What is the likely effect of high voltage on corona loss?

High voltage systems are more prone to corona loss due to the physics of how corona discharge occurs. Corona loss refers to the ionization of air surrounding a conductor, typically occurring at high electric fields. As voltage increases, the electric field strength around the conductor also increases, making it easier for the air molecules to become ionized.

This ionization leads to the formation of a conductive path that allows some of the electrical energy to escape in the form of corona discharge, resulting in energy loss and other phenomena such as audible noise and radio frequency interference. At lower voltages, the electric field strength may not be sufficient to ionize the surrounding air, resulting in lower corona loss.

Therefore, with an increase in voltage, the likelihood and magnitude of corona losses also rise, confirming that high voltage indeed increases corona loss. This understanding is essential for the design and operation of high-voltage transmission lines, where mitigating corona loss is crucial for efficiency and reliability.