The Current Distribution and the Magnetic Pressure Profile in a Vacuum Arc Subject to an Axial Magnetic Field

The steady-state electric-current distribution and the magnetic pressure in a uniform conducting medium, flowing in a cylindrical configuration between two circular electrodes, was determined by solving the magnetic field transport equation with a superimposed axial magnetic field. This medium models the interelectrode plasma of the diffuse mode metal vapor vacuum arc. The results show the following. a) The electric current and the flux of the poloidal magnetic field are constricted at the anode side of the flowing plasma. Most of the constriction takes place within a boundary layer, with a characteristic length of 1/Rme, where Rme is the magnetic-Reynolds number for axial electron flow. b) The electric-current constriction inversely depends on K?, where K? is the azimuthal surface current density which produces the axial magnetic field. c) The magnetic-pressure profile shows a radial pinch force in most of the interelectrode region, but in the anode boundary layer it is axially directed, thus retarding the plasma flow. d) The peak of the magnetic pressure is at the anode, and its amplitude directly depends on K?. As K? increases, the peak location moves toward the anode center.     

Experimental investigation of the anode region of a free-burning atmospheric-pressure inert-gas arc I. General characteristics of the discharge. Low-current regime

This paper reports the experimental investigation of the anode region of a free-burning inert-gas arc at atmospheric pressure in the current range from a few amperes to hundreds of amperes. The tungsten thermionic-emission cathode and the large-diameter water-cooled copper anode that were used permitted the anode arc root to assume its natural form. The general characteristics of the discharge are given and results are presented from investigations of the anode region at low currents, where the anode arc root is single and constricted, but erosion-free. Measurements of the plasma parameters as well as the current density in the arc root are reported, and a comparison is made between the values obtained and those characteristic of the region of the cathode arc root. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 35–40 (January 1997)     

Numerical analysis of chemical reaction processes in different anode attachments of a high-intensity argon arc

The attachment mode of arc on anode is closely related to the non-equilibrium chemical kinetics process of the anode region of arc. In this paper, the detailed chemical reaction mechanisms in the flow-affected region for both diffuse and constricted argon arc attachments are investigated by means of one-dimensional discharge coupled with a single-fluid, two-temperature model. The collisional-radiative model is used to examine the chemical reaction processes occurring in the anode region, including the arc centreline and fringe region. The numerical results are validated by comparison with available experimental data. The obtained radial distributions of electron temperature, electron density, excited states densities, ionization, and recombination processes reveal that different mechanisms dominate the diffuse and constricted arc-anode attachments.     

Evolution of magnetically rotating arc into large area arc plasma

An arc channel tends to shrink due to its conductivity increasing with the increase of temperature.In this study,to generate large area arc plasma,we construct a magnetically rotating arc plasma generator,which mainly consists of a lanthanide tungsten cathode(13 mm in diameter),a concentric cylindrical graphite anode chamber(60 mm in diameter)and a solenoid coil for producing an axial magnet field.By controlling the cold gas flow,the magnetically rotating arc evolves from constricted mode to diffuse mode,which almost fills the whole arc chamber cross section.Results show that the diffuse arc plasma has better uniformity and stability.The formation mechanism of large area arc plasma is discussed in this paper.     

Time-spatial structure of an electric arc anode region

This paper studies the anode region of an eroding anode with a nonstationary arc-root attachment. High-current free-burning short as well as long arcs at atmospheric pressure are investigated. A technique to study the anode region of the arc is suggested. An anode moving perpendicular to the arc axis was used for estimating parameters of the anode jets at a given moment of their development. The mechanism of current transfer in the anode region is considered on the basis of electrophysical and optical-spectroscopic investigations of the arc attachment traces and plasma parameters both of the anode jet and arc column. The anode jet was found to be of importance in the stationary arc operation. The near-anode plasma parameters depend on the effect of the cathode jet. In short arcs (L_a~2 mm), the plasma temperature at the anode exceeds 20000 K, while in long arcs (L_a >50 mm), it falls below 7000 K. At plasma temperature T_a >11000 K, the total arc current in the anode region is transferred through the arc plasma, while at lower temperatures, both the arc column and the anode jet take part in the current transfer     

A novel anode attachment mode in argon-helium free-burning arcs at atmospheric pressure

An argon-helium free-burning arc that operates on a graphite anode is investigated. Images of the arc and anode attachment under different arc currents and different helium ratios are exhibited. Experimental results show that both the arc and anode attachment are characterized by demixing. Moreover, an annular dark region surrounding the anode center is observed in the anode attachment region under the conditions of a higher arc current and a higher helium ratio, which is similar to the self-organized anode attachment mode in glow discharges. Preliminary analysis indicates that the arc demixing, the thermophysical properties of the mixture gas, and the carbon vapors from anode evaporation contribute to the formation of this novel anode attachment mode.     

