New temperature measurement technique for thermal plasmas

Abstract

A novel electro-optical technique for the measurement of radial and axial temperature profiles in thermal plasmas has been developed. It is based on the determination of the variations in the outputs of a two-wavelength pyrometer that views a small section of the plasma, as the latter is swept rapidly by a blocking element. This diagnostic technique was used to determine the temperature profiles in the plasma column of an argon transferred arc. Temperatures up to 18 000 K were recorded on the axis of the plasma column near the cathode tip.