corona discharge characteristics, some additional experiments are conducted. As a result, it becomes clear that thin film-like glow corona discharge appears when electronegative gas is contained and sufficient electrons are supplied from the cathode.     

交直流复合电压下棒-板电极起晕电压实验分析

为了获得复合电压作用下电极的起晕特性,在室内搭建了复合电压下无锈棒-板电极起晕特性实验平台,采用串联的复合加压方式,即一个电极上施加直流电压,另一个电极上施加交流电压,以紫外光子计数的突变作为电晕起始判据,获得了直流和交流复合电压下的电极起晕特性。同时对比了不同直流电压极性、电极加压方式和不同复合电压升压方式下电极起晕电压的特点,探究复合电压下棒电极半径和棒板间隙对电极起晕电压的影响。实验结果表明:在相同的大气条件及电极布置下,由于空间电荷影响,棒电极正直流、板电极交流加压方式下的起晕电压比棒电极交流、板电极正直流加压方式下的起晕电压高;在棒-板气隙间距0~5cm范围内,定直变交复合升压方式下,交直流分量有效值叠加后的起晕电压随着直流分量的增加而升高,定交变直方式下,该值随着交流分量的增加而下降,且交直流分量间互为线性关系。本文的研究成果可以为进一步研究复合电压作用下电极的电晕机理及起晕电压的准确预测奠定坚实基础。     

Induction of Waves on a Horizontal Water Film by an Impinging Corona Wind

The electric wind produced by corona discharge of a high-voltage electrode in air is employed for destabilizing a horizontal water film. In wire-to-plane geometry, the phenomenon is characterised by current versus voltage curves and visual observations of the onset of free-surface oscillations. The effect of the following parameters is examined for both positive and negative coronas: distance between the wire and the film (S), film thickness (h), wire diameter (phi) and composition, applied voltage (HV), and relative humidity (RH). The free-surface destabilisation is retarded by increasing d and phi and is insensitive to h in the tested range. The onset of corona discharge is predicted by Peek's law and compared with the experimentally observed threshold. In negative corona discharge, the current values are higher and the film is destabilised at lower HV than in positive polarity. Humidity tends to decrease the corona current at a given HV. Correlations are proposed for the current-voltage curves, in terms of the mean electric field in the inter-electrode gap and of RH, satisfactorily agreeing with the experimental data. Both positive and negative corona currents turn out to be stable for days of operation. The power loss by corona discharge is in any case lower than 12 W. Wave induction on the liquid-gas interface can effectively enhance heat and mass exchange between the two phases.     

多高压电极系统电晕放电的研究

研究了多高压电极的放电特性现象。结果表明，由于各高压电极间受电场相互屏蔽作用的影响，使电晕放电通道的光学图形发生了向电极外侧偏移，同时各高压电极间距处在一定范围内可提高电晕放电起始电压。还利用分割电极的方法测量了平面电极上的电流密度，其极大值点可相应向外侧偏移，在负极性放电时在一定条件下能产生正流注放电。     

A phase-related investigation of AC corona in air

A computer-based partial discharge detector has been used to measure AC corona pulses in air in a point-cup electrode system. The pulse height distribution was measured as a function of phase angle and pulse height for a range of voltages. The onset voltages for both positive and negative half-cycles are the same, and significantly lower than for the DC case, due to space charge effects. In all other respects the patterns for the two half-cycles are different: pulses only occur at the onset voltage (rising) for the positive half-cycle, but continuously for the negative half-cycle, except for the higher applied voltages which exhibit a glow discharge transition near the (negative) peak. Differences between the distributions for avalanches and streamers increase as the breakdown voltage is approached. Qualitative explanations of the patterns and behavior are given, together with calculations showing that space charge from one cycle can linger in the gap between half-cycles.     

Streamer current in a three-electrode system

A study has been conducted on positive streamer discharges in air at atmospheric conditions for a three-electrode system, The electrode system consisted of two parallel planes (one grounded and one supplied with a negative dc voltage) and a small, insulated needle, sticking out from the center of the grounded plane. A triggering positive square impulse voltage of 5 μs duration was applied to the insulated needle and the currents associated with the streamer discharge were measured simultaneously on all three electrodes. During the streamer propagation, the current measured at the needle was the conduction current while the other two were the displacement (or capacitive) currents generated by the movement of charge in the electrode gap. The objective of this study is to identify the three currents and to investigate if simple representations of the streamer can reproduce the displacement currents measured at the plane electrodes. Two models for the streamer were applied: (1) a charged sphere moving in the background field and (2) a channel with a constant voltage gradient extending in the gap. In both models it was assumed that the streamer propagated with a constant velocity, which was estimated from the measurements. The motion of the streamer was simulated by a series of electrostatic calculations, using a field calculation program. Comparison of the measurements with the simulations indicates that the charge of the streamer is confined to a spherical region (i.e. streamer head) and it is increasing continuously during its advancement in the electrode gap. A discussion on advantages and disadvantages with the two investigated models (sphere vs. channel with potential gradient) is conducted, and a possible hybrid model is suggested. In the proposed model, features from both considered streamer representations are included     

Effect of Discharge Electrode Parameters on the Flow Velocity Profile of the Wire?rod Type Electrohydrodynamic Gas Pump Exit

