Arc root dynamics in high power plasma torches — Evidence of chaotic behavior

Although plasma torches have been commercially available for about 50 years, areas such as plasma gun design, process efficiency, reproducibility, plasma stability, torch lives etc. have remained mostly unattended. Recent torch developments have been focusing on the basic understanding of the plasma column and its dynamics inside the plasma torch, the interaction of plasma jet and the powders, the interaction of the plasma jet with surroundings and the impingement of the jet on the substrate. Two of the major causes of erratic and poor performance of a variety of thermal plasma processes are currently identified as the fluctuations arising out of the arc root movement on the electrodes inside the plasma torch and the fluid dynamic instabilities arising out of entrainment of the air into the plasma jet. This paper reviews the current state of understanding of these fluctuations as well as the dynamics of arc root movement in plasma torches. The work done at the author’s laboratory on studying the fluctuations in arc voltage, arc current, acoustic emissions and optical emissions are also presented. These fluctuations are observed to be chaotic and interrelated. Real time monitoring and controlling the arc instabilities through chaos characterization parameters can greatly contribute to the understanding of electrode erosion as well as improvement of plasma torch lifetime.     

Arc Root Motions in an Argon--Hydrogen Direct-Current Plasma Torch at Reduced Pressure

Arc root motions in generating dc argon hydrogen plasma at reduced pressure are optically observed using a high-speed video camera. The time resolved angular position of the are root attachment point is measured and analysed. The arc root movement is characterized as a chaotic and jumping motion along the circular direction on the anode surface.     

Properties of Nitrogen Plasmas Confined in Toroidal Walls of Copper and Quartz

For toroidal arc plasmas, the geometrical configuration, material and thickness of the discharge tube are of special importance not only for the cooling problem but also for the thermal and magnetogasdynamic behavior. In this paper, we present a new method for calculating the electromagnetic and dynamic quantities of a toroidal plasma, including the thermal properties of the confining arc wall. Results are given for a d. c. arc burning in a torus segment. The toroidal walls are made from quartz--or copper--segments with thin electrically isolating layers.     

层/湍流等离子体射流的稳定性与三维特性的实验观测研究

采用普通照相和短时间曝光成像的ICCD照相技术,观测了低于大气压条件下产生的纯氩和氩-氢直流电弧等离子体射流的高温区的瞬时形貌及其变化,结合电弧弧根在阳极表面贴附行为的观测结果,对射流的稳定性与三维特性和弧根行为之间的关联进行了分析.结果表明,层流等离子体射流的高温区长度明显长于湍流射流情形,并且具有很好的轴对称性和时间稳定性;湍流射流的高温区瞬时形貌则表现出明显的三维特征;等离子体射流的三维特性与弧根在阳极表面的贴附行为没有直接的联系.     

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采用简化阴极的一维边界层模型,将同轴磁旋转电弧等离子体发生器的阴极与弧柱耦合求解,使用FLUENT软件,数值模拟了不同锥角阴极的形状对磁分散电弧等离子体、阴极弧根和阳极弧根位形的影响.结果表明:阴极弧根具有扩散特征,其电流密度为107A·m-2量级;阴极形状的改变引起阴极弧根位形和电流密度分布变化,从而影响等离子体参数分布;随着阴极锥角的增大,阴极弧根从阴极前端移动到阴极侧面,等离子体区域向下游偏移,等离子体轴向厚度减小.     

Experimental confirmation of the Alhassid-Whelan arc of regularity

Evidence is presented to show that a group of nuclei, spanning a range of structures, corresponds to a previously proposed isolated region of regular behavior between vibrational and rotational structures that was never before observed empirically. Nuclei predicted to show such regular spectra correspond to Hamiltonian parameters that lie amidst those giving more chaotic spectra. We identify a key observable that has a one-to-one correspondence to this arc of regularity and which therefore provides both an empirical signature for it and a clue to its underlying nature.     

针一板介质阻挡放电中电子能量空间分布研究

测量了大气压环境下氩气空心针-板放电等离子体中原子与分子谱线强度的空间分布,分析了等离子体中电子能量的空间分布.实验利用空心针-板放电装置,得到了约3 cm长的放电等离子体弧.在300～800 nm范围内采集发射光谱,发现了强度较高的Ar I谱线、N2第二正带系谱线C 3Ⅱu(v=o)→B 3皿(v=0)以及强度较弱的...     

