CORONA

If the alternating voltage on a line conductor is gradually raised, it

will reach a value known as the visual critical voltage. Vv, at which
a faint violet glow known as CORONA appears, together with a
slight hissing and smell of ozone (O3).

 Let Vo to be the voltage level just before. Vv, when the

corona occurs, an additional power loss at that level begins to
occur in the system, and is given by the following empirical
formula for corona power loss:

Po = K (VL – Vo)2 { K as constant for given conductor

arrangements
VL is the rms operating voltage line to
neutral

OR
242 r
Po = ( f + 25) (VL − Vo ) 2 . 10 − 5 kW / km / Ph
δ Dm

δ is air density factor, at the system frequency

r is conductor radius
Dm is the GMD
 Thus CORONA can be defined as a partial discharge or
incomplete failure of the air dielectric.

 Corona occurs when the local electric field near the

conductor surface is sufficiently high to give enough energy
to free electrons. Thus more electrons and positive ions
appear which in turn are accelerated by the electric field and
cause further ionizing collisions.
 For long uniform round wire of radius r and charge Q c/m,
the electric field at its surface is
Q
Er = V /m
2 Eo r

 For a very large diameter smooth conductors in air at normal

temperature and pressure, corona power loss begins at the
critical disruptive stress when:
Eo = 30 kV peak/cm
OR Eo = 3000 kV peak/m
 Eo is also called the peak voltage gradient
 If the conductor is placed at long “d” distance from another
conductor such that the effect from the another conductor is
negligible. If V is the p.d. between the two conductors.
 Q d
∴ V= ln d

Eo r 2r

d
OR V = 2r Er ln since Q =2 Eo r Er
r

Vo
E o =
& d
2 r ln
r

 In three phase line with r.m.s phase voltage VL, then from the
transmission line formulas:

Q D
VL = ln m
2 Eo r
or

Dm
VL = r Er ln
r

30 Dm
Vo = δ r M ln KVrms
2 r
And the visual critical voltage is given by
 30 0. 3 D
Vv = r δ M [1 + ] ln m KVrms
2 δr r

Where
Dm is the GMD
r is the conductor radius
δ is the air density factor where

3 . 86 p
δ = Where {P is an mm mercury & t in oC
273 + t

M is the roughness factor or irregularity factor

M = 1 for smooth, polished cylindrical conductor
M = 0.93 - .98 for weathered cylindrical conductor
M = 0.87 weathered cond. Having more than 7 strands
 The above equation says that the air around the conductor
0 .3
will be ionized at a distance
r δ M [1 + ] or for δ
δr
= 1 & M = 1 the distance = r+0.3 r

 The Factors that reduce the break down strength of air are
1. rain,
2. mist,
3. fog,
4. humidity
5. temperature
6. pressure
7. pollution and,
8. thunder storms which may reduce it to about 80%,
9. conductor dimensions and conditions.
  The disruptive critical voltage Vo of the phase voltage is
given by:

H.W#3

Design a conductor which has no coron