Subsidence transients in circuits containing a non-linear resistor, with reference to the problem of spark-quenching

Ceramic non-linear resistance materials, possessing the valuable property of rapidly decreasing resistance with increasing voltage, have found application in spark-quenching. For this purpose, the non-linear resistor may be used either alone or in series with a capacitor. With one exception, analytical solution of the resulting circuits does not seem possible, but numerical solution in a somewhat generalized form, with the differential analyser, is practicable in all cases. Accordingly, solutions have been obtained in this way for a range of cases typical of those encountered in light-current engineering. In this paper, these solutions are presented in graphical form suitable for use by the designer: curves of current and gap voltage are shown as functions (indirectly) of time. An analytical solution of the single solvable case is given, together with an experimental check of representative calculations. The work is concluded with a study of the effect of temperature on the non-linear resistance material: a knowledge of this is essential to a correct application of the design data.