Stable synthesis of few-layered boron nitride nanotubes by anodic arc discharge.

PubMed

Yeh, Yao-Wen; Raitses, Yevgeny; Koel, Bruce E; Yao, Nan

2017-06-08

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) were successfully synthesized by a dc arc discharge using a boron-rich anode as synthesis feedstock in a nitrogen gas environment at near atmospheric pressure. The synthesis was achieved independent of the cathode material suggesting that under such conditions the arc operates in so-called anodic mode with the anode material being consumed by evaporation due to the arc heating. To sustain the arc current by thermionic electron emission, the cathode has to be at sufficiently high temperature, which for a typical arc current density of ~100 A/cm 2 , is above the boron melting point (2350 K). With both electrodes made from the same boron-rich alloy, we found that the arc operation unstable due to frequent sticking between two molten electrodes and formation of molten droplets. Stable and reliable arc operation and arc synthesis were achieved with the boron-rich anode and the cathode made from a refractory metal which has a melting temperature above the melting point of boron. Ex-situ characterization of synthesized BNNTs with electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy revealed that independent of the cathode material, the tubes are primarily single and double walled. The results also show evidence of root-growth of BNNTs produced in the arc discharge.

Stable synthesis of few-layered boron nitride nanotubes by anodic arc discharge

DOE PAGES

Yeh, Yao-Wen; Raitses, Yevgeny; Koel, Bruce E.; ...

2017-06-08

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) were successfully synthesized by a dc arc discharge using a boron-rich anode as synthesis feedstock in a nitrogen gas environment at near atmospheric pressure. The synthesis was achieved independent of the cathode material suggesting that under such conditions the arc operates in so-called anodic mode with the anode material being consumed by evaporation due to the arc heating. In order to sustain the arc current by thermionic electron emission, the cathode has to be at sufficiently high temperature, which for a typical arc current density of similar to 100 A/cm 2, is above the boron meltingmore » point (2350 K). With both electrodes made from the same boron-rich alloy, we found that the arc operation unstable due to frequent sticking between two molten electrodes and formation of molten droplets. We achieved a stable and reliable arc operation and arc synthesis with the boronrich anode and the cathode made from a refractory metal which has a melting temperature above the melting point of boron. Ex-situ characterization of synthesized BNNTs with electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy revealed that independent of the cathode material, the tubes are primarily single and double walled. Our results also show evidence of root-growth of BNNTs produced in the arc discharge.« less

Stable synthesis of few-layered boron nitride nanotubes by anodic arc discharge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yeh, Yao-Wen; Raitses, Yevgeny; Koel, Bruce E.

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) were successfully synthesized by a dc arc discharge using a boron-rich anode as synthesis feedstock in a nitrogen gas environment at near atmospheric pressure. The synthesis was achieved independent of the cathode material suggesting that under such conditions the arc operates in so-called anodic mode with the anode material being consumed by evaporation due to the arc heating. In order to sustain the arc current by thermionic electron emission, the cathode has to be at sufficiently high temperature, which for a typical arc current density of similar to 100 A/cm 2, is above the boron meltingmore » point (2350 K). With both electrodes made from the same boron-rich alloy, we found that the arc operation unstable due to frequent sticking between two molten electrodes and formation of molten droplets. We achieved a stable and reliable arc operation and arc synthesis with the boronrich anode and the cathode made from a refractory metal which has a melting temperature above the melting point of boron. Ex-situ characterization of synthesized BNNTs with electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy revealed that independent of the cathode material, the tubes are primarily single and double walled. Our results also show evidence of root-growth of BNNTs produced in the arc discharge.« less

Thomson scattering diagnostics of decay processes of Ar/SF6 gas-blast arcs confined by a nozzle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomita, Kentaro; Gojima, Daisuke; Nagai, Kazuhiko; Uchino, Kiichiro; Kamimae, Ryo; Tanaka, Yasunori; Suzuki, Katsumi; Iijima, Takanori; Uchii, Toshiyuki; Shinkai, Takeshi

2013-09-01

Because of its instability, it is difficult to measure precisely the electron density (ne) of a long-gap decaying arc discharge in a circuit breaker. However, it is well known that it is an essential parameter for the determination of success or failure of the current interruption in a circuit breaker. In this paper, the spatiotemporal evolutions of the electron density were successfully measured in decaying SF6 gas-blast arc discharges formed with a long gap (50 mm) in a confined nozzle using laser Thomson scattering. Pure Ar gas and an 80%Ar/20%SF6 mixture gas were used as the arc quenching media at atmospheric pressure. After reducing the current to zero, both the measured ne and arc radius in the Ar/SF6 gas arc clearly decayed more rapidly than in the pure Ar gas arc.

Relationship between Leakage Current and Pollution Deposits on the Surface of Polymeric Insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Takuma; Seo, Yuya; Sakoda, Tatsuya; Otsubo, Masahisa

Application of polymeric materials used for housing insulators is considered. However, because polymeric insulator is organic matter, the aged deterioration is anxious. The lifetime of polymeric insulator is influenced by environmental conditions such as ultraviolet, acid rain, and polluted deposits. A change of the surface condition of polymeric material causes the dry band arc discharge and the discharge may lower the insulation strength. To investigate the relationship between insoluble pollution and occurrence of dry band arc discharge, we performed a salt-fog test with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) samples. The results showed that the heavy erosion caused by frequent dry band arc discharges occurred even in the case of a light polluted condition. Additionally, a very characteristic increase tendency in leakage current with a period of about 5 h was observed during the mist period.

NASA GRC and MSFC Space-Plasma Arc Testing Procedures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Dale C.; Vayner, Boris V.; Galofaro, Joel T,; Hillard, G. Barry; Vaughn, Jason; Schneider, Todd

2005-01-01

Tests of arcing and current collection in simulated space plasma conditions have been performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, for over 30 years and at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, for almost as long. During this period, proper test conditions for accurate and meaningful space simulation have been worked out, comparisons with actual space performance in spaceflight tests and with real operational satellites have been made, and NASA has achieved our own internal standards for test protocols. It is the purpose of this paper to communicate the test conditions, test procedures, and types of analysis used at NASA GRC and MSFC to the space environmental testing community at large, to help with international space-plasma arcing-testing standardization. To be discussed are: 1.Neutral pressures, neutral gases, and vacuum chamber sizes. 2. Electron and ion densities, plasma uniformity, sample sizes, and Debuy lengths. 3. Biasing samples versus self-generated voltages. Floating samples versus grounded. 4. Power supplies and current limits. Isolation of samples from power supplies during arcs. 5. Arc circuits. Capacitance during biased arc-threshold tests. Capacitance during sustained arcing and damage tests. Arc detection. Prevention sustained discharges during testing. 6. Real array or structure samples versus idealized samples. 7. Validity of LEO tests for GEO samples. 8. Extracting arc threshold information from arc rate versus voltage tests. 9. Snapover and current collection at positive sample bias. Glows at positive bias. Kapon (R) pyrolisis. 10. Trigger arc thresholds. Sustained arc thresholds. Paschen discharge during sustained arcing. 11. Testing for Paschen discharge threshold. Testing for dielectric breakdown thresholds. Testing for tether arcing. 12. Testing in very dense plasmas (ie thruster plumes). 13. Arc mitigation strategies. Charging mitigation strategies. Models. 14. Analysis of test results. Finally, the necessity of testing will be emphasized, not to the exclusion of modeling, but as part of a complete strategy for determining when and if arcs will occur, and preventing them from occurring in space.

NASA GRC and MSFC Space-Plasma Arc Testing Procedures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Dale C.a; Vayner, Boris V.; Galofaro, Joel T.; Hillard, G. Barry; Vaughn, Jason; Schneider, Todd

2005-01-01

Tests of arcing and current collection in simulated space plasma conditions have been performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, for over 30 years and at the Marshall Space flight Center (MSFC) for almost as long. During this period, proper test conditions for accurate and meaningful space simulation have been worked out, comparisons with actual space performance in spaceflight tests and with real operational satellites have been made, and NASA has achieved our own internal standards for test protocols. It is the purpose of this paper to communicate the test conditions, test procedures, and types of analysis used at NASA GRC and MSFC to the space environmental testing community at large, to help with international space-plasma arcing testing standardization. To be discussed are: 1. Neutral pressures, neutral gases, and vacuum chamber sizes. 2. Electron and ion densities, plasma uniformity, sample sizes, and Debye lengths. 3. Biasing samples versus self-generated voltages. Floating samples versus grounded. 4. Power supplies and current limits. Isolation of samples from power supplies during arcs. Arc circuits. Capacitance during biased arc-threshold tests. Capacitance during sustained arcing and damage tests. Arc detection. Preventing sustained discharges during testing. 5. Real array or structure samples versus idealized samples. 6. Validity of LEO tests for GEO samples. 7. Extracting arc threshold information from arc rate versus voltage tests. 8 . Snapover and current collection at positive sample bias. Glows at positive bias. Kapton pyrolization. 9. Trigger arc thresholds. Sustained arc thresholds. Paschen discharge during sustained arcing. 10. Testing for Paschen discharge thresholds. Testing for dielectric breakdown thresholds. Testing for tether arcing. 11. Testing in very dense plasmas (ie thruster plumes). 12. Arc mitigation strategies. Charging mitigation strategies. Models. 13. Analysis of test results. Finally, the necessity of testing will be emphasized, not to the exclusion of modeling, but as part of a complete strategy for determining when and if arcs will occur, and preventing them from occurring in space.

Synthesis of carbon nanotubes by arc discharge in open air.

PubMed

Paladugu, Mohan Chand; Maneesh, K; Nair, P Kesavan; Haridoss, Prathap

2005-05-01

In this work Carbon nanotubes have been synthesized by arc discharge in open air. A TIG welding ac/dc inverter was used as the power source for arc discharge. During each run of the arc discharge based synthesis, the anode was a low purity (approximately 85% C by weight) graphite rod. The effect of varying the atmosphere on the yield of soot of the carbon nanotube containing carbon soot has been studied. Various soots were produced, purified by oxidation and characterized to confirm formation of carbon nanotubes and their relative quality, using transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and XRD. It was found that the yield of soot formed on the cathode is higher when synthesis is carried out in open air than when carried out in a flowing argon atmosphere. When synthesized in open air, using a 7.2-mm-diameter graphite rod as anode, the yield of soot was around 50% by weight of the graphite consumed. Current and voltage for arcing were at identical starting values in all the experiments. This modified method does not require a controlled atmosphere as in the case of a conventional arc discharge method of synthesis and hence the cost of production may be reduced.

Applying a laser-induced incandescence (LII) diagnostic to monitor nanoparticle synthesis in an atmospheric plasma, in situ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yatom, Shurik; Mitrani, James; Yeh, Yao-Wen; Shneider, Mikhail; Stratton, Brentley; Raitses, Yevgeny

2016-09-01

A DC arc discharge with a consumed graphite anode is commonly used for synthesis of carbon nanoparticles, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene flakes. The graphite electrode is physically vaporized by high currents (20-60 A) in a buffer gas at 100-600 torr, leading to nanoparticle synthesis in a low temperature (>1 eV), plasma. Utilizing arc plasma synthesis technique has resulted in the synthesis of higher quality nanomaterials. However, the formation of nanoparticles in arc discharge plasmas is poorly understood. A particularly interesting question is where in the arc the nanoparticles nucleate and grow. In our current work we show the results of studying the formation of carbon nanotubes in an arc discharge, in situ, using laser-induced incandescence (LII). The results of LII are discussed in combination with ex situ measurements of the synthesized nanoparticles and modeling, to provide an insight into the physics behind nanoparticle synthesis in plasma. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.

HOLLOW CARBON ARC DISCHARGE

DOEpatents

Luce, J.S.

1960-10-11

A device is described for producing an energetic, direct current, hollow, carbon-arc discharge in an evacuated container and within a strong magnetic field. Such discharges are particularly useful not only in dissociation and ionization of high energy molecular ion beams, but also in acting as a shield or barrier against the instreaming of lowenergy neutral particles into a plasma formed within the hollow discharge when it is used as a dissociating mechanism for forming the plasma. There is maintained a predetermined ratio of gas particles to carbon particles released from the arc electrodes during operation of the discharge. The carbon particles absorb some of the gas particles and are pumped along and by the discharge out of the device, with the result that smaller diffusion pumps are required than would otherwise be necessary to dispose of the excess gas.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING INTENSE ENERGETIC GAS DISCHARGES

DOEpatents

Bell, P.R.; Luce, J.S.