Numerical simulation of anode heat transfer of nitrogen arc utilizing two-temperature chemical non-equilibrium model

A detailed understanding of anode heat transfer is important for the optimization of arc processing technology. In this paper, a two-temperature chemical non-equilibrium model considering the collisionless space charge sheath is developed to investigate the anode heat transfer of nitrogen free-burning arc. The temperature, total heat flux and different heat flux components are analyzed in detail under different arc currents and anode materials. It is found that the arc current can affect the parameter distributions of anode region by changing plasma characteristics in arc column. As the arc current increases from 100 A to 200 A, the total anode heat flux increases, however, the maximum electron condensation heat flux decreases due to the arc expansion. The anode materials have a significant effect on the temperature and heat flux distributions in the anode region. The total heat flux on thoriated tungsten anode is lower than that on copper anode, while the maximum temperature is higher. The power transferred to thoriated tungsten anode, ranked in descending order, is heat flux from heavy-species, electron condensation heat, heat flux from electrons and ion recombination heat. However, the electron condensation heat makes the largest contribution for power transferred to copper anode.     

Dielectric Recovery of Vacuum Arcs after Strong Anode Spot Activity

Recovery of dielectric strength and post-arc currents after diffuse and constricted vacuum arcs were measured for filat OFHC-Cu contacts (D = 25 mm, d = 7.5 mm) enclosed in a bakable UHV chamber. The arc current pulse had a trapezoidal shape of 5.5-ms duration with peak values up to 11 kA. In comparison with the fast recovery of diffuse arcs, the recovery of constricted arcs with gross melting is considerably retarded. Post-arc currents are simulated using the Andrews-Varey model extended to include the effects of secondary electron emission due to ion bombardment of the cathode and loss of the plasma due to thermal motion. The flow of charge carriers to the anode and the shield, which is at the anode's potential, are registered separately. The amount and decay of the residual plasma is evaluated from the measurements of post-arc current. The decay times of a few tens of a microsecond give evidence of ions with energies below 1 eV. The origin and effect of slow ions on recovery is discussed.     

Investigation of ion behavior associated with anode-spot modetransition in vacuum arcs

The ion behavior phenomenon associated with transitions of the anode discharge mode to the anode-spot mode is studied by measuring the wall ion current and by spectroscopic observation in vacuum arcs. The anode mode transfers when the wall ion current attains a certain magnitude that is independent of the cathode, but dependent on the anode. The ion-current function to the arc current increases when the arc current increases in the diffuse arc. Spectral-line intensity of Cu III emitted from the plasma in the anode region increases with an instantaneous arc current of a 5-kA peak (kAp) sinusoidal half-wave. These findings suggest an idea for the mode transition, that an ion generation region appears, and that an increase in the ion density produces a positive potential hump near the anode, which results in the negative anode voltage drop triggering the mode transition. After the mode transition, an arc current is found to reduce the ion current near the crest of a sinusoidal current in a copper arc. This appears to be significant for the arc on a small anode. The decrease in the ion current is attributed to the recombination of ions decelerated by anode vapor with electrons emitted from the hot spot on the anode     

A Model of the Multicathode-Spot Vacuum Arc

A model is proposed for the multicathode-spot (MCS) vacuum arc. A zero-order model is filrst constructed, whereby the interelectrode plasma is produced by the multitude of cathode spots, and flows to the anode upon which it condenses. The electron density is calculated by assuming that the plasma is uniform within a cylinder bounded by the electrodes and using expenmental data for the ionic velocities and ion current fraction obtained in single cathode spot arcs. The electron density thus obtained is proportionate to the current density, and is equal to 5 × 1020 m-3 in the case of a 107-A/m2 Cu arc. The model predictions are a factor of 3-4 lower than measured values. First-order perturbations to the zero-order model are considered taking into account inelastic electron-ion collisions, plasma-macroparticle interactions, the interaction of the self-magnetic field with the plasma and electric current flows, and the interaction with the anode. Inelastic collisions tend to increase the ionicity of the plasma as a function of distance from the cathode, in agreement with spectroscopic observations. Macroparticles are heated by ion impact until they have significant evaporation rates. The vapor thus produced is ultimately ionized, and most probably accounts for the discrepancy between the zero-order prediction of electron densities and the measured values. Constrictions near the anode in both the plasma and electric current flows have been calculated. An overabundant electron current supply forces the anode to assume a negative potential with respect to the adjacent plasma.     

