The Methodology of Design Calculation of Plasma Torches with Gas Stabilization

Dense plasma generators—plasma torches—have found wide application in various industries. The most common of them are electric arc gas heaters. Among electric arc plasma generators, plasma generators with gas discharge stabilization are the most widely used. The advantages of these plasma torches are high efficiency in various technological processes and a relatively simple design. This paper proposes a fairly versatile design calculation methodology for most possible gas-stabilized plasma torches, which is applicable to plasma torches with other methods of discharge stabilization. This methodology allows one to determine the main design dimensions of a plasma torch for a selected configuration and the main operating parameters of the process, or to perform a test calculation for a plasma torch with known dimensions.