The role of radiation losses in high-pressure blasted electrical arcs

Abstract

The paper deals with experiments carried out on an arc heater where the electric arc is stabilised by flowing working gas. Measured quantities (especially arc current, voltage drop, gas flow rate, and energy loss) serve as input data for a mathematical model of the arc inside a cylindrical anode channel. Previously, the losses of cathode and anode spots were assumed to be negligible in comparison with the total loss. In the new sets of experiments, a modular structure of the arc heater has made it possible to separate the losses of anode and cathode from the energy losses of the arc itself. Furthermore, the losses caused by radial conduction have been introduced into the model. The most significant change of the model concerns the computation of radiation losses of the arc. In the original model, radiation losses were taken as a portion ϵ of the total input power. In the modified model, the radiation loss is expressed using a theoretically calculated net emission coefficient of argon (by V. Aubrecht and M. Bartlova). This approach is possible due to a more precise determination of the arc net energy loss which results in flatter radial temperature profiles. Axial distribution of energy loss for the original and modified model is given in figures.