Dielectric Strength Electrical Insulator

Overview

Engineering reference data for Dielectric Strength Electrical Insulator in electrical engineering.

Key Formulas

Ohm's Law

$V = IR$

Voltage = Current × Resistance.

Power

$P = VI = I^2R = V^2/R$

Electrical power.

Energy

$E = Pt$

Energy = Power × Time.

Variables

Definition & Formula

The dielectric strength is the maximum electric field strength that an insulating material can withstand without electrical breakdown and loss of its insulating properties. Above this critical field, the material conducts due to dielectric breakdown, often resulting in an arc or spark.

For a uniform electric field, the dielectric strength $E_d$ is calculated as: $E_d = \frac{V_b}{d}$ where:

• $V_b$ is the breakdown voltage (the voltage at which the material fails),
• $d$ is the thickness of the material sample.

The dielectric strength is an intrinsic material property and is typically expressed in units of volts per meter (V/m) or volts per mil (V/mil). 1 mil is equal to 0.001 inch (25.4 µm).

Unit Conversions

$1 \, \text{V/m} = 2.54 \times 10^{-5} \, \text{V/mil}$

$1 \, \text{V/mil} = 3.94 \times 10^{4} \, \text{V/m}$

Interactive Charts

References

• Original Source