On the electric strength of gases at elevated pressures

A systematic investigation of the electric strength of nitrogen gas has been made under conditions where the gas density was continuously increased by pressure change from the ambient value to a density approaching that of the liquid state. Such a study is of interest for several reasons: (1) the increased sparking potential makes the use of pressurized gases very attractive for the insulation of electrical equipment; (2) the study of breakdown in this region of intermediate density yields important information which will elucidate the mechanism of breakdown in condensed phases of matter(1) and (3) virtually no measurements at elevated pressures have been made heretofore in the region of very small electrode spacing used by us (1-25 mils). The use of such spacings makes it possible to generate very high field strengths with relatively low voltage.