1960-01-01

A device for producing an energetic gas arc discharge employing the use of gas-fed hollow cathode and anode electrodes is reported. The rate of feed of the gas to the electrodes is regulated to cause complete space charge neutralization to occur within the electrodes. The arc discharge is closely fitted within at least one of the electrodes so tint the gas fed to this electrode is substantially completely ionized before it is emitted into the vacuum chamber. It is this electrode design and the axial potential gradient that exists in the arc which permits the arc to be operated in low pressures and at volthges and currents that permit the arc to be energetic. The use of the large number of energetic ions that are accelerated toward the cathode as a propulsion device for a space vehicle is set forth.

Fractal structure of low-temperature plasma of arc discharge as a consequence of the interaction of current sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolanov, N. A.

2016-01-01

The structure of the particles deposited from the plasma arc discharge were studied. The flow of plasma spreading from the cathode spot to the walls of the vacuum chamber. Electric and magnetic fields to influence the plasma flow. The fractal nature of the particles from the plasma identified by small-angle X-ray scattering. Possible cause of their formation is due to the instability of the growth front and nonequilibrium conditions for their production - a high speed transition of the vapor-liquid-solid or vapor - crystal. The hypothesis of a plasma arc containing dust particles current sheets was proposed.

The evolution of discharge current and channel radius in cloud-to-ground lightning return stroke process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Tingting; Yuan, Ping; Wang, Xuejuan; Cen, Jianyong; Chang, Xuan; Zhao, Yanyan

2017-09-01

The spectra of two negative cloud-to-ground lightning discharge processes with multi-return strokes are obtained by a slit-less high-speed spectrograph, which the temporal resolution is 110 μs. Combined with the synchronous electrical observation data and theoretical calculation, the physical characteristics during return strokes process are analysed. A positive correlation between discharge current and intensity of ionic lines in the spectra is verified, and based on this feature, the current evolution characteristics during four return strokes are investigated. The results show that the time from peak current to the half-peak value estimated by multi point-fitting is about 101 μs-139 μs. The Joule heat in per unit length of four return strokes channel is in the order of 105J/m-106 J/m. The radius of arc discharge channel is positively related to the discharge current, and the more intense the current is, the greater the radius of channel is. Furthermore, the evolution for radius of arc core channel in the process of return stroke is consistent with the change trend of discharge current after the peak value. Compared with the decay of the current, the temperature decreases more slowly.

The Studies of a Vacuum Gap Breakdown after High-Current Arc Interruption with Increasing the Voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, A. V.; Popov, S. A.; Batrakov, A. V.; Dubrovskaya, E. L.; Lavrinovich, V. A.

2017-12-01

Vacuum-gap breakdown has been studied after high-current arc interruption with a subsequent increase in the transient recovery voltage across a gap. The effects of factors, such as the rate of the rise in the transient voltage, the potential of the shield that surrounds a discharge gap, and the arc burning time, have been determined. It has been revealed that opening the contacts earlier leads to the formation of an anode spot, which is the source of electrode material vapors into the discharge gap after current zero moment. Under the conditions of increasing voltage, this fact results in the breakdown. Too late opening leads to the breakdown of a short gap due to the high electric fields.

Direct-current cathodic vacuum arc system with magnetic-field mechanism for plasma stabilization.

PubMed

Zhang, H-S; Komvopoulos, K

2008-07-01

Filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition is characterized by plasma beam directionality, plasma energy adjustment via substrate biasing, macroparticle filtering, and independent substrate temperature control. Between the two modes of FCVA deposition, namely, direct current (dc) and pulsed arc, the dc mode yields higher deposition rates than the pulsed mode. However, maintaining the dc arc discharge is challenging because of its inherent plasma instabilities. A system generating a special configuration of magnetic field that stabilizes the dc arc discharge during film deposition is presented. This magnetic field is also part of the out-of-plane magnetic filter used to focus the plasma beam and prevent macroparticle film contamination. The efficiency of the plasma-stabilizing magnetic-field mechanism is demonstrated by the deposition of amorphous carbon (a-C) films exhibiting significantly high hardness and tetrahedral carbon hybridization (sp3) contents higher than 70%. Such high-quality films cannot be produced by dc arc deposition without the plasma-stabilizing mechanism presented in this study.

Mass-production of highly-crystalline few-layer graphene sheets by arc discharge in various H2-inert gas mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yani; Zhao, Hongbin; Sheng, Leimei; Yu, Liming; An, Kang; Xu, Jiaqiang; Ando, Yoshinori; Zhao, Xinluo

2012-06-01

Large-scale production of graphene sheets has been achieved by direct current arc discharge evaporation of pure graphite electrodes in various H2-inert gas mixtures. The as-prepared few-layer graphene sheets have high purity, high crystallinity and high oxidation resistance temperature. Their electrochemical characteristics have been evaluated in coin-type cells versus metallic lithium. The first cell discharge capacity reached 1332 mA h g-1 at a current density of 50 mA g-1. After 350 cycles, the discharge capacity still remained at 323 mA h g-1. Graphene sheets produced by this method should be a promising candidate for the electrode material of lithium-ion batteries.

Characterization of pulsed metallic hydride vacuum arc discharge plasmas by optical emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Jian; Deng, Chunfeng; Wu, Chunlei; Lu, Biao; Hu, Yonghong

2017-12-01

The characteristics of plasmas in a titanium hydride vacuum arc ion source were experimentally investigated by a temporally- and spatially-integrated optical emission spectroscopy method. A plasma emission spectral fitting model was developed to calculate the plasmas temperature and relative density of each particle component, assuming plasmas were in local thermodynamic equilibrium state and optical thin in this study. The good agreement was founded between the predicted and measured spectra in the interesting regions of 330-340 nm and 498-503 nm for Ti+ ion and Ti atom respectively, while varying the plasma temperature and density. Compared with conventional Boltzmann plot method, this method, therefore, made a significant improvement on the plasma diagnosis in dealing with the spectral profile with many lines overlapped. At the same time, to understand the mechanism of the occluded-gas vacuum arc discharge plasmas, the plasmas emission spectra, ion relative density, and temperature with different discharge conditions were studied. The results indicated that the rate of Ti metal evaporation and H desorption from the electrode would be enhanced with arc current, and the ionization temperature increased with the feed-in power of arc discharge, leading more H+ and Ti+ ions, but reducing the H+ proportion in arc discharged plasmas.

Preliminary Development and Testing of a Self-Injecting Gallium MPD Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Robert E.; Burton, Rodney L.; Polzin, Kurt A.

2008-01-01

Discharge current and terminal voltage measurements were performed on a gallium electromagnetic thruster at discharge currents in the range of 20-54 kA. It was found that the arc impedance has a value of 6-7 m(Omega) at peak current. The absence of high-frequency oscillations in the terminal voltage trace indicates lack of the "onset" condition often seen in MPD arcs, suggesting that a sufficient number of charge carriers are present for current conduction. The mass ablated per pulse was not measured experimentally; however the mass flow rate was calculated using an ion current assumption and an anode power balance. Measurement of arc impedance predicts a temperature of 3.5 eV which from Saha equilibrium corresponds to Z = 2.0 - 3.5, and assuming Z = 2 yields an Isp of 3000 s and thrust efficiency of 50%.

Performance of a 100 kW class applied field MPD thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mantenieks, Maris A.; Sovey, James S.; Myers, Roger M.; Haag, Thomas W.; Raitano, Paul; Parkes, James E.

1989-01-01

Performance of a 100 kW, applied field magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster was evaluated and sensitivities of discharge characteristics to arc current, mass flow rate, and applied magnetic field were investigated. Thermal efficiencies as high as 60 percent, thrust efficiencies up to 21 percent, and specific impulses of up to 1150 s were attained with argon propellant. Thrust levels up to 2.5 N were directly measured with an inverted pendulum thrust stand at discharge input powers up to 57 kW. It was observed that thrust increased monotonically with the product of arc current and magnet current.

The Conductor-Dielectric Junctions in a Low Density Plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vayner, Boris; Galofaro, Joel; Ferguson, Dale; deGroot, Wim; Thomson, Clint; Dennison, J. R.; Davies, Robert

1999-01-01

A conductor-dielectric junction exposed to the space environment is a frequent spacecraft design feature. Due to spacecraft charging and/or solar array operation, the conductor can acquire a high potential with respect to the surrounding plasma. If this potential is positive the insulators adjacent to exposed conductors can collect current as if they were conductors themselves. This phenomenon, called snapover, results in a substantial increase in current collection, and may even result in a glow discharge if the potential is high enough. If a conductor has a negative potential, arcing can occur at the site of a junction. Both of these phenomena negatively affect spacecraft operation. To prevent negative consequences, the physical mechanisms of snapover and arc inception require investigation. In this paper, results are presented of an experimental and theoretical study of snapover, glow discharge, and arc phenomena for different materials immersed in argon or xenon plasmas. The effect of snapover is investigated for several metal-dielectric junctions: copper-teflon, copper-Kapton, copper-glass, aluminum-teflon, aluminum-Kapton, steel-teflon, anodized aluminum with pinholes, and copper-ceramics. I-V curves are measured and snapover inception voltages, essential parameters (increase in current and collection area due to secondary electrons), and glow discharge inception thresholds are determined. Optical spectra are obtained for glow discharges in both argon and xenon plasmas. These spectra provide information regarding atomic species entrapped in the glow region. Some spectral lines can be used to estimate plasma parameters in the discharge area. A video-camera and linear array were used to confirm that snapover inception is accompanied by very low intensity visible light emission. This result seems to be important for the estimate of the light pollution around spacecraft. Optical spectra (wavelengths 380-650 nm) of arcs are also obtained on a negatively biased chromic acid anodized aluminum plate immersed in low density argon and xenon plasmas. Analysis of these spectra confirms our earlier findings that aluminum atoms are ejected from the arc site. Moreover, it is found that chromium atoms are also quite abundant in the arc plasma. It is believed that the latter results contribute considerably to the understanding of processes of plasma contamination caused by arcing.

Generator and Setup for Emulating Exposures of Biological Samples to Lightning Strokes.

PubMed

Rebersek, Matej; Marjanovic, Igor; Begus, Samo; Pillet, Flavien; Rols, Marie-Pierre; Miklavcic, Damijan; Kotnik, Tadej

2015-10-01

We aimed to develop a system for controlled exposure of biological samples to conditions they experience when lightning strikes their habitats. We based the generator on a capacitor charged via a bridge rectifier and a dc-dc converter, and discharged via a relay, delivering arcs similar to natural lightning strokes in electric current waveform and similarly accompanied by acoustic shock waves. We coupled the generator to our exposure chamber described previously, measured electrical and acoustic properties of arc discharges delivered, and assessed their ability to inactivate bacterial spores. Submicrosecond discharges descended vertically from the conical emitting electrode across the air gap, entering the sample centrally and dissipating radially toward the ring-shaped receiving electrode. In contrast, longer discharges tended to short-circuit the electrodes. Recording at 341 000 FPS with Vision Research Phantom v2010 camera revealed that initial arc descent was still vertical, but became accompanied by arcs leaning increasingly sideways; after 8-12 μs, as the first of these arcs formed direct contact with the receiving electrode, it evolved into a channel of plasmified air and short-circuited the electrodes. We eliminated this artefact by incorporating an insulating cylinder concentrically between the electrodes, precluding short-circuiting between them. While bacterial spores are highly resistant to electric pulses delivered through direct contact, we showed that with arc discharges accompanied by an acoustic shock wave, spore inactivation is readily obtained. The presented system allows scientific investigation of effects of arc discharges on biological samples. This system will allow realistic experimental studies of lightning-triggered horizontal gene transfer and assessment of its role in evolution.

Quantitative characterization of arc discharge as vacuum interface

DOE PAGES

Huang, S.; Zhu, K.; Lu, Y. R.; ...

