Modeling the development of the stepped leader of a lightning discharge

A stochastic-deterministic model is presented for the propagation of a downward-moving leader. Lightning formation is described by a stochastic growth of branching discharge channels which is determined by the electrostatic field. The dynamics of the electric field and of the charge distribution over the lightning structure are calculated deterministically. The model includes the initiation of lightning, a preliminary discharge in a cloud, the propagation of a downwardmoving stepped leader toward the earth, and the initiation and upward motion of a return stroke from the earth’s surface. Numerical execution of the model yields a dynamic picture of the development of the downward-moving leader and of the intracloud discharge structure. The effect of the charge density in the cloud and the parameters of the developing channels on the spatial-temporal, current, and charge characteristics of the stepped leader’s propagation are studied. The effect of free-standing structures on the distribution of points on the earth’s surface where lightning strikes is examined. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 48–53 (April 1999)     

界面极化注极聚丙烯薄膜驻极体的电荷存储特性研究

本文报道一种基于双层介质界面极化机理的新型驻极体注极技术: 借助辅助层对PP薄膜进行注极. 采用表面电位测试方法考察了注极温度、注极电压对所获PP薄膜驻极体电荷存储性能的影响, 并利用热刺激放电技术研究了其高温电荷存储性能, 同时测试了PP薄膜驻极体在X和Y方向的静电场分布. 结果表明: 界面极化注极是一种比电晕注极更为优异的驻极体形成方法. 在一定温度下, 驻极体表面电位随注极电压的增加而增加, 而且两者呈线性关系, 这一结果与注极过程的电荷积聚方程的分析完全一致. 注极温度的影响研究表明, 在保持注极电压不变(注极电压范围为0.5–3.0 kV)的情况下, 温度低于75 ℃时, 温度的变化对于注极效果的影响不明显; 当注极温度大于75 ℃ 时, PP薄膜驻极体的表面电位随注极温度的增加而增加. 表面电位随时间的变化研究表明, PP薄膜驻极体具有良好的电荷存储稳定性. 对其表面电位分布的测试表明, 界面极化注极所形成的PP薄膜驻极体呈现均匀的静电场分布.     

双辉光放电静电场数值模拟及场分布边角效应分析

根据双辉光放电3个电极极板上的电势,利用边界元积分方程建立以面电荷密度为未知量的离散方程,通过求解线性方程组计算3个电极极板上面电荷的不均匀分布.由极板上的不均匀面电荷分布计算在真空状态下空间任意一点的电势和电场的空间分布,利用数值解对真空状态下双辉光离子渗金属实验装置场分布边角效应进行了分析.     

Relationship between surface potential and d33 constant in cellular piezoelectric polymers

The development of cellular piezoelectric polymers has shown very promising results thanks to their high d₃₃ piezoelectric constants which make them candidates for many applications. Cellular piezoelectric polymers, known as ferroelectrets, are obtained by means of an activation process which consists in generating an internal dipole with electrostatic charges produced by internal electric discharges. The most common system for this activation process is the application of a corona discharge on the surface of the sample in order to produce a high internal electric field. The theoretical electrostatic model of the process which is widely used is the Sessler model which relates the internal surface charge density, the air and polymer layers thickness, the dielectric permittivity of the polymer and the Young's Modulus of the cellular material to the d₃₃ piezoelectric constant. In our work, we relate the internal charges of the material with the d₃₃ piezoelectric constant by means of a surface potential scanning of cellular polypropylene biaxially stretched samples. Samples were charged by a corona discharge controlled with a triode electrode. Surface potentials were high enough to generate internal discharges and obtain measurable d₃₃ piezoelectric constants but low enough to be measured with spatial resolution by means of a 3 kV electrostatic probe. Surface potential profiles showed some deviations from the expected bell-shape profile due to the internal electric field generated by the internal static charge. These deviations can be numerically related to the measured d₃₃ piezoelectric constant with the electrostatic Sessler model.     

