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Control of the Arc Motion in DC Plasma Spray Torch with a Cascaded Anode

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Abstract

Two common concerns in DC plasma torches are stability of plasma jet and anode erosion. The challenge is how to get a stable plasma jet with minimal anode erosion. This study tackles this question by using either a swirling gas injection or an external axial magnetic field applied to the Oerlikon SinplexPro™ plasma torch. A 3-D, time-dependent MHD model of the plasma torch operation was used to predict the value of the external magnetic field and its effect on the heat flux to the anode and plasma jet stability. The special feature of the model is to couple the gas phase and electrodes that makes it possible to follow the anode temperature evolution. For specific operation conditions (anode of Ø9 mm, 500 A, Ar 60 NLPM), the model predicted that the maximal value of the azimuthal self-magnetic field inducted by the arc current was 0.055 T; it also showed that an external magnetic field of 0.05 to 0.1 T could make it possible to limit the anode erosion without noticeably disturbing the plasma jet issuing from the plasma torch. We expect this approach to help to better understand the arc behavior in commercial plasma torches and control anode erosion.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Alexander Barth and Hartmut Koschnitzke, Oerlikon Metco Wohlen, Switzerland, Bernd Distler and Jose Colmenares, Oerlikon Metco, Westbury, USA, for valuable discussion, Yvan Fournier, EDF R&D, Chatou, France, for help with Code_Saturne and Frederic Bernaudeau and Nicolas Calvé, IRCER, for their technical help with the computers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université de Limoges, IRCER, UMR 7315, 87000, Limoges, France

    Rodion Zhukovskii, Christophe Chazelas, Armelle Vardelle & Vincent Rat

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  1. Rodion Zhukovskii
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  2. Christophe Chazelas
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Correspondence to Rodion Zhukovskii.

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This article is an invited paper selected from presentations at the 2019 International Thermal Spray Conference, held on May 26-29, 2019, in Yokohama, Japan, and has been expanded from the original presentation.

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Zhukovskii, R., Chazelas, C., Vardelle, A. et al. Control of the Arc Motion in DC Plasma Spray Torch with a Cascaded Anode. J Therm Spray Tech 29, 3–12 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-019-00969-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-019-00969-8

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