2014-12-19

An arc discharge with channel diameters of 3 mm and 6 mm and lengths between 30mm and 60mm was experimentally investigated for its potential to function as plasma window, i.e., interface vacuum regions of different pressures. In this study, electron temperature of the plasma channel measured spectroscopically varied in the range of 7000K to 15000K, increasing with discharge current while decreasing with gas flow rate. The plasma window had a slightly positive I-V characteristics over the whole range of investigated current 30A–70 A. Measurements of pressure separation capability, which were determined by input current, gas flow rate, discharge channel diameter,more » and length, were well explained by viscosity effect and “thermal-block” effect. The experimental results of global parameters including temperature, gas flow rate, and voltage had a good agreement with the simulation results calculated by an axis-symmetry Fluent-based magneto-hydrodynamic model.« less

Study of the ionization rate of the released deuterium in vacuum arc discharges with metal deuteride cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fei-Xiang; Long, Ji-Dong; Zheng, Le; Dong, Pan; Li, Chen; Chen, Wei

2018-02-01

The ionization rate of the released deuterium from a metal deuteride cathode in vacuum arc discharges is investigated by both experiments and modeling analysis. Experimental results show that the deuterium ionization rate increases from 2% to 30% with the increasing arc current in the range of 2-100 A. Thus the full ionization assumption, as is widely used in arc plasma simulations, is not satisfied for the released deuterium at low discharge current. According to the modeling results, the neutral-to-ion conversion efficiency for the deuterium traveling across the cathodic spot region can be significantly less than one, due to the fast plasma expansion and rarefaction in the vacuum. In addition, the model also reveals that, unlike the metal atoms which are mainly ionized in the sheath region and flow back to the cathode, the deuterium ionization primarily occurs in the quasi-neutral region and moves towards the anode. Consequently, the cathodic sheath layer acts like a filter that increases the deuterium fraction beyond the sheath region.

Investigation of a Gallium MPD Thruster with an Ablating Cathode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Robert E.; Burton, Rodney L.; Polzin, Kurt A.

2010-01-01

Arc impedance, exhaust velocity, and plasma probe measurements are presented. The thruster is driven by a 50 microsecond pulse from a 6.2 milliohm pulse forming network, and gallium is supplied to the discharge by evaporation of the cathode. The arc voltage is found to vary linearly with the discharge current with an arc impedance of 6.5 milliohms. Electrostatic probes yield an exhaust velocity that is invariant with the discharge current and has a peak value of 20 kilometers per second, which is in reasonable agreement with the value (16 plus or minus 1 kilometer per second) calculated from the mass bit and discharge current data. Triple probe measurements yield on axis electron temperatures in the range of 0.8-3.8 eV, electron densities in the range of 1.6 x 10(exp 21) to 2.1 x 10(exp 22) per cubic meter, and a divergence half angle of 16 degrees. Measurements within the interelectrode region yield a peak magnetic field of 0.8 T, and the observed radial trends are consistent with an azimuthally symmetric current distribution. A cathode power balance model is coupled with an ablative heat conduction model predicting mass bit values that are within 20% of the experimental values.

Three-phase double-arc plasma for spectrochemical analysis of environmental samples.

PubMed

Mohamed, M M; Ghatass, Z F; Shalaby, E A; Kotb, M M; El-Raey, M

2000-12-01

A new instrument, which uses a three-phase current to support a double-arc argon plasma torch for evaporation, atomization and excitation of solid or powder samples, is described. The sampling arc is ignited between the first and second electrode while the excitation arc is ignited between the second and third electrode. Aerosol generated from the sample (first electrode) is swept by argon gas, through a hole in the second electrode (carbon tubing electrode), into the excitation plasma. A tangential stream of argon gas is introduced through an inlet orifice as a coolant gas for the second electrode. This gas stream forces the excitation arc discharge to rotate reproducibly around the electrode surface. Discharge rotation increases the stability of the excitation plasma. Spectroscopic measurements are made directly in the current-carrying region of the excitation arc. An evaluation of each parameter influencing the device performance was performed. Analytical calibration curves were obtained for Fe, Al, K, and Pb. Finally, the present technique was applied for the analysis of environmental samples. The present method appears to have significant, low cost analytical utility for environmental measurements.

Anode sheath transition in an anodic arc for synthesis of nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemchinsky, V. A.; Raitses, Y.

2016-06-01

The arc discharge with ablating anode or so-called anodic arc is widely used for synthesis of nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes and fullerens, metal nanoparticles etc. We present the model of this arc, which confirms the existence of the two different modes of the arc operation with two different anode sheath regimes, namely, with negative anode sheath and with positive anode sheath. It was previously suggested that these regimes are associated with two different anode ablating modes—low ablation mode with constant ablation rate and the enhanced ablation mode (Fetterman et al 2008 Carbon 46 1322). The transition of the arc operation from low ablation mode to high ablation mode is determined by the current density at the anode. The model can be used to self-consistently determine the distribution of the electric field, electron density and electron temperature in the near-anode region of the arc discharge. Simulations of the carbon arc predict that for low arc ablating modes, the current is driven mainly by the electron diffusion to the anode. For positive anode sheath, the anode voltage is close to the ionization potential of anode material, while for negative anode sheath, the anode voltage is an order of magnitude smaller. It is also shown that the near-anode plasma, is far from the ionization equilibrium.

Influence of DC arc current on the formation of cobalt-based nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orpe, P. B.; Balasubramanian, C.; Mukherjee, S.

2017-08-01

The synthesis of cobalt-based magnetic nanostructures using DC arc discharge technique with varying arc current is reported here. The structural, morphological, compositional and magnetic properties of these nanostructures were studied as a function of applied arc current. Various techniques like X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, EDAX and vibrating sample magnetometry were used to carry out this study and the results are reported here. The results clearly indicate that for a given oxygen partial pressure, an arc current of 100 A favours the formation of unreacted cobalt atomic species. Also change in arc current leads to variation in phase, diversity in morphology etc. Other property changes such as thermal changes, mechanical changes etc. are not addressed here. The magnetic characterization further indicates that the anisotropy in shape plays a crucial role in deciding the magnetic properties of the nanostructured materials. We have quantified an interesting result in our experiment, that is, for a given partial pressure, 100 A arc current results in unique variation in structural and magnetic properties as compared to other arc currents.

Radiographic research of the Bi plasma jet formed by the vacuum arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artyomov, A. P.; Rousskikh, A. G.; Fedunin, A. V.; Chaikovsky, S. A.; Zhigalin, A. S.; Oreshkin, V. I.

2017-05-01

The results of experiments on a soft x-ray radiography (≈ 1-2 keV) of a bismuth plasma formed by the high-current vacuum arc discharge are represented. The plasma gun with the arc current ≈ 60 kA and the current rise time ≈ 7 μs was used to produce the Bi plasma jet. The compact pulsed radiograph XPG-1 (250 kA, 220 ns) with an X-pinch load consisting of four Mo wires with a diameter 25 μm was used as a source of the soft X-ray radiation. The X-ray backlighting images of the researched plasma jet and the Bi step-wedge with a step thickness of ≈ 100 nm were recorded simultaneously in the course of the experiment. A comparison of the plasma jet x-ray image with the current trace has enabled to estimate dependencies of the linear mass on the arc current. The experiments have shown that when the arc current density reaches ≈ 3·105 A/cm2, the evaporation rate of the electrode material reaches ≈ 100 μg/μs, that under the plasma velocity ≈ 0.5 cm/μs, provides a plasma jet linear mass ≈ 200 μg/cm. At a distance of ≈ 1-2 mm from the arc cathode surface, the sharp increase of the jet linear mass (up to ≈ 500 μg/cm) occurred.

Co-axial discharges

DOEpatents

Luce, J. S.; Smith, L. P.

1960-11-22

An apparatus is described for producing coaxial arc discharges in an evacuated enclosure and within a strong, confining magnetic field. The arcs are maintained at a high potential difference. Electrons diffuse to the more positive arc from the negative arc, and positive ions diffuse from the more positive arc to the negative arc. Coaxial arc discharges have the advantuge that ions that return to strike the positive arc discharge will lose no energy since they do not strike a solid wall or electrode. These discharges are useful in confining an ionized plasma between the discharges and have the advantage of preventing impurities from the walls of the enclosure from entering the plasma area because of the arc barrier set up by the cylindrical outer arc. (auth)

CO-AXIAL DISCHARGES

DOEpatents

Luce, J.S.; Smith, L.P.

1960-11-22

A method and apparatus are given for producing coaxial arc discharges in an evacuated enclosure and within a strong, confining magnetic field. The arcs are maintained at a high potential difference. Electrons will diffuse to the more positive arc from the negative arc, and positive ions will diffuse from the more positive arc to the negative arc. Coaxial arc discharges have the advantage that ions which return to strike the positive arc discharge will lose no energy since they do not strike a solid wall or electrode. Those discharges are useful in confining an ionized plasma between the discharges, and have the advantage of preventing impurities from the walls of the enclosure from entering ihe plasma area because of the arc barrier set up bv the cylindrical outer arc.

Carbon nanotube: the inside story.

PubMed

Ando, Yoshinori

2010-06-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were serendipitously discovered as a byproduct of fullerenes by direct current (DC) arc discharge; and today this is the most-wanted material in the nanotechnology research. In this brief review, I begin with the history of the discovery of CNTs and focus on CNTs produced by arc discharge in hydrogen atmosphere, which is little explored outside my laboratory. DC arc discharge evaporation of pure graphite rod in pure hydrogen gas results in multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) of high crystallinity in the cathode deposit. As-grown MWCNTs have very narrow inner diameter. Raman spectra of these MWCNTs show high-intensity G-band, unusual high-frequency radial breathing mode at 570 cm(-1), and a new characteristic peak near 1850 cm(-1). Exciting carbon nanowires (CNWs), consisting of a linear carbon chain in the center of MWCNTs are also produced. Arc evaporation of graphite rod containing metal catalysts results in single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in the whole chamber like macroscopic webs. Two kinds of arc method have been developed to produce SWCNTs: Arc plasma jet (APJ) and Ferrum-Hydrogen (FH) arc methods. Some new purification methods for as-produced SWCNTs are reviewed. Finally, double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) are also described.

Temperature and Nitric Oxide Generation in a Pulsed Arc Discharge Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namihira, T.; Sakai, S.; Matsuda, M.; D., Wang; Kiyan, T.; Akiyama, H.; Okamoto, K.; Toda, K.

2007-12-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is increasingly being used in medical treatments of high blood pressure, acute respiratory distress syndrome and other illnesses related to the lungs. Currently a NO inhalation system consists of a gas cylinder of N2 mixed with a high concentration of NO. This arrangement is potentially risky due to the possibility of an accidental leak of NO from the cylinder. The presence of NO in the air leads to the formation of nitric dioxide (NO2), which is toxic to the lungs. Therefore, an on-site generator of NO would be highly desirable for medical doctors to use with patients with lung disease. To develop the NO inhalation system without a gas cylinder, which would include a high concentration of NO, NAMIHIRA et al have recently reported on the production of NO from room air using a pulsed arc discharge. In the present work, the temperature of the pulsed arc discharge plasma used to generate NO was measured to optimize the discharge condition. The results of the temperature measurements showed the temperature of the pulsed arc discharge plasma reached about 10,000 K immediately after discharge initiation and gradually decreased over tens of microseconds. In addition, it was found that NO was formed in a discharge plasma having temperatures higher than 9,000 K and a smaller input energy into the discharge plasma generates NO more efficiently than a larger one.

Pseudo ribbon metal ion beam source.

PubMed

Stepanov, Igor B; Ryabchikov, Alexander I; Sivin, Denis O; Verigin, Dan A

2014-02-01

The paper describes high broad metal ion source based on dc macroparticle filtered vacuum arc plasma generation with the dc ion-beam extraction. The possibility of formation of pseudo ribbon beam of metal ions with the parameters: ion beam length 0.6 m, ion current up to 0.2 A, accelerating voltage 40 kV, and ion energy up to 160 kV has been demonstrated. The pseudo ribbon ion beam is formed from dc vacuum arc plasma. The results of investigation of the vacuum arc evaporator ion-emission properties are presented. The influence of magnetic field strength near the cathode surface on the arc spot movement and ion-emission properties of vacuum-arc discharge for different cathode materials are determined. It was shown that vacuum-arc discharge stability can be reached when the magnetic field strength ranges from 40 to 70 G on the cathode surface.

Comparative study on extinction process of gas-blasted air and CO2 arc discharge using two-dimensional electron density imaging sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inada, Yuki; Kumada, Akiko; Ikeda, Hisatoshi; Hidaka, Kunihiko; Nakano, Tomoyuki; Murai, Kosuke; Tanaka, Yasunori; Shinkai, Takeshi

2017-05-01

Shack-Hartmann type laser wavefront sensors were applied to gas-blasted arc discharges under current-zero phases, generated in a 50 mm-long interelectrode gap confined by a gas flow nozzle, in order to conduct a systematic comparison of electron density decaying processes for two kinds of arc-quenching gas media: air and \\text{C}{{\\text{O}}2} . The experimental results for the air and \\text{C}{{\\text{O}}2} arc plasmas showed that the electron densities and arc diameters became thinner toward the nozzle-throat inlet due to a stronger convection loss in the arc radial direction. In addition, \\text{C}{{\\text{O}}2} had a shorter electron density decaying time constant than air, which could be caused by convection loss and turbulent flow of \\text{C}{{\\text{O}}2} stronger than air.

