Comparison of the AWA lumped-circuit model of electrical discharges with empirical data

Experimental data for three 1.7-m-long transient discharges are compared with an AWA lumped-circuit discharge model developed earlier by the authors (R.T. Robiscoe, A. Kadish, and W.B. Maier, III, J. Appl. Phys. vol.64, 1988) in which the arc resistance is taken from the `arc welder´s ansatz´, R_a=V*/|I|, where V* is a positive constant and I is the discharge current. In addition to the arc resistance, a small series resistance R is present in the external circuit. A single value for each R and V* is deduced from the data, and these values are used to characterize all three discharges. Adequate agreement of the experimental data with the model is obtained; for example, it is possible to predict the proper number of current reversals for each discharge and abrupt termination of current flow after a finite time. It is suggested that the AWA lumped-circuit model provides a better representation of the data than a standard lumped-circuit RLC model and hence is more useful as a tool for prediction and interpretation of discharge