Calculation of corona onset voltage for duct-type precipitators (electrostatic devices)

A method is described for calculating the onset voltage of corona in duct-type electrostatics precipitators whatever the arrangement of discharge wires relative to the collecting plates, without the need of experiments. This method is based on a criterion for self-recurring single electron avalanches in a known field distribution in the ionization-zone surrounding the discharge wire. The results computed by this method are in reasonable agreement with those measured experimentally.<>