Comparative study of two different measuring methods for corona current pulses

Based on a designed coaxial cylindrical corona discharge platform, this paper compares two methods for the measurement of corona current pulse, namely from cage side and conductor side both at low potential. It is found that the corona pulse can be obtained from both methods and the waveform of the current pulse is highly dependent on the sampling resistor. Then two simplified models are proposed to interpret the experimental results and the relationship between the two measurement methods. It shows that the key point in accurately measuring the corona current pulse is the selection of suitable sampling resistor.     

Modulation effect produced by adjacent AC voltage on the characteristics of negative corona current pulses in a wire-cylinder electrode configuration

In this paper, a wire-cylinder electrode system was designed to study the negative DC corona pulses due to the influence of AC voltage applied to an adjacent conductor. The corona onset voltage and distribution pattern and the parameters of the corona current pulses such as the rise time, pulse duration and the average pulse amplitude are systematically analyzed. The AC voltage is found to have an interesting modulation effect on the time interval of the current pulses. At last, based on a simplified ion cloud model, a full explanation is given to reveal the mechanism behind the influence of the AC voltage on negative DC corona.     

Numerical simulation and experimental validation of direct current air corona discharge under atmospheric pressure

Air corona discharge is one of the critical problems associated with high-voltage equipment. Investigating the corona mechanism plays a key role in enhancing the electrical insulation performance. An improved self-consistent multi-component two-dimensional plasma hybrid model is presented for the simulation of a direct current atmospheric pressure corona discharge in air. The model is based on plasma hydrodynamic and chemical models, and includes 12 species and 26 reactions. In addition, the photoionization effect is introduced into the model. The simulation on a bar-plate electrode configuration with an inter-electrode gap of 5.0 mm is carried out. The discharge voltage– current characteristics and the current density distribution predicted by the hybrid model agree with the experimental measurements. In addition, the dynamics of volume charged species generation, discharge current waveform, current density distribution at an electrode, charge density, electron temperature, and electric field variations are investigated in detail based on the model. The results indicate that the model can contribute valuable insights into the physics of an air plasma discharge.     

Current analysis of DC negative corona discharge in a wire-cylinder configuration at high ambient temperatures

To study the characteristics of DC negative corona discharge in a wire-cylinder configuration at an ambient temperature range of 350–850 °C, the I–V characteristics and the current composition are analyzed under different conditions. A simple method is proposed to determine the DC corona onset threshold voltage. At high ambient temperatures, in the DC negative corona discharge gap, some electrons are not attached to the electronegative gas molecules and move to the anode tube. Thus, these electrons form an electron current, which may account for most of the total discharging current. The ratio of the electron current to the total discharging current increases with increasing temperature. In a mixture of O₂ and N₂ and a mixture of CO₂ and N₂, the ratio of electron current increases with increasing N₂ content in the mixtures. The cathode material has little influence on the corona discharge characteristics at high ambient temperatures.     

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.     

Effect of air flow on corona discharge in wire-to-plate electrostatic precipitator

This paper analyses corona discharge in ambient air with laboratory-scaled wire-to-plate electrostatic precipitator (WPESP). The electric field is behind the electro hydrodynamic (EHD) flow in air. Its measurements provide complementary results for the corona discharge study because the classical theory based on the current and voltage data is unsatisfactory. Taking into account the dynamic air flow velocity is perpendicular to the active wires, measurement method of the positive and negative DC corona current density and electric field, has been introduced. It has been shown also that the dynamic air flow velocity modifies the current density and the electric field distributions on the planes surfaces of the WPESP.     

An experimental study of relative humidity and air flow effects on positive and negative corona discharges in a corona-needle charger

In this paper, the effects of inlet air RH and air flow rate on positive and negative corona discharges in a corona-needle charger have been experimentally studied and discussed. Its corona discharge characterizations in terms of current-to-voltage relationships of the corona-needle charger on the effects of inlet air RH and air flow rate were evaluated at applied corona voltages between 0 and 3.1 kV, an air flow rates between 5 and 15 L/min, a relative humidity between 20 and 90%, and an operating pressure of about 101.3 kPa. Experimental results were shown that discharge current is strongly affected by the RH level of the inlet air. The positive discharge current was found to be decreased with increasing RH value at RH values below 60% and increased with increasing RH value at RH value above 60% in the same corona voltage. The negative discharge current was found to be stable with increasing RH value at RH values below 40% and increased with increasing RH value at RH value above 40% in the same corona voltage. For the air flow rate effects, the positive discharge current was found to slightly decrease when the air flow rate increased at RH value below 90% and to increase with the air flow rate at RH value of 90%. For the negative corona, the discharge current was also found to monotonically decrease when the air flow rate increased.     