A Model for DC Interruption in Diffuse Vacuum Arcs

A theoretical model for current interruption in a diffuse vacuum arc with dc commutation is described. Before current zero the interelectrode plasma is modeled as an ion-neutral fluid through which electrons are flowing. After current zero a positive ion sheath grows into the plasma from the former anode, driven by the transient recovery voltage. Using the basic laws of conservation, the decay of the plasma during commutation is evaluated numerically, enabling the post-arc current, the electric field at the former anode, and the power input to this electrode after current zero to be calculated. For copper electrodes, with a commutation time of 30 ?s, the ion density and velocity at current zero are 23 percent and 35 percent of their respective steady state values. The calculated post-arc currents of tens of amps are in good agreement with experimental data. The post-arc data generated with this model can be used to study reignition mechanisms and the interrupting capability of different contact materials.     

A physical model of the low-current-density vacuum arc

A one-dimensional (1-D) physical model of the low-current-density steady-state vacuum arc is proposed. The model is based on the continuity equations for ions and electrons and the energy balance for the discharge system; the electric potential distribution in the discharge gap is assumed to be nonmonotonic. It is supposed that the ion current at the cathode is generated within the cathode potential fall region due to the ionization of the evaporated atoms by the plasma thermal electrons having Boltzmann's energy distribution. The model offers a satisfactory explanation for the principal regularities of a hot-cathode vacuum arc with diffuse attachment of the current. The applicability of the model proposed to the explanation of some processes occurring in a vacuum arc, such as the flow of fast ions toward the anode, the current cutoffs and voltage bursts, and the backward motion of a cathode spot in a transverse magnetic field is discussed     

Characteristics of anodic glow pulsed plasma

Using the triple Langmuir probe, the characteristics of the glowing plasma adjacent to a constricted anode is obtained. The glow discharge is generated by applying a train of high voltage pulses between the constricted anode and cylindrical cathode with a pulse frequency of 2 kHz at 50% duty cycle. The axial plasma characteristics along the central line of the anode shows crest and trough resembling a double layer. The bulk plasma showed uniform electron density outside the glow. The visual images show an enhancement in the volume of the glow consistent with the discharge current. The mechanism behind the particular double layer characteristics around the anode is being explained in detail.     

Photographic appearance of high-current vacuum arcs prior to and during anode spot formation

This article presents the results of research on the photographic appearance of a highcurrent vacuum arc between butt type copper electrodes a of 30–80 mm diameter and a fixed gap of 10 mm. Current pulses of up to 30 kA peak amplitude at an initial value of (di/dt)₀ from 1–10kA/ms and a duration of approximately 14 ms were applied. Arcs were photographed with a high-speed framing camera, mostly at 10⁴ frames/s. A detailed study of discharge modes in phase transition from a high-current diffuse arc to a constricted arc with an anode spot was conducted. Most of the measurements were obtained at a peak current slightly in excess of 10 kA for electrodes of 55 mm diameter. It was found that at peak current exceeding moderately the threshold value of the onset of anode spot formation, the arc is characterized by the following main features: the formation of an anode spot and an anode plasma jet occurs concurrently with a local concentration of cathode spots; the anode spot is, most often, formed on the electrode edge; the coexistence of very varied structures of spots on the cathode; the lack of considerable constriction of the cathode discharge; the pseudo-periodic shrinking and expansion of the area occupied by cathode spots; the existence of a relatively dark space separates the anode plasma jet from the plasma sheath near the cathode surface; the plasma space distribution in the interelectrode gap is non-uniform and non-stationary.This work was supported by State Committee for Scientific Research within the research project No. 3 P40101507.     

