Numerical analysis of heat transfer from transferred‐type plasma to water‐cooled copper anode

Abstract

AbstractA numerical study has been carried out to investigate the effects of gas properties on the mechanism of heat transfer from DC 200A atmospheric pressure arc plasmas to heated materials. We also have performed numerical experiments on “hypothetical” gases while varying their physical properties. These calculation results show that the total amount of heat transfer from nitrogen plasma is greater than that from argon plasma, agreeing with the tendency of experimental results. The main reason for this is efficient conduction heating owing to the plasma's high thermal conductivity and specific heat. In view of the gas properties, it was concluded that the choice of a gas which has both high thermal conductivity and specific heat is beneficial for a policy of greater heat transfer. Nitrogen is one of the most hopeful gases. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 136(3): 1–9, 2001