Determination of Electric

Field Intensity

M. K. Abd Elrahman
 Introduction

Electrical breakdown of insulators

takes place when :
Electric stress > Dielectric strength

⚫ Electric stress: is the applied voltage per unit

length of insulating material thickness (kV/m).
⚫ Dielectric strength: the maximum electric stress
that the insulator can withstand (kV/m).
 Nature of electric stress and
dielectric strength

Electric stress depends mainly on two factors:

- The applied voltage
- The electrode configuration

Dielectric strength depends on the nature of

insulating materials. Every insulating material has
its own dielectric strength.
 Breakdown of sphere gap

Breakdown of sphere gap takes place when the

electric stress due to the applied voltage becomes
greater than the dielectric strength of air
 Important of determining
the electric stress

⚫ Therefore, reliable operation of electrical

equipments requires selecting the suitable
insulating material that has a dielectric
strength greater than the expected electric
stress.
⚫ Consequently, the first step in designing of
electrical equipment is determining the
expected maximum electric stress.
 Methods of determining
the electric field stress

⚫ Analytical method (closed form solutions).

⚫ Experimental methods.
⚫ Numerical methods.
Generally,
the analytical methods are used for simple electrode
configurations.
whereas, experimental and numerical methods are used for
complicated electrode configurations.
Analytical method
- simple point charge

Electric potential remains same everywhere on an equipotential surface

- Simple infinite line charge
- Infinite sheet

σ is the charge density / unit length

summary
Single spherical electrode

⚫ The sphere has a potential V due the charge Q

⚫ The distributed charge is simulated by point charge Q at the center of the
sphere. The surface of the sphere is considered as an equipotential surface.
⚫ Find Q then calculate E every where out side the sphere.
Equipotential surfaces of single sphere
Equipotential surfaces of
two adjacent spheres
⚫ With a point charge Q0 at the center of the
left sphere, its surface will exactly represent
an equipotential surface as long as the right
sphere does not exist. The presence of –Q0
to represent the right sphere will make the
imaginary surface of the left sphere non
equipotential. This problem can be solved by
adding Q1.The potential at point M and N
must be zero due to –Q0 and Q1.
Image of charge method
⚫ At point M

⚫ At point N

⚫ By solving
⚫ The charge Q0 and Q1 inside sphere 1 and –Q0 outside will
make the surface of sphere 1 equipotential to V. But there is
also a charge –Q1 must be added to insure the symmetry with
reference to P. To compensate for this charge, further image
charge Q2 inside sphere 1 at distance x2 from its center must
be added.
⚫ By the same way the following equations can be obtained
⚫ The process must be continued indefinitely to reach
precisely equipotential sphere surface. The general
equations are:

⚫ But in general, the stopping criterion is

Vm= 0.95V
Electric field can be calculated by using the calculated set
of charges.
Example

⚫ Data: v=10 kV, r=0.02 cm , b=0.06 cm

⚫ Find E at the point M.
Solution

- Zero iteration

- Check
Vm ≠ 10kV
First iteration:
⚫ Vm still ≠ 10kV
Second iteration:
⚫ Vm still ≠ 10kV
⚫ Third iteration
summary

⚫ Vm = more than 96% from the sphere voltage.

Q (C) X (m) V(kV) Vt (kV)

0 22.2x10-9 0 4.98 4.98

1 7.4x10-9 6.66x10-3 2.99 7.97

2 2.77x10-9 7.499x10-3 1.18 9.15

3 1.055x10-9 7.61x10-3 0.472 9.63

⚫ Now, the electric field stress can be calculated everywhere
outside the spheres.
Numerical methods
charge simulation method

⚫ In this method the distributed charges on the conductor are simulated

by set concentrated charges. Then, these charges are used to calculate
the electric field out side the conductor.
The main question is:
How can these charges determined?
The answer is
These charges must insure that the outer surface of the
conductor is equipotential surface
suppose we have the following electrode charged to voltage V and it is
required to calculate the electric field E somewhere outside it.
Steps of charge simulation method

1- Describe the outside surface of the electrode by using a set of contour

points C1, C2, …..,Cn. Each point has a coordinates (x, y).
C1(xc1,yc1), C2(xc2,yc2),……..Cn(xcn,ycn)
2- N of point changes can be used to simulate the original distributed
charges
Q1, Q2, ……., Qn.
Their values are unknown and their locations are selected randomly
Q1 at (xq1,yq1) , Q2 at (xq2, yQ2),……..Qn at (xQn,yQn)
3- Determine the distance between every contour point and all the
charges as shown in the next figure.
4- Calculate the voltage at each contour point due to all the
point charges.

