Conducting particle motion and particle-initiated breakdown in dc electric field between diverging conducting plates in atmospheric air

• Published in: IEEE transactions on dielectrics and electrical insulation Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 122 - 130
• Main Authors: Sakai, K., Tsuru, S., Abella, D.L., Hara, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-02-1999; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atmospherics; Breakdown; Breakdown voltage; Conduction; Direct current; Electric breakdown; Electric fields; Electric potential; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrodes; Equations; Exact sciences and technology; Geographic Information Systems; Gravity; Insulators; Motion analysis; Motion estimation; Nonuniform electric fields; Particle motion; Power system reliability; Various equipment and components; Gravitational force; Breakdown voltage; Experimental result; Electric field; Equation of motion; Direct current; Particle motion; Electrical insulation; Spherical particle; Experimental realization; Gas insulated equipment
• ISSN: 1070-9878; 1558-4135
• DOI: 10.1109/94.752020

This paper deals with the analysis of spherical conducting particle motion as well as particle initiated breakdown in electric fields between diverging conducting plates with dc voltage in atmospheric air. Motion of spherical particle was estimated by solving the motion equation numerically, and the results agreed well with the experimental ones. It was found that when the particle is placed on the horizontal electrode surface where the electric field is nearly equal to the lifting field, the particle progresses towards a higher electric field region by the effect of Coulomb force and electrical gradient force. This is true for a nonspherical conducting particle. The obtained results for particle motion suggest that much attention should be paid in the design of GIS particle traps to forces acting on the particle directly towards the higher electric field region. Moreover, the particle-initiated breakdown is discussed on the basis of the experimental and theoretical results. It was found that one of the reasons for reduction of the breakdown voltage is the effect of microdischarge between the particle and an oppositely charged electrode.