Studies of the parameters of a spark discharge between an artificial charged water-aerosol cloud and the ground

The optical and current characteristics of spark discharges between a grounded electrode and a strongly charged artificial water-aerosol cloud are studied experimentally. The spectral characteristics of the discharge current are investigated using wavelet and Fourier analyses. Three main types of discharge with different final stages are revealed and investigated. It is found that the parameters of a discharge in its final stage depend substantially on the discharge trajectory and the depth to which it penetrates into the aerosol cloud. It is shown that the parameters of the most powerful type of discharge (the brightness of the discharge channel, the current growth rate in the final stage, and the penetration depth into the charged aerosol cloud) are close to the discharge parameters in the main stage of natural lightning. It is also shown that such a discharge neutralizes up to 5% of the cloud charge. In contrast to Fourier analysis, wavelet analysis shows that the signal amplitude (i.e., the energy deposition rate in the discharge channel) is maximum at high frequencies for all types of discharge. Of special interest is the most powerful type of discharge, in which the signal amplitude (which is one to two orders of magnitude larger than in other discharges) is maximum at frequencies of several hundred megahertz.     

纳秒脉冲空气辉光放电等离子体及应用

采用基于半导体断路开关的纳秒脉冲高压电源,在两个金属电极之间产生放电区间为1 600mm×100 mm×25 mm的常压辉光空气等离子体。等离子体发生器采用负高压针电极阵列与平板阳极结构,针电极的直径为1 mm,长度为20 mm,针电极之间的间隔为20 mm,针电极与平板零电位之间的距离为25mm,在每个负高压针电极末端周围同时形成圆锥形辉光放电,在平板地电极则形成大面积辉光放电。采用电压探针测量了该新型等离子体的放电特性,结果表明:放电脉冲的上升时间为26 ns,最高脉冲输出峰值电压为27 kV;利用该辉光等离子体对幅宽为1 000 mm聚四氟乙烯薄膜进行了表面改性处理,处理后其表面接触角由原来的124°降到69°,亲水性能大为提高。     

Prevention criteria of electrostatic ignition by a charged cloud in grounded tanks

In this paper, we present the criteria of space charge density and wall electric field required to prevent incendive discharges between a grounded protrusion and a charged cloud in cylindrical tanks grounded of up to ≈1.5 × 10⁵ m³ in volume obtained by numerical investigations with wide ranges in the dimensions of the protrusions and tanks. To obtain such criteria, the thresholds of the charge densities of uniformly charged clouds for initiating a discharge at the tip of protrusions are numerically obtained. Furthermore, the transferred charges and energies of the discharges are estimated to investigate their incendivity. For evaluating the risk with a field measurement, the criterion of the electric fields at the side wall of the tanks for avoiding incendive discharges is also obtained.     

Ignition of a cloud of dry powder using super brush discharges

Ignition of a cloud of dry powder is a major concern in the field of industrial process safety. The different types of discharges are already defined (spark discharges, brush discharges, propagating discharges, cone discharges, corona discharges) such as their ignition properties in a gas or a dust atmosphere. For example, it is known that a classic brush discharge cannot ignite a cloud of dry flammable dust [6,13]. Glor and Schwenzfeuer performed direct ignition tests using brush discharges and defined that even if the energy released by this kind of discharge equaled the one of a spark, the power released by the brush discharge is too low to trigger an ignition.However, some doubts remained for super brush discharges. A brush discharge as a super brush discharge occurs between a charged insulating object and a conductive electrode. The main difference lies in the surface charge density reached on the insulator that is much higher for a super brush discharge than for a brush discharge. A high charge density can be reached for example using pipes of polyethylene individually charged by tribo-charging piled one above another. Such a configuration was evocated by Lüttgens [12] and tested by Larsen [11] who performed direct ignition tests in oxygen enriched atmospheres.This study is relevant with the actual safety problems since pharmaceutical and chemical powders are well known to generate electrostatic charges during their transport or handling and since the same configuration of independent polyethylene fibers can be found in flexible bulk containers that are one of the most common solutions to package this kind of powder.This paper presents the experimental set-up and the results of direct ignition tests performed with a polyethylene wax whose MIE is lower than 1  mJ at ambient conditions. The electric field reached at 1 m and the charge transfer were also registered and are described. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out to define the original surface charge density in order to help to understand the phenomenology of this discharge and its frequency of occurrence in industry.     