Experimental investigation has been conducted to study the effects of corona wire diameter, pipe length, and corona polarity on outlet flow velocity distribution profile of a wire-rod type electrohydrodynamic (EHD) gas pump. Upon applying negative or positive dc high voltage between a wire electrode (outer diameter (o.d.) 60 μm, 200 μm, or 300 μm) and a rod electrode (o.d. 3 mm) in atmospheric air, corona discharge occurs and EHD gas flow is generated in the direction from the wire electrode to the rod electrode through a cylindrical pipe (inner diameter (i.d.) 20 mm). For both polarities, the discharge current and average flow velocity increase monotonically on increasing the applied voltage before the onset of spark discharge. Using wire electrodes with a smaller diameter, stable corona discharge between corona onset and spark onset is generated in a wider voltage range, and the discharge current becomes larger, resulting in a higher flow velocity. The maximum average flow velocity of 2.0 m/s, corresponding to a flow rate of 38 l/min, was achieved with a wire of diameter 60 μm by applying a voltage of ?16 kV.     

Comparisons of direct-current breakdown characteristics in dry air and SF6 gaps using a parallel-plane arrangement with variable height protrusion

Breakdown voltages in uniform and quasi-uniform field gaps are sensitive to the presence of small protrusion on the electrode surface in SF₆ at high pressures. The aim of the present work is to study direct breakdown and corona stabilized breakdown for the transitive region from uniform to nonuniform gap in dry air and SF₆ at low pressures up to a critical pressure when direct breakdown takes place by a leader discharge crossing the gap in SF₆. In a parallel-plane gap with a variable-height protrusion subjected to the dc voltage, corona onset voltage is remarkably controlled by the protrusion height. The present electrode arrangement has the advantage of directly measuring the minimum critical guiding field strength for the propagation of a streamer discharge at corona onset. The experimental observations have been explained qualitatively on the basis of a streamer model and precise electric field calculations of gap.     

Factors affecting corona on twin-point gaps under dc and ac HV

The factors affecting corona formation on twin-point/plane gaps are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. In the theoretical analysis, an electrostatic field computation program based on the charge simulation method was used to get the electric field profile on the plate for different gap lengths and interspacings between the two points. Also, the effect of voltage level, air pressure and gap length on the number of axial streamers occurring across the critical field line was introduced for a constant time duration. The variation of the integral of the ionization coefficient with the axial length from the point was studied. Finally, a study of the effect of air pressure and gap length on both the corona inception voltage and critical length was presented. Corona formation in single and twin-point/plane gaps also was investigated experimentally under both high direct and alternating voltages. There are many factors affecting such corona formation. The investigated factors were the interspacing between the two points, gap length between the point and the plane, ambient temperature, relative humidity, polarity or frequency of the applied voltage, and electrode material. In order to study and explain such phenomena, a photographic investigation together with a simultaneous measurement of both the applied voltage and the corona current were introduced. Curve fitting of the dc corona current vs. gap length and voltage for both single and twin-point/plane gaps gave the conventional relationship, but in case of twin point the power of the gap length varies between 1.2 and 1.3     

Corona Inception and Breakdown in Nonuniform Field with Insulating Support in Air

Corona inception and breakdown was investigated in air for point-to-plane gaps with cylindrical spacers under 60-Hz ac voltages. The effect of a series gap, between the high-voltage point electrode and the spacer, on corona inception and breakdown voltages was also studied. For epoxy spacers the corona inception voltage decreased but the breakdown voltage increased, compared to an equivalent point-to-plane air gap without a spacer. The corona inception voltage characteristic was found to exhibit a maximum at a certain value of the series air gap. The results are interpreted in terms of recently reported observations of spacer surface charging in air and in other insulating gases and insulating barriers.     

Corona onset as a design optimization criterion for high voltagehardware

Hardware for use on HV systems is designed to be corona free. Recent hardware design activity has been centered around attempts to increase the corona onset voltage by optimizing the electric field distribution on its surface. Corona onset, however, is not only a function of the surface electric field, but also its rate of decay away from the surface, and the temperature and pressure of the gas in which it is immersed. While corona onset is a better criterion, formulas for predicting it have been validated only for simple geometries. The first goal of this work, then, is to validate corona onset conditions for more practical electrode geometries. The second goal is to determine whether the use of corona onset rather than surface electric field as an optimization criterion can result in hardware with a measurably higher corona onset voltage. To test this idea, two electrodes were designed, one using electric field optimization and the second using corona onset optimization. The corona onset voltage of each electrode was then measured and the results compared with predicted values. It was found that the measured results compared favorably with the predicted values and that the use of corona onset optimization can result in a modest but measurable increase in corona onset voltage     

Measurements of Pulsed Corona in Coaxial Electrode Structures

A low-inductance pulse generator is used to deliver a high-voltage short-duration pulse to an air-filled coaxial electrode configuration. When the voltage is below the sparkover value, the pulse energy is delivered to a diffuse corona which visually appears to fill the Interelectrode region. Energy transfer, current distribution, and pulse shape are measured for variations in electrode diameters, air temperature, and voltage. Over a range of voltages up to sparkover, the entire stored energy is delivered to the corona. Pulse rise times are approximately 0.2 ?s, the maximum peak voltage is 92 kV, peak currents equal approximately 400 A, and pulse energies range up to 1.6 J.