CALCULATION OF ELECTRIC FIELD AND CHARGE DENSITY FOR MEDIA CHARACTERIZED BY DRIFT DOMINATED CONDUCTION (CORONA DISCHARGE, HVDC TRANSMISSION LINE, ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR)

This dissertation describes a new technique to calculate electric potential and charge density structures for two-dimensional problems in which the field and source exhibit a two-way coupling. Attention is restricted to unipolar, steady-state cases in which the predominant charge transport mechanisms are migration and convection. The technique described uses the Finite Element Method to compute electric potential and the Method of Characteristics to aid in the calculation of charge density.; The feasibility of this computational method is demonstrated in a FORTRAN computer program. Application of the program to simple, one-dimensional problems produces results which are in excellent agreement with the exact solutions to these problems. A comparison of computed results and experimentally measured quantities for a wire-duct electrostatic precipitator operating under no-load conditions also shows very good agreement. Calculated and experimental results for a High Voltage DC transmission line in corona discharge above a ground lane compare favorably for situations in which the transmission line is a very smooth, solid conductor and no wind is present.