Investigation of underwater discharge plasma with metal vapor admixtures

Abstract

This study investigates the control of input energy and plasma parameters during the electric discharge erosive process for nanoparticle generation. The total energy supplied to the discharge chamber was controlled by varying the switching phase of the thyristor. Electrical parameters, including current and voltage waveforms, were analyzed to estimate the total input energy delivered to the reactor with zinc granules immersed in water. Additionally, the correlation between electrical parameters and plasma characteristics in the underwater discharge plasma with zinc vapors was examined. It was found that decreasing the switching phase increased the total input energy and influenced the electron density and emission intensity of the plasma. A decrease in switching phase within the range of 145–135 degrees resulted in better erosion of zinc material and more efficient generation of nanoparticles in the plasma. These findings contribute to the optimization of nanoparticle synthesis processes.