A study of dielectric breakdown along insulators surrounding conductors in liquid argon
Abstract
High voltage breakdown in liquid argon is an important concern in the design of liquid argon time projection chambers, which are often used as neutrino and dark matter detectors. We have made systematic measurements of breakdown voltages in liquid argon along insulators surrounding negative rod electrodes where the breakdown is initiated at the anode. The measurements were performed in an open cryostat filled with commercial grade liquid argon exposed to air, and not the ultra-pure argon required for electron drift. While not addressing all high voltage concerns in liquid argon, these measurements have direct relevance to the design of high voltage feedthroughs especially for averting the common problem of flash-over breakdown. The purpose of these tests is to understand the effects of materials, of breakdown path length, and of surface topology for this geometry and setup. We have found that the only material-specific effects are those due to their permittivity. We have found that the breakdown voltage has no dependence on the length of the exposed insulator. Lastly, a model for the breakdown mechanism is presented that can help inform future designs.
- Authors:
-
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1212682
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-PUB-15-260-ND
Journal ID: ISSN 1748-0221; arXiv eprint number arXiv:1506.04185
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11359
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Instrumentation
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 11; Journal Issue: 03; Journal ID: ISSN 1748-0221
- Publisher:
- Institute of Physics (IOP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; liquid argon; time projection chambers; dielectric strength; electric breakdown; high voltage
Citation Formats
Lockwitz, Sarah, and Jostlein, Hans. A study of dielectric breakdown along insulators surrounding conductors in liquid argon. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1088/1748-0221/11/03/P03026.
Lockwitz, Sarah, & Jostlein, Hans. A study of dielectric breakdown along insulators surrounding conductors in liquid argon. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/11/03/P03026
Lockwitz, Sarah, and Jostlein, Hans. Tue .
"A study of dielectric breakdown along insulators surrounding conductors in liquid argon". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/11/03/P03026. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1212682.
@article{osti_1212682,
title = {A study of dielectric breakdown along insulators surrounding conductors in liquid argon},
author = {Lockwitz, Sarah and Jostlein, Hans},
abstractNote = {High voltage breakdown in liquid argon is an important concern in the design of liquid argon time projection chambers, which are often used as neutrino and dark matter detectors. We have made systematic measurements of breakdown voltages in liquid argon along insulators surrounding negative rod electrodes where the breakdown is initiated at the anode. The measurements were performed in an open cryostat filled with commercial grade liquid argon exposed to air, and not the ultra-pure argon required for electron drift. While not addressing all high voltage concerns in liquid argon, these measurements have direct relevance to the design of high voltage feedthroughs especially for averting the common problem of flash-over breakdown. The purpose of these tests is to understand the effects of materials, of breakdown path length, and of surface topology for this geometry and setup. We have found that the only material-specific effects are those due to their permittivity. We have found that the breakdown voltage has no dependence on the length of the exposed insulator. Lastly, a model for the breakdown mechanism is presented that can help inform future designs.},
doi = {10.1088/1748-0221/11/03/P03026},
journal = {Journal of Instrumentation},
number = 03,
volume = 11,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 22 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Tue Mar 22 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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