Time-resolved imaging of anodic arc root behavior duringfluctuations of a DC plasma spraying torch

The fluctuating behavior of a Sulzer Metco F4 DC plasma gun has been investigated by simultaneous measurement of the time dependencies of the are voltage and of images from the nozzle interior. An end-on imaging arrangement using a mirror and a mask in the optical path from the are to the camera allows visualization of the anodic arc attachment by strongly attenuating the bright emission from the are column. With the torch operating in the restrike mode, sequences of images have been acquired in synchronization with several typical features of the are voltage fluctuations showing that the attachment nature changes during a restrike cycle. Multiple attachments which coexist at least during the 1 μs exposure time of the camera have been evidenced and are interpreted as a continuous process of creation/vanishing of successive arc roots with a smooth transfer of the current from one to the other. The anode wear is shown to have a strong effect on the root position over the anode periphery, with a preference for attachment in eroded regions. The effects of operation parameters such as current, gas flow and injector type on the attachment nature and position are also presented     

MHD plasma physics in rail accelerators for hydrogen-pelletinjection in fusion reactors

The behavior of the electromagnetic and thermal quantities in a plasma arc placed between two conducting rails is analyzed. The plasma hydrogen drives the hydrogen pellets for the refueling of magnetic fusion reactors. Considering the general equations of electromagnetism and of plasma fluid dynamics and assuming steady-state conditions in a frame which is moving at the same rate as the plasma arc armature, a one-dimensional model is deduced. The effects of an applied magnetic field on the behavior of all flow variables are investigated. Results indicate that the adverse effects of plasma arc heating can be reduced by the application of a magnetic-induction field normal to the current path in the armature. At the maximum acceleration pressure (30 bar) applicable to the hydrogen pellet in the proposed one-dimensional model, the arc temperature at the pellet backend falls from 20000 to 14000 K when a magnetic induction of about 5 T is applied     

Plasma generation for the plasma cutting process

This study is an attempt to estimate the overall properties, viz. the thermal power and force, of an intense plasma jet produced by a plasma cutting torch, and to relate the properties of the plasma to the diameter of the nozzle of the plasma torch and the flow rate of plasma-forming gas. For cutting metallic plates using a thermal plasma, a narrow plasma jet is produced by means of a transferred electric are between an electrode in a plasma torch and the material to be cut. The power density and pressure exerted by the plasma jet on the material at the region of cut needs to be high so that a straight cut, without dress at the bottom of the plate, can be obtained. A simple theory to describe the behavior of the arc in a plasma cutting torch has been developed to predict the are radius, pressure, and arc voltage at the nozzle exit as a function of are current for a range of nozzle sizes and air flow rates. The results obtained are in good agreement with the measured values for an air plasma cutting torch nominally rated for 100-A operation. The relationships between the mass flow rate of plasma gas, plasma power, and arc force have been discussed in the light of design of plasma torches for plasma cutting     

大功率电弧加热器起弧过程流场特性研究

电弧等离子体是通过电极之间击穿放电,产生热电弧,实现对冷态介质加热,目前大功率的电弧等离子体发生器在航空航天领域有重要的应用,是国内外开展飞行器防热材料筛选和考核研究最重要的地面模拟试验设备.本研究基于发展的高焓气流非接触式光谱诊断方法,开展对10 MW量级大功率长分段电弧加热器起弧过程流场特性的定量、定性研究,在线测...     

Influence of the anode material on an argon arc

The interaction between the arc and the anode was experimentally studied by means of a transferred arc burning in argon with copper, iron, or steel anodes. Depending on the rate of anode cooling, a stable plasma was obtained just above the anode, established either in pure argon (strong cooling) or in a mixture of argon with metal vapor. Temperature and metal concentration fields were deduced from spectroscopic measurements. Two important results were reached: the arc radius near the anode depends on the nature of the electrode, even without anode erosion; and the presence of metal vapor leads to a cooling of the plasma. The same arc configurations were theoretically simulated by a two-dimensional model. The comparison between experimental and numerical results allows a large proportion of the observed phenomena to be interpreted, in spite of partial discrepancies between predicted and measured values. The dimension of the arc root at the anode depends on the thermal conductivity of the solid metal, whereas the cooling effect due to metal vapor in the plasma is explained by the increases of electrical conductivity and of radiative losses in the presence of the vapor     

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对感应耦合氩气热等离子体的速度分布特性以及各操作参数对等离子体速度分布的影响进行了细致的研究。研究结果表明,与直流电弧热等离子体相比,感应耦合热等离子体速度小,弧流集中,速度峰值出现在等离子体炬下游,在线圈段上游出现明显的回流现象。此外,送气流量、感应电流等操作参数对等离子体速度分布有明显影响。研究结果可为等离子体球化粉末颗粒及其他应用提供理论指导。     

Arc Root Attachment on the Anode Surface of Arc Plasma Torch Observed with a Novel Method

The arc-root attachment on the anode surface of a dc non-transferred arc plasma torch has been successfully observed using a novel approach. A specially designed copper mirror with a boron nitride film coated on its surface central-region is employed to avoid the effect of intensive light emitted from the arc column upon the observation of weakly luminous arc root. It is found that the arc-root attachment is diffusive on the anode surface of the argon plasma torch, while constricted arc roots often occur when hydrogen or nitrogen is added into argon as the plasma-forming gas.     