太赫兹金属器件电铸工艺中电流密度研究

微电铸工艺是太赫兹全金属光栅器件成型的关键工序。金属光栅质量取决于电铸工艺中金属离子沉积的均匀性, 而电铸槽阴极附近电流密度的分布直接影响金属离子沉积的均匀性。在阳极与阴极间添加开孔的绝缘玻璃挡板可以改善阴极电流密度分布的均匀性, 研究了挡板与阴极的距离以及挡板开孔大小对阴极电流密度分布的影响, 仿真结果表明: 添加开孔绝缘挡板有助于改善阴极处的电流密度分布; 当添加的玻璃挡板开孔大小与阴极尺寸一致时, 挡板距离阴极越近, 阴极的电流密度分布越均匀。根据仿真结果设计了相应的挡板, 电铸工艺获得了较好质量的均匀金属层, 从而验证了上述仿真分析的有效性。     

Effects of surface damage on critical current density in MgB2 thin films

We investigated the influence of surface damage on the critical current density (J_c) of MgB₂ thin films via 140-keV Co-ion irradiation. The J_c(H) of the surface-damaged MgB₂ films was remarkably improved in comparison with that of pristine films. The strong enhancement of J_c(H) caused by a surface damage in MgB₂ films can be ascribed to additional point defects along with an atomic lattice displacement introduced through low-energy Co-ion irradiation, which is consistent with the change in the pinning mechanism, from weak collective pinning to strong plastic pinning. The irreversible magnetic field (H_irr) at 5 K for surface-damaged MgB₂ films with a thickness of 850 and 1300 nm was increased by a factor of approximately 2 compared with that of a pristine film. These results show that the surface damage produced by low energy ion irradiation can serve as an effective pinning source to improve J_c(H) in a MgB₂ superconductor.     

Enhancement of the critical current density in YBCO/Ag composites

YBa₂Cu₃O_7 + xAg?(x = 0.0, ?5.0, ?15.0 and 20 wt%) composite samples have been prepared by the solid state reaction method. The changes in structure are confirmed from the X-ray diffraction analysis and SEM measurements. The critical current density is calculated using Bean's formula from the magnetization measurement. We find that the addition of silver in YBCO enhances the critical current density (?J_C) by a factor of nearly six (for 15% Ag) in comparison to pure YBCO. Enhancement of the pinning force (F_P) by a factor of ten is also reported. The enhancement in ?J_C is investigated over a wide range of magnetic fields. These significant changes in ?J_C and F_P are attributed to the presence of Ag particles as efficient artifical pinning centers in YBCO.     

应用于脉冲功率系统的高储能密度电容器

介绍了现有技术条件下脉冲电容器的各种性能参数及其测试方法,包括储能密度、寿命、保压性能、绝缘电阻等;同时介绍了元件的主要分析测试手段,如大电测试、保压测试等,并研究了后处理工艺、介质系统优化和绝缘系统优化对电容器性能的影响。在此基础上,面向不同应用条件如大电流放电、长寿命、真空环境等,对高储能密度脉冲电容器进行研究,并给出相应的性能参数、限制条件和发展前景。研究结果表明:50 kV/20 F的电容器,可实现120 kA/80 s的大电流输出,并通过-50~60 ℃的高低温考核;基于绝缘系统优化的浸渍型脉冲电容器,充放电寿命为干式结构的2~3倍,储能密度为2.0 kJ/L时,寿命大于1 000次,储能密度为1.3 kJ/L时,寿命大于10 000次;1.4 kJ/L高储能密度电容器,可以工作在气压小于10-3 Pa的真空条件下,输出电流达100 kA。     

应用于脉冲功率系统的高储能密度电容器

介绍了现有技术条件下脉冲电容器的各种性能参数及其测试方法,包括储能密度、寿命、保压性能、绝缘电阻等;同时介绍了元件的主要分析测试手段,如大电测试、保压测试等,并研究了后处理工艺、介质系统优化和绝缘系统优化对电容器性能的影响。在此基础上,面向不同应用条件如大电流放电、长寿命、真空环境等,对高储能密度脉冲电容器进行研究,并给出相应的性能参数、限制条件和发展前景。研究结果表明：50 kV/20 F的电容器,可实现120 kA/80 s的大电流输出,并通过-50~60 ℃的高低温考核;基于绝缘系统优化的浸渍型脉冲电容器,充放电寿命为干式结构的2~3倍,储能密度为2.0 kJ/L时,寿命大于1 000次,储能密度为1.3 kJ/L时,寿命大于10 000次;1.4 kJ/L高储能密度电容器,可以工作在气压小于10-3 Pa的真空条件下,输出电流达100 kA。     