Discharges and mechanoelectrical phenomena in charged glasses

Conclusions In high-resistance solid dielectrics (with resistances of 10¹² · cm or higher, when they are irradiated with electron beams, spontaneous electric discharges are observed while the irradiation is occurring. The discharges occur at defects in the surface and develop in the layer within which the charged particles are distributed.When the charged particles are distributed in the surface or near-surface layer of the dielectric, the discharge may be initiated close to the charged surface by a grounded metal needle, even some time after the irradiation. After long storage and self-dis charge of the surface layer of the irradiated dielectric or compensation of the surface charge, discharge of the charge stored in the depth of the dielectric can occur by scratching the surface or pricking it with a needle. When the charge lies deep inside the dielectric, a brush discharge occurs when a strong shock is applied to the surface of the dielectric using a grounded needle.In all the above cases initiation of an electric discharge in the solid dielectric occurred by mechanoelectrical phenomena of direct conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy with a high field strength. These phenomena occur in solid dielectrics with a defect structure.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 40–46, February, 1977.     

Two-stage electrostatic precipitator with co- and counter-flow particle prechargers

Lab-scale, two-stage electrostatic precipitation system comprising of precharging stage, in which PM2.5 particles are electrically charged, and collection stage, in which the charged particles are removed from the flowing gas by electric field, was investigated in this paper. Two types of electrostatic particle prechargers were compared with respect to the collection efficiency of the system: (1) co-flow precharger, in which ionic current was generated co-currently with the gas conveying the particles, and (2) counter-flow precharger, in which ionic current was generated oppositely to the flowing gas. In each case, the electrodes of precharger were supplied with DC or AC high-voltage in order to compare the effect of discharge mode on the collection efficiency of two-stage electrostatic precipitator. The collection stage was formed by two parallel-plate electrodes connected to DC high voltage source. Plate electrodes without discharge points (spikes) are corona-free electrodes, which prevent the collection stage from electrical discharges, and reduce the probability of back discharge ignition. The back discharge decreases collection efficiency of conventional electrostatic precipitators.It was concluded that the co-flow electrode configuration of the precharger, supplied with DC high voltage, has the highest total number collection efficiency for PM2.5 particles, higher than 95% and the mass collection efficiency larger than 99%. The counter-flow precharger provided only about 90% number collection efficiency of two-stage electrostatic precipitator. It was also shown that by AC electrode excitation, the collection efficiency of the system is lower than for DC supply. The two-stage electrostatic precipitators allowed obtaining higher fractional collection efficiency for PM2.5 particles than other conventional systems and can be recommended as highly effective devices for gas cleaning in power plants or cement industry.     

Experimental observation of negative differential characteristic of corona discharge in ultraviolet spectrum

Corona discharge is a self-sustained discharge which appears at electrodes with a small radius curvature in gas insulation. An almost invisible glow occurs just above the inception voltage. Corona phenomenon is mainly used in electro-technological processes to obtain space charge for electrostatic precipitation, separation of different particles, electrostatic liquid or solid coating, neutralization of space charge, etc. All of these processes rely on a strong nonhomogeneous electric field generated by a point – plate electrode system. When the critical value of the applied voltage is reached, the ionization processes near the point electrode start and give rise to the current between two electrodes. If the pointed electrode is positive, it is possible to observe an anomaly of the current – voltage (I-U) characteristic for the point-plate space. It means that while the voltage is raising the current density decreases in a narrow voltage area (2–3 kV). The anomaly was technically named as negative differential conductivity (dI/dU < 0). Unstable current can have a negative influence on electro-technological processes. The anomaly was detected for different shapes and materials of the electrode as well as for various temperatures and distances between electrodes. An oxidation layer, which appears on the metal electrode, also influences the ionization processes near the pointed electrode and causes a decrease of a current. In this paper measuring of the discharge activity in a point – plate electrode system is presented. Ionization of gas atoms and molecules in a high electric field and the following recombination of electrons and positive ions in the corona region can give rise to high-energy photons which produce new electrons in the field of discharge. Corona discharges are detected by DayCor Corona camera which can register UV emission generated by corona in a day light. The experiment was conducted with various shapes of the pointed electrode and distances between the high voltage and the grounded electrode under applied direct voltage with positive and negative polarity.     

