Electrode-fall of local discharge on an electrolytic surface

Presents experimental results on the electrode-fall of local discharge on electrolytic surfaces, which simulate the surfaces of wet polluted insulators. A rod-plane electrode system with the electrolyte layer on the plane electrode was used. This electrode system was set in a Pyrex glass chamber. The air pressure in the chamber was varied from approximately 6.67 to 101 kPa, and the resistivity of the electrolyte was varied from approximately 10 to 6600 Omega cm. The electrode-fall voltage was determined from simultaneous measurements of the applied voltage waveform and the discharge current waveform. It was found that the electrode-fall voltage remains at its high value regardless of the air pressure and increases with the resistivity of the electrolyte. From these results, it is deduced that the discharge mechanism in the local discharge between the rod electrode and the electrolyte surface is similar to that in a glow discharge.<>