Сто років формулі Піка для визначення початкової напруженості коронного розряду

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the memory of well-known electrical engineer Frank William Peek, Junior, who estimated the corona inception electric field on the surface of electrodes with a small radius of curvature which allows for corona discharge inception and also known as the “Peek’s law”. Analyzing Peek’s first publications dated 1911–1915, we have seen that he has elaborated and summarized the laws, which describe the phenomenon of corona discharge in gas on the wires of power transmission line. In particular, Peek presented the final version of the half-empirical formula in 1915, which allows estimating the voltage under which a corona appears on high-voltage wires, as well as estimating the power loss caused by this phenomenon. Attention has been drawn to the unrenowned facts related to Peek’s discovery of the formula. It has been discovered that the scientist was using the mean-value method when working on the formula. Also, attention has been drawn to the reasons of difference in indices (coefficients) in Peek’s formula, which can be seen in literature and publications of different authors in our country, as well as other countries. Based on the results of the research of Peek’s successors, it has been shown that all new charts repeat his formula and differ from it only by the value of numeric coefficients and, sometimes, the exponent in the denominator. Three ways of using his formula have been summarized; its direct application in electric power industry has been shown.