Thermal plasmas

Although many thermal plasma processes have been developed for industrial applications, the wide acceptance as a manufacturing technology is prevented due to economical and competitive reasons, and/or reproducibility and reliability aspects. This paper is devoted to an assessment of the present knowledge in the following topics: (1) plasma torch and performance of blown arc (dc or ac), transferred arc and radio frequency torches; (2) established industrial applications with special emphasis on cutting, welding, spraying, transferred arc reclamation, reheating and purification, reheating metal melts, smelting reduction, chemical operations, and waste destruction; (3) recent developments in the knowledge of fundamental processes in plasma torches with power sources, cathodes (hot and cold), anodes (static and dynamic behavior), and torch components; (4) modeling-thermodynamic and transport properties, plasma flow with and without the Maxwell's equations; (5) measurement techniques including emission and absorption spectroscopy, laser scattering, enthalpy probes, video cameras, spectral analysis, shadowgraphy, and particle diagnostics either in flight with statistical measurements and those giving characteristics of a single particle upon flattening on a substrate; and (6) plasma-processing development in the presently used industrial processes and also in prospective processes with surface hardening, ultrafine powder production, plasma-assisted CVD, and plasma-fluidized or spouted bed reactors     

考虑金属蒸汽的钨极惰性气体保护焊电弧与熔池交互作用三维数值分析

基于局域热平衡状态假设并考虑金属蒸汽的作用, 建立了钨极惰性气体保护焊电弧与熔池交互作用的三维数学模型. 电弧等离子体的热力学参数和输运系数由温度和金属蒸汽浓度共同决定, 并使用第二黏度近似简化处理金属蒸汽在氩等离子中的输运过程. 在考虑熔池流动时, 主要考虑了浮力、电磁力、表面张力和等离子流拉力的作用. 通过对麦克斯韦方程组、连续性方程、动量守恒方程、能量守恒方程和组分输运方程的耦合求解, 得到了金属蒸汽在电弧中的空间分布、电弧和熔池的温度场、速度场和电流密度分布等重要结果. 通过与未考虑金属蒸汽的结果对比, 研究了熔池上表面产生的金属蒸汽对电弧等离子体行为的影响, 以及电弧等离子对熔池行为的影响. 结果表明, 金属蒸汽主要富集在熔池上表面附近; 金属蒸汽对电弧等离子体有明显的收缩作用, 而对等离子速度和电势影响较小; 金属蒸汽的出现对熔池上表面速度分布和剪切力分布以及熔池形貌并无明显影响. 求解结果与已有的实验结果和计算结果符合良好.     

Fluctuation of arc plasma in arc plasma torch with multiple cathodes

Fluctuation phenomena commonly exist in arc plasmas, limiting the application of this technology.In this paper,we report an investigation of fluctuations of arc plasmas in an arc plasma torch with multiple cathodes.Time-resolved images of the plasma column and anode arc roots are captured.Variations of the arc voltage, plasma column diameter, and pressure are also revealed.The results indicate that two well-separated fluctuations exist in the arc plasma torch.One is the high-frequency fluctuation(of several thousand Hz), which arises from transferring of the anode arc root.The other is the low-frequency fluctuation(of several hundred Hz), which may come from the pressure variation in the arc plasma torch.Initial analysis reveals that as the gas flow rate changes, the low-frequency fluctuation shows a similar variation trend with the Helmholtz oscillation.This oscillation leads to the shrinking and expanding of the plasma column.As a result, the arc voltage shows a sinusoidal fluctuation.     

超声复合电弧声调控特性研究

超声复合电弧作为一种新的焊接热源, 在电弧焊接过程中可利用超声实现对熔融金属的深度处理, 但是超声与电弧等离子体间相互作用机理还不清晰, 这成为阻碍该技术工程应用的关键问题. 本文通过实验与相应理论针对外加超声场对焊接电弧调控特性进行了研究. 为说明电弧特性, 针对试验中高速摄像采集的电弧图片进行了处理. 对比未加超声情况, 超声复合电弧受内外声场共同作用等离子体拘束程度明显提高, 电弧亮度增强, 弧柱高温区范围扩展至阳极, 中间粒子出现团聚并以一定频率上下抖动. 通过改变超声激励电流大小和声发射端高度, 电弧结构产生显著变化, 在谐振点附近, 电弧挺直度最强, 脉动频率最大. 试验结果显示通过外加超声可以达到对焊接电弧热等离子体调控的目的. 最后结合波动方程和二维声边界元模型, 分析了电弧内部声传播过程以及声场结构对等离子体粒子的作用规律, 这为进一步理解超声对电弧的调控机理打下良好基础.     

基于混沌蚂蚁群算法的Lorenz混沌系统的参数估计

通过构造一个适当的适应度函数，首先将混沌系统的参数估计问题转化为参数的寻优问题，之后利用混沌蚂蚁群算法的全局优化搜索能力对这个问题进行求解.以典型的Lorenz混沌系统为例进行了数值模拟.实验数值仿真结果表明，使用该方法可以对混沌系统的未知参数进行有效地估计.     

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)