Using an optical fibre anemometer to measure the speed of the electric wind in a negative polarity, atmospheric corona discharge

Title
Using an optical fibre anemometer to measure the speed of the electric wind in a negative polarity, atmospheric corona discharge
Publication Date
2005
Author(s)
Hooper, Adam
Lamb, David
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1088/1742-6596/15/1/037
UNE publication id
une:3260
Abstract
Coronas are partial discharges that occur in regions of non-uniform electric fields adjacent to conductors stressed to high voltages. Negative, Trichel-pulse coronas in air occur when a dc, negative-polarity, high voltage is applied to a conductor. Trichel pulses in atmospheric air generate significant amounts of ozone as well as electrical and acoustic noise. Under the right conditions these coronas can be a precursor to complete electrical breakdown of the air gap due to a reduction in the density of neutral molecules resulting from a combination of localised heating and convective air flow generated by the movement of negative ions. An optical fibre anemometer, based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer has been constructed to measure the speed of the wind generated in the point-plane gap of a negative, Trichel-pulse corona discharge in atmospheric air. The sensing arm of the fibre interferometer is subjected to controlled, repetitive bursts of infrared radiation from a CO₂ laser and the combination of localised heating and convective cooling by the corona wind results in fringe shifts which are directly calibrated to the speed of the wind. This paper reports on the nature of the calibration process and presents some radial profiles of wind speed in the corona gap.
Link
Citation
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 15(1), p. 219-225
ISSN
1742-6596
1742-6588
Start page
219
End page
225

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