A STUDY OF THE BEHAVIOUR OF WATER DROPLETS ON POLYMERIC SURFACES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ELECTRIC FIELDS IN AN INCLINED TEST ARRANGEMENT

Michael G. Danikas - Pavlos Ramnalis - Ramanujam Sarathi

   This paper investigates the influence of various parameters on the behaviour of water droplets on polymeric surfaces under electric fields. An inclined plane test was carried out to understand the droplet behaviour in strong electric field. Parameters, such as water droplet conductivity, droplet volume, polymeric surface roughness and droplet positioning with respect to the electrodes were studied. The flashover voltage is affected by all aforementioned parameters. The droplet positioning is in some cases more vital than the droplet volume.

Keywords: water droplet, polymeric surface, hydrophobicity, partial discharges, local arcs

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