Simulations of Atmospheric Plasma Arcs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearcy, Jacob; Chopra, Nirbhav; Jaworski, Michael

2017-10-01

We present the results of computer simulation of cylindrical plasma arcs with characteristics similar to those predicted to be relevant in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power conversion systems. These arcs, with core temperatures on the order of 1 eV, place stringent limitations on the lifetime of conventional electrodes used in such systems, suggesting that a detailed analysis of arc characteristics will be crucial in designing more robust electrode systems. Simulations utilize results from NASA's Chemical Equilibrium with Applications (CEA) program to solve the Elenbaas-Heller equation in a variety of plasma compositions, including approximations of coal-burning plasmas as well as pure gas discharges. The effect of carbon dioxide injection on arc characteristics, emulating discharges from molten carbonate salt electrodes, is also analyzed. Results include radial temperature profiles, composition maps, and current-voltage (IV) characteristics of these arcs. Work supported by DOE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Computational study of arc discharges: Spark plug and railplug ignitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekici, Ozgur

A theoretical study of electrical arc discharges that focuses on the discharge processes in spark plug and railplug ignitors is presented. The aim of the study is to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of electrical discharges, more specifically the transfer of electrical energy into the gas and the effect of this energy transfer on the flow physics. Different levels of computational models are presented to investigate the types of arc discharges seen in spark plugs and railplugs (i.e., stationary and moving arc discharges). Better understanding of discharge physics is important for a number of applications. For example, improved fuel economy under the constraint of stricter emissions standards and improved plug durability are important objectives of current internal combustion engine designs. These goals can be achieved by improving the existing systems (spark plug) and introducing more sophisticated ignition systems (railplug). In spite of the fact spark plug and railplug ignitors are the focus of this work, the methods presented in this work can be extended to study the discharges found in other applications such as plasma torches, laser sparks, and circuit breakers. The system of equations describing the physical processes in an air plasma is solved using computational fluid dynamics codes to simulate thermal and flow fields. The evolution of the shock front, temperature, pressure, density, and flow of a plasma kernel were investigated for both stationary and moving arcs. Arc propagation between the electrodes under the effects of gas dynamics and electromagnetic processes was studied for moving arcs. The air plasma is regarded as a continuum, single substance material in local thermal equilibrium. Thermophysical properties of high temperature air are used to take into consideration the important processes such as dissociation and ionization. The different mechanisms and the relative importance of several assumptions in gas discharges and thermal plasma modeling were investigated. Considering the complex nature of the studied problem, the computational models aid in analyzing the analytical theory and serve as relatively inexpensive tools when compared to experiments in design process.

Evolution simulation of lightning discharge based on a magnetohydrodynamics method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fusheng, WANG; Xiangteng, MA; Han, CHEN; Yao, ZHANG

2018-07-01

In order to solve the load problem for aircraft lightning strikes, lightning channel evolution is simulated under the key physical parameters for aircraft lightning current component C. A numerical model of the discharge channel is established, based on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and performed by FLUENT software. With the aid of user-defined functions and a user-defined scalar, the Lorentz force, Joule heating and material parameters of an air thermal plasma are added. A three-dimensional lightning arc channel is simulated and the arc evolution in space is obtained. The results show that the temperature distribution of the lightning channel is symmetrical and that the hottest region occurs at the center of the lightning channel. The distributions of potential and current density are obtained, showing that the difference in electric potential or energy between two points tends to make the arc channel develop downwards. The arc channel comes into expansion on the anode surface due to stagnation of the thermal plasma and there exists impingement on the copper plate when the arc channel comes into contact with the anode plate.

Laser-induced incandescence (LII) diagnostic for in situ monitoring of nanoparticle synthesis in a high-pressure arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yatom, Shurik; Vekselman, Vladislav; Mitrani, James; Stratton, Brentley; Raitses, Yevgeny; LaboratoryPlasma Nanosynthesis Team

2016-10-01

A DC arc discharge is commonly used for synthesis of carbon nanoparticles, including buckyballs, carbon nanotubes, and graphene flakes. In this work we show the first results of nanoparticles monitored during the arc discharge. The graphite electrode is vaporized by high current (60 A) in a buffer Helium gas leading to nanoparticle synthesis in a low temperature plasma. The arc was shown to oscillate, which can possibly influence the nano-synthesis. To visualize the nanoparticles in-situ we employ the LII technique. The nanoparticles with radii >50 nm, emerging from the arc area are heated with a short laser pulse and incandesce. The resulting radiation is captured with an ICCD camera, showing the location of the generated nanoparticles. The images of incandescence are studied together with temporally synchronized fast-framing imaging of C2 emission, to connect the dynamics of arc instabilities, C2 molecules concentration and nanoparticles. The time-resolved incandescence signal is analyzed with combination of ex-situ measurements of the synthesized nanoparticles and LII modeling, to provide the size distribution of produced nanoparticles. This work was supported by US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.

Controlled synthesis of different metal oxide nanostructures by direct current arc discharge.

PubMed

Su, Yanjie; Zhang, Jing; Zhang, Liling; Zhang, Yafei

2013-02-01

Direct current (DC) arc discharge method gives high temperature in a short time, which has been widely used to prepare carbon nanotubes. We use this simple approach to synthesize metal oxide nanostructures (MgO, SnO2) without any catalyst. Different morphologies (nanowires, nanobelts, nanocubes, and nanodisks) of metal oxide nanostructures can be controllably synthesized by changing the content of air in buffer gas. The growth mechanisms for these nanostructures are discussed in detail. Oxygen partial pressure is supposed to be one of the most important key factors. The methodology might be used to synthesize similar nanostructures of other functional oxide materials and non-oxide materials.

Cold starting of fluorescent lamps - part I: a description of the transient regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, Reinhard; Garner, Richard; Paul, Irina; Horn, Siegfried; Tidecks, Reinhard

2016-10-01

In this paper we give a proposal for the transient behaviour of a cold-started fluorescent lamp, from the generation of the first conductive channel over the normal and abnormal glow discharge and the glow-to-arc (GTA) transition to the arc discharge in the steady state. Starting from the equilibrium voltage-current characteristics of the lamp and considering recent experimental results a qualitative description of the transient regime is developed, which was so far not available in the literature.

Arcing in LEO: Does the Whole Array Discharge?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Dale C.; Vayner, Boris V.; Galofaro, Joel T.; Hillard, G. Barry

2005-01-01

The conventional wisdom about solar array arcing in LEO is that only the parts of the solar array that are swept over by the arc-generated plasma front are discharged in the initial arc. This limits the amount of energy that can be discharged. Recent work done at the NASA Glenn Research Center has shown that this idea is mistaken. In fact, the capacitance of the entire solar array may be discharged, which for large arrays leads to very large and possibly debilitating arcs, even if no sustained arc occurs. We present the laboratory work that conclusively demonstrates this fact by using a grounded plate that prevents the arc-plasma front from reaching certain array strings. Finally, we discuss the dependence of arc strength and arc pulse width on the capacitance that is discharged, and provide a physical mechanism for discharge of the entire array, even when parts of the array are not accessible to the arc-plasma front. Mitigation techniques are also presented.

Characteristics of electromagnetic interference generated by arc discharges. [in spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leung, Philip

1986-01-01

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) signatures resulting from arc discharges are characterized, and the effects of electrostatic discharges (ESDs) on the design of spacecraft systems are investigated. EMI characterization experiments were performed on Mylar, Teflon, Kapton, fused silica, and fiberglass in a vacuum chamber with acrylic walls; the experimental design and procedures are described. Discharge current pulses and RF spectra generated by the sample materials are examined. The relation between the magnitude of EMI generated during an ESD event and the material, environment, and geometry is studied. The solar-array/plasma interaction is analyzed; particular attention is given to the rate of discharge as a function of plasma density. The physical mechanisms of ESD-generated EMI are discussed. The data reveal that ESD parameters are dependent on the test environment.

Optical emission spectroscopy of point-plane corona and back-corona discharges in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czech, T.; Sobczyk, A. T.; Jaworek, A.

2011-12-01

Results of spectroscopic investigations and current-voltage characteristics of corona discharge and back discharge on fly-ash layer, generated in point-plane electrode geometry in air at atmospheric pressure are presented in the paper. The characteristics of both discharges are similar but differ in the current and voltage ranges of all the discharge forms distinguished during the experiments. Three forms of back discharge, for positive and negative polarity, were investigated: glow, streamer and low-current back-arc. In order to characterize ionisation and excitation processes in back discharge, the emission spectra were measured and compared with those obtained for normal corona discharge generated in the same electrode configuration but with fly ash layer removed. The emission spectra were measured in two discharge zones: near the tip of needle electrode and near the plate. Visual forms of the discharge were recorded with digital camera and referred to current-voltage characteristics and emission spectra. The measurements have shown that spectral lines emitted by back discharge depend on the form of discharge and the discharge current. From the comparison of the spectral lines of back and normal discharges an effect of fly ash layer on the discharge morphology can be determined. The recorded emission spectra formed by ionised gas and plasma near the needle electrode and fly ash layer are different. It should be noted that in back arc emission, spectral lines of fly ash layer components can be distinguished. On the other hand, in needle zone, the emission of high intensity N2 second positive system and NO γ lines can be noticed. Regardless of these gaseous lines, also atomic lines of dust layer were present in the spectrum. The differences in spectra of back discharge for positive and negative polarities of the needle electrode have been explained by considering the kind of ions generated in the crater in fly ash layer. The aim of these studies is to better understand the discharge processes encountered in electrostatic precipitators.

NASA GRC and MSFC Space-Plasma Arc Testing Procedures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Dale C.; Vayner, Boris V.; Galofaro, Joel T.; Hillard, G. Barry; Vaughn, Jason; Schneider, Todd

2007-01-01

Tests of arcing and current collection in simulated space plasma conditions have been performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, for over 30 years and at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, for almost as long. During this period, proper test conditions for accurate and meaningful space simulation have been worked out, comparisons with actual space performance in spaceflight tests and with real operational satellites have been made, and NASA has achieved our own internal standards for test protocols. It is the purpose of this paper to communicate the test conditions, test procedures, and types of analysis used at NASA GRC and MSFC to the space environmental testing community at large, to help with international space-plasma arcing-testing standardization. Discussed herein are neutral gas conditions, plasma densities and uniformity, vacuum chamber sizes, sample sizes and Debye lengths, biasing samples versus self-generated voltages, floating samples versus grounded samples, test electrical conditions, arc detection, preventing sustained discharges during testing, real samples versus idealized samples, validity of LEO tests for GEO samples, extracting arc threshold information from arc rate versus voltage tests, snapover, current collection, and glows at positive sample bias, Kapton pyrolysis, thresholds for trigger arcs, sustained arcs, dielectric breakdown and Paschen discharge, tether arcing and testing in very dense plasmas (i.e. thruster plumes), arc mitigation strategies, charging mitigation strategies, models, and analysis of test results. Finally, the necessity of testing will be emphasized, not to the exclusion of modeling, but as part of a complete strategy for determining when and if arcs will occur, and preventing them from occurring in space.

Arc lamp power supply using a voltage multiplier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leighty, Bradley D.

1988-01-01

A power supply is provided for an arc discharge lamp which includes a relatively low voltage high current power supply section and a high voltage starter circuit. The low voltage section includes a transformer, rectifier, variable resistor and a bank of capacitors, while the starter circuit comprises several diodes and capacitors connected as a Cockcroft-Walton multiplier. The starting circuit is effectively bypassed when the lamp arc is established and serves to automatically provide a high starting voltage to re-strike the lamp arc if the arc is extinguished by a power interruption.

