Corona Starting Voltage of Capacitors Driven with Pulsed Waveforms

Plasticfilm capacitors are commonly used in television circuits where they may be exposed to non-sinusoidala-c voltages. These capacitors are often unimpregnated and therefore normally have a corona starting voltage in the range of 250 to 500 volts rms for a 6O Hz sine wave corona measurement. If the capacitors are series wound with two or three series sections, then the corona starting voltage is raised to 500 to 1000 volts rms or 750 to 1500 volts rms respectively. In order to achievelong-term reliability, the capacitor must be designed so that the operating voltage does not cause destructive corona within the capacitor.