FLASHOVER IN UNIFORM AND NON-UNIFORM AIR-GAP &

MEASUREMENT OF PEAK VOLTAGE

Kiran Kumar Challa

OBJECTIVE:
(a)Examine the flashover in Uniform and non-uniform air-gap.
(b). Measurement of peak voltage using Chubb-Frotscue method.

Experimental Setup:
(a). In order to verify breakdown mechanism in gases, a variable high voltage is applied to
sphere gap with the help of dimmer-stat and transformer. Break down / flashover is observed
in uniform sphere gap various gap distances.
In order to verify breakdown mechanism in non-uniform gases, a variable high voltage
is applied to rod gap of 1cm diameter with the help of dimmer-stat and transformer. Break
down / flashover is observed in uniform sphere gap various gap distances.

(b). In order to measure peak voltage of the AC voltage, a variable high voltage is applied
Chubb-Frotsue proposed circuit with the help of dimmer-stat and transformer. Ammeter
reading which represents the peak voltage are taken for various values of applied voltages.
MECHANISM OF BREAKDOWN OF GASES:
Gases have dielectric properties comparable or superior to each other. There are two
basic reasons for carrying out such investigations. Firstly, the aims are to develop an insulating
medium, which is technically as well as economically attractive. The other reason is to obtain
a better understanding of the breakdown mechanisms operating in compressed gases, and their
gas mixtures. Where a voltage difference exists between two conductors, it is necessary to keep
them apart to prevent the undesirable flow of electrical current from the one conductor to the
other. When the conductors are separated (isolated from each other) a layer of gas (air) fills the
space between them, forming the electrical insulation. the field strength in this gap will depend
on the voltage difference and the gap size. if the field strength in the gap exceeds a certain
threshold, the gas in the gap will seize to act as an insulating material, but will become ionized
and break down. Prior to flashover, corona discharges occur in regions of high field strength.
The most commonly used insulating gas is air at atmospheric pressure, as employed on
overhead power lines and open air substations. The breakdown in air (spark breakdown) is the
transition of a non-sustaining discharge into a self-sustaining discharge. The build up of high
currents in a breakdown is due to the ionization in which electrons and ions are created from
neutral atoms or molecules, and their migration to the anode and cathode respectively leads to
high currents.
Flashover of uniform gaps:
In small uniform gaps it has been found empirically that, at standard pressure (1 bar =
101,3 k Pa = 760 mm Hg) and temperature (20 C), that breakdown occurs at a field strength
of approximately 30 kV/ cm. At lower pressures the gas molecules are less densely packed and
the mean free path between collisions is longer. The electrons therefore attain higher speeds
before colliding with the gas molecules, resulting in a lower flashover stress for the same gap.
At very low pressures, such as used in vacuum contactors, the gas atoms are so far apart that
the collision probability is low, with the result that ionization and flashover takes place at a
much higher value. Two identical metallic spheres are separated by certain distance form a
sphere gap. Also, the gap length between the spheres should not exceed a sphere radius. If these
conditions are satisfied and the specifications regarding the shape, mounting, clearances of the
spheres
Flashover of non-uniform gaps:
the polarity effect If the voltage across a non-uniform field gap is increased, avalanche activity
occurs in the regions where the field is high . If the voltage is increased beyond the corona
inception level, some avalanches develop into streamer discharges, bridging the gap to cause a
complete flashover. The flashover voltage of a non-uniform gap is therefore much lower than
that of a uniform gap of the same size. The "rule of thumb" of 30 kV/ cm therefore does not
apply to non-uniform gaps. In this arrangement the ground effect also affects the breakdown
voltage of the rod-plate air gaps but in a quite different way than the Polarity Effect.
CHUBB-FROTSCUE METHOD:

the peak value of an a.c. waveform is more important. This is necessary to obtain the maximum
dielectric strength of insulating solids, etc. When the waveform is not sinusoidal, rms value of
the voltage multiplied by VT is not correct. Hence a separate peak value instrument is desirable
in high voltage applications.
When a capacitor is connected to a sinusoidal voltage source, the charging current
0 = =
Where V= RMS value fo the voltage
= Angular frequency
If a half wave rectifier is used, the arithmetic mean of the rectifier current is proportional to
the peak value of the a.c. voltage. The schematic diagram of the circuit arrangement is shown
in Fig. The d.c. meter reading is proportional to the peak value of the value Vm

=
2
where I is the d.c. current read by the meter and C is the capacitance of the capacitor. This
method is known as the Chubb-Frotscue method for peak voltage measurement.

OBSERVATIONS:
(a)
S.No Sphere gap/ Peak voltmeter reading in Actual breakdown voltage
Rod gap kV in kV
In cm Non Uniform Uniform Non Uniform Uniform
gap gap gap gap
1 1.5 20 35 24.06 42.114
2 2 24.5 46.5 29.47 55.95
3 3 29 70 34.67 84.22
4 36 35.5 87.5 42.715 105.28

(b)
S.No Chubb-Frotscue method Capacitive Potentail Devider
Ammeter Voltage Value Voltmeter Voltage value
Reading (mA) (kV) reading (kV) (kV)
1 5 10 10 11.07
2 10 20 20 22.14
3 15 30 30 33.21
4 20 40 40 44.28
5 25 50 55 60.885
6 30 60 65 71.955

CONCLUSIONS:
(a). Breakdown in non-uniform gaps, will occur approximately 40% lower voltage than the
uniform gaps.
(b). Chubb-Frotscue method for peak voltage measurement is able to measure the peak
voltages with 10.7% deviation with respect to capacitive potential divider based peak voltage
measurement.