Flashover of non-uniform (NU) gaps: the polarity effect

• lowest flashover voltage when sharp electrode

has +ve polarity

• observed for DC and unipolar impulses

• With AC, flashover —> occurs at peak of +ve half

cycle

• consider two cases with a positive and a negative

sharp electrodes
Flashover of non-uniform (NU) gaps: the polarity effect

• As V across a NU gap is , avalanche activity where field

is high

• at higher V some avalanches lead to streamer

discharges, causing complete flashover

• flashover voltage of a NU gap << that of a uniform gap

of same width

• "rule of thumb" of 30 kV/ cm therefore does not apply

to NU gaps
Flashover of non-uniform (NU) gaps: the polarity effect

• avalanches form in region with highest E (near sharp

electrode)

• electrons are swept away by field and absorbed by +ve

electrode

• heavier +ve ions move away more slowly

• +ve space charge builds up near +ve sharp electrode

Flashover of non-uniform (NU) gaps: the polarity effect

• +ve charge may be seen as an extension of +ve electrode

• effective gap therefore gets reduced

• field in remaining gap increases

• ionization processes are therefore accelerated and flashover occurs

• the opposite happens with -ve sharp electrode

Flashover of non-uniform (NU) gaps: the polarity effect

• at -ve sharp point the space charge has a opposite (+ve)

polarity

• field is thus reduced in rest of the gap —> less ionisation

activity

• a higher voltage is therefore required to cause flashover

 V-I characteristics of electrical discharge

• V-I graph is strictly valid for DC discharges in gas discharge tubes

• however, similar phenomenon occur in case of AC flashover in air

• not realizable in one single setup

• explains different stages of discharge with I ranging from nA to kA

 V-I characteristics of electrical discharge

• electrons from cosmic radiation accelerate & cause

ionization

• electron avalanche—>secondary emission—> Townsend

discharges

• space charge effect is initially negligible

• with increasing current, space charge becomes important

• space charge sheaths formed & transition to glow occurs

 V-I characteristics of electrical discharge

• glow transition is often referred as ‘breakdown’

• With increase in current, transition from a normal glow to an

abnormal glow occurs

• plasma heating & transition to an arc discharge occurs

• Arc is marked by -ve resistance region (low V and high I)

 Corona discharges
• In uniform gaps, V at which ionisation starts = BDV (3 kV/mm
for air)

• in non uniform gaps, the Emax occurs near electrodes of

smaller ‘r’

• Ionization threshold gets exceeded only in these areas

• Partial discharge or ‘corona’ occurs thereafter

• Corona is a self- sustaining discharge (f = 20 Hz to 20 kHz)

• it is visible as bluish/violet colour and audible with a hissing

noise
 Corona discharges
• If the voltage is further increased, final flashover develops

• undesirable effects of corona

‣ pre-cursor to flashover
‣ radio interference
‣ additional power loss
‣ insulation degradation due to UV radiation from corona
Corona discharges

More details
A variety of forms of corona discharge, from
various metal objects. Notice, especially in the
last two pictures, how the discharge is
concentrated at the points on the objects.
Corona on cylindrical conductors

a : 2cm, b: 12 cm, V: 150 kV

- gap between conductors: 10 cm
- avg. E: 15 kV/cm
- actual field variation Ea is

field strength exceeds 30 kV/cm

in the shaded region
- In this region the air gets ionized
- partial breakdown or corona
starts
Peek’s empirical equation for visible corona onset at the surface of
the HV conductor in coaxial cylinders:

E =E0mδ(1+K (δ.a)−s) kV/cm

where E0 = 30 kV/cm
m = surface roughness factor (0.7 to 1)
a = radius of the inner conductor
K and s are constants (K=0.3, s=0.5)
and δ is air density factor given by

where,
p: ambient pressure
p0: normal pressure (1 bar)
t: ambient temperature
t0: normal temperature (20°C)
Corona at sharp points
- A sharp point can be modelled as a small sphere
(radius a)

- If ground is very far from the sharp point, then

Esharp point = V/a

- corona inception gradient is also field dependent

 Problems caused by corona
Corona in air appears as bluish luminous discharge with ozone
formation

Corona Interference (Radio Interference Voltage, RIV):

- Corona current pulses produce magnetic and electrostatic fields
- the fields in turn induce HF voltage pulses in nearby radio
antennas (Radio interference in the range 0.2 to 10 MHz)

Corona Losses:
- Corona current causes power loss on the line
- During rain, however, corona forms on droplets on the conductor
- losses of tens of MW can occur on a 500 kV line
 Measures to curb Corona

Corona is caused by field intensification at sharp points

(small r)

- Sharp edges and points on HV hardware must be avoided

- For EHV lines bundled conductors (4 per phase) are used

- On the 800 kV lines (UHV) 6 or 8 conductors are used

- bundle conductors result in large radius thus minimizing

losses

- Grading rings fitted at insulator-Line joints reduces corona

Measures to curb Corona