Meng Xiaobo

Research on dynamics of streamer propagation along the different dielectric materials and shed configurations under a uniform electric field was presented in this paper. Experiments were carried out in a three electrode arrangement consisting of a parallel-plane gap (10 cm), stressed by negative DC voltage. Streamers were initiated from a sharp point which was set in a shaped receptacle at the center of the lower grounded plane and propagated along the insulation surface. The electric field required for stable streamer propagation and the propagation velocity with electric field sustaining stable streamer propagation were studied. The streamer ‘stability' propagation field and velocity depend upon the nature of the dielectric material. Specifically, higher electric fields are required for streamers to propagate along a dielectric material with larger permittivity. The influence of insulator shed on streamer propagation along silion rubber insulation surface was also investigated. The conclusion was that the electric field required for stable streamer propagation and the associated velocity increased/decreased with the rise of the protrusion length of insulator shed.