Relationship between Photo-Emission and Propagation Velocity of Local Discharge on Electrolytic Surfaces

This paper presents experimental studies of local discharge propagation along an electrolytic surface under the application of impulse voltage. Experiments were performed using a water channel with point/plane electrodes. The resistivity of the electrolyte (aqueous solution of potassium chloride) was varied from 350 to 3000 Ωcm. Local discharges propagate on the electrolytic surface and emit light which is more intense at thetip of a local discharge. The discharge velocity and the intensity of the photo-emission from the tip of the local discharge were measured simultaneously. It is found that the velocity of the local discharge is determined by the intensity of the photo-emission and is independent of the length of the water channel and the applied voltage when the resistance per unit length of water channel is the same. The local discharge propagation mechanism is also discussed.