Boron ion beam generation utilizing lanthanum hexaboride cathodes: Comparison of vacuum arc and planar magnetron glow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nikolaev, A. G.; Vizir, A. V.; Yushkov, G. Yu., E-mail: gyushkov@mail.ru

Boron ion beams are widely used for semiconductor ion implantation and for surface modification for improving the operating parameters and increasing the lifetime of machine parts and tools. For the latter application, the purity requirements of boron ion beams are not as stringent as for semiconductor technology, and a composite cathode of lanthanum hexaboride may be suitable for the production of boron ions. We have explored the use of two different approaches to boron plasma production: vacuum arc and planar high power impulse magnetron in self-sputtering mode. For the arc discharge, the boron plasma is generated at cathode spots, whereasmore » for the magnetron discharge, the main process is sputtering of cathode material. We present here the results of comparative test experiments for both kinds of discharge, aimed at determining the optimal discharge parameters for maximum yield of boron ions. For both discharges, the extracted ion beam current reaches hundreds of milliamps and the fraction of boron ions in the total extracted ion beam is as high as 80%.« less

Arc discharge regulation of a megawatt hot cathode bucket ion source for the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak neutral beam injector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie Yahong; Hu Chundong; Liu Sheng

2012-01-15

Arc discharge of a hot cathode bucket ion source tends to be unstable what attributes to the filament self-heating and energetic electrons backstreaming from the accelerator. A regulation method, which based on the ion density measurement by a Langmuir probe, is employed for stable arc discharge operation and long pulse ion beam generation. Long pulse arc discharge of 100 s is obtained based on this regulation method of arc power. It establishes a foundation for the long pulse arc discharge of a megawatt ion source, which will be utilized a high power neutral beam injection device.

Arc discharge regulation of a megawatt hot cathode bucket ion source for the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak neutral beam injector.

PubMed

Xie, Yahong; Hu, Chundong; Liu, Sheng; Jiang, Caichao; Li, Jun; Liang, Lizhen

2012-01-01

Arc discharge of a hot cathode bucket ion source tends to be unstable what attributes to the filament self-heating and energetic electrons backstreaming from the accelerator. A regulation method, which based on the ion density measurement by a Langmuir probe, is employed for stable arc discharge operation and long pulse ion beam generation. Long pulse arc discharge of 100 s is obtained based on this regulation method of arc power. It establishes a foundation for the long pulse arc discharge of a megawatt ion source, which will be utilized a high power neutral beam injection device.

The behaviour of arcs in carbon mixed-mode high-power impulse magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, M. D.; Putman, K. J.; Ganesan, R.; Lattemann, M.; Stueber, M.; Ulrich, S.; Bilek, M. M. M.; McKenzie, D. R.; Marks, N. A.

2017-04-01

Mixed-mode deposition of carbon is an extension of high-power impulse magnetron sputtering in which a short-lived arc is deliberately allowed to ignite on the target surface to increase the ionised fraction of carbon in the deposition flux. Here we investigate the ignition and evolution of these arcs and examine their behaviour for different conditions of argon pressure, power supply voltage, and current. We find that mixed-mode deposition is sensitive to the condition of the target surface, and changing the operating parameters causes changes in the target surface condition which themselves affect the discharge in a process of negative feedback. Initially the arcs are evenly distributed on the target racetrack, but after a long period of operation the mode of erosion changes and arcs become localised in a small region, resulting in a pronounced nodular structure. We also quantify macroparticle generation and observe a power-law size distribution typical of arc discharges. Fewer particles are generated for operation at lower Ar pressure when the arc spot velocity is higher.

Ion source with improved primary arc collimation

DOEpatents

Dagenhart, William K.

1985-01-01

An improved negative ion source is provided in which a self-biasing, molybdenum collimator is used to define the primary electron stream arc discharge from a filament operated at a negative potential. The collimator is located between the anode and the filament. It is electrically connected to the anode by means of an appropriate size resistor such that the collimator is biased at essentially the filament voltage during operation. Initially, the full arc voltage appears across the filament to collimator until the arc discharge strikes. Then the collimator biases itself to essentially filament potential due to current flow through the resistor thus defining the primary electron stream without intercepting any appreciable arc power. The collimator aperture is slightly smaller than the anode aperture to shield the anode from the arc power, thereby preventing the exposure of the anode to the full arc power which, in the past, has caused overheating and erosion of the anode collimator during extended time pulsed-beam operation of the source. With the self-biasing collimator of this invention, the ion source may be operated from short pulse periods to steady-state without destroying the anode.

Method and apparatus for nondestructive testing. [using high frequency arc discharges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoop, J. M. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

High voltage is applied to an arc gap adjacent to a test specimen to develop a succession of high frequency arc discharges. Those high frequency arc discharges generate pulses of ultrasonic energy within the test specimen without requiring the arc discharges to contact that test specimen and without requiring a coupling medium. Those pulses can be used for detection of flaws and measurements of certain properties and stresses within the test specimen.

ARC DISCHARGE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME

DOEpatents

Neidigh, R.V.

1960-03-15

A device for producing an energetic gas arc discharge between spaced electrodes in an evacuated chamber and within a magnetic field is described. Gas is fed into the arc in a direction normal to a refluxing stream of electrons and at a pressure higher than the pressure within the chamber to establish a pressure gradient along the arc discharge formed between the electrodes. This pressure gradient establishes rotating, time varying, radial electrical fields in the volume surroundimg the discharge, causing the discharge to rotate about the arc center line.

Experimental study of atmospheric-pressure micro-plasmas for the ambient sampling of conductive materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Zhengchao; He, Feng; Si, Xinlu; Bradley, James W.; Ouyang, Jiting

2018-02-01

Conductive solid material sampling by micro-plasma under ambient atmosphere was studied experimentally. A high-voltage pulse generator was utilized to drive discharge between a tungsten needle and metal samples. The effects of pulse width on discharge, micro-plasma and sampling were investigated. The electrical results show that two discharge current pulses can be formed in one voltage pulse. The duration of the first current pulse is of the order of 100 ns. The duration of the second current pulse depends on the width of the voltage pulse. The electrical results also show that arc micro-plasma was generated during both current pulses. The results of the emission spectra of different sampled materials indicate that the relative emission intensity of elemental metal ions will increase with pulse width. The excitation temperature and electron density of the arc micro-plasmas increase with the voltage pulse width, which contributes to the increase of relative emission intensity of metal ions. The optical images and energy dispersive spectroscopy results of the sampling spots on metal surfaces indicate that discharge with a short voltage pulse can generate a small sputtering crater.

Investigations of Ba{sub x}Sr{sub 1−x}TiO{sub 3} ceramics and powders prepared by direct current arc discharge technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Shuangbin; Wang, Xiaohan; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049

2014-09-01

Ba{sub x}Sr{sub 1−x}TiO{sub 3} ceramics with x ranging from 0 to 1 were prepared by direct current arc discharge technique and studied by means of x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The cubic-tetragonal ferroelectric phase transition in Ba{sub x}Sr{sub 1−x}TiO{sub 3} ceramics was found to occur at x ≈ 0.75. XRD investigation of as-grown BaTiO{sub 3} ceramics revealed co-existence of tetragonal and hexagonal modifications with a small amount of impurity phase BaTi{sub 4}O{sub 9}. No evidences of hexagonal phase were observed in Raman spectra of as-grown BaTiO{sub 3} ceramics, while Raman peaks related to hexagonal phase were clearly observed in the spectrummore » of fine-grain powders prepared from the same ceramics. A core-shell model for BaTiO{sub 3} ceramics prepared by direct current arc discharge technique is proposed. Absence of the hexagonal phase in any Ba{sub x}Sr{sub 1−x}TiO{sub 3} solid solution with x < 1 is discussed in the frame of specific atomic arrangement.« less

21 CFR 1040.30 - High-intensity mercury vapor discharge lamps.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... operating time means the sum of the times during which electric current passes through the high-pressure arc... applicable: (1) Lamp voltage, current, and orientation shall be those indicated or recommended by the...

21 CFR 1040.30 - High-intensity mercury vapor discharge lamps.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... operating time means the sum of the times during which electric current passes through the high-pressure arc... applicable: (1) Lamp voltage, current, and orientation shall be those indicated or recommended by the...

21 CFR 1040.30 - High-intensity mercury vapor discharge lamps.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... operating time means the sum of the times during which electric current passes through the high-pressure arc... applicable: (1) Lamp voltage, current, and orientation shall be those indicated or recommended by the...

21 CFR 1040.30 - High-intensity mercury vapor discharge lamps.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... operating time means the sum of the times during which electric current passes through the high-pressure arc... applicable: (1) Lamp voltage, current, and orientation shall be those indicated or recommended by the...

Asymptotic treatment of the Elenbaas-Heller equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiken, H. K.

1991-04-01

When the maximum temperatures within a high-pressure gas discharge arc are lower than the ionization temperature of the gas molecules by an order of magnitude, an asymptotic treatment of the temperature equation is possible. This is illustrated by means of the Elenbaas-Heller equation [e.g., M. F. Hoyaux, Arc Physics (Springer, Berlin, 1968), p. 36] for a nonradiating wall-stabilized arc. The asymptotics lead to a closed-form expression for the relationship between the arc current and the axis temperature. An expression for the heat loss per unit length is also given.

Arcing in Leo and Geo Simulated Environments: Comparative Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vayner, Boris V.; Ferguson, Dale C.; Galofaro, Joel TY.

2006-01-01

Comprehensive tests of two solar array samples in simulated Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) environments have demonstrated that the arc inception voltage was 2-3 times lower in the LEO plasma than in the GEO vacuum. Arc current pulse wave forms are also essentially different in these environments. Moreover, the wide variations of pulse forms do not allow introducing the definition of a "standard arc wave form" even in GEO conditions. Visual inspection of the samples after testing in a GEO environment revealed considerable damage on coverglass surfaces and interconnects. These harmful consequences can be explained by the discharge energy being one order of magnitude higher in vacuum than in background plasma. The tests also revealed a potential danger of powerful electrostatic discharges that could be initiated on the solar array surface of a satellite in GEO during the ignition of an arcjet thruster.

Ion source with improved primary arc collimation

DOEpatents

Dagenhart, W.K.

1983-12-16

An improved negative ion source is provided in which a self-biasing, molybdenum collimator is used to define the primary electron stream arc discharge from a filament operated at a negative potential. The collimator is located between the anode and the filament. It is electrically connected to the anode by means of an appropriate size resistor such that the collimator is biased at essentially the filament voltage during operation. Initially, the full arc voltage appears across the filament to collimator until the arc discharge strikes. Then the collimator biases itself to essentially filament potential due to current flow through the resistor thus defining the primary electron stream without intercepting any appreciable arc power. The collimator aperture is slightly smaller than the anode aperture to shield the anode from the arc power which, in the past, has caused overheating and erosion of the anode collimator during extended time pulsed-beam operation of the source. With the self-biasing collimator of this invention, the ion source may be operated from short pulse periods to steady-state without destroying the anode.