氘化物阴极真空弧放电光斑分布

氘化物真空弧放电在许多领域均有应用,如无损检测、石油探井、中子活化分析等。和金属阴极不同,氘化物阴极放电时会释放大量的气体分子,表现出许多不同性质。采用放大镜头和ICCD相机观察了氘化物阴极真空弧放电光斑分布。测量系统的空间分辨率约为5 μm,时间分辨率最小2 ns。放电脉冲半高全宽（FWHM）0.9 μs,弧流波形为半周期正弦波。实验结果表明,氘化物真空弧放电时,所有阴极斑聚集为一个群落,表现为一个大光斑;在液滴作用下,阴极斑群落偶尔也会分裂为两个或多个群落;光斑形状不受弧流影响,但面积和亮度会随弧流增加而增大。氘化物阴极放电斑点聚集有利于产生高密度等离子体,提高放电效率。     

Brush and propagating brush discharges on insulating sheets in contact with a grounded conductor

This is a report of an experimental investigation of the brush and propagating brush discharges on charged insulating surfaces in contact with a grounded backing plate to gain a guide for the risk assessment of ignition by the discharges on insulating coats and liners often used in chemical processes. Based on the result, we provide unified expressions of the charge transferred by brush discharge and of a criterion for the onset of propagating brush discharge with the estimation of their discharge energies for the quantitative analysis of ignition hazards associated with the coats and liners.     

The correlation between corona current distribution and collection of fine particles in a laboratory-scale electrostatic precipitator

An analysis of the electrostatic gas cleaning fundamental phenomenon shows an essential influence of discharge electrode construction on the gas cleaning process efficiency.In the physical model tests there were used rigid discharge electrodes with corona emitting elements of various geometries. Different constructions of discharge electrode were tested in the aspect of discharge current uniform distribution on collecting electrode surfaces. Measurements of discharge current distribution has been carried out for discharge electrodes with different spike shapes and in different electric field geometry. The research aim was to determine the optimal discharge electrode construction ensuring high collection efficiency of fine particles. Collection efficiency measurements of selected fly ash samples (from coal fired boilers) were carried out on a laboratory testing bench in a horizontal electrostatic precipitator model.     

气流对微秒脉冲滑动放电特性的影响

脉冲电源驱动的滑动放电能够在大气压下产生高能量、高功率密度的低温等离子体. 为了研究微秒脉冲电源在针-针电极结构中产生滑动放电的特征, 本文采用电压幅值为0–30 kV, 脉冲宽度约8 μs, 脉冲重复频率为1–3000 Hz的微秒脉冲电源, 通过测量电压、电流波形和拍摄放电图像, 研究了微秒脉冲滑动放电的电特性. 实验结果表明, 随着施加电压的增加微秒脉冲滑动放电存在三种典型的放电模式: 电晕放电、弥散放电和类滑动放电. 不同放电模式的电压、电流波形和放电图像之间差异显著. 脉冲重复频率对微秒脉冲滑动放电特性有影响, 表现为当气体流量较小(2 L/min)时, 类滑动放电的放电通道随着脉冲重复频率的增大逐渐集中, 而当气体流量较大(16 L/min)时, 类滑动放电的放电通道随着脉冲重复频率的增大逐渐分散. 不同气流下重复频率对滑动放电特性的影响与放电中粒子的记忆效应和气流的状态有关.     

高气压大电流放电条件下的电极烧蚀

归纳了影响开关电极烧蚀量的因素,包括开关电极材料、放电条件等,分析了开关电极烧蚀特征与烧蚀后表面形貌,总结了开关电极烧蚀的主要机制电极加热和电极材料去除机制。为了延长开关工作寿命,提出了减少开关电极烧蚀的措施,包括选用抗烧蚀性能优异的材料作为开关电极材料、采用合适的开关电极结构和优化的放电条件等。     

