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Gassing phenomena under an AC voltage in various dielectrics liquids subjected to partial discharges produced in different gases are discussed. The roles of the numerous experimental parameters which affect the results have been studied using a uniform field test cell. It is shown first that from the classical PD equivalent circuit, a more refined analysis permits a good description of the influence of parameters such as gas and solid thickness as well as the amplitude and frequency of the applied voltage on gas volume variations, and discharge characteristics. This allows one to get suitable measurement of the charge and energies involved in the gaseous discharges, from which one can deduce the energy required to absorb (or to create) a gas molecule. This gassing energy, which is independent of the experimental parameters, is characteristic of each gas/liquid pair and constitutes a valuable quantitative evaluation of the gassing properties. >

A study of transient currents associated with the propagation of filamentary positive streamers in liquids is presented. Experimental measurements of currents in several selected liquids were analyzed with a simple model in which the channel is compared to a cylindrical conducting filament. Good agreement was found between theory and experiment, which indicates a rather high conductivity of the streamer filaments. An estimation of the charge carrier mobility in the filament was obtained, and it is concluded that the high current densities recorded are likely carried by electrons moving in a gaseous phase. The propagation of positive filaments in liquids is found to be similar to that of leaders in electronegative gases. >

Prebreakdown phenomena in transformer oil are studied under AC voltage in different field configurations, ranging from very divergent point-plane geometry to quasi-uniform fields produced by rods or spheres. A detailed study of phenomena in both polarities is presented, and the minimum conditions required for streamer breakdown voltage measurements under AC are established. In negative polarity, the generation of a microscopic gas bubble ( approximately 10 mu m in diameter) immediately precedes the development of streamers. In the case of bushlike streamers, it is concluded from energetic considerations that the vaporization of the liquid constitutes the main process of streamer growth. In positive polarity, similar conclusions are drawn for slow bushlike streamers, whereas in the case of fast filamentary streamers, it is observed that the conductivity of filaments determines their propagation. >