Monitoring nanoparticle synthesis in a carbon arc discharge environment, in situ

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitrani, James

This work presents experimental and theoretical studies of gas-phase synthesis of fullerenes and carbon nanoparticles in the presence of an atmospheric-pressure, arc discharge plasma. Carbon arc discharges have been used for synthesizing carbon nanotubes for over 25 years, and have the potential for economically synthesizing industrial-scale quantities of fullerenes. However, the efficiency and selectivity of fullerene synthesis with carbon arc discharges are quite low. Optimizing carbon arc discharges for fullerene synthesis requires a thorough understanding of the dynamics behind gas-phase nanoparticle synthesis in the presence of an arc discharge plasma. We built a carbon arc discharge setup to study nanoparticlemore » and fullerene synthesis. The laser-induced incandescence (LII) diagnostic was applied for monitoring nanoparticle synthesis, in situ. The LII diagnostic had previously been applied as a combustion diagnostic for in situ measurements of concentrations and sizes of soot particles in flame environments. Prior to the present study, it had never been applied for studying fullerenes, nor had it been applied to study nanoparticles in the presence of an atmospheric-pressure plasma. Therefore, experiments were designed that allowed for the calibration of the LII diagnostic with research-grade, arc-synthesized soot particles and carbon nanotubes. Additionally, the theory and models underpinning the LII diagnostic were adapted to include the presence of an atmospheric-pressure, arc-discharge plasma. Results presented in this work confirm the ability of the LII diagnostic to measure sizes of arc-synthesized nanoparticles in situ, and show the spatial location of high densities of arc-synthesized nanoparticles with respect to the arc discharge plasma. Determining the spatial location of nanoparticle synthesis and growth is crucial for understanding the background conditions (e.g. background gas temperature, electron densities ...) in which nanoparticles nucleate and grow in the arc discharge environment. Future work would involve combining the LII diagnostic with other laser-based diagnostics (e.g. Rayleigh scattering, laser-induced fluorescence) for a more comprehensive study of gas-phase nanoparticle synthesis and investigating fundamental basic-science questions related to low temperature plasma physics, and laser-nanoparticle interactions.« less

Monitoring Nanoparticle Synthesis in a Carbon Arc Discharge Environment, In Situ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrani, James

This work presents experimental and theoretical studies of gas-phase synthesis of fullerenes and carbon nanoparticles in the presence of an atmospheric-pressure, arc discharge plasma. Carbon arc discharges have been used for synthesizing carbon nanotubes for over 25 years, and have the potential for economically synthesizing industrial-scale quantities of fullerenes. However, the efficiency and selectivity of fullerene synthesis with carbon arc discharges are quite low. Optimizing carbon arc discharges for fullerene synthesis requires a thorough understanding of the dynamics behind gas-phase nanoparticle synthesis in the presence of an arc discharge plasma. We built a carbon arc discharge setup to study nanoparticle and fullerene synthesis. The laser-induced incandescence (LII) diagnostic was applied for monitoring nanoparticle synthesis, in situ. The LII diagnostic had previously been applied as a combustion diagnostic for in situ measurements of concentrations and sizes of soot particles in flame environments. Prior to the present study, it had never been applied for studying fullerenes, nor had it been applied to study nanoparticles in the presence of an atmospheric-pressure plasma. Therefore, experiments were designed that allowed for the calibration of the LII diagnostic with research-grade, arc-synthesized soot particles and carbon nanotubes. Additionally, the theory and models underpinning the LII diagnostic were adapted to include the presence of an atmospheric-pressure, arc-discharge plasma. Results presented in this work confirm the ability of the LII diagnostic to measure sizes of arc-synthesized nanoparticles in situ, and show the spatial location of high densities of arc-synthesized nanoparticles with respect to the arc discharge plasma. Determining the spatial location of nanoparticle synthesis and growth is crucial for understanding the background conditions (e.g. background gas temperature, electron densities ...) in which nanoparticles nucleate and grow in the arc discharge environment. Future work would involve combining the LII diagnostic with other laser-based diagnostics (e.g. Rayleigh scattering, laser-induced fluorescence) for a more comprehensive study of gas-phase nanoparticle synthesis and investigating fundamental basic-science questions related to low temperature plasma physics, and laser-nanoparticle interactions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Luo, Xiangyi; Lu, Jun; Sohm, Evan

The present study aims to explore a new method to improve the catalytic activity of non-precious metals, especially in electrochemical reactions. In this study, highly ionized Fe plasma produced by arc discharge uniformly deposit on porous carbon substrate and form atomic clusters by the Pulsed Arc Plasma Deposition technique. The as-prepared FeOx/C material was tested as a cathode material in rechargeable Li-O2 battery under different current rates. The results show a significantly improvement of the battery performance in both cycle life and reaction rate. Furthermore, XRD and SEM results show that the as-prepared cathode material has the ability to stabilizemore » cathode and reduce side reactions, and current rate is a critical factor of the nucleation of the discharge products.« less

Characteristics and dispersity of a two gap capillary discharge applied for long spark gap ignition in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Dong; Yang, Lanjun; Guo, Haishan; Zhang, Zhiyuan; Jiang, Hongqiu; Xu, Haipeng

2017-07-01

In this paper, the characteristics and dispersity of a two gap capillary (TGC) discharge applied for long spark gap ignition are studied. Under the same discharge condition, 30 repetitive discharges are done to get a certain number of data samples. Accordingly, the change trend of the characteristics and the dispersity with the charging voltage of C1 are analyzed statistically. The delay of soft capillary discharge is determined by the saturation rate of the magnetic core of the pulse transformer and decreases with the increase in the charging voltage. The main discharge delay decreases from 1.0 kV to 2.0 kV and stops the decreasing trend when the charging voltage increases to 2.5 kV. In contrast, the current amplitude of soft capillary discharge and main discharge increases with charging voltage. Long tail extinction is witnessed at the charging voltage of 1.0 kV and the major cause is the insufficient pressure in the post discharge. The waveform of the capillary arc resistivity is U-like shape and the minimum resistivity decreases with the increase in the charging voltage. Meanwhile, the arc resistivity in the ascending stage is much higher than that in the descending stage with the same value of the discharge current. The energy consumption of the TGC discharge can be mainly divided into four parts and more than 70% of the energy is consumed in main discharge.

Experimental investigation of high temperature high voltage thermionic diode for the space power nuclear reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onufriyev, Valery. V.

2001-02-01

It is well known that the rise of arc from the dense glow discharge is connected with the thermion and secondary processes on the cathode surface (Granovsky, 1971; Leob, 1953; Engel, 1935). First model of breakdown of the cathode layer is connected with the increase of the cathode temperature in consequence of the ion bombardment that leads to the grows its thermo-emissive current. Other model shows the main role of the secondary effects on the cathode surface-the increase of the secondary ion emission coefficient-γi with the grows of glow discharge voltage. But the author of this investigation work of breakdown in Cs vapor (a transmission the glow discharge into self-maintaining arc discharge) discovered the next peculiarity: the value of breakdown voltage is constant when the values of vapor temperature (its pressure pcs) and cathode temperature Tk is constant too (Ub=constant with Tk=constant and pcs=constant) and it is not a statistical value (Onufryev, Grishin, 1996) (that was observed in gas glow discharges other authors (Granovsky, 1971; Leob, 1953; Engel, 1935)). The investigations of thermion high voltage high temperature diode (its breakdown characteristics in closed state and voltage-current characteristics in disclosed state) showed that the value of the breakdown voltage is depended on the vapor pressure in inter-electrode gap (IEG)-pcs and cathode temperature-Tk and is independent on IEG length-Δieg. On this base it was settled that the main role in transition of glow discharge to self-maintaining arc discharge plays an ion cathode layer but more exactly-the region of excited atoms-``Aston glow.'' .

An experimental study on the thermal characteristics and heating effect of arc-fault from Cu core in residential electrical wiring fires

PubMed Central

Du, Jian-Hua; Zeng, Yi; Pan, Leng; Zhang, Ren-Cheng

2017-01-01

The characteristics of a series direct current (DC) arc-fault including both electrical and thermal parameters were investigated based on an arc-fault simulator to provide references for multi-parameter electrical fire detection method. Tests on arc fault behavior with three different initial circuit voltages, resistances and arc gaps were conducted, respectively. The influences of circuit conditions on arc dynamic image, voltage, current or power were interpreted. Also, the temperature rises of electrode surface and ambient air were studied. The results showed that, first, significant variations of arc structure and light emitting were observed under different conditions. A thin outer burning layer of vapor generated from electrodes with orange light was found due to the extremely high arc temperature. Second, with the increasing electrode gap in discharging, the arc power was shown to have a non monotonic relationship with arc length for constant initial circuit voltage and resistance. Finally, the temperature rises of electrode surface caused by heat transfer from arc were found to be not sensitive with increasing arc length due to special heat transfer mechanism. In addition, temperature of ambient air showed a large gradient in radial direction of arc. PMID:28797055

An experimental study on the thermal characteristics and heating effect of arc-fault from Cu core in residential electrical wiring fires.

PubMed

Du, Jian-Hua; Tu, Ran; Zeng, Yi; Pan, Leng; Zhang, Ren-Cheng

2017-01-01

The characteristics of a series direct current (DC) arc-fault including both electrical and thermal parameters were investigated based on an arc-fault simulator to provide references for multi-parameter electrical fire detection method. Tests on arc fault behavior with three different initial circuit voltages, resistances and arc gaps were conducted, respectively. The influences of circuit conditions on arc dynamic image, voltage, current or power were interpreted. Also, the temperature rises of electrode surface and ambient air were studied. The results showed that, first, significant variations of arc structure and light emitting were observed under different conditions. A thin outer burning layer of vapor generated from electrodes with orange light was found due to the extremely high arc temperature. Second, with the increasing electrode gap in discharging, the arc power was shown to have a non monotonic relationship with arc length for constant initial circuit voltage and resistance. Finally, the temperature rises of electrode surface caused by heat transfer from arc were found to be not sensitive with increasing arc length due to special heat transfer mechanism. In addition, temperature of ambient air showed a large gradient in radial direction of arc.

The Effect of Flow Distribution on the Concentration of NO Produced by Pulsed Arc Discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Hui; Bao, Bin; Wang, Heli; Liang, Haiyan; He, Junjia; He, Zhenghao; Li, Jin

2007-12-01

As a new method to cure acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), high blood pressure and some illnesses related to the lung, NO has recently received more attention. Thermal plasmas produced by arc discharge can create medical NO, but the concentration of NO2 produced by arc discharge must be controlled simultaneously. This paper investigates the characteristics and regulations of NO production at different flow distribution by pulsed arc discharge in dry air with a special pulsed power. The experimental results show that the flow distribution has a considerable effect on the NO concentration, the stabilization of NO. The production of NO2 could be controlled and the ratio of NO2/NO was decreased to about 10% in the arc discharge. Therefore, the arc discharge could produce stable inhaled NO for medical treatment by changing the flow distribution.

Radiation Power as Function of Current in Wall-stabilized AC Arc of Water-cooled Vortex Type with Small Caliber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwao, Toru; Naito, Yuto; Shimizu, Yuta; Yamamoto, Shinji

2016-10-01

The problem of an emergency large-scale lighting with the high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp is the lack of radiation intensity because of inappropriate energy balance. Some researchers have researched that the radiation power depended on the arc temperature increases with increasing the current. However, the heat loss and the erosion of the electrode as well as the radiation power increases with increasing the current excessively. AC current replaces alternately the cathode and the anode. Thus, it is possible to avoid the concentration of the heat transfer to the anode. Moreover, the lamp efficiency decreases with increasing the current excessively because of ultra violet rays increment. It is necessary to control the temperature distribution with controlling the current and radius. In this paper, the radiation power as a function of the current in the wall-stabilized AC arc of water-cooled vortex type with small caliber was measured. As a result, the radiation power increased with increasing the current and appropriate wall radius. The radiation of AC arc is smaller than it of DC arc. And, the erosion of electrode decreases.

Threshold current for fireball generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dijkhuis, Geert C.

1982-05-01

Fireball generation from a high-intensity circuit breaker arc is interpreted here as a quantum-mechanical phenomenon caused by severe cooling of electrode material evaporating from contact surfaces. According to the proposed mechanism, quantum effects appear in the arc plasma when the radius of one magnetic flux quantum inside solid electrode material has shrunk to one London penetration length. A formula derived for the threshold discharge current preceding fireball generation is found compatible with data reported by Silberg. This formula predicts linear scaling of the threshold current with the circuit breaker's electrode radius and concentration of conduction electrons.

Arcing in space structures in low Earth orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Upschulte, B. L.; Marinelli, W. J.; Weyl, G.; Carleton, K. L.

1992-01-01

This report describes results of an experimental and theoretical program to investigate arcing of structures containing dielectric and conducting materials when they are biased negatively with respect to a plasma. An argon ion source generated Ar(+) ions of directed energy 20 to 40 eV and density approximately 10(exp 7) cm(exp -3) that impinged upon samples containing a dielectric material on top of a negatively biased Kovar plate. Arcing events were studied for bias voltages between -300 and -1000V with respect to the ion beam. The samples were Dow Corning 93-500 adhesive on Kovar, fused silica cover slips bonded on Kovar, and silicon solar cells mounted on Kovar. Measurements of discharge current, Kovar plate voltage, and radiation from the arc versus time were carried out. Microsecond duration exposure images and optical spectra in the 0.24 to 0.40 micron band were also acquired during arcing events. Arcing events were found to be associated with exposed adhesive and means were found to eliminate arcing altogether. The charging of a silica cover plate and the fields around the plate were calculated using a particle-in-cell code. Models were developed to explain the ignition of the arc and the physical processes occurring during the discharge.

Effects of arcing due to spacecraft charging on spacecraft survival

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosen, A.; Sanders, N. L.; Ellen, J. M., Jr.; Inouye, G. T.

1978-01-01

A quantitative assessment of the hazard associated with spacecraft charging and arcing on spacecraft systems is presented. A literature survey on arc discharge thresholds and characteristics was done and gaps in the data and requirements for additional experiments were identified. Calculations of coupling of arc discharges into typical spacecraft systems were made and the susceptibility of typical spacecraft to disruption by arc discharges was investigated. Design guidelines and recommended practices to reduce or eliminate the threat of malfunction and failures due to spacecraft charging/arcing were summarized.

