Breakdown Voltage

As an foot note I once had to test PCB, polychlorinated biphenalys, insulating media from underground mining transformers. This was before PCB was deemed to be cancerous and I am still here. The standard oil HV test container was connected to the HV generator and it was wound up to its maximum of 40KV RMS across the electrodes with not a murmur.

Now in Mythbuster style, this was before they graced the TV screens, it was decided that seeing as how we had a HV test bay where all manner of insulators could be tested up to 160KV RMS then let us break this sucker down.

A mobile insulating bench was wheeled in and one electrode was connected to the HV bus and the other was connected to the earth return. The team gathered to watch the failure but all that happened was the HV flashed around test cell.

Undaunted the decision was made that we should insulated the cell with big squares of "elephant hide" a form of compressed insulating medium. What happened, nothing the corona was generated and the sweet smell of ozone filled the air, but the sample held fast so the gap was halved and we tried again, still nothing. The general view that we had reached the limit of out testing and that PCB was really good shit.

The first gap was 2mm so the second was 1mm now 160KV across 1mm works out to 160,000 KV /m or 160MV/m RMS. Just some background musings.

If it works too well, it must be banned... haha....DDT , PCB, RIP...

...TLAs...

biphenalys biphenyls

https://www.acronymfinder.com/AIR.html