This paper investigates the stabilization of electrical discharges in gases by means of external ionizing radiation. Discharges in a gas-filled surge arrester model were studied in both passive and active regimes of the device. An originally developed model of the gas-filled surge arrester was used. Gas pressure and the interelectrode gap were the variable parameters in our measurements. Applied radiation types included ?-particles, ?-rays, X-rays, and neutrons. Measurements were performed under highly controlled laboratory conditions. The combined measurement uncertainty of the applied procedure was estimated as being under the 5% level. The results obtained are followed by a theoretical explanation. The crucial result is the conclusion that ionizing radiation does not necessarily degrade the gas-filled surge arrester?s functionality but that it, rather, improves it under certain conditions.

No abstract

No abstract

The processes which are a consequence of neutral active particles presence in post-discharge nitrogen-filled tube at 13.3 mbar pressure have been analyzed. The analysis has been performed based on the experimental data of electrical breakdown time delay as a function of afterglow period τ. The most significant parameters such as applied voltage, discharge current, time, and exposure to radiation have been varied. It has been shown that the increase in applied voltage and discharge time, as well as exposure to UV radiation, leads to the decrease of the mean value of electrical breakdown time delay t¯d. This decrease occurs for τ>70 ms, when N(S4) atoms play a dominant role in breakdown initiation. The increase in discharge current leads to the decrease of t¯d values for τ≤70 ms, when positive ions dominantly induce breakdown. The most important reactions which lead to formation of positive ions and neutral active particles are also presented in the paper.

The processes responsible for initiation of electrical breakdown in xenon-filled tube with two spherical iron electrodes at 2.7-mbar pressure have been analyzed. The analysis is based on the experimental data of electrical breakdown time delay as a function of afterglow period. It is shown that positive ions remaining from previous discharge, as well as positive ions created in mutual collisions of metastable atoms in afterglow, have a dominant role in secondary emission of electrons from the cathode which lead to initiation of breakdown in early afterglow. In late afterglow, dominant role in initiation of breakdown is taken by N(4S) atoms formed during the discharge by dissociation of ground state nitrogen molecules that are present as impurities in xenon. When the concentration of N(4S) atoms decreases sufficiently, the initiation of breakdown is caused by cosmic radiation. Small doses of gamma-ray irradiation also contribute to the initiation of breakdown, but only for large values of the afterglow period.