A 2D Model of a DC Plasma Torch

B. Chine' [1],
[1] School of Materials Science and Engineering, Costa Rica Institute of Technology, Cartago, Costa Rica
Publié en 2016

Plasma torches are used in processing of materials as well as in the energy industry for producing plasma. In a non-transferred arc plasma torch, an electric arc can be initiated by applying a direct current (DC) between the cathode and anode, both placed inside the torch. Then, the plasma is obtained by heating, ionizing and expanding a working gas, introduced into the chamber of the torch upstream of the cathode. Under hypothesis of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE), the electrons and heavy particles temperatures are approximately equal and the plasma can be modeled by using the magnetohydrodynamics equations. In this work, a two-dimensional DC non-transferred arc plasma torch is modeled. The computational results have been then compared with experimental results of literature available for the temperature and velocity patterns of the plasma torch.