Cold starting of fluorescent lamps - part II: experiments on glow times and electrode damaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, Reinhard; Paul, Irina; Hilscher, Achim; Horn, Siegfried; Tidecks, Reinhard

2017-01-01

In the present work we present experiments on cold start and the resulting electrode damaging (reducing lamp life) of AC driven fluorescent lamps. The crucial parameter is the glow time, determined from time resolved measurements of lamp voltage and current. The relation between the energy consumed during glow phase and the glow time is studied. It turns out that there is no common threshold of energy until the glow-to-arc transition takes place, but strong energy input into the lamp yields short glow times. The transient behaviour from the glow to the arc regime is investigated and the stable operation points of the arc discharge are determined, yielding an arc discharge voltage-current characteristics of the lamp type investigated. The electrode damage is investigated as a function of the open source voltage and the ballast resistance. Subsequent cold starts lead to an increase of the glow time due to electrode damaging, i.e., the electrode damage accumulates. Different regeneration procedures and their effectiveness are compared. Regeneration burning turns out to be more effective than heating up the electrode. A criterion for avoiding high electrode damage is obtained, indicating that the average power during glow time should exceed 20 W.

Development of circuit model for arcing on solar panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Bhoomi K.; Deshpande, S. P.; Mukherjee, S.; Gupta, S. B.; Ranjan, M.; Rane, R.; Vaghela, N.; Acharya, V.; Sudhakar, M.; Sankaran, M.; Suresh, E. P.

2010-02-01

The increased requirements of payload capacity of the satellites have resulted in much higher power requirements of the satellites. In order to minimize the energy loss during power transmission due to cable loss, use of high voltage solar panels becomes necessary. When a satellite encounters space plasma it floats negatively with respect to the surrounding space plasma environment. At high voltage, charging and discharging on solar panels causes the power system breakdown. Once a solar panel surface is charged and potential difference between surface insulator and conductor exceeds certain value, electrostatic discharge (ESD) may occur. This ESD may trigger a secondary arc that can destroy the solar panel circuit. ESD is also called as primary or minor arc and secondary is called major arc. The energy of minor arc is supplied by the charge stored in the coverglass of solar array and is a pulse of typically several 100 ns to several 100 μs duration. The damage caused by minor arc is less compared to major arcs, but it is observed that the minor arc is cause of major arc. Therefore it is important to develop an understanding of minor arc and mitigation techniques. In this paper we present a linear circuit analysis for minor arcs on solar panels. To study arcing event, a ground experimental facility to simulate space plasma environment has been developed at Facilitation Centre for Industrial Plasma Technologies (Institute for Plasma Research) in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organization's ISRO Satellite Technology Centre (ISAC). A linear circuit model has been developed to explain the experimental results by representing the coverglass, solar cell interconnect and wiring by an LCR circuit and the primary arc by an equivalent LR circuit. The aim of the circuit analysis is to predict the arc current which flows through the arc plasma. It is established from the model that the current depends on various parameters like potential difference between insulator and conductor, arc resistance, stored charge in the solar cell coverglass and the external capacitor that simulates wire harness. A close correlation between the experiments and circuit model results has been observed.

40 CFR 63.1652 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... be discharged into the atmosphere from any new or reconstructed submerged arc furnace exhaust gases...) Existing open submerged arc furnaces. No owner or operator shall cause to be discharged into the atmosphere... discharged into the atmosphere from any existing semi-sealed submerged arc furnace exhaust gases (including...

Production of atmospheric-pressure glow discharge in nitrogen using needle-array electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaki, K.; Hosokawa, M.; Sasaki, T.; Mukaigawa, S.; Fujiwara, T.

2005-04-01

An atmospheric pressure glow discharge was generated using a needle-array electrode in nitrogen, and the voltage-current characteristics of the glow discharge were obtained in a range from 1 mA to 60 A. A pulsed high voltage with short rise time under 10 ns was employed to generate streamer discharges simultaneously at all needle tips. The large number of streamer discharges prevented the glow-to-arc transition caused by inhomogeneous thermalization. Semiconductor opening switch diodes were employed as an opening switch to shorten the rise time. The glow voltage was almost constant until the discharge current became 0.3 A, whereas the voltage increased with the current higher than 0.3 A. Electron density and temperature in a positive column of the glow discharge at 60 A were obtained to 1.4×1012cm-3 and 1.3 eV from calculation based on nitrogen swarm data.

Production of fullerenes and single-wall carbon nanotubes by high-temperature pulsed arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugai, Toshiki; Omote, Hideki; Bandow, Shunji; Tanaka, Nobuo; Shinohara, Hisanori

2000-04-01

Fullerenes and single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been produced for the first time by the high-temperature pulsed arc-discharge technique, which has developed in this laboratory. Fullerenes are identified quantitatively by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations reveal a significant amount of production of bundles of SWNTs in soot. The pulse arc production of fullerenes and SWNTs favors the high-temperature (⩾1000 °C), long pulses (⩾1 ms) and a heavy rare gas such as Ar or Kr as a buffer gas. We have found that fullerenes and SWNTs have complementary relationships in their early stage of production. The details of the pulsed arc discharge have been obtained by observing the transition from the pulsed arc discharge to the steady arc discharge while increasing the pulse width.

Metal halide arc discharge lamp having short arc length

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muzeroll, Martin E. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A metal halide arc discharge lamp includes a sealed light-transmissive outer jacket, a light-transmissive shroud located within the outer jacket and an arc tube assembly located within the shroud. The arc tube assembly includes an arc tube, electrodes mounted within the arc tube and a fill material for supporting an arc discharge. The electrodes have a spacing such that an electric field in a range of about 60 to 95 volts per centimeter is established between the electrodes. The diameter of the arc tube and the spacing of the electrodes are selected to provide an arc having an arc diameter to arc length ratio in a range of about 1.6 to 1.8. The fill material includes mercury, sodium iodide, scandium tri-iodide and a rare gas, and may include lithium iodide. The lamp exhibits a high color rendering index, high lumen output and high color temperature.

Effect of turbulent flow on an atmospheric-pressure AC powered gliding arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Chengdong; Gao, Jinlong; Zhu, Jiajian; Ehn, Andreas; Aldén, Marcus; Li, Zhongshan

2018-06-01

A high-power gliding arc (GA) discharge was generated in a turbulent air flow driven by a 35 kHz alternating current electric power supply. The effects of the flow rate on the characteristics of the GA discharge were investigated using combined optical and electrical diagnostics. Phenomenologically, the GA discharge exhibits two types of discharge, i.e., glow type and spark type, depending on the flow rates and input powers. The glow-type discharge, which has peak currents of hundreds of milliamperes, is sustained at low flow rates. The spark-type discharge, which is characterized by a sharp current spike of several amperes with duration of less than 1 μs, occurs more frequently as the flow rate increases. Higher input power can suppress spark-type discharges in moderate turbulence, but this effect becomes weak under high turbulent conditions. Physically, the transition between glow- and spark-type is initiated by the short cutting events and the local re-ignition events. Short cutting events occur owing to the twisting, wrinkling, and stretching of the plasma columns that are governed by the relatively large vortexes in the flow. Local re-ignition events, which are defined as re-ignition along plasma columns, are detected in strong turbulence due to increment of the impedance of the plasma column and consequently the internal electric field strength. It is suggested that the vortexes with length scales smaller than the size of the plasma can penetrate into the plasma column and promote mixing with surroundings to accelerate the energy dissipation. Therefore, the turbulent flow influences the GA discharges by ruling the short cutting events with relatively large vortexes and the local re-ignition events with small vortexes.

Low pressure arc discharge lamp apparatus with magnetic field generating means

DOEpatents

Grossman, Mark W.; George, William A.; Maya, Jakob

1987-01-01

A low-pressure arc discharge apparatus having a magnetic field generating means for increasing the output of a discharge lamp is disclosed. The magnetic field generating means, which in one embodiment includes a plurality of permanent magnets, is disposed along the lamp for applying a constant transverse magnetic field over at least a portion of the positive discharge column produced in the arc discharge lamp operating at an ambient temperature greater than about 25.degree. C.

ION GUN

DOEpatents

Dandl, R.A.

1961-10-24

An ion gun is described for the production of an electrically neutral ionized plasma. The ion gun comprises an anode and a cathode mounted in concentric relationship with a narrow annulus between. The facing surfaces of the rear portions of the anode and cathode are recessed to form an annular manifold. Positioned within this manifold is an annular intermediate electrode aligned with the an nulus between the anode and cathode. Gas is fed to the manifold and an arc discharge is established between the anode and cathode. The gas is then withdrawn from the manifold through the annulus between the anode and cathode by a pressure differential. The gas is then ionized by the arc discharge across the annulus. The ionized gas is withdrawn from the annulus by the combined effects of the pressure differential and a collimating magnetic field. In a 3000 gauss magnetic field, an arc voltage of 1800 volts, and an arc current of 0.2 amp, a plasma of about 3 x 10/sup 11/ particles/cc is obtained. (AEC)

Synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotube from different grades of carbon black using arc discharge method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arora, Neha, E-mail: n4neha31@gmail.com; Sharma, N. N.; Director, School of Automobile, Mechanical & Mechatronics, Manipal University,Jaipur,India

2016-04-13

This paper describes the synthesis of nanotube from different grades (Tread * A(non-ASTM), N134,N121,N660 and N330)of carbon black using DC arc discharge method at 40A current for 60sec. Carbon black samples of different grades were procured from industry (Aditya Birla Science and Technology Limited, India). Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM) of the deposited carbon nanostructures suggests that MWCNTs are formed at 40A and for a minimal exposure time of 60sec.The result formed indicates the N330 grade of carbon black gets converted to MWCNTs (Multiwall Carbon nanotube) as compared to other grades.

Complex structure of the carbon arc discharge for synthesis of nanotubes

DOE PAGES

Vekselman, V.; Feurer, M.; Huang, T.; ...

2017-06-06

Comprehensive non-invasive spectroscopic techniques and electrical measurements of the carbon arc revealed two distinguishable plasma synthesis regions in the radial direction normal to the arc axis. These regions, which are defined as the arc core and the arc periphery, are shown to have very different compositions of carbon species with different densities and temperatures. The colder arc periphery is dominated by carbon diatomic molecules (C 2), which are in the minority in the composition of the hot arc core. These differences are due to a highly non-uniform distribution of the arc current, which is mainly conducted through the arc coremore » populated with carbon atoms and ions. Therefore, the ablation of the graphite anode is governed by the arc core, while the formation of carbon molecules occurs in the colder arc periphery. Furthermore, this result is consistent with previous predictions that the plasma environment in the arc periphery is suitable for synthesis of carbon nanotubes.« less

Complex structure of the carbon arc discharge for synthesis of nanotubes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vekselman, V.; Feurer, M.; Huang, T.

Comprehensive non-invasive spectroscopic techniques and electrical measurements of the carbon arc revealed two distinguishable plasma synthesis regions in the radial direction normal to the arc axis. These regions, which are defined as the arc core and the arc periphery, are shown to have very different compositions of carbon species with different densities and temperatures. The colder arc periphery is dominated by carbon diatomic molecules (C 2), which are in the minority in the composition of the hot arc core. These differences are due to a highly non-uniform distribution of the arc current, which is mainly conducted through the arc coremore » populated with carbon atoms and ions. Therefore, the ablation of the graphite anode is governed by the arc core, while the formation of carbon molecules occurs in the colder arc periphery. Furthermore, this result is consistent with previous predictions that the plasma environment in the arc periphery is suitable for synthesis of carbon nanotubes.« less

Welding Experiments of Aluminum Alloy by Space GHTA Welding at ISS Orbital Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suita, Yoshikazu; Takai, Daisuke; Sugiyama, Satoshi; Terajima, Noboru; Tsukuda, Yoshiyuki; Fujisawa, Shoichiro; Imagawa, Kichiro

As a feasible welding method in space, the authors previously proposed the space GHTA (Gas Hollow Tungsten Arc) welding process. However, space GHTA welding with a high-frequency device for arc start may cause electromagnetic noise problems for the computer equipment placed on the ISS (International Space Station). Therefore, in this report, welding experiments of space GHTA welding using aluminum alloy with a high-voltage DC device for arc start were carried out at the ISS orbital pressure, 10-5 Pa. It is clear from the experiments using a high-voltage DC device in a high-vacuum condition, that there is a shifting phenomenon in which the spark discharge shifts to either a glow discharge or an arc discharge when starting the arc. Welding projects in space need an arc discharge, so we investigated the effects of welding parameters on the arc formation ratio. As a result, space GHTA welding with a high-voltage DC device can be used for arc start when welding at the ISS orbital pressure.

