Influence of Corona layer on Corona Computation in Wire to Plane System

The majority of models used for predicting corona dismiss the thickness of the ionization layer (avalanche) near the active electrode in which the total space charge is null. To justify the need to take or not the corona layer into account, computations are carried on with and without the corona layer for positive and negative corona discharges. Electric field and current density distributions are computed for a wire -to -plane geometry with and without corona layer. Poisson's equation is solved using the finite element method and the current continuity equation which updates the space charge density is solved using the simplified method of characteristics, which neglects ion diffusion. Numerical results were compared with experimental one for both polarities of corona.