Experimental Characterization of a Low-Current Cutting Torch.
Date
2004
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Abstract
An experimental characterization of a low-current (30-40 A) cutting torch is presented. To avoid contamination
of the plasma arc by removed anode material, a rotating steel cylinder was used as the anode and the arc was
anchored onto the cylinder lateral surface. The cathode-anode and cathode-nozzle voltage drops, together with
the gas pressure in the plenum chamber were registered for different values of the mass flow rate injected into
the plenum chamber. By employing an optical system with a large magnification (≈ 15 X), the arc radius at
the nozzle exit was also determined with a digital optical camera. The obtained experimental quantities were
used to evaluate several flow properties at the nozzle exit (hot arc plasma and cold gas temperatures, arc and gas
velocities, etc.) by employing a simplified theoretical model for the plasma flow in the nozzle. The obtained
results are in reasonable agreement with the data reported in the literature by other authors. Explanations of the
origin of the clogging effect and the nozzle voltage are also presented.
Description
Keywords
Cutting Torch., Low-Current., Plasma.
Citation
Brazilian Journal of Physics.
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