Validity of the Space-Time Enlargement Law for vacuum breakdown

This paper investigates, theoretically and experimentally, the applicability of the Space-Time Enlargement Law to vacuum-insulated systems. A discussion on how characteristics of possible vacuum breakdown mechanisms determine the distribution function of the breakdown voltage random variable is presented. By superimposing effects of electrode surface enlargement and inter-electrode gap enlargement, expressions for the mean value and standard deviation of the breakdown voltage random variable are obtained. In the case of time extensions, the assumption of complete independence of consecutive discharge processes is discussed. Experimental testing of the Enlargement Law was performed on Rogowski type two-electrode systems, with different electrode surface areas, inter-electrode gaps and vacuum pressures. Measurements were conducted using industrial ac voltage, dc voltage with 50 V/s rate of rise, standard atmospheric pulse voltage (1,2/50 μs), and commutational pulse voltage (250/2500 μs). The final conclusion, based on the comparison of theoretical considerations and the experimental results, is that the Space-Time Enlargement Law can be applied in the design phase during the development of vacuum devices, with certain limitations, regardless of the type of the applied voltage.