Advantage and disadvantage of corona loss

Advantages:

• Self-cleaning of insulators: The ozone and nitrogen oxides produced during corona discharge can react with and break down organic contaminants on insulator surfaces, helping to keep them clean.
• Voltage regulation (to a limited extent): In some specific scenarios, corona can act as a natural voltage limiting mechanism, preventing excessive voltage buildup on transmission lines, though this is generally an undesirable effect.
• Lightning protection: Corona discharge can help dissipate charge from conductors during lightning storms, potentially reducing the risk of direct lightning strikes or flashovers.

Disadvantages:

• Power loss: Corona discharge represents a significant loss of electrical energy from the transmission system, reducing efficiency.
• Audible noise: The ionization process generates a characteristic hissing or crackling sound, which can be a nuisance, especially near residential areas.
• Radio interference: The high-frequency components of corona discharge can interfere with radio and television signals, as well as communication systems.
• Ozone and nitrogen oxide production: These gases are corrosive and can degrade conductor materials and surrounding equipment over time. Ozone is also a respiratory irritant.
• Conductor corrosion: The chemical byproducts of corona can accelerate the corrosion of conductor surfaces.
• Reduced transmission capacity: To minimize corona losses, transmission lines are often operated at lower voltages than their theoretical maximum, which reduces their power transmission capacity.