Crystal orientation dependence of the critical current density in a-axis- and c-axis-oriented MgB2 films

We have investigated the critical current density for MgB₂ films having various crystal orientations prepared by using a hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition system. An enhancement of the critical current density is clearly presented in MgB₂ films with an a-axis or a b-axis orientation rather than a c-axis orientation. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal a suppression of c-axis orientations while a (100) orientation becomes dominant, and the surface morphology of the a-axis-oriented film shows that the orientation of the c-axis-oriented MgB₂ grains parallel to the plane of the substrate. As the a-axis orientation becomes more dominant in the MgB₂ films, the field performance of the critical current density clearly becomes better. These results suggest that the synthesis of MgB₂ with high ab-plane orientations is one of the keys to enhancing the critical current density in MgB₂.     

The effect of interlayer coupling on critical current density in Bi2212 system

The dependences of critical current density J _c on the interlayer coupling strength and magnetic field in Bi2212 crystals were obtained by measuring the magnetic loop of the crystals with different interlayer coupling strengths. It was revealed that J _c decreases with the decrease in the interlayer coupling of the crystals. The relation of J _{c ∞ exp} (−H ^β) was also found in the crystals, and further analysis indicated that it was the result of Zeldov pinning potential model. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Low Temperature Physics, 2005, 27(1) (in Chinese)     

Angular dependences of critical current density in YBCO thin films with crossed columnar defects

We investigated the dependences of the critical current density J_c on the magnetic field angle θ in YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ thin films with the crossed configurations of the columnar defects (CDs). To install the crossed CDs, the films were irradiated using the high energetic Xe ions at two angles relative to the c-axis. The additional peak around the c-axis appears in the J_c(θ) for all irradiated films. In lower magnetic fields, the height of the J_c(θ) peak caused by the crossed CDs with the crossing angles θ_i = ±10° was higher than that for the parallel CDs. It is considered that the correlation of the flux pinning by the crossed CDs along the c-axis occurs even in the case of θ_i = ±25°, which was also suggested by the kink behaviors of the scaling parameters of the current–voltage characteristics near 1/3 of the matching field. In higher magnetic fields, on the other hand, the height and width of the J_c(θ) peak for the crossed CD configurations rapidly reduce with increasing the magnetic field compared to the parallel ones. In the crossed CD configurations, the dispersion in the direction of CDs would prevent the correlation of flux pinning along the c-axis in high magnetic fields, which occurs in the parallel CD configurations due to the collective pinning of flux lines including the interstitial flux lines between the directly pinned flux lines by CDs.     

Magnetic field dependence of critical current density in YBa2Cu3O7

We have measured the transport critical current densityJ _cof sintered YBa₂Cu₃O₇, in various applied fields up to 185 Oe at 77 K. We find a sharp decay ofJ _cwith magnetic field. We show that this sharp decay is consistent with the low field hysteresis results of Groveret al. We argue that the observed field dependence is not caused by intragranular weak links.     

A new model analysis of the third harmonic voltage in inductive measurement for critical current density of superconducting films

The critical current density J c is one of the most important parameters of high temperature superconducting films in superconducting applications,such as superconducting filter and superconducting Josephson devices.This paper presents a new model to describe inhomogeneous current distribution throughout the thickness of superconducting films applying magnetic field by solving the differential equation derived from Maxwell equation and the second London equation.Using this model,it accurately calculates the inductive third-harmonic voltage when the film applying magnetic field with the inductive measurement for J c.The theoretic curve is consistent with the experimental results about measuring superconducting film,especially when the third-harmonic voltage just exceeds zero.The J c value of superconducting films determined by the inductive method is also compared with results measured by four-probe transport method.The agreements between inductive method and transport method are very good.     

Comparison of the first negative corona current pulses in N2 + SF6 and CO2 + SF6 mixtures

The current waveforms of the first negative corona pulses in a small point-to-plane gap have been measured with a nanosecond time resolution in N₂ + SF₆ and CO₂ + SF₆ mixtures at a pressure 50 kPa for various contents of SF₆ as a function of applied gap voltages. The physical mechanism for the pulses in these mixtures with low concentration of SF₆ has been described using the streamer-based theory. The influence of changing admixtures of SF₆ in N₂ and CO₂ has been compared. Differences in the pulse waveforms observed in N₂- and CO₂-based gas mixtures are explained by differences in the first and second Townsend ionization coefficients. This work was supported by the Grant Agency VEGA from the Ministry of Education of Slovak Republic under contracts 1/1011/04 and 1/2017/05.