Energy partitioning in electrostatic discharge with variable series load resistor

Abstract: This paper presents an experimental investigation into the energy partitioning of quasi-static electrostatic discharge (ESD) events in air, a scenario in which the discharge occurs across a fixed gap. We systematically characterize the energy transferred to a series victim load across a broad range of resistances (0.1 to 10,000Ohm) and circuit parameters, including capacitance and gap length. Our results show that the fraction of stored energy delivered to the victim load is largely independent of gap length. We demonstrate that the classic Rompe-Weizel spark resistance model effectively predicts the scaling of this energy transfer, establishing a clear link between spark resistance and energy partitioning. These findings provide a valuable, predictive framework for guiding safety requirements for sensitive electronic components and energetic materials and will inform the development of more accurate circuit models for ESD events.