针-板和针-水电极大气压直流辉光放电的光谱特性

利用光谱学方法,对针-水电极和针-板电极直流辉光放电特性进行了比较研究。结果发现两种装置产生的放电都有明显的分区现象, 从阴极到阳极分别为负辉区、阴极暗区、正柱区和阳极辉区。针-板电极放电中可以清晰地观测到阳极暗区, 而针-水电极放电阳极暗区不明显。对比两种放电的伏安特性曲线,发现放电电压均随电流增大而减小,但相同电流下针-水电极间的电压大于针-板电极间的电压。由于伏安特性具有负斜率,且放电电流密度介于10-5～10-4 A·cm-2,说明两种装置中的放电均处于正常辉光放电阶段。在正常辉光放电的范围内比较两种放电的发射光谱, 发现发射光谱中都包含N₂的第二正带系(含波长为337.1 nm的谱线)和N+₂的第一负带系(含波长为391.4 nm的谱线),但相对强度不同。利用光谱学方法对放电发射谱的谱线强度比I_391.4／I_337.1和振动温度进行了空间分辨测量,发现相同位置处针-水电极放电的谱线强度比要比针-板电极放电的大,并且相同位置处针-水电极放电的振动温度高。     

Experimental study of a modified dual-type high-voltage electrode for electrostatic separation applications

Several electrode arrangements have been proposed to enhance the efficiency of insulating materials charging by corona discharge. Recent studies pointed out that the presence of metal strips in the proximity of a dual-type high voltage electrode increases the total current measured at the surface of the collecting electrode, decreases the corona onset voltage value and enlarges the reparation of current density as well. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the benefits of using such an electrode arrangement for corona charging of non-conductive particulate materials in belt-type corona-electrostatic separators. The experimental study was carried out with samples of Aluminum and Polystyrene particles in the size class 125–250 μm. The presence of grounded strips reduces the electric wind, which is associated to corona discharge but not tolerated in such processes that involve micronized materials. At the same time, it improves the corona charging conditions of non-conductive materials and as consequence the overall efficiency of the corona-electrostatic separation process. The use of the new electrode configuration is characterized by both high recovery rates and better purities of the separated products.     

Preparation of magnetic nanoparticles by pulsed plasma chemical vapor synthesis

FePt nanoparticle is expected as a candidate for the magnetic material of the high density recording media. We attempted to synthesize FePt alloy nanoparticles using 13.56 MHz glow discharge plasma with the pulse operation of a square-wave on/off cycle of plasma discharge to control the size of nanoparticles. Vapors of metal organics, Biscyclopentadienyl iron (ferrocene) for Fe and (Methylcyclopentadienyl) trimethyl platinum for Pt, were introduced into the capacitively coupled flow-through plasma chamber, which consisted of shower head RF electrode and grounded mesh electrode. Synthesis experiments were conducted at room temperature under the conditions of pressure 0.27 Pa, source gas concentration 0.005 Pa, gas residence time 0.5 s and plasma powers 60 watts. Pulse width for plasma duration was chosen from 0.5 to 30 s and plasma off period was 4 s to each pulse operation. Visual observations during the particle growth showed plasma emission in the bulk region was increased with the particle growth. These were theoretically explained by using the model for both transient particle charging in the plasma and single particle behavior in the stationary plasma as well as assuming the similarity between the negative charged particle and negative gas containing plasma. Synthesized nanoparticles were directly collected onto TEM grid, which was placed just below the grounded mesh electrode in the plasma reactor downstream. TEM pictures showed two kinds of particles in size, one of which was nanometer size and isolated with crystal structures and the other appeared agglomerate of nanometer size particles. The size of agglomerated particle was controlled in the 10–120 nm range by varying the plasma-on time from 0.5 to 30 s, although the nanometer size particles did not change. The composition of FePt alloy particles could be altered by adjusting the source gas feed ratio. Also magnetization of FePt nanoparticles was measured by use of SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) magnetometry measurements. As-synthesized FePt nanoparticles did not exhibit loop-shape characteristic, which indicated superpamagnetic property. Annealed nanoparticles with the composition of Fe₅₈Pt₄₂ at 650°C in atmospheric hydrogen showed clear hysterisis loop with the coercivity as large as 10 KOe.     

