Electrode erosion studies for plasma torches. / Estudo de materiais para eletrodos de tochas de plasma.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2004

RESUMO

Thermal plasmas have shown a growing number of industrial applications. In most of those applications, the plasma torch (the device used to generate the thermal plasma) would need several hundred hours of using before anykind of maintenance, in spite of permit a continuous industrial process. The electrodes of the plasma torch, particularly the cathode, eventually will present signs of erosion, forcing their replacement and, consequently, a stoppage of the torch operation. However, electrode erosion of a plasma torch (cathode erosion in particular) must be minimized as often as possible. The objective of this work is to study materials for plasma torch electrodes and the operation condition of the plasma torch, in order to diminish the erosion of the electrodes (cathode in particular). Therefore, an experimental chamber was built in order to simulate concentric electrodes of a plasma torch. An external magnetic field was used for moving the electric arc that was stablished between the concentric electrodes. Different types of gases and cathode materials have been studied using that chamber. The results obtained so far showed that: a) Contaminants present in the gases used as plasma gases, change the cathode surface conditions, decreasing the erosion rates; b) Mixtures of inert gases with potiatomic gases, when used as plasma gases, contaminate the cathode surface, changing their conditions, decreasing the erosion rates; c) Contaminants in the composition of the materials used in the cathode, and even the use of copper alloys as material for electrodes, changes the surface characteristics, increasing the cathode lifetime.

ASSUNTO(S)

erosion erosão plasma torch electrodes tocha de plasma eletrodos

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados