Unipolar model of negative corona discharge: Comparison of calculated and experimental I–V characteristics for the sphere–plane electrode system

Substantial computational resources and time are needed for computer simulation of the corona discharge with allowance for the sheath processes. This circumstance necessitates a search for and development of simplified models in which the processes in the sheath of corona discharge are reduced to the boundary condition at the surface of active electrode. A unipolar model that takes into account only one type of carriers is considered, and the boundary condition on the discharge electrode describes the rate of variations in the electron-flux density from the sheath. The calculated I–V characteristics are compared with experimental data for interelectrode distances ranging from several millimeters to several centimeters to reveal the applicability of the model. The simulated and experimental results are in good agreement at interelectrode distances of greater than 1 cm.