Avalanches near a solid insulator in nitrogen gas at atmospheric pressure
The pulsed Townsend (PT) technique was used to record the growth of avalanches near a solid insulator in nitrogen gas at 0.1 MPa. Several other nonconventional techniques for releasing initiatory electrons at the cathode are discussed. In this paper, experimental results of avalanches initiated by illuminating a fast (0.6-ns) nitrogen laser onto the cathode triple junction are presented. Data were recorded with plexiglas, Teflon, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, Delrin, etc. Effect of surface condition, variation of the distance between insulator surface and the avalanche initiation region, and the effect of a large number of previous avalanches on the avalanche characteristics at a particular voltage were studied. The Townsend primary ionization coefficient, hereafter referred to as growth coefficient (..cap alpha..), and drift velocity (/ital V//sub /ital e//) were evaluated through the PT technique. Results indicate that the avalanche growth in the vicinity of a solid insulator is less than that in an identical plain gas gap. Existence of a nonuniform field as a result of surface charges on the insulator and/or field modifications due to the avalanche space charge are believed to be responsible for this behavior.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Tennessee Technological University, Box 5004, Cookeville, Tennessee 38505(US); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208
- OSTI ID:
- 5898178
- Journal Information:
- J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 66:3; ISSN JAPIA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL INSULATORS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
ESTERS
FLUIDS
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
GASES
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
LASER RADIATION
MATERIALS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
PLEXIGLAS
POLYACRYLATES
POLYETHYLENES
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE
POLYVINYLS
PULSES
RADIATIONS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
TEFLON
TOWNSEND DISCHARGE