Basic Experimental Set-ups For The Characterization Of Emission FromElectrical Discharge Events

We address the phenomenon of the electrostatic discharge from the point of view of its implications in the field of electromagnetic compatibility. Conducted and radiated emissions from electrical discharges are considered. We investigate how the main parameters of an electrical or electronic system participating in a discharge process contribute to the production of electromagnetic interferences. Here we report a summary of the results that we have previously obtained, as well as some new data on the specific topic of discharges between two isolated spheres. We have been involved in an extensive experimental study of the emission from discharge events, and several specific experimental set-ups have been implemented for their phenomenological characterization. We discuss also the application of simplified numerical models, based on parameters extracted £torn the experiments. Particular attention is given to the role of the arc in the electromagnetic radiation associated with electrostatic discharges. We discuss the contribution of the arc channel to the total radiated emission from the circuit, and present experimental evidence that this contribution is negligible compared to that of the rest of the circuit. Finally, we present some remarks on the modelling of the discharge formation.