ON THE CALCULATION OF ELECTRICAL BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE IN SHORT GAS-GAPS AT VARYING PRESSURES

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the calculation of electrical breakdown voltage in uniform-field short gas-gaps at varying pressures. The oxygen is chosen being the main gas component in the atmospheric air, which poses the electronegativity character to the air. The calculation is based on the criterion of self-recurrence of single electron avalanche growing in the gap. This ensures sustenance of gas discharge for gap breakdown to occur. The calculated breakdown voltage and current-growth values agreed reasonably with those measured experimentally in oxygen at varying pressure values.