LIGHTNING AND OTHER HIGH-VOLTAGE PHENOMENA' 



By F. W. Peek, Jr. 

 General Electric Company, Pittsfield, Mass. 



[With 11 platesj 

 I. Introduction 



For a number of years the author has been actively engaged in 

 research in various higli-voltage phenomena. Tliis work has been 

 clone from the standpoint of pure research to determine fundamental 

 principles and from the standpoint of practice to better the insula- 

 tion of apparatus, to extend transmission voltages, and to determine 

 means of protecting transmission lines and buildings from lightning. 

 By combining pure and applied research a much broader view is 

 obtained, and there is no better test of theory than to attempt to 

 appl}^ it to practice in a simple way. It will often be found that 

 essential factors have been overlooked. 



In the following discussion the practical as well as the theoret- 

 ical viewpoint will be kept in mind. 



II. High-Voltage Phenomena 



High electric pressure or voltages are necessary for economical long 

 distance transmission, but when such voltages are used without 

 proper precautions in design the energy may leak away from the 

 lines with a hissing noise in the corona. The corona is a beautiful 

 crown of light surrounding the conductors and is a manifestation 

 of the ions and electrons moving in the electric field. 



The sparking distance is also of theoretical and practical import- 

 ance. 



Laws of corona, sparking curves, etc., were established at the com- 

 paratively low voltages of the order of 250,000. These were suc- 

 cessfully applied to 220,000-volt transmission lines. 



III. Research at High GO-Cycle Voltages 



Within the last few years the work has been extended to voltages 

 of 1,000,000 volts above ground, 1,500,000 single-phase and over 



•This report is a nontecbnical summary of t^'o papers, High Voltage rhenomena, 

 Journal of Fraoijliu Institute, J'auuary, li)i;-t, aud Liglitning, an address delivered at tiie 

 centenary of tiie Franklin Institute, Septetii'ber, 19:24, and in the Journal in February, 

 1925. Complete technical information and data will be found in these papers. 



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