雷云电场作用下长地线表面正极性辉光电晕放电的仿真研究

在雷云电场的缓慢作用下, 一种无流注的正极性辉光电晕在接地物体表面起始, 向周围空间注入大量正极性空间电荷, 从而改变雷电先导对雷击目的物的选择. 本文对雷云电场作用下起始于长地线表面的正极性辉光电晕放电进行了仿真研究; 考虑了正极性离子与其他离子的附着与碰撞作用, 建立了一种精确的二维正极性辉光电晕模型; 并通过在实验室内开展高压电晕放电试验, 测量了不同背景电场下的电晕电流; 与本文所建模型的仿真结果进行对比, 对模型的正确性进行了验证. 基于上述模型, 对正极性辉光电晕在雷云感应作用下的起始发展过程与电晕特性进行了仿真模拟, 得到了该电晕的电晕电流、正离子密度分布规律以及正离子迁移规律. 发现在雷云电场作用下, 电晕放电产生的正离子在迁移初期于垂直于地线的平面内基本呈圆对称状均匀分布, 但随着离子逐渐远离地线其分布不再均匀, 呈拉长的椭圆形分布, 多数离子最终分布于地线上方区域并逐渐向雷云方向迁移; 由于正离子在地线上方迁移区聚集形成的正空间电荷背景对行进电子束具有衰减和消耗作用, 抑制了电子崩的形成, 并降低了电子崩转化为流注的概率, 阻止了新的电子崩对流注的不断注入, 同时正空间电荷背景使气体的碰撞面增大, 增加了与电子的复合概率, 引起大量电子的消耗, 最终抑制了电子崩的形成与流注的发展, 地线表面的上行先导得到抑制.     

Electric-potential-measurement-based methodology for estimation of electric charge density at the surface of tribocharged insulating slabs

The auto-compensated electrostatic induction probe (ACEIP) is widely used for measuring the electric potential at the surface of conductive or insulating bodies. The aim of this paper is to elaborate a methodology for using this probe in view of performing the estimation of electric charge density at the surface of tribocharged insulating slabs. In such cases, the electric potential is not uniformly distributed on the surface under investigation. Metallic plates trimmed with different shapes were used to characterize the probe. Thus, a first series of experiments enabled a crude evaluation of the shape and size of the area “seen by the probe”: a 10-mm-diameter circle. Other experiments served to determine the transfer function that relates the value measured by the probe to the potential of a small area of constant electric potential located at a well-defined distance from it. By dividing the surface under investigation into a large number of small elementary areas, it was possible to use this transfer function to express the potential measured by the ACEIP as the sum of the contributions of each such element. An inverse matrix computation method enabled the estimation of the actual surface electric potential. Based on the results of a final set of experiments, the distribution of the electric charge density was estimated for slabs charged by corona-respectively triboelectric-effect.     

Analysis of microscopic parameters of surface charging in polymer caused by defocused electron beam irradiation

The relationship between microscopic parameters and polymer charging caused by defocused electron beam irradiation is investigated using a dynamic scattering-transport model. The dynamic charging process of an irradiated polymer using a defocused 30 keV electron beam is conducted. In this study, the space charge distribution with a 30 keV non-penetrating e-beam is negative and supported by some existing experimental data. The internal potential is negative, but relatively high near the surface, and it decreases to a maximum negative value at z = 6 μm and finally tend to 0 at the bottom of film. The leakage current and the surface potential behave similarly, and the secondary electron and leakage currents follow the charging equilibrium condition. The surface potential decreases with increasing beam current density, trap concentration, capture cross section, film thickness and electron–hole recombination rate, but with decreasing electron mobility and electron energy. The total charge density increases with increasing beam current density, trap concentration, capture cross section, film thickness and electron–hole recombination rate, but with decreasing electron mobility and electron energy. This study shows a comprehensive analysis of microscopic factors of surface charging characteristics in an electron-based surface microscopy and analysis.     

