Numerical simulation of corona in electrical equipment operated at high altitude

Corona discharge is a common form of electrical fault in power equipment. Studying corona at different altitudes is essential for ensuring reliable operation of electrical systems under varying environmental conditions. In this work, a Multiphysics simulation model of corona discharge was developed to investigate the discharge behavior and induced ionic wind characteristics under different air pressures. First, the accuracy of the simulation model was validated by experiments. At 1 bar (1 bar = 10⁵ Pa), Trichel pulses with an amplitude of 1.1 mA and a repetition frequency of 250 kHz were observed, along with a maximum ionic wind velocity of 9.49 m/s in the discharge channel. When the pressure was reduced to 0.79 bar, the discharge was overall enhanced, with the Trichel pulse amplitude decreasing to 0.5 mA, the repetition frequency increasing to 760 kHz, and the induced ionic wind becoming stronger. Both the velocity within the channel and the gap increased with decreasing pressure. This study provided a theoretical reference for the deployment and operation of electrical equipment in high-altitude environments.