Power loss distribution along the arc heater with intensively blasted electric arc

Abstract

The paper deals with the power loss distribution along the arc heater with intensively blasted electric arc and compares the measured power loss of individual parts of the arc heater and power loss computed using a simple model of the electric arc. In previous works, the authors have presented the simple model of electric arc burning in the arc heater channel. Measured integral quantities obtained during numerous experiments served as input data of the model and attention has been focused at finding the development of the arc radius and temperature along the arc heater's channel that meets the experimentally obtained integral values as a whole. In this contribution, the arc heater is divided into several parts whose power loss is measured and computed separately. For this purpose, the arc model has been adopted to make it possible. The aim is to obtain more detailed information on processes taking place in individual parts of the arc heater. The results reveal that for the input and main part of the arc heater's anode channel the computed and measured power loss differ mutually in opposite sense. This observation raises new questions concerning the suitability of presumptions, approximations and/or simplifications used in the modelling. Further experiments and computations are needed. The conclusions can be useful for the design of similar devices, and for more precise modelling of the behavior of electric arc inside the arc heater channel.