Table Of ContentTHERMAL PLASMA
TORCHES
AND
TECHNOLOGIES
THERMAL PLASMA
TORCHES
AND
TECHNOLOGIES
Volume 1: Plasma Torches. Basic Studies and Design
edited by
O.P. Solonenko
Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Siberian Branch of the
Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE PUBLISHING
Published by
Cambridge International Science Publishing
7 Meadow Walk, Great Abington, Cambridge CB1 6AZ, UK
http://www.cisp-publishing.com
Published 2003
© Cambridge International Science Publishing
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 1 898326592
Contents
Electric Arc Generators of Thermal Plasma: Review (M.F. Zhukov) ..............1
Trends in Thermal Plasma Technology (L.F. Pfender)......................................20
Integrated Analysis of Induction Plasma Systems (M.I. Boulos)......................42
Plasma Metallurgy: Current State, Problems and Prospects (Yu.V. Tsvetkov) 62
Atmosphere Plasma Spraying: Theory, Modelling, Diagnostics, Computer-
Aided Design and Some Applications (O.P. Solonenko)...............................80
Metallic and Ceramic Materials: Present and Future (V.A. Neronov)..........102
Extreme Technologies in Building Material Production (G.G. Volokitin,
V.E. Borzykh, N.K. Skripnikova).................................................................... 112
Achievements of Plasma Tomography (V.V. Pickalov)......................................123
New Vortex Method of Plasma Insulation and the Ranque Effect (A. Gutsol
and J.A. Bakken)..............................................................................................133
Physical Phenomena in a Hollow Cathode and Interaction of Powder with
the Vacuum Arc (V.S. Cherednichenko, A.B. Zagorskii and L.K. Pavlenko) ..
..........................................................................................................................150
Experimental Investigation of Electric, Energetic and Optical Character-
istics of the Induction Transformer-Type Discharge (I.M. Ulanov and
S.N. Soldatov)..................................................................................................166
Mathematical Modelling of Transformer Discharge (E.B. Kulumbaev and
V.M. Lelevkin)..................................................................................................175
Integrated Method of Research of Processes in Thermal Plasma
Generators (O.Y. Novikov and V.F. Putko)....................................................191
Modelling of Electric Arc Plasma (A. Zhainakov, R. Urusov and A. Valeeva) 197
On the Problem of Turbulent Arc Modelling (O.I. Yas'ko)..............................206
Energy Characteristics of Electric Arc Heaters for Tetrafluoromethane (A.N.
Timoshevskii, B.A. Pozdnyakov and V.S. Ponkratov) ...................................224
Numerical Investigation of the Characteristics of a Steady Curved Arc in
External Fields (G.A. Desyatkov, V.Ts. Gurovich and E.B. Kulumbaev)....231
Properties of Water-Stabilized Plasma Torches (M. Hrabovsky, M. Konrad, V.
Kopecky and V. Sember)..................................................................................242
Modeling of a D. C. Arc Plasma Torch with a Hydrogen-Argon Mixture
as the Working Gas (Xi Chen, Peng Han and Lan Yu)................................267
The Modified Balance Method of Calculating Characteristics of Near-
Anode Processes (Yu.V. Bruevich, I.P. Nazarenko and I.G. Panevin) .........280
Application of Heat Diffusion Theory to Cold Electrode Erosion for Nonsta-
tionary Arc Spots (A. Marotta and L.I. Sharakhovsky)..............................291
Emission Current Density and Electronic Work Function of Metal to
Plasma (H.Ts. Zayatuev).................................................................................310
Erosion of Multi-arc Cathodes (A.N. Timoshevkii and V.S. Ponkratov)..........319
Influence of Three-Phase Electric Arcs, Burning on Oxide Melts, on
Quality of Electric Power (U.B. Ashimov, E.A. Abdrachmanov, G.D.
Manapova and T.S. Maldybaeva)...................................................................326
Modelling of Flow Stabilization by the Swirl of a Peripheral Flow as
Applied to Plasma Reactors (E.P. Volchkov, V.P. Lebedev, V.I. Terekhov and
N.E. Shishkin)..................................................................................................335
Low-density Plasma Jets: Production and Investigation (L.I. Kuznetsov and
V.N. Yarygin)....................................................................................................352
Effect of Arc Current Modulation on Thermal Plasma Flow in Plasma Torches
(F.A. Salyanov).................................................................................................365
Mikhail F. Zhukov
PREFACE
(cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:1)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:3)(cid:6)(cid:5)(cid:7)(cid:2)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:3)(cid:2)(cid:10)(cid:3)(cid:6)(cid:11)(cid:12)(cid:4)(cid:13)(cid:11)(cid:14)(cid:3)(cid:15)(cid:16)(cid:3)(cid:17)(cid:4)(cid:18)(cid:12)(cid:2)(cid:19)
Our original intention was to publish this two-volume book at the
occasion of the 80th birthday of Prof. Mikhail F. Zhukov, Academician
of the Russian Academy of Sciences, one of the leading Russian and
CIS scientists working in the area of plasma science and technol-
ogy. Unfortunately, Prof Zhukov died in December 1999 and we would
therefore like to devote this book to the life and scientific achievement
of this outstanding scientist, pioneer of thermal plasma.
