Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-31-2025

Abstract

High-pressure ultra-zero air is being evaluated to enhance switch performance and serve as a potential replacement for SF$_6$ in high-voltage switches, aiming to reduce reliance on costly insulating gases with supply chain and environmental concerns. There are still uncertainties about the dominant breakdown mechanisms of ultra-zero air in the high-pressure regime. The classical equations for breakdown describing Paschen curves appear to not be valid above 500 psia. In order to better understand gas breakdown in the high-pressure regime, this dissertation is evaluating the basic gas physics breakdown using both uniform and nonuniform-field electrode designs. The data has been collected to study the breakdown of this high-pressure regime in the range of 300 – 1500 psig with electrode gaps on the order of 0.6 – 1 cm with different electrode designs. The self-breakdown voltages range from 200-900 kV with pulse-charge risetimes of 200-300 ns and discharge currents from 25-60 kA. This dissertation investigates the phenomenon of high-pressure breakdown in ultra-zero air, highlights the data collected, presents a few of the mechanisms that could dominate in the high-pressure regime for electronegative gases, and presents a working model that predicts breakdown voltages for laboratory spark gaps in the high-pressure regime.

Keywords

gas physics, high-pressure air, runaway electrons, spark gap

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Electrical Engineering

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Electrical and Computer Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Edl Schamiloglu

Second Committee Member

Jane Lehr

Third Committee Member

Mark Gilmore

Fourth Committee Member

Eric Lang

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