A Proposed New Standard for High Voltage Measurements

Citation

Ramo, Simon (1936) A Proposed New Standard for High Voltage Measurements. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/7ZP0-G010. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:03232012-125331634

Abstract

It is suggested that the electrostatic force of attraction between spheres, rather than the sparking voltage, be adopted as the standard method of measuring high voltage. This proposal is based on the following investigations and results:

1. The sparking voltage of 50 centimeter standard testing spheres varies considerably even when corrections are made for changing air density. At larger spacings, the gap is influenced by the unavoidable presence of ground planes.

2. Accurate force measurements made over a period of several months gave a mean sparking voltage curve which differs by a few per cent from a newly recommended A.I.E.E. standard curve.

3. Only one correction factor, to account for the presence of extraneous bodies in the laboratory, need be applied to voltage computed from measured forces. It is shown that this factor is small and a technique is described for its precise computation.

4. Computations have been made for the effect of the spheres' shanks and the laboratory floor and walls on the attractive force between spheres.

The main results of this research have been published in a paper, "The Sparkless Sphere Gap Voltmeter II", Electrical Engineering, Vol. 55, No. 5, by R.W. Sorensen and the author. This paper has been scheduled for a discussion at the A.I.E.E. 1936 summer convention.

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