High Voltage Engineering IAEMS

ELP 331 Electrical Power Dep

Fall 2020-2021 Dr. Ahmed Kamal EL-Din

Sheet (4)

1) A steady current of 600 µA flows through the plane electrode separated by a

distance of 0.5 cm when a voltage of 10 kV is applied. Determine the
Townsend’s first ionization coefficient if a current of 60 µA flows when the
distance of separation is reduced to 0.1 cm and the field is kept constant at
the previous value.
2) The following table gives two sets of experimental results for studying
Townsend’s mechanism. The field is kept constant in each set:

Determine the values of Townsend’s first and second ionization coefficients

( I0=6*10-14 A).
3) What is the flashover voltage of a uniform gap, with a gap of 1 cm and an air
pressure of 1.013 bar? Use A = 645 (bar mm) -1, B = 19.0 kV/ (bar mm) and
k= 13.3.
4) Using Paschen’s law assume A = 12, B = 365 and γ = 0.02 for air.
Determine (pd)min and Vbmin.
5) Define Townsend’s first and second ionisation coefficients. Explain the
Townsends criterion for a spark.
6) Discuss Townsend’s breakdown mechanism.
7) Discuss various factors which affect breakdown of gases.
8) Explain the mechanism of development of streamers and explain how these
lead to breakdown.

Page 1 of 2
High Voltage Engineering IAEMS
ELP 331 Electrical Power Dep
Fall 2020-2021 Dr. Ahmed Kamal EL-Din

9) State the limitation of Townsend’s Theory.

Page 2 of 2