[Vo]:

[TP Sparber]

The electric arc with the stabilization of arc column by water vortex was first described more than seventy

years ago by Gerdien and Lotz (ref. 1, 2). Basic experimental investigations of the water stabilized arcs

were performed in the fifties. Maecker et al. (ref. 3, 4) measured basic electric characteristics of the arc

and studied effect of the length and diameter of the stabilizing channel. Several investigators measured arc

plasma temperatures using methods of emission spectroscopy (ref. 5, 6, 7). All authors reported very high

plasma temperatures in the arc column with maximum about 50 000 K in the centerline position. The

principle of arc stabilization by water vortex was utilized in the plasma torch designed for plasma spraying

and cutting (ref. 8). Despite of the potential of achieving extreme performance characteristics in plasma

processing applications the development of liquid-stabilized torches has been limited, especially due to

their more complex structure and due to lack of understanding of physical processes in the arc which is

necessary for improvement of the torch design.

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: TP Sparber

To: vortex-l

Sent: 6/19/2006 4:52:19 AM

Subject: [Vo]: Re; Waterfuel and 300 PSI Hydrogen or Steam

> In earlier work Lotz reported that arcs in steam at pressures

> above atmospheric  were highly unstable.

 

Lots and Lotz of good stuff.

http://www.iupac.org/publications/pac/1998/pdf/7006x1157.pdf

ARC COLUMN STABILIZED BY WATER VORTEX

Figs. 2 and 3 show curves calculated from (2) and (3) for three plasma mediums - argon. nitrogen and

water.

"Principle of stabilization of arcs by liquid wall can be utilized for stabilization of long arc columns at very

low flow rates of plasma gas. Thus, plasma jets with high temperatures can be generated in torches with

liquid stabilization. In water plasma torches the oxygen-hydrogen plasma is produced, high content of

hydrogen results in high enthalpy and sound velocity of plasma. Water-stabilized plasma torches thus

generate plasma jet with extremely high plasma temperature and flow velocity."

1. H. Gerdien, A. Lotz. Wiss. Veroffentlichungen Siemenswerk 2, 489 (1922).

2. H. Gerdien, A. Lotz. Z. Tech. Phys. 4, 157 (1923).