Q1 Q2 Qn
VC 1 = + + ......... +
4 r11 4 r12 4 r1n
Q1 Q2 Qn
VC 2 = + + ......... +
4 r21 4 r22 4 r2 n
.
.
.
Q1 Q2 Qn
VCn = + + ........... +
4 rn1 4 rn 2 4 rnn
 V  = PQ
Vc1   P11.....P12............................P1n  Q1 
Vc 2  P 21.....P 22...........................P 2n  Q 2
     
     
V  =   P =   Q  =  
  
   
     
     
Vcn   Pn1........................................Pnn Qn 
 
⚫ The vector [V] is known
Vc1=Vc2=…….=Vcn=V
⚫ The elements of matrix [P] are known

1
Pii =
4rii

5- Calculate the vector [Q] by using the inverse of [P]

6- These charges can be used to calculate the electric field
out side the given electrode. But their proper selection
must be verified by calculating the voltage at n of check
points at the outer surface of the electrode.
Ch1(xch1,ych1),
Ch2(xch2,ych2)
…
Chn(xchn,ychn)
As shown in the next figure
Calculation of voltage for all check points

Vch1   P11 ...P12 .......................P1n  Q1 

  

Vch2      
   P 21 ... P 21 .......... .......... ...P 2 n  Q 2
    
    
 =   
    
    
    
    
    
Vchn   Pn1...Pn2 ........................Pnn   Qn 

⚫ Where

 1
Pii = 
4rii
The accepting criterion is :

Vch1 
Vch2
 
 
 
   0.95V
 
 
 
Vchn 
 

⚫ If the criterion is verified, the electric field intensity can be calculated

by using the obtained charges. Otherwise, all steps have to be repeated
with different combination of point charges (change their location or
their numbers)
Example

⚫ Data: v=10 kV, r=0.02 cm , b=0.06 cm

⚫ Find E at the point 2.
 1 1 1 1 
1 ... 3 ... 7 ... 9 
  Q1  10 
 1 .... 1 ... 1 ... 1    10 
1 3 1 3 5   Q 2 = 10 3
 
4 (10) − 2  1 ... 1 .... 1 ... 1  Q3   − 10
5 3   
1 3  Q 4  − 10
1 1 1 1
 ... .... ... 
9 7 3 1
Q1  8.38 
Q 2 13.3 
  = 4 (10)  C
Q3  − 13.3 
   
Q 4 − 8.38
Check the solution
four check points (A,B,C,D) in the mid points
between the contour points
  1 1 1 1 
 ..... ..... ......
 5 5 29 53 
V A   1 1 1 1  8.38  6.07 
V   ..... ...... ......   6.07 
53  13.3 
 B= 1
VC  4 (10) − 2
 5 5 29
4 (10) =   kV
 1 1 1 1  − 13.3  − 6.07 
   ..... ..... ......    
VD   53 29 5 5  − 8.38 − 6.07 
 1 1 1 1 
 ...... ..... ...... 
 53 29 5 5

The simulation is not accepted. All voltage less than 95%

from V (only 60%)
⚫ Repeat the solution with the simulating charges are much closer to the
center of spheres. Let the distance is only 1cm instead of 2cm between
the charges. In this case the value of charges will be:
Q1  7.06
Q   
 2  = 4 (10) 23 C
Q3  − 23
   
Q4  7.06

⚫ And the calculated voltage at the check points will be:

V A  9.62 
V   
 =
B 9.62  kV
VC  − 9.62
   
 D 
V − 9 .62 
⚫ The electric field at point 2 is :

7.06(4 )(10) 23(4 )(10)

E2 = +
4 (0.025) 2
4 (0.015) 2
23(4 )(10) 7.06(4 )(10)
+ + = 1357kV / m
4 (0.035) 2
4 (0.045) 2
 ⚫ By using image of charge method
E=1303kV/m
⚫ By using charge simulation method
E=1357kV/m
⚫ Which method is the more accurate?

⚫ Best wishes