显示屏表面空气式静电放电实验特性

显示屏是人机交互的重要部件,当人体静电放电发生在显示屏表面时,有可能导致软硬故障。为了研究显示屏空气式静电放电实验特性,通过一个自制的装置对显示屏空气式静电放电电流和通过显示屏的位移电流进行了实验测量。研究发现:放电电流峰值随接近速度的增加而增加,上升时间随接近速度的增加而减小。在±10~±12 kV电压范围,受电弧长度的影响,上升时间增大,电流峰值变小。随着测量点与放电点之间距离的增大,位移电流波形峰值减小、上升时间增大,正极性放电峰值更大且扩散范围更广,而负极性放电上升时间增大更加明显。由位移电流波形及其分布可以计算出电荷密度。电荷密度随距离放电位置距离的增大而减小。与正极性相比,尽管负极性放电电流峰值较低,但电荷密度较高,说明负极性放电具有造成更高等级损伤风险的危害。     

Characteristics of electrostatic discharges from intermediate bulk container materials

In this work, we have studied experimentally electrostatic discharges from flexible or rigid intermediate bulk container (FIBC or RIBC, respectively) materials charged to both polarities. Four different kinds of materials were investigated, including woven polypropylene (PP) fabric, smooth-surfaced polypropylene sheet, smooth-surfaced polyethylene (PE) sheet and smooth-surfaced nylon sheet for comparison. Discharge peak current, charge transfer and distance from the surface at which a discharge occurred, with no earthed backplane, were measured over a range of surface potential values. According to the results, negative polarity discharges gave higher peak current and charge transferred values than positive polarity discharge of the same surface potential. The distance at which the discharge occurred increased with surface potential as expected. However, peak current and charge values were relatively constant over a range of surface potential.     

Study of the leader of a spark discharge over a water surface

This paper discusses an experimental study of the leaders of incomplete spark discharges with a capacitance of 0.1 and 1 μF over a water surface when the initial voltage is 3–6 kV in discharge gaps 8 and 22 cm long, having side branches and without branches. The distributions of the field, the current, the current density, the conductivity, and the electron concentration along the leader have been determined, as well as the changes in the velocity and length of the leader as it evolves. It has been established that the evolution of the leader has a self-maintained character, and that the product of the storage capacitance and the initial potential difference between the head of the leader and the water surface is an invariant of its spatial evolution. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 44–50 (July 1998)     

The influence of dielectric surface charge distribution upon thepartial discharge behavior in short air gaps

A two-dimensional breakdown model based upon the continuity equations for electrons and ions and the Poisson equation is employed to examine the influence of surface charges upon the partial discharge behavior of a short metallic-dielectric plane-parallel electrode gap of 0.05 cm in an air-like mixture at atmospheric pressure. The form of charge distribution at the dielectric electrode surface is found to significantly affect a number of important discharge parameters, such as the uniformity of the electric field, the charge density and its radial distribution within the gap, as well as the discharge propagation time     

Electrostatic properties of mercaptoundecanoic-acid-coated-gold surfaces interacting with TiO2 surfaces

We studied electrostatic properties of the MUA-coated-gold surface and the TiO₂ surface for design of gold–TiO₂ distribution, which may be controlled with electrostatic interactions. The forces between the surfaces were measured as a function of the salt concentration and pH value using the AFM. By applying the DLVO theory to the forces, the potential and charge density of the surfaces were quantitatively acquired for each salt concentration and each pH value. The potential and charge density dependences on the salt concentrations and the pH values were explained with the law of mass action and the ionizable groups on the surface.     

Correlations between the electric charging properties and the optically determined structure of non-woven fabrics

The aim of this paper is to determine the degree of correlation between the electrostatic potential distribution on the surface of non-woven fabrics and the material structure as obtained by optical means. The potential distribution on the material surface was monitored for several samples of two types of fabrics that were electrically charged using corona discharge. The results show that the charge distribution on the samples surface significantly correlates with the spreading and the third centered moment of the gray-scale pictures of the samples.     

