Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-5wvtr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-21T22:59:21.122Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Mathematical Representation of Transport Phenomena Inside a Plasma Torch

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

R. Westhoff ,
A. H. Dilawari  and
J. Szekely
R. Westhoff
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. 02139
A. H. Dilawari
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. 02139
J. Szekely
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. 02139
Get access

Abstract

A mathematical representation is developed to describe heat and fluid flow phenomena inside the plasma torch for a non-transferred arc system. In the model a joule heating pattern is postulated for the arc column and then the heat flow and fluid flow equations are solved rigorously. The resultant solutions give information on the temperature and the velocity fields in the plasma gas inside and outside the torch. By postulating “reasonable” values for the heat generation pattern, very good agreement has been obtained between measurements and predictions for a laminar system, used by the INEL researchers. The agreement was less satisfactory with measurements obtained using a Metco torch, where the flow was turbulent. These findings indicate that this is a promising avenue for research, but a great deal more needs to be done before a model of general validity can be developed.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 190: Symposium M – Plasma Processing and Synthesis of Materials III , 1990 , 213
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Grey, J., Sherman, M.P., Williams, P.M. and Frodkin, D.B., AIAA J. 4, 986,(1966).Google Scholar
2. Donaldson, C.P. and Gray, K.E., AIAA J., 4, 2017, (1966).Google Scholar
3. Incropera, I.P. and Leppert, G., Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 10, 1861, (1967).Google Scholar
4. Schaeffer, J.F., AIAA J., 16, 1068, (1978).Google Scholar
5. Mckelliget, J., Szekely, J., Vardelle, M., and Fauchais, P., Plasma Chem. Plasma Plasma Process., 2, (3), 317, (1982).Google Scholar
6. Correa, S.M., 6th Int. Symp. on Plasma Chem., Montreal, July 24–28, 1, (1983).Google Scholar
7. Dilawari, A. H. and Szekely, J., Plasma Chem. Plasma Process., 7, (3), 317, (1987).Google Scholar
8. Dilawari, A.H. and Szekely, J., Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 30, (11), 2357, (1987).Google Scholar
9. Dilawari, A. H. and Szekely, J., Proc. MRS Symp. on Materials Process. in Plasma Systems, 98, 3, (1987).Google Scholar
10. Dilawari, A. H., Szekely, J., Coudert, J.F., and Fauchais, P., Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 32, (1), 35, (1989).Google Scholar
11. Dilawari, A. H., and Szekely, J., Proc. T.B. King Memorial Symp., Met. Trans. B, 20B, April, 243, (1989).Google Scholar
12. Chyou, Y.P and Pfender, E., Plasma Chem. Plasma Process., 9, (2), 291, (1989).Google Scholar
13. Dilawari, A.H., Szekely, J., Batdorf, J. and Shaw, C.B., Plasma Chem. Plasma Process., 10, (2), (1990).Google Scholar
14. Dilawari, A.H., Szekely, J. and Westhoff, R., Plasma Chem. Plasma Process. 10, (3), 501, (1990).Google Scholar
15. Dilawari, A.H., Szekely, J. and Westhoff, R., ISIJ Internationsal, 30, (5), 381,(1990)Google Scholar
16. Pun, W.M. and Spalding, D.B., Rep. No. HTS/76/2, Heat Transfer Section, Imperial College, London (1976).Google Scholar
17. Brossa, M. and Pfender, E., Plasma Chem. Plasma Process., 8, (1), 75, (1988).Google Scholar
18. McKelliget, J. and Szekely, J., Met. Trans A, 17A, 1139–1148, (1986).Google Scholar
19. Scott, D.A., Kovitya, P., and Haddad, G.N., J. Appl. Phys., 66, (11), 5232, (1989).Google Scholar