Analysis of optical spectra of microplasma discharges initiated by plasma flow on the surface of the grade 45 carbon steel sample

Abstract

The results are presented from studies of the optical emission spectra of the microplasma discharge. The discharge is initiated by the pulsed plasma flow on the sample surface made from the grade 45 carbon structural steel. The discharge was initiated at a voltage of 400 V applied to the sample and maintained by a pulsed current with an amplitude of ∼600 A and duration of 20 ms. The discharge plasma electron temperature was calculated using data on the relative intensities of the iron atom lines. Based on the recorded continuous spectra in the optical spectral range, the melt temperature and the state of aggregation of matter were estimated at the points of microplasma discharge localizaton on the sample surface. It was found that the melt temperature on the steel surface determined using data on the continuous spectrum is approximately 5000 K, while the electron temperature calculated using data on the line spectra of atoms is approximately ∼7400 K.