Use of transport coefficients to calculate properties of electrode sheaths of electric arcs

Abstract

Particle conservation equations for electrons and positive ions, together with Poisson's equation to account for space-charge effects on the electric field, have been solved for the electrode sheath regions of electric arcs. For thermionic cathodes and the anode, we find that the ambipolar diffusion approximation is generally valid. At the surface of the anode we find that there is generally a small retarding electric fieid. For non-thermionic cathodes and no ionisation due to the electric field in the sheath, we calculate unrealistically high sheath voltages and even then, find that the electric fields at the cathode surface are insufficient for field emission. It is suggested that photoionisation in the region close to the cathode may be a principal source of electrons for non-thermionic cathodes.