A kinetic model for the electrostatic spark discharge in atmospheric-pressure air

This paper presents a 0-D kinetic model of electrostatic spark discharges consisting of the time-dependent Boltzmann equation of electrons, a discharge-circuit equation, and heavy particles' kinetic equations to investigate the energy-transfer mechanisms from the electrostatic energy given to the energy of gases by the spark discharge. In this report, the model is applied to the discharges in atmospheric-pressure air under optimum conditions corresponding for the minimum ignition energies of the typical flammable gases, hydrogen, ethylene and propane, in three types of explosion groups for gases. (paper)