Comparative studies of dc corona and back discharges in different gases

Abstract

Direct-current corona discharge and back-discharge generated in needle-plate electrode configuration in air, Ar, N 2 , or CO 2 , flowing smoothly through a discharge chamber were investigated. The back discharge is dielectric barrier discharge generated in the presence of normal corona discharge, when the plate electrode is covered with a dielectric layer of high resistivity. In the experiments with back discharge a mica plate was used as the dielectric barrier. A small pinhole was made in the plate center to initiate an electrical breakdown through the dielectric layer. Comparative studies of corona and back-corona discharges at normal temperature and pressure were carried out in the aspects of discharge morphology and the current-voltage characteristics.PACS : 52.80.Hc