A pulsed corona-Townsend method for measurement of electron/ion number ratios and drift velocities

Author

Clements, Sidney J. ; Williams, Robert E.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys. & Astron., Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC, USA

Volume

31

Issue

4

fYear

1995

Firstpage

778

Lastpage

786

Abstract

A new, easily-implemented method based on the pulsed-Townsend technique has been developed to measure drift velocities of charge carriers in a corona discharge at atmospheric pressure. The method also yields the electron/ion number ratio and an upper limit on the value of the electron attachment coefficient. Approximate electron drift velocities measured in nitrogen are in agreement with known values. In addition, the negative ion mobility obtained in nitrogen containing small amounts (0-3.7%) of oxygen agrees with known data. Therefore the pulsed corona-Townsend technique can be used to obtain data in gas mixtures of practical interest. The method can also distinguish the charge carriers in a corona discharge. This is especially useful in nonelectronegative gases with unknown concentrations of electronegative impurities

Keywords

Townsend discharge; charge measurement; corona; electric charge; electron attachment; electrostatics; velocity measurement; atmospheric pressure; charge carriers; corona discharge; electron attachment coefficient; electron drift velocities; electron/ion number ratios; electronegative impurities; measurement; nonelectronegative gases; pulsed corona-Townsend method; Atmospheric measurements; Charge carriers; Charge measurement; Corona; Current measurement; Electron mobility; Nitrogen; Pressure measurement; Pulse measurements; Velocity measurement;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Industry Applications, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-9994

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/28.395287

Filename

395287