Study of magnetically enhanced corona pre-charger

In this paper, experimental investigations of the discharge characteristics of magnetically enhanced corona discharges, for the purpose of capturing fine aerosol particles, are presented. The discharge mechanism during such a process is analyzed as well. The effects of magnetic enhancement under different magnet flux densities, and in positive- or negative-corona discharges, were experimentally compared. The magnetically enhanced effects in different inter-electrode regions were studied. Experimental results demonstrated that the magnetic field could efficiently increase the concentrations of both the negative ions and the free electrons during negative-corona discharge. The dominant mechanism of magnetic enhancement in a corona discharge involves the Larmor precessions of free electrons which enhance ionization of the gas molecules near the discharge electrode. A convenient configuration for enhancing corona discharge was formed by placing permanent magnets with a local strong magnetic field near the discharge electrode. A magnetically enhanced negative-corona (MNC) pre-charger was assembled in front of an electrostatic enhancement filter. The influence of the MNC pre-charger on the efficiencies of an electrostatic enhancement filter was measured and compared with that of a conventional corona pre-charger. The free-electron-charging mechanism of the MNC pre-charger was preliminarily analyzed. Our results show that the new pre-charging technique is promising for capturing fine aerosol particles in electrostatic enhancement filters or electrostatic precipitators.     

DC discharges in atmospheric air for bio-decontamination – spectroscopic methods for mechanism identification

Three types of DC electrical discharges in atmospheric air (streamer corona, transient spark and glow discharge) were tested for bio-decontamination of bacteria and yeasts in water solution, and spores on surfaces. Static vs. flowing treatment of contaminated water were compared, in the latter the flowing water either covered the grounded electrode or passed through the high voltage needle electrode. The bacteria were killed most efficiently in the flowing regime by transient spark. Streamer corona was efficient when the treated medium flew through the active corona region. The spores on plastic foil and paper surfaces were successfully inactivated by negative corona. The microbes were handled and their population evaluated by standard microbiology cultivation procedures. The emission spectroscopy of the discharges and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) absorption spectrometric detection of the products of lipid peroxidation of bacterial cell membranes indicated a major role of radicals and reactive oxygen species among the bio-decontamination mechanisms.     

The Effect of Sphere Size on Bipolar Pulsed Discharges in Glass-Sphere/Water/Air Columns

Bipolar pulsed discharges were investigated in columns containing glass spheres and water, and with air bubbling through, using a coaxial electrode configuration. The effect of sphere size on the discharge characteristics was studied, and results showed that the diameter of the glass spheres had a significant effect on the electrical discharges in the three-phase mixture. As the sphere size increased from 2 to 12 mm, no significant changes occurred in the peak voltage and rise time of the load voltage, but a clear maximum in the tail voltage, and a minimum in the injected power per pulse, occurred in the sphere diameter range from 5 to 8 mm. The greatest electric field in the interstices between the spheres, and the rate at which a dye could be removed from the water, both exhibited a maximum in the sphere diameter range from 5 to 8 mm.      

Self-sustaining discharges in needle-to-plane geometry with hundreds of microns electrode gaps

Atmospheric pressure needle-to-plane discharges have been explored experimentally in electrode gaps from 100 μm to 400 μm. These discharges can be self-sustained and follow the form of existing empirical formulae describing the current-voltage characteristics of corona discharge. The discharge can also be self-sustained by its lower sustaining voltage applied between the two electrodes once it is ignited by the initial high output voltage from power supply. The experiments of charging aerosol particles by the self-sustaining discharge operating with a lowered power have shown that for particles with a diameter of 46 nm, the charging efficiency attained 43.6%.     

针-板空气间隙流注放电起始过程的三维PIC/MCC仿真研究

流注放电作为自然界中闪电传播的预电离机制、高压输变线路间长空间间隙放电的重要初始阶段,在工业领域存在诸多潜在应用,近年来引起人们越来越多的关注.流注放电具有典型的多尺度、非线性的放电特征,实验观测中多呈现出分叉等不规则结构.为了研究其微观结构特性和行为特征,本文采用三维粒子仿真模型(PIC/MCC),着重研究了流注从针型正电极的起始和发展过程.模型采用了可变自适应网格、可变粒子权重以及并行计算等技术,有效地降低了三维粒子仿真的计算时间.通过调节针型电极上的施加电压幅值、改变气体组分及调整电极形状尺寸等,研究了放电参数变化对流注放电的分叉结构、半径等行为的影响.模拟结果表明:随着电压的升高,流注的半径及分叉数目增加;对比不同气体组分(纯氧以及不同比例氮氧混合气体),发现其对流注的分叉数目影响较为显著;针型电极结构直接影响了流注的起始时间和形貌.