Characteristics and Thermal Efficiency of a Non-transferred DC Plasma Spraying Torch Under Low Pressure

Current-voltage ( I–V ) characteristics of a non-transferred DC arc plasma spray torch operated in argon at vacuum are reported. The arc voltage is of negative characteristics for a current below 200 A, flat for a current between 200 A to 250 A and positive for a current beyond 250 A. The voltage increases slowly with the increase in carrier gas of arc. The rate of change in voltage with currents is about 3∼4 V/100 A at a gas flow rate of about 1∼1.5 V/10 standard liter per minute (slpm). The I–V characteristics of the DC plasma torch are of a shape of hyperbola. Arc power increases with the argon flow rate, and the thermal efficiency of the torch acts in a similar way. The thermal efficiency of the non-transferred DC plasmatron is about 65∼78%.