Self-consistent solution of Kohn-Sham equations for infinitely extended systems with inhomogeneous electron gas

The density functional approach in the Kohn-Sham approximation is widely used to study properties of many-electron systems. Due to the nonlinearity of the Kohn-Sham equations, the general self-consistence searching method involves iterations with alternate solving of the Poisson and Schrödinger equations. One of problems of such an approach is that the charge distribution renewed by means of the solution of the Schrödinger equation does not conform to boundary conditions of the Poisson equation for the Coulomb potential. The resulting instability or even divergence of iterations manifests itself most appreciably in the case of infinitely extended systems. The known attempts to deal with this problem are reduced in fact to abandoning the original iterative method and replacing it with some approximate calculation scheme, which is usually semi-empirical and does not permit to evaluate the extent of deviation from the exact solution. In this work, we realize the iterative scheme of solving the Kohn-Sham equations for extended systems with inhomogeneous electron gas, which is based on eliminating the long-range character of Coulomb interaction as the cause of tight coupling between charge distribution and boundary conditions. The suggested algorithm is employed to calculate energy the spectrum, self-consistent potential, and electrostatic capacitance of the semi-infinite degenerate electron gas bounded by an infinitely high barrier, as well as the work function and surface energy of simple metals in the model with homogeneous distribution of positive background. The difference between self-consistent Hartree solutions and those taking into account the exchange-correlation interaction is analyzed. The comparison with the results previously published in the literature is carried out. The case study of the metal-semiconductor tunnel contact shows this method as applied to an infinitely extended system where the steady-state current can flow.     

空间多能电子辐照聚合物充电过程的稳态特性

空间同步轨道上多能电子辐照聚合物的充电过程及其稳态特性是研究和抑制通信卫星静电放电的基础.在同步电子散射-输运微观模型的基础上,采用具有10—400 keV积分能谱分布的多能电子辐照聚酰亚胺样品,进行了多能电子辐照聚酰亚胺充电过程的数值模拟,获得了空间电荷密度、空间电位、空间电场分布和聚合物样品参数条件下的表面电位和最大场强.结果表明,多能电子与样品发生散射作用并沉积在样品内形成具有高密度的电荷区域分布,同时在迁移和扩散的作用下输运至样品底部形成样品电流;充电达到稳态、电子迁移率较小时(小于10-10cm2·V-1·s-1),表面电位绝对值和充电强度随电子迁移率的降低明显加强,捕获密度较大时(大于1014cm-3),表面电位绝对值和充电强度随捕获密度的增大明显加强;聚合物样品厚度对表面电位和充电强度的影响大于电子迁移率、捕获密度和相对介电常数的影响.研究结果对于揭示空间多能电子辐照聚合物的充电现象及微观机理、提高航天器故障机理研究水平具有重要科学意义和价值.     

声脉冲法空间电荷测量系统的研究

气体中空间电荷的分布与电晕放电的机理紧密相关, 获取电晕放电过程中空间电荷分布对深入研究电晕放电起始、自持过程有着重要作用, 但是如何准确获得电晕放电过程中的空间电荷分布一直是国际上尚未解决的难题. 本文基于声脉冲法提出一种电场信号解耦算法, 推导了空间电荷在声场中被调制产生的电场信号与声脉冲信号和空间电荷密度之间的数值关系, 讨论了不同测量情况下声发射系统的设计要求; 搭建了一套可用于实时测量针板电极电晕放电空间电荷分布的非接触式测量系统, 该系统主要包括声脉冲发生模块、空间电荷模块及电场信号解耦算法模块. 运用该系统实现了声脉冲激发作用下电场信号的测量, 通过提出的电场信号解耦算法得到了空间电荷密度, 对其测量结果与电晕电流法测量结果进行比较, 验证了电场信号解耦算法的有效性. 该算法可以应用于空间电荷一维、二维和三维测量系统中.     

