What is a corona discharge and how does it work?

Prof Clive Beggs, Medical Biophysics Group, University of Bradford

(e-mail: c.b.beggs@bradford.ac.uk)
A Corona discharge is sustained non-thermal plasma which occurs in
close vicinity to a thin discharge electrode, such as a pin or a wire, at a
high potential. Coronas may be either positive or negative, depending on
the polarity of the electrode. Although both positive and negative coronas
share many similar characteristics, the physical processes involved differ
between the two.
One feature common to both positive and negative coronas is the
formation of an electron avalanche. Such an avalanche occurs when a
strong electric field acts on naturally occurring free electrons in the air.
The electric field accelerates these electrons so that they gain sufficient
kinetic energy to cause ionisation when they collide with neutral gas
molecules in their path. Additional electrons are liberated during these
collisions, which after acceleration are also able to ionise. As the process
continues more and more electrons are liberated and an avalanche
rapidly builds up. In this way a small number of seed electrons can cause
ionisation of an entire gas and turn it into plasma. In a positive corona
the avalanche electrons are drawn towards the electrode, while the
resultant positive ions are repelled. In a negative corona the avalanche is
in the opposite direction, with the electrons repelled and the positive ions
drawn to the electrode. In a positive corona the electrons accelerate as
the avalanche progresses, while in a negative corona they decelerate as
they travel away from the electrode.
In an avalanche the electron collisions excite the positive ions so that
photons of short wavelength light are emitted. It is this that gives a
corona discharge its characteristic glow. These photons play an
important part in producing the new seed electrons which are required to
sustain the corona.
In a positive corona the electron avalanche is initiated by an exogenous
ionisation event in a region of high potential gradient. The electrons
resulting from the ionisation collision are attracted toward the positive
electrode, and the positive ions are repelled from it. The secondary
electrons, required to seed further avalanches, are generated at the
boundary of ionisation region by photons of light released during the
ionisation process. When these photons strike neutral gas molecules

they liberate electrons (through to the photoelectric effect), which are

then drawn to the positive electrode. It is these electrons which seed
and sustain further avalanches. While the electrons travel to the positive
electrode the positive ions drift away from it towards the earthed
electrode.
As with the positive corona, the electron avalanche in a negative corona
is initiated by an exogenous ionisation event in a region of high potential
gradient. However, the electrons travel in the opposite direction, away
from the negative electrode, while the positive ions are drawn towards it.
Unlike the positive corona, electrons ionised from the neutral gas are of
relatively little use in sustaining a negative corona because the general
movement of electrons is away from the negative electrode. Instead, the
dominant process for generating secondary electrons is the photoelectric
action of photons striking the surface of the negative electrode. Indeed,
the energy required to liberate the electrons from the electrode surface
is considerably lower than that required to ionise air at standard
temperatures and pressures, making it a more liberal source of
secondary electrons. Consequently, the avalanche seed electrons are
generated on the surface of the electrode and are repelled from it. As
these electrons leave the ionisation region they attach themselves to
neutral gas molecules to form small negative air ions which drift towards
the earthed electrode.
A feature of negative coronas is that they can only be sustained in fluids
which contain electronegative molecules, such as O 2, H20 and CO2.
These gases have molecules which readily scavenge free electrons.
Without electronegative molecules to capture free electrons, small
negative ions cannot form, with the result that a simple path of electron
flow of ionised gas will form between the two electrodes and an arc will
develop.
Clive Beggs
24th October 2006