Impulse voltage field emission characteristics and breakdown dependency upon field strength in vacuum gaps
High voltage impulses were used to investigate various possible factors influencing the prebreakdown current and breakdown in vacuum gaps of sphere-to-sphere and rod-to-plane. Results of the experiments have shown that the breakdown in the uniform field gap (sphere-to-sphere) depends upon the power absorbed in the anode surface by field emission current from the cathode. Breakdown voltage thus relies upon the field strength of the cathode. In contrast, the breakdown in the non-uniform field gap (rod-to-plane) presents different phenomena depending on the polarity of the voltage applied. When a negative voltage is applied to a rod electrode, heating on the anode caused by field emission from the cathode plays a leading part as with the sphere-tosphere gap. Breakdown which occurs when a positive voltage is applied depends, upon not the plane electrode (cathode) field, but on the rod electrode (anode) field. Irrespective of the polarity of the voltage applied, the field of either electrode on which fields are concentrated initiates breakdown. The area effect is quantified, which is closely related to a field intensification factor.
- Research Organization:
- Toshiba Corp.
- OSTI ID:
- 5970972
- Journal Information:
- IEEE Trans. Power Appar. Syst.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Power Appar. Syst.; (United States) Vol. PAS-101:10; ISSN IEPSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
BREAKDOWN
CATHODES
DATA
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODES
EMISSION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FIELD EMISSION
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLARIZABILITY
PULSES
SPARK GAPS