Ignition Different Mode of Corona Discharge in Air at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract

This article presents the experimental results of the initiation of a corona discharge from point electrodes with a small radius of curvature. It is shown that short current pulses with a half-long duration of 200 ns flow through the gap during corona ignition. This mode of initiation of a corona discharge is observed not only with a negative polarity of the point electrode, but also with a positive one. It is assumed that the appearance of the first pulses of the discharge current is associated with the formation of streamers that have a ball shape. It was found that the front propagation velocity of the first anode-directed streamer in atmospheric pressure air is at least ∼0.02 mm/ns, and the cathode-directed streamer one ∼0.1 mm/ns.