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.