Positive and negative point discharge corona currents: Influence of thunderstorm-like wind velocities

A dielectric wind tunnel is used to study the influence of the wind speed on positive and negative point discharge corona currents. A constant voltage is applied across to a point-to-plane electrode arrangement, while the air velocity varied from 0m/s up to 14m/s (50 km/hr). Results show that both positive and negative corona current magnitudes increase with an increase in the air velocity; however it was found that the former increases faster than the later. These results are of importance to understand the behavior of the corona current and the natural electric field under thunderstorm conditions.