ISSN:
1572-8986
Keywords:
Thermal plasmas
;
electrode erosion
;
plasma spectroscopy
;
metal vapor plasma
;
electrode contamination
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Technology
Notes:
Abstract The effects of N2 and CO contaminants in atmospheric-pressure argon on an arc rotating between two concentric copper electrodes has been studied using optical spectroscopy of copper lines. The axial temperature of the magnetically driven arc in Ar + %N2 was determined to be around 10,000 K for arc currents of SO to 200 A. The diffusion process of the copper vapor from the cathode was also studied. A copper density maximum 1 mm from the cathode along the arc column was found in Ar + %N2. Removal of the contaminated cathode surface layers by the arc when contaminant injection in the plasma gas was stopped was found to be a slow process with a time scale depending on the type of the gas contaminant. The presence of gas contaminant in the electrode material controls the cathode erosion mechanism and the overall arc behavior in the transition between a contaminated to a pure argon arc.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01447941
