SHARDA UNIVERSITY

CORONA
EFFECT
 CORONA ???
 "Corona" is from the Latin word
for crown.
 It has been derived from the
glow surrounding the conductors
when the operating voltage is
sufficiently high .
 PHENOMENON OF CORONA

 For an overhead transmission system the

atmospheric air, which is the dielectric medium
, behaves practically like a perfect insulator
when the potential difference between the
conductors is small. If the voltage impressed
between the conductors of alternating nature ,
sustained charging current will flow due to the
capacitance of the line. With the increase of the
voltage, there corresponding increase in the
electric field intensity.
 Contd…
 As long as the air is subjected to a uniform
electric field intensity of peak value less than
3×106 V/m, the flow of current between the
two conductors of the line is neglegibly small
for practical purposes.
 But when the electric field intensity
(voltage gradient) reaches the critical value of
3×106 V/m, the air is immediate vicinity
conductors no more remains a dielectric but is
ionizes and becomes conducting
 Contd…

 This breakdown is accompanied by…

 A faint glow appears around the conductors
which is visible in dark.
 There is an acoustical noise.
 There is a tendency in the conductors to
vibrate .
 There is a loss of power.
 There is a radio interference.
 Contd…

 If the voltage gradient is increased further,

the size and the brightness of the luminous
envelope goes on increase until finally a spark
is established between the conductors
because of complete breakdown of the
insulating properties of the air between them.
 Theory of the Corona Formation
The electrons and ions are always present to a small
extent in the atmospheric air due to the random action
of the ionizing sources such as cosmic rays, ultraviolet
radiation from the sun ,etc. when electric field of
uniform intensity is established between the
conductors, these ions and free electrons experience
forces upon them proportional to the field intensity and
the charge on them. Due to this force the ions and free
electrons get accelerated and move in opposite
directions. The charge particles during there motion
collide with one another and also with the very slow
moving uncharged molecules .
 Contd…
 The velocity acquired by the charge particle at collision
depends on its mass , charge and the mean free path.
The means free path depends upon the no. of
molecules contained in a unit volume of the air and
thus upon the size of molecule , the temperature and
pressure of the air.
 If atmosphere pressure of 760mm of mercury and
normal temperature of 25*C when the electrical field
intensity reaches a critical value of about 3000kV/
metre,the velocity attained by a charged ion or electron
is sufficiently high to tear of one or more electron from
the uncharged molecule which it makes collision ,
thereby leaving one or more free electrons and a new
+ve ion behind . This process is called ionization.
 Contd…
 These newly formed free electrons and ions in
turn are accelerated by a field and collide with
other air molecules to ionize them further. As
results of this the saturation is reached . The
air become conducting and a complete
breakdown occurs . At this stage a discharge
or arc is established between the conductors.
 FACTORS AFFECTING CORONA
 Corona loss depends upon a large no. of
factors , the important being broadly
classified in the following way…
a) Conductor Surface Gradient:- From the
equation Gmax = En
V/m
rlnD/r
for single conductors and multiple conductors lines, it
is seen that radius and spacing of the conductors
affect the surface gradients and therefore, the voltage
at which corona starts. In addition to this, the surface
gradient also depends on the configuration of the line
and the height of the conductors above the ground.
 b)Condition of Conductor Surface
 The roughness of conductor may be caused
by standing , scratches , deposition of dust or
other air bone particles on its surface. Due to
concentration of field intensity at rough spots
local corona discharges occurs there .
 This has been explained by the fact that
during corona discharge ozone and oxides of
nitrogen are produced.
 c) Atmospheric Condition

 When the rate of rainfall increases , it is

observed that the corona loss for a given
conductor at any voltages increases. But the
rate of increase of loss is lesser than that of
rainfall . The loss become practically constant
when the rate of rain fall is very high.
 d) Air Density Factor
 The air density factor δ is define as the ratio
of density of the air at any given baromatric
pressure ..
 So ,

The air density factor δ= 0.392p

273+t
Humidity also effects corona voltage.
 Advantages of Corona
 It reduces the magnitude of high voltage
steep fronted waves due to lighting or
switching by partially dissipating as a corona
loss . In this way it acts as a safety valve to
some extent
 Disadvantages of Corona
1. There is a definite loss of power even though it is not
much during fair weather condition.

2. When corona is present the effective capacitance of

the conductors is increased because the effective dia
of the conductor is increased. This effect increases
the flow of charging current . Because of corona triple
frequency currents flow through the ground in case of
grounded system and they give rise to a voltage of
triple frequency in an ungrounded system. These
triple frequency currents and voltages interfere with
the communication circuits due to electromagnetic
and electrostatic induction effect.
 Group Members

NAME ROLL NO.

Md. Shadab Khan 09o104058

Abhishek Kr. Roy 090104004

Ankit Osta 090104018