Flashover along a Water Column

The flashover voltage and current of a water column, which provides a suitable resistive surface for discharge propagation, have been calculated considering the heating and constriction of the column. Theoretical predictions are compared with experimental results obtained under dc applied voltage for: jet lengths of 2 ¿ L ¿ 5 cm, initial unit length resistances of 3 ¿ r0 ¿ 35 k¿/cm, and a rate of flow ¿ = 12.5 ml/s. It has been found that the flashover voltages of a given water jet are predictable, on the average, to within 4-9 percent at positive and negative polarities.