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Lecturer-5 Streamer Theory of Breakdown in Gases: High Voltage Engineering (Feee6402)

The streamer theory was proposed to explain gas breakdown phenomena that could not be explained by the Townsend theory, such as a dependence on gas pressure and geometry and very fast breakdown. The streamer theory predicts that a single avalanche can transform into a plasma streamer due to the space charge developed by the avalanche itself. As the streamer extends towards the cathode, a cathode spot forms and electrons rush to neutralize the positive space charge, resulting in spark breakdown. The streamer theory provides a quantitative criterion for the electric field produced by space charge that can transform an avalanche into a streamer.

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653 views2 pages

Lecturer-5 Streamer Theory of Breakdown in Gases: High Voltage Engineering (Feee6402)

The streamer theory was proposed to explain gas breakdown phenomena that could not be explained by the Townsend theory, such as a dependence on gas pressure and geometry and very fast breakdown. The streamer theory predicts that a single avalanche can transform into a plasma streamer due to the space charge developed by the avalanche itself. As the streamer extends towards the cathode, a cathode spot forms and electrons rush to neutralize the positive space charge, resulting in spark breakdown. The streamer theory provides a quantitative criterion for the electric field produced by space charge that can transform an avalanche into a streamer.

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HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING(FEEE6402)

LECTURER-5

Streamer Theory of Breakdown in Gases

According to the Townsend theory;

- firstly, current growth occurs as a result of ionization process only. But in practice,
breakdown voltages were found to depend on the gas pressure and the geometry of the
gap;
- secondly, the mechanism predicts time lags of order of 10-5 s, but practically it was
observed to occur at a very short time of 10-8 s.
- Also the Townsend mechanism predicts a very diffused form of discharge, that
actually discharges were found to be filamentary and irregular.
Townsend mechanism failed to explain all these observed phenomena and as a result The
Streamer theory was proposed.

The theory predicts the development of


a spark discharge directly from a single
+ anode
avalanche in which the space charge
develop by the avalanche itself is said to
E1>E
transform the avalanche into a plasma
- steamer. In the fig 2, a single electron
E + starting at the cathode by ionization
E3>E builds up an avalanche that crosses the
gap. The electrons in the avalanche
move very fast compared with the
positive ions. By the time the electrons
- cathode
reach the anode the positive ions are in
Fig.-2 Effect of space charge produced by an
their original positions and form a
avalanche on the applied electric field
positive space charge at the anode. This
enhances the field, and the secondary avalanches are formed from a few electrons produced
due to the photo-ionization in the space charge region. This occurs first near the anode where
the space charge is maximum and a further increase in the space charge. This process is very

BY- S.S.MOHAPATRA(Lect.), Dept. Of EE, S.I.E.T, DHENKANAL


HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING(FEEE6402)

fast and the positive space charge extends to the cathode very rapidly resulting in the
formation of a streamer. Comparatively narrow luminous tracks occurring at breakdown at
pressures are called streamers. As soon as the streamer tip approaches to the cathode, a
cathode spot is formed and a stream of electrons rush from the cathode to neutralize the
positive space charge in the streamer; the result is a spark and the spark breakdown has
occurred.

A simple quantitative criterion to estimate the electric field E r which is produced by the
space charge, at the radius r and that transforms an avalanche into streamer is given by

α eαx V
Er = 5.27 × 10− 7 where α is the Townsend’s first ionization coefficient, p is the
x cm
p

gas pressure in torr and x is the distance to which the streamer has extended in the gap.
When E r = E and x = d the equation above simplifies into;

α d + ln α p = 14.5 + ln E p + 0.5 ln d p . This equation is solved between α p and E p at

which a given p and d satisfy the equation. The breakdown voltage is given by the
corresponding product Ed .

It is generally assumed that for pd values below 1000 torr-cm and gas pressures varying from
0.01 to 300 torr, The Townsend mechanism operates, while at higher pressures and pd
values the streamer mechanism plays the dominant role in explaining the breakdown
phenomena. However controversies still exist n these statements.

BY- S.S.MOHAPATRA(Lect.), Dept. Of EE, S.I.E.T, DHENKANAL

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