UNIT-II

Electrical Breakdown in Gases, Solids and Liquids

Contents
Gaseous breakdown in uniform fields(Townsends, Streamers) Gaseous breakdown in non-uniform fields Corona discharges Vacuum breakdown Conduction and breakdown in pure Liquids Conduction and breakdown in commercial liquids Breakdown mechanisms in solid di-electrics Breakdown mechanisms in composite di-electrics

Introduction
*To study the electrical properties of gases *To understand the processes by which high currents are produced. Case:1 Low applied V *I is small (flowing between electrodes) *Insulation retains its electrical properties Case:2 Large applied V *I increases very sharply *I flows through the insulation *Electrical Breakdown (BD) Occurs. *Collapse of V over the insulator *A strongly conducting spark formed during breakdown produces short circuit between electrodes

Definitions
Breakdown voltage: Maximum voltage applied to the insulation at the moment of breakdown. Di-electric Breakdown: The V that can withstand by an insulating material before the BD occurs. Intrinsic di-electric Strength: *Maximum V gradient withstand by a homogeneous substance in a uniform electric field. *It shows the ability of an insulating material to resist BD. r<12 Insulator r>12 Di-electric Spark Breakdown: Transition from non-sustaining discharge into a self-sustaining discharge

continued
Breakdown Complete discharge (Channel propagates through the insulator) Flashover Discharge at interfaces (Solid/Gas) Partial Discharge Incomplete discharge Note: Build up of high I during BD: Due to the process of ionization in which e and ions are created from neutral atoms/molecules Migrated towards anode/cathode

Types of Electrical Discharges in Gases

1.Self restoration Gases Insulation properties restored after the arc extinguishion. Liquids Partially re- storing *Arcing leaves by-products *Deteriorate insulation properties 2.Non-Self restoration Solids *Arcing leaves a permanent channel *Insulation properties seriously deteriorated

Collision Processes
Electric discharge is created from un-ionised gas by collision processes occur due to collision between charged particles & gas atoms/ molecules

Types of Collision Processes

Elastic Collision *Only Kinetic energy gets redistributed * No change in internal energy No energy transfer e traces Zig-Zag path Accelerated by electric field E are light in weight Only a part of KE is transferred.( little loss of energy) Gain very high energies A+eA^+ +e+e (E >Vi) In-elastic Collision *Results in change in structure of the atom. * Internal changes in energy take place with in an atom/molecule at the expense of total KE of colliding particle. A+eA

Mobility of Electrons & Ions

When an ion moves through a gas under the influence of a static uniform electric field, it gains energy from the field between collisions & loses energy during collisions. Electric force on an e, F= eE w.k.t, F=ma Acceleration= a=F/m =eE/m Drift velocity, Wi E Wi= iE i Mobility of ions Several cm/Volt-sec Electron drift Velocity =We= Ee/3mc (lc ) lequivalent mean free path of an e with speed c

Diffusion Co-efficient
(n/ t)=(n/ t)=-Dn D= 1/3 (lc) L mean free path C random velocity n Concentration of particles

Continued..
*Particles possessing energy exhibit a random motion or distributed unevenly throughout the space. *After wards they tend to redistribute themselves uniformly throughout the space. Diffusion: Whenever there is a non-uniform concentration of charges there will be a migration of charges from regions of higher concentration to regions of lower concentration.

*Causes de- ionising effects in the regions of lower concentration *Presence of walls increases the de- ionising effect.

Electron Energy Distribution

(i) Maxwellian distribution When there is a thermal equilibrium between e and molecules. F()= C1^0.5 exp (-1.5/ ) mean energy (ii) Druyesterynian distribution When e or ion energy is much greater than thermal energy. F()= C2^0.5 exp (-0.55 ^2/ ^2)

Collision Cross-Section
*Area of contact between two particles during collision *Total area of impact Area of impact More Ionization(i) Less Excitation (e) Qt=Qi+Qe+Qc+. C charge transfer

PProbability of collision to take place=Reciprocal of mean free path P=nq

Mean Free Path

*Average distance between collisions =K/P ;cm P Pressure in microns K constant *When discharge occurs, large number of collisions occur between the electron (e) & gas molecules. *Distance between two collisions vary based on initial energy of colliding e *Average of this distance mean free path Note: low for high P High for low P