An electrostatic study of curvature effects on electric field stress in high voltage differentials

The magnitude of the electric field or electric field stress can become very large in high-voltage applications. These devices must be designed such that the electric field stresses stay well within the material limits for dielectric breakdown. Mathematically, the electric field stress is infinite along sharp edges at interfaces between dielectrics and electrical conductors. Although solid models often assume sharp edges, virtually all components are have a finite radius of curvature. In this investigation, the electric potential and electric field are numerically modelled in a simple configuration with an electrical conductor surrounded by a dielectric material. The effect of the radius of curvature along the edges between dielectrics and electrical conductors on the electric field stress is investigated.