📝 SummarXiv

Abstract

A recently proposed Following Streamer mechanism (Feng et al. 2025 Phys. Rev. Applied 23 064039) seeks to explain how floating metal particles induce SF6 streamer breakdown in the combined gap. This mechanism is derived from a 2D axisymmetric fluid model, which has limitations in describing multiple streamer events in real-world 3D scenarios. To validate the Following Streamer mechanism, we experimentally investigate the discharge morphology of SF6 streamers induced by a floating linear metal particle under negative pulsed voltage. The results are then compared with those from 2D axisymmetric fluid simulations. The comparison reveals both consistencies and discrepancies. Regarding consistencies, experimentally observed features-such as streamer inception at both ends of the metal particle and the formation of subsequent following streamers-support the general idea of the Following Streamer mechanism. Regarding discrepancies, the experiments show a larger number of following streamers and off-axis propagation paths, which cannot be described in the 2D simulation. For scientific rigor, an extended physical model was proposed to improve the description of the Following Streamer mechanism.