Analysis of monopolar ionized field as influenced by ion diffusion

This paper aims at the analysis of the monopolar ionized field in conductor-to-plane configurations without resorting to Deutsch's assumption. A new iterative finite-element technique is proposed to solve Poisson's equation. Satisfying the current continuity condition and updating the space-charge density are based on the application of Kirchoff's current-balance law at each node of the finite-element grid and take the ion diffusion into account. The proposed method of solution has been applied for laboratory and full-scale models of a monopolar transmission line. The calculated V-I characteristics, the current-density, and electric field profiles at the ground plane agreed well with those measured experimentally in comparison with previous calculations. Fast convergence and simplicity in programming characterize the proposed method.>