He was born September 6, 1917 and graduated from the Moscow
State University (in mechanics) in 1941. He started working as an
engineer in the Zhukovsky Central Aerodynamics Institute. In 1946-
1959, he was the head of the department in the Central Institute of
Airplane Engines. Since 1960 until his death, Mikhail F. Zhukov worked
in the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Zhukov’s
fundamental investigations in the fields of gas dynamics and elec-
tric arc thermal plasma are well known in Russia and abroad. The
scope of his scientific interests was very wide: supersonic compressors,
new types of wind tunnels, near-electrode processes, electrode erosion,
heat transfer, arcing stability, new plasma technologies, etc.
Zhukov’s scientific school on plasma dynamics is known to both
Russian and foreign investigators. M.F. Zhukov was a pioneer of
experimental investigations of thermal plasma generators. He and his
disciples were the first involved in the study of some fundamental
physical processes in electric arc plasma. He developed a universal
system of similarity criteria and estimated the significance of these
values under specific arcing conditions. He elaborated the arcing theory
in a laminar flow. His engineering methods for designing the elec-
tric and thermal characteristics of electric arc plasma torches are used
widely in the development of laboratory and industrial apparatuses.
Zhukov’s team have carried out numerous investigations concerning
near-electrode processes, heat transfer through the arc spot, ‘split-
ting’ of the closing radial part of the arc in linear scheme plasma
torches. They have also investigated the problem of stability of multi-
arc system operation without a ballast resistance in the electric circuit.
These studies allowed the development of highly effective linear plasma
generators and high-current cathode units with a long operation time
in different gas media. Twenty years ago, he put forward a hypothesis
about the recirculation of cathode material’s atoms close to the surface.
This was discovered later in experiments. It was a specific case, but
it opened the way to solving the problem. A new class of high-
resource cathodes has been developed, including the non-erosion cathode
working in a carbon-containing medium.
Powerful high-enthalpy arc plasma generators with interelectrode
inserts were developed under the supervision of M.F. Zhukov. They
are widely used in plasma chemical technologies. There were sig-
nificant achievements in the production of ultrafine powder of
refractory compounds, synthesized in plasma chemical reactors. These
powders are also used in metallurgy for the improvement of the physical
and mechanical properties of ferrous and nonferrous metals.
M. Zhukov’s intuition and his vision of future conditioned the
appearance in the 1980s of a new scientific and technological direction
– plasma dynamics of dispersed systems. His achievements determined
the progress in plasma-jet spraying with powder coatings and com-
positions. His team has made a great contribution to the investigation
and practical realization of plasma (no fuel oil) igniters in the grid-
coal power stations.
The popularization of science achievements and their applications
received a lot of attention from M. Zhukov. He wrote and spoke about
different subjects: plasma for powder spraying, metal cutting and
processing, waste treatment, recirculation of toxic waste to a serviceable
product, etc. He often spoke at lectures to engineering public, sci-
entific-practical workshops, radio and TV. Thus, he promoted the whole
range of possible practical applications of electric-arc thermal plasma
in new technologies.
M.F. Zhukov is the author of many books and articles. With his
participation and under his editing, the whole series of famous books
with plasma torch construction has been published. The publication
of 20-volume series ‘Low-Temperature Plasma’ will soon be com-
pleted. Many of these books have became essential reading for re-
searchers and specialists in the field of thermal and low-tempera-
ture plasma. These editions have became a theoretical tool for the
design and manufacturing of high-efficiency equipment for new plasma
technologies.
Mikhail Zhukov was a man of many interests. In addition to carrying
out extensive investigations, he was an organizer and participant of
conferences and workshops on gas-discharge plasma for almost forty
years.
From 1975 until 1980, M.F. Zhukov was the Chief Scientific Secretary
of the Presidium of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of
Sciences. He was the Editor-in chief of the journal ‘Communications
of SB AS USSR’ for 15 years, and a member of the Editorial board
of ‘Contributions to Plasma Physics’. Mikhail F. Zhukov was the Acad-
emician of the International Energy Academy, a Honorable Academician
of the Engineering Sciences Academy.
M.F. Zhukov was the Head of the Plasma Dynamics Department
of the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Sibe-
rian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He was absorbed
with new creative plans and aspirations.
This book is published as a result of international scientific and
technical discussions and collaboration which took place during the
preparation and running of 3rd International Workshop on Thermal
Plasma Torches and Technologies (TPPT’97) (25-29 August, 1997,
Novosibirsk, Akademgorodok, Russia). The organisation of this Workshop
and preparation of this collection were sponsored by the Siberian Branch
of Russian Academy of Sciences, Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.,
Daeduk R&D Center (Taejeon, Korea), Gusinoozyerskaya GRES
(Gusinoozyersk, Russia), Novosibirsk Plant ‘Khimkontsentrat’ (Nov-
osibirsk, Russia) and Production-Promotion Company ‘Mercury-II’
Ltd. (Tomsk, Russia).
Leading scientists presenting the scientific school of Prof. Mikhael
F. Zhukov and other leading scientists in plasma research and de-
velopment from Russia, CIS, USA, Canada, France, Japan, Czech
Republic, China, Brazil, Norway, Yugoslavia and Korea have con-
tributed this book.
Prof. Oleg P. Solonenko,
Editor