Experimental Investigation of Anode Activities in High-Current Vacuum Arcs

It is well known that the melting of electrodes (mainly anode melting) in vacuum arc can increase the metal vapor density around current zero and even lead to interruption failure. In order to clarify the anode activities and their influence on arc appearance and interruption capacity, series experiments of cup-shaped axial magnetic field copper electrodes were conducted. Obvious anode melting was detected; the liquid copper flowed on the contact plate of anode and formed a clockwise swirl flow. The appearance of anode melting is likely to correlate to the transition of arc mode from high-current diffuse mode to high-current diffuse column mode. The melting of anode was severer than cathode and was influenced by the distribution of cathode spots. Various kinds of copper particles at macroscopic level can be seen in arc column. Even at the interruption limit, the majority of melted copper of anode sputtered out of gap in form of liquid droplets or was pressed into the cup of anode, the copper vapor evaporated into arc column only accounted for a few portion and no obvious anode jets was found due to large plasma pressure in arc column.      

Zur numerischen Beschreibung rotationssymmetrischer wandstabilisierter Lichtbogenkonfigurationen

A method is outlined which gives a numerical describtion for some configurations of axially symmetrical constricted electric arcs. For this purpose the equations of single fluid model of plasma physics are decoupled in such a way that only the heat flux potential, the axial velocity, the radial velocity, the average axial pressure gradient, and the average axial electric field have to be calculated simultaneously considering a given set of boundary conditions. In this paper the method is applied to the Koppelmann arc. In addition the paper reports upon some experiences in applying this method to the computation of further arc configurations.     

Production of a large area diffuse arc plasma with multiple cathode

An arc channel at atmospheric pressure tends to shrink generally. In this paper, a non-transferred DC arc plasma device with multiple cathode is introduced to produce a large area arc plasma at atmospheric pressure. This device is comprised of a 42-mm diameter tubular chamber, multiple cathode which is radially inserted into the chamber, and a tungsten anode with a nozzle in its center. In argon/helium atmosphere, a large area and circumferential homogenous diffuse arc plasma, which fills the entire cross section surrounded by the cathode tips, is observed. Results show that the uniformity and stability of diffuse arc plasma are strongly related to the plasma forming gas. Based on these experimental results, an explanation to the arc diffusion is suggested. Moreover, the electron excitation temperature and electron density measured in diffuse helium plasma are much lower than those of constricted arc column, which indicates the diffuse helium plasma probably deviates from the local thermodynamic equilibrium state. Unlike the common non-transferred arc plasma devices, this device can provide a condition for axial-fed feedstock particles. The plasma device is attempted to spheroidize alumina powders by using the central axis to send the powder. Results show that the powder produced is usually a typical hollow sphere.     

Generation of a submillisecond electron beam with a high-density current in a plasma-emitter diode under the conditions of open plasma boundary emission

The generation of a 250-μs-wide electron beam in a plasma-emitter diode is studied experimentally. A plasma was produced by a pulsed arc discharge in hydrogen. The electron beam is extracted from a circular emission hole 3.8 mm in diameter under open plasma boundary conditions. The beam accelerated in the diode gap enters into a drift space in the absence of an external magnetic field through a hole 4.1 mm in diameter made in the anode. The influence of electron current deposition at the edge of the anode hole on the beam’s maximum attainable current, above which the diode gap breaks down, is studied for different accelerating voltages and diode gaps. The role of processes occurring on the surface of the electrodes is shown. For an accelerating voltage of 32 kV, a mean emission current density of 130 A/cm² is achieved. The respective mean strength of the electric field in the acceleration gap is 140 kV/cm. Using the POISSON-2 software package, the numerical simulation of the diode performance is carried out and the shape of steady plasma emission boundaries in the cathode and anode holes is calculated. The influence of the density of the ion current from the anode plasma surface on the maximum attainable current of the electron beam is demonstrated.     

Anode Phenomena in Vacuum and Atmospheric Pressure Arcs

This paper summarizes recent experimental data related to anode phenomena in both vacuum and atmospheric pressure arcs. Currents in the range 10A to 3OkA are discussed, and particular emphasis is placed on the effect of plasma flow from the cathode. For vacuum arcs this plasma flow is the directed motion of metal ions from the cathode spots. These ions reduce the anode voltage drop, and maintain a diffuse anode termination. At atmospheric pressure the ion flow is impeded by gas-atom collisions. However, a plasma flow towards the anode can result from magnetic pinch forces at the constricted cathode termination. In the absence of plasma flow, the anode termination constricts to a vigorously evaporating anode spot. For a typical non-refractory electrode such as copper, the spot operates at a temperature close to the boiling point irrespective of the gas pressure. The spot temperature is dictated by the balance between electrical input power and evaporative losses. These anode phenomena are discussed in relation to vacuum switchgear, arc welding and arc furnaces.