Abstract
The field utilization factor (equation omitted) (the mean electric field / the maximum electric field) of standard sphere gaps was calculated by the charge simulation method, taking into account the ground plane and shanks. n changes mainly with g/r and slightly with 1$_1$, 1$_2$ and 1, where D=2r is the sphere diameter, g is the gap length, 1$_1$ and 1$_2$, respectively, are the lengths of the upper and lower shank, and t is the shank diameter. Generally, (equation omitted) increases as 1$_1$,1$_2$ and t each becomes larger. IEC standard 60052(2002) limits t$\leq$0.2D 1$_1$$\geq$1D and prescribes A=1$_2$＋D＋g where A is the height of the spark point on the upper sphere. Therefore, (equation omitted) is the largest when A=9D and the smallest when A=3D. The simple equation of a straight line, (equation omitted)=1- (g/3r), can generally be used as a representative value of (equation omitted) for a wide variety of sphere diameters that are permitted by the IEC standard. The maximum electric field E$_{m}$ at sparkover of standard air gaps has also been calculated by the relation E$_{m}$=V/(equation omitted)g). E$_{m}$ describes a U-curve for g/r, up to the sphere diameter of 1 m. Moreover, for 1.5-m and 2-m diameters and especially .for negative polarity, sparkover voltages have been calculated by integration of the ionization index.index.