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Unit-Ii: Electrical Breakdown in Gases, Solids and Liquids

The document summarizes different types of electrical breakdown that can occur in gases, solids, and liquids. It describes breakdown mechanisms such as Townsend's breakdown and streamer breakdown that occur in uniform gas fields. It also discusses partial discharge and flashover breakdown at interfaces. The key processes involved in electrical breakdown are ionization collisions between electrons and gas molecules or atoms that produce additional charge carriers. This can lead to the formation of conducting channels and spark discharges if the collision processes are self-sustaining.

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Ram Kumar
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53 views

Unit-Ii: Electrical Breakdown in Gases, Solids and Liquids

The document summarizes different types of electrical breakdown that can occur in gases, solids, and liquids. It describes breakdown mechanisms such as Townsend's breakdown and streamer breakdown that occur in uniform gas fields. It also discusses partial discharge and flashover breakdown at interfaces. The key processes involved in electrical breakdown are ionization collisions between electrons and gas molecules or atoms that produce additional charge carriers. This can lead to the formation of conducting channels and spark discharges if the collision processes are self-sustaining.

Uploaded by

Ram Kumar
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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

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