A physical model for the calculation of the corona onset voltage gradient of AC spacers

Abstract

By correcting the photon area factor (PAF) to suit the structure of the spacer and redefining the effective ionization region of the process of negative corona onset, a physical model for the calculation of COG of AC spacers is established. The validity and practicability of the established physical model are validated by the corona onset test results of spacers in both low-altitude and high-altitude areas. The numerical results pertaining to PAF and effective ionization region are consistent with the theoretical analysis. With the established physical model as a basis, the COG of the spacer is calculated under different geometrical structure parameters and ambient conditions. The results imply that changing the curvature of the spacer edge has a more significant impact on the COG of the AC spacer than changing the curvature of the spacer end and thickness H. The decrease in the length of the ionization region and the rapid attenuation of spatial electric field intensity of the spacer with smaller geometric parameters lead to an increase in the COG.