Design of organic supercapacitors with high performances using pore size controlled active materials

In this study, we thoroughly investigate the required properties of active materials for organic supercapacitors with high performances. In this regard, we synthesize carbon xerogels with different physical properties, including specific surface area and pore size. The carbon xerogels are prepared via the sol-gel reaction of resorcinol and formaldehyde under different gelation temperature conditions. Through Fourier-transform infrared, nitrogen adsorption–desorption, and scanning electron microscopy analysis, we can confirm that carbon xerogels with different physical properties can be successfully synthesized. We apply the prepared carbon xerogels to organic supercapacitor electrodes. As a result of electrochemical experiments, carbon xerogels with high surface area exhibit high electrochemical performances at low-rate charge?discharge processes. However, as the charge–discharge rate increases, carbon xerogels with low surface area and high conductivity exhibit higher performances. Therefore, the surface area of active materials is a key factor for supercapacitors with high performances at low-rate charge–discharge processes. However, the effects of conductivity can be more crucial as compared with those of surface area as the charge–discharge rates increase. In addition, we suggest that the physical properties of active materials should be differently optimized as the charge–discharge rate is employed.     

高功率微波沿面闪络击穿机制粒子模拟

针对高功率微波介质沿面闪络击穿物理过程,首先建立了理论模型,包括:动力学方程、粒子模拟算法、二次电子发射, 以及电子与气体分子蒙特卡罗碰撞模型、电子碰撞介质表面退吸附气体分子机制;其次,基于理论模型,编制了1D3V PIC-MCC程序,分别针对真空二次电子倍增、高气压体电离击穿和低气压面电离击穿过程,运用该程序仔细研究了电子和离子随时间演化关系、电子运动轨迹、电子及离子密度分布、空间电荷场时空分布、电子平均能量、碰撞电子平均能量、碰撞电子数目随时间演化关系、电子能量分布函数、平均二次电子发射率以及能量转换关系。研究结果表明:真空二次电子倍增引发的介质表面沉积功率只能达到入射微波功率1%左右的水平,不足以击穿;气体碰撞电离主导的高气压体电离击穿,是由低能电子（eV量级）数目指数增长到一定程度导致的,形成位置远离介质表面,形成时间为s量级;低气压下的介质沿面闪络击穿,是在二次电子倍增和气体碰撞电离共同作用下,由于数目持续增长的高能电子（keV量级）碰撞介质沿面导致沉积功率激增而引发的,形成位置贴近介质沿面,形成时间在ns量级。     

Characteristics of charge and discharge of PMMA samples due to electron irradiation

In this study, using a comprehensive numerical simulation of charge and discharge processes, we investigate the formation and evolution of negative charge and discharge characteristics of a grounded PMMA film irradiated by a nonfocused electron beam. Electron scattering and transport processes in the sample are simulated with the Monte Carlo and the finite-different time-domain(FDTD) methods, respectively. The properties of charge and discharge processes are presented by the evolution of internal currents, charge quantity, surface potential, and discharge time. Internal charge accumulation in the sample may reach saturation by primary electron(PE) irradiation providing the charge duration is enough. Internal free electrons will run off to the ground in the form of leakage current due to charge diffusion and drift during the discharge process after irradiation, while trapped electrons remain. The negative surface potential determined by the charging quantity decreases to its saturation in the charge process, and then increases in the discharge process. A larger thickness of the PMMA film will result in greater charge amount and surface potential in charge saturation and in final discharge state, while the electron mobility of the material has little effects on the final discharge state. Moreover,discharge time is less for smaller thickness or larger electron mobility. The presented results can be helpful for estimating and weakening the charging of insulating samples especially under the intermittent electron beam irradiation in related surface analysis or measurement.     

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.