CALCULATING SURFACE FIELDS OF CONDUCTORS IN CORONA

A method is proposed for calculating the surface field strengths of conductors in dc corona. Poisson's equation is solved for the corona discharge zone surrounding the conductor. For positive corona, the space-charge density is averaged at the mean ion density in the head of an avalanche that develops in the discharge zone. For negative corona, the discharge zone is composed of two layers; in the inner layer, the ions are mostly positive, and, in the outer layer, they are mostly negative. The conductor surface fields thus calculated are claimed to agree quite well with experimental measurements.