Effect of resonance of a water droplet located on a hydrophobic sheet on AC flashover

A water droplet on the hydrophobic sheet subjected by a tangential AC electric field manifests resonant vibration at a definite frequency for a given volume of the water droplet. The effect of resonance vibration on flashover via a water droplet was investigated experimentally, using two kinds of hydrophobic materials, silicone rubber (SR) and PTFE sheet. AC flashover voltage with resonance frequency via a 30 /spl mu/l water droplet was much lower than that with a frequency of 50 Hz. This is due to the extension of the water droplet The decrease of the flashover voltage depends on the kind of materials. Since a water droplet on the PTFE sheet tends to slide more easily than that on the SR sheet, the flashover voltage via the water droplet on the PTFE sheet is much lower than that on the SR sheet.