Leader channel models for long air positive electrical discharges

• Models for the leader channel in positive long air gaps were analyzed.
• Common elements were found in the engineering and physical models.
• Constant potential gradient in the LCR and constant propagation velocity are common.
• In Rizk model the effect of Ei is stronger in the LCR length and E∞ affects more Utip.
• For the largest LCR in Lalande model, the lowest ESC and the highest qL were used.

The models proposed for the positive long air gap electrical discharge can be considered to be either engineering or physical in their approach. In this work, we make a general review of the available models and use two of them for a comparison with experimental data. Common underlying assumptions were found in most of the models analyzed. The comparison with the experimental data revealed that the results obtained from the models were a good representation of the physical situation when the leader potential distribution and the leader-corona region evolution were described with certain physical assumptions.