Modeling the breakdown process in a vortex-water-wall-high-pressure-argon-arc lamp

This paper presents a method for modeling the breakdown process in a vortex-water-wall high-pressure-argon-arc-lamp. The following three issues are considered in the model: ignition voltage magnitude; ignition voltage duration; and leakage resistance. The ignition phase consists of a shortgap point to plane discharge followed by a sliding discharge (streamer) and then another point to plane discharge. A model for the sliding discharge consisting of a switched distributed RC-line model is used to explain the formative time or propagation velocity of the streamer. Simulation results were obtained using the Electromagnetics Transient Program (EMTP). The proposed model is able to experimentally predict, in a qualitative sense, the DC breakdown voltage and the formative time for ignition