31.

DIELECTRIC BREAKDOWN AND DIELECTRIC STRENGTH

4.31.1. Dielectric Breakdown
Definition of dielectric breakdown: When a dielectric material loses
its insulating property and permits the flow ofa large current, then
the phenomena is called as dielectric breakdown.
Definition of dielectric strength: The magnitude of dielectric field
strength at which dielectric breakdown occurs is called dielectric
strength.
The dielectric strength is the breakdown voltage per unit thickness of
the material.

Dielectric Strength =
Breakdown voltage
Unit thickness (4.35)
The breakdown voltage is defined as the maximum voltage required to
produce a dielectric breakdown through the material.
Unit: Dielectric strength is expressed in terms of Volts per unit
thickness (V/mm).
The higher the dielectric strength of a material the better an electrical
insulator it makes.

4.32. TYPES OF DIELECTRIC BREAKDoWN

A dielectric materials lose their insulating property and starts
conducting under various circumstances. Based on the factors that
lead to breakdown, we shall discuss different breakdown mechanisms
in detail.
 The five important types off dielectric breakdown are:
1. Intrinsic (or avalanche) breakdown,
2. Thermal breakdown,
3. Electrochemical breakdown,

4. Defect breakdown, and

5. Discharge breakdown.

4.33. INTRINSIC BREAKDOWN

4.33.1. What is it?
When a dielectric material is subjected to large electric field, a large
number of electrons are transferred from the valence band to the
conduction band. Thus the dielectric material loses its insulating
property and becomes a conductor. This is known as intrinsic
breakdown.
Collision of free electrons with the and release some
atoms
of the
valence electrons. These electrons may collide with some more atoms
and may release more electrons. This becomes a chain reaction
resulting in a flow of large current. It is known as avalanche
breakdown.

4.33.2. Characteristics
The specific characteristic features of intrinsic breakdown are as follows.
() Intrinsic of breakdown occurs at low temperatures (even at room
temperature).
(ii) This requires relatively large electric fields.
(iii) It is very fast process and occurs in a span of microseconds.
(iv) This kind of breakdown occurs in all the dielectric materials.

(v) It does not depend on the electrode configuration and shape of the
material.

4.34. THERMAL BREAKDOWN

4.34.1. What is it?

Thermal breakdown occurs in dielectric when the rate of hear
generation is greater than the rate of heat dissipation.
 When a dielectric is subjected to an electric field, heat is generated.
When the amount of heat generated is higher than the amount of heat
dissipated, the internal temperature of the material increases. This
causes the breakdown called thermal breakdown.
4.34.2. Characteristics

The characteristic features of thermal breakdown are given below:

)Thermal breakdown occurs only at high temperatures.
The thermal breakdown time is of the order of few milliseconds.

(ii) This requires moderate electric fields.

(iv) It depends on size and shape of dielectric material.

4.35. DISCHARGE BREAKDoWN

4.35.1. What is it?
Discharge breakdown occurs when the insulator contains occluded gas
bubbles, as shown in Fig. 4.43.
When the dielectric is subjected to an electric field, the gas present in
the material will be easily ionized than in the solids.

The ionized gas particles bombard with the solid dielectrics and
This
produce large ionization current called discharge current.
current may produce electric breakdown. This type
of
discharge
breakdown is known as discharge breakdown.

OSOeoOOOoooOCeooO

O°0
2og2O0gQO0:2O

Occluded O g Q O 0 2 3 O 3 2 0 0 g g O Dielectric

gas bubbles material

bubbles
Fig. 4.43. Dielectric material with occluded gas

435.2. Characteristics
are as
The specific
ne characteristic features of discharge breakdown

folows.
 Discharge breakdown occurs due the presence of occluded gas
bubbles.
(ii) It occurs at low voltages than that required for intrinsic breakdown.
(iii) The life time of the material depends upon the number of discharge
taking place inside the material.
4.36. ELECTROCHEMICAL BREAKDOWN

4.36.1. What is it?

When temperature increases, mobility of ions increases and hence
leakage current also increases. This decreases the insulation resistance
and finally creates a dielectric breakdown. This
type of breakdown is
called electrochemical breakdown.
4.36.2. Characteristics
The specific characteristic features of electrochemical breakdown are as
follows:
(i) Electrochemical breakdown is determined by the leakage current.
density of ions and permanent dipoles inside the material.
(ii) Electrochemical breakdown are accelerated by high temperatures.
(iii) It can happen at low voltages.
(iv) This type of breakdown occurs even in the absence of electric field.

4.37. DEFECT BREAKDOWN

4.37.1. What is it?

Defects

Dielectric
material

Cracks

Fig. 4.44. Dielectric material with surfaces defects

 I f the surface of the dielectric material has defects such as cracks,
pores, moisture and other impurities can fill at these places leading to
breakdown, as shown in Fig, 4.44. This type of breakdown called
defect breakdown.

437.2. Remedies to Avoid Breakdown Mechanisms

(Selection of a Dielectric Material)
To avoid breakdown, the dielectric material should have the following
properties:

. I t should have high value of dielectric constant. An electric constant

determines the capacity of a dielectric to develop charges on its

polarization. Therefore higher the value of dielectric

surface, due to

constant, higher is the capacity of a dielectric.

factor (or power factor). Therefore
2 It should have a low dissipation
smaller is the dielectric loss.
lower the dissipation factor,
Therefore
3 It should have sufficiently high dielectric strength.
a

is the voltage per unit

higher the dielectric strength, greater
before breakdown.
thickness, which it can withstand
insulation resistance. Therefore higher the
4. It should have a high
leakage current through the
insulation resistance, lower is the
dielectric.
thermal
high thermal conductivity and low
5. It should have a

expansion.
APPLICATIONS OF DIELECTRIC
MATERIALS
4.38.
used in:
Thedielectric materials are very widely
I. energy storage capacitors,

2. insulating materials, and

3. transformer materials.

Capacitors
.Dielectrics as Energy Storage electrical energy.
capacitors to store
C dielectrics mainly used in can
used, the capacitors
of dielectrics
on the application and type
epending on
ang
begrouped into four types as below:
 () Capacitor which use dielectries: These
vaccum, air or inert gas as

capacitors are used in radio frequency circuits in low frequency

measuring circuits.

i) Capacitors which use mineral oils as dielectrics: These capacitors

are used in high voltage applications.
Gii) Capacitors which use solid dielectrics: These capacitors are used in
laboratories as standard capacitors.
(iv) Capacitors which use combination of solid and liquid dielectrics
These capacitors are used for power factor correction in electrical
power distribution system.
2. Dielectrics as Insulating Materials
Dielectric are commonly used insulating materials in many practical
applications. Dielectric materials are used as insulating materials in power
cables, electric motors, electric distribution lines, electric iron, heater coils,
etc.

3. Dielectrics as Transformer Materials

The dielectric materials are used in power and distribution transformers.
They are used both as cooling material and as dielectric.

4. Other Applications
The dielectric materials are used for the preparation of ultrasonic
transducers, crystal oscillators, delay lines, filters, accelerometers,
earphones, microphones, spark generators, reduction detectors, electro-optic
devices, etc.