Characteristics of Surface Charge Accumulation on Insulating Materials Considering Temperature Effects and the Microscopic Mechanism of Surface Flashover Induced by Accumulated Charges

Charge accumulation is considered a crucial factor leading to surface flashover of insulators, yet the microscopic mechanism by which it induces the formation of initial discharge channels remains unclear. Existing models for charge accumulation at gas-solid interfaces focus more on the generation and transfer of charges on the gas side, lacking a microscopic analysis of charge transport processes on the solid side. Moreover, the surface discharge process can cause the temperature of the insulating material’s surface layer to rise, necessitating the consideration of temperature effects in refining the models of charge accumulation and discharge at gas-solid interfaces. To address these issues, this paper explores the characteristics of charge accumulation at gas-solid interfaces with temperature effects and its induced microscopic mechanism of surface flashover. A model of charge accumulation that incorporates the impact of temperature and internal charge transport processes within the solid is established, clarifying the microscopic mechanism of temperature effects. Finally, the influence of accumulated charges on the formation of surface discharge channels is studied, and a gas-solid interface flashover streamer model, including the initial charge accumulation zone, is developed to elucidate the microscopic mechanism by which accumulated charges induce the initiation of discharge channels along the surface.