High current DC negative ion source for cyclotron.

PubMed

Etoh, H; Onai, M; Aoki, Y; Mitsubori, H; Arakawa, Y; Sakuraba, J; Kato, T; Mitsumoto, T; Hiasa, T; Yajima, S; Shibata, T; Hatayama, A; Okumura, Y

2016-02-01

A filament driven multi-cusp negative ion source has been developed for proton cyclotrons in medical applications. In Cs-free operation, continuous H(-) beam of 10 mA and D(-) beam of 3.3 mA were obtained stably at an arc-discharge power of 3 kW and 2.4 kW, respectively. In Cs-seeded operation, H(-) beam current reached 22 mA at a lower arc power of 2.6 kW with less co-extracted electron current. The optimum gas flow rate, which gives the highest H(-) current, was 15 sccm in the Cs-free operation, while it decreased to 4 sccm in the Cs-seeded operation. The relationship between H(-) production and the design/operating parameters has been also investigated by a numerical study with KEIO-MARC code, which gives a reasonable explanation to the experimental results of the H(-) current dependence on the arc power.

Low pressure arc discharge lamp apparatus with magnetic field generating means

DOEpatents

Grossman, M.W.; George, W.A.; Maya, J.

1987-10-06

A low-pressure arc discharge apparatus having a magnetic field generating means for increasing the output of a discharge lamp is disclosed. The magnetic field generating means, which in one embodiment includes a plurality of permanent magnets, is disposed along the lamp for applying a constant transverse magnetic field over at least a portion of the positive discharge column produced in the arc discharge lamp operating at an ambient temperature greater than about 25 C. 3 figs.

Differential Inactivation of Fungal Spores in Water and on Seeds by Ozone and Arc Discharge Plasma

PubMed Central

Kang, Min Ho; Pengkit, Anchalee; Choi, Kihong; Jeon, Seong Sil; Choi, Hyo Won; Shin, Dong Bum; Choi, Eun Ha; Uhm, Han Sup; Park, Gyungsoon

2015-01-01

Seed sterilization is essential for preventing seed borne fungal diseases. Sterilization tools based on physical technologies have recently received much attention. However, available information is very limited in terms of efficiency, safety, and mode of action. In this study, we have examined antifungal activity of ozone and arc discharge plasma, potential tools for seed sterilization. In our results, ozone and arc discharge plasma have shown differential antifungal effects, depending on the environment associated with fungal spores (freely submerged in water or infected seeds). Ozone inactivates Fusarium fujikuroi (fungus causing rice bakanae disease) spores submerged in water more efficiently than arc discharge plasma. However, fungal spores associated with or infecting rice seeds are more effectively deactivated by arc discharge plasma. ROS generated in water by ozone may function as a powerful fungicidal factor. On the other hand, shockwave generated from arc discharge plasma may have greatly contributed to antifungal effects on fungus associated with rice seeds. In support of this notion, addition of ultrasonic wave in ozone generating water has greatly increased the efficiency of seed disinfection. PMID:26406468

Fabrication and dispersion evaluation of single-wall carbon nanotubes produced by FH-arc discharge method.

PubMed

Chen, B; Zhao, X; Inoue, S; Ando, Y

2010-06-01

In this work, we produced SWNTs by a hydrogen DC arc discharge with evaporation of carbon anode containing 1 at% Fe catalyst in H2-Ar mixture gas. This was named as FH-arc discharge method. The as-grown SWNTs synthesized by FH-arc discharge method have high crystallinity. An oxidation purification process of as-grown SWNTs with H2O2 has been developed to remove the coexisting Fe catalyst nanoparticles. As a result, SWNTs with purity higher than 90 at% have been achieved. To exhibit remarkable characteristics, CNTs should be separated from the bundles and kept in homogeneous and stable suspensions. For this purpose, the SWNTs prepared by FH-arc discharge method also have been treated by Nanomizer process with some surfactants. SPM images showed that the SWNTs bundles had become thinner and shorter.

Studies of Low-Current Back-Discharge in Point-Plane Geometry with Dielectric Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaworek, Anatol; Rajch, Eryk; Krupa, Andrzej; Czech, Tadeusz; Lackowski, Marcin

2006-01-01

The paper presents results of spectroscopic investigations of back-discharges generated in the point-plane electrode geometry in ambient air at atmospheric pressure, with the plane electrode covered with a dielectric layer. Fly ash from an electrostatic precipitator of a coal-fired power plant was used as the dielectric layer in these investigations. The discharges for positive and negative polarities of the needle electrode were studied by measuring optical emission spectra at two regions of the discharge: near the needle electrode and dielectric layer surface. The visual forms of the discharge were recorded and correlated with the current-voltage characteristics and optical emission spectra. The back-arc discharge was of particular interest in these studies due to its detrimental effects it causes in electrostatic precipitators.

INTENSE ENERGETIC GAS DISCHARGE

DOEpatents

Luce, J.S.

1960-03-01

A method and apparatus for initiating and sustaining an energetic gas arc discharge are described. A hollow cathode and a hollow anode are provided. By regulating the rate of gas flow into the interior of the cathode, the arc discharge is caused to run from the inner surface of the cathode with the result that adequate space-charge neutralization is provided inside the cathode but not in the main arc volume. Thus, the gas fed to the cathode is substantially completely ionized before it leaves the cathode, with the result that an energetic arc discharge can be maintained at lower operating pressures.

On Possible Arc Inception on Low Voltage Solar Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vayner, Boris

2015-01-01

Recent analysis of spacecraft failures during the period of 1990-2013 demonstrated clearly that electrostatic discharges caused more than 8 of all registered failures and anomalies, and comprised the most costly losses (25) for operating companies and agencies. The electrostatic discharges on spacecraft surfaces are the results of differential charging above some critical (threshold) voltages. The mechanisms of differential charging are well known, and various methods have been developed to prevent a generation of significant electric fields in areas of triple junctions. For example, low bus voltages in Low Earth Orbit plasma environment and slightly conducting layer over coverglass (ITO) in Geosynchronous Orbit surroundings are believed to be quite reliable measures to prevent discharges on respective surfaces. In most cases, the vulnerable elements of spacecraft (solar arrays, diode boards, etc.) go through comprehensive ground tests in vacuum chambers. However, tests articles contain the miniscule fragments of spacecraft components such as 10-30 solar cells of many thousands deployed on spacecraft in orbit. This is one reason why manufacturing defects may not be revealed in ground tests but expose themselves in arcing on array surface in space. The other reason for ineffectiveness of discharge preventive measures is aging of all materials in harsh orbital environments. The expected life time of modern spacecraft varies within the range of five-fifteen years, and thermal cycling, radiation damages, and mechanical stresses can result in surface erosion on conductive layers and microscopic cracks in coverglass sheets and adhesive films. These possible damages may cause significant increases in local electric field strengths and subsequent discharges. The primary discharges may or may not be detrimental to spacecraft operation, but they can produce the necessary conditions for sustained arcs initiation. Multiple measures were developed to prevent sustained discharges between adjacent strings, and many ground tests were performed to determine threshold parameters (voltage and current) for sustained arcs. And again, manufacturing defects and aging in space environments may result in considerable decrease of critical threshold parameters. This paper is devoted to the analysis of possible reasons behind arcing on spacecraft with low bus voltages.

On Possible Arc Inception on Low Voltage Solar Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vayner, Boris

2015-01-01

Recent analysis of spacecraft failures during the period of 1990-2013 demonstrated clearly that electrostatic discharges caused more than 8 percent of all registered failures and anomalies, and comprised the most costly losses (25 percent) for operating companies and agencies. The electrostatic discharges on spacecraft surfaces are the results of differential charging above some critical (threshold) voltages. The mechanisms of differential charging are well known, and various methods have been developed to prevent a generation of significant electric fields in areas of triple junctions. For example, low bus voltages in Low Earth Orbit plasma environment and slightly conducting layer over cover-glass (ITO) in Geosynchronous Orbit surroundings are believed to be quite reliable measures to prevent discharges on respective surfaces. In most cases, the vulnerable elements of spacecraft (solar arrays, diode boards, etc.) go through comprehensive ground tests in vacuum chambers. However, tests articles contain the miniscule fragments of spacecraft components such as 10-30 solar cells of many thousands deployed on spacecraft in orbit. This is one reason why manufacturing defects may not be revealed in ground tests but expose themselves in arcing on array surface in space. The other reason for ineffectiveness of discharge preventive measures is aging of all materials in harsh orbital environments. The expected life time of modern spacecraft varies within the range of five-fifteen years, and thermal cycling, radiation damages, and mechanical stresses can result in surface erosion on conductive layers and microscopic cracks in cover-glass sheets and adhesive films. These possible damages may cause significant increases in local electric field strengths and subsequent discharges. The primary discharges may or may not be detrimental to spacecraft operation, but they can produce the necessary conditions for sustained arcs initiation. Multiple measures were developed to prevent sustained discharges between adjacent strings, and many ground tests were performed to determine threshold parameters (voltage and current) for sustained arcs. And again, manufacturing defects and aging in space environments may result in considerable decrease of critical threshold parameters. This paper is devoted to the analysis of possible reasons behind arcing on spacecraft with low bus voltages.

Laser-assisted guiding of electric discharges around objects

PubMed Central

Clerici, Matteo; Hu, Yi; Lassonde, Philippe; Milián, Carles; Couairon, Arnaud; Christodoulides, Demetrios N.; Chen, Zhigang; Razzari, Luca; Vidal, François; Légaré, François; Faccio, Daniele; Morandotti, Roberto

2015-01-01

Electric breakdown in air occurs for electric fields exceeding 34 kV/cm and results in a large current surge that propagates along unpredictable trajectories. Guiding such currents across specific paths in a controllable manner could allow protection against lightning strikes and high-voltage capacitor discharges. Such capabilities can be used for delivering charge to specific targets, for electronic jamming, or for applications associated with electric welding and machining. We show that judiciously shaped laser radiation can be effectively used to manipulate the discharge along a complex path and to produce electric discharges that unfold along a predefined trajectory. Remarkably, such laser-induced arcing can even circumvent an object that completely occludes the line of sight. PMID:26601188

Portable rotating discharge plasma device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwyer, B. L.; Brooks, N. H.; Lee, R. L.

2011-10-01

We constructed two devices for the purpose of educational demonstration: a rotating tube containing media of two densities to demonstrate axial confinement and a similar device that uses pressure variation to convert a long plasma glow discharge into a long straight arc. In the first device, the buoyant force is countered by the centripetal force, which confines less dense materials to the center of the column. Similarly, a plasma arc heats the gas through which it passes, creating a hot gaseous bubble that is less dense than the surrounding medium. Rotating its containment envelope stabilizes this gas bubble in an analogous manner to an air bubble in a rotating tube of water. In addition to stabilization, the rotating discharge also exhibits a decrease in buoyancy-driven convection currents. This limits the power loss to the walls, which decreases the field strength requirement for maintaining the arc. These devices demonstrate principles of electrodynamics, plasma physics, and fluid mechanics. They are portable and safe for classroom use. Work supported by US DOE under DE-FC02-04ER54698 and the National Undergraduate Fellowship in Fusion Science and Engineering.

Experimental Investigation of Pulsed Nanosecond Streamer Discharges for CO2 Reforming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pachuilo, Michael; Levko, Dima; Raja, Laxminarayan; Varghese, Philip

2016-09-01

Rapid global industrialization has led to an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases, specifically carbon dioxide levels. Plasmas present a great potential for efficient reforming of greenhouse gases. There are several plasma discharges which have been reported for reforming process: dielectric barrier discharges (DBD), microwave discharges, and glide-arcs. Microwave discharges have CO2 conversion energy efficiency of up to 40% at atmospheric conditions, while glide-arcs have 43% and DBD 2-10%. In our study, we analyze a single nanosecond pulsed cathode directed streamer discharge in CO2 at atmospheric pressure and temperature. We have conducted time resolved imaging with spectral bandpass filters of a streamer discharge with an applied negative polarity pulse. The image sequences have been correlated to the applied voltage and current pulses. From the spectral filters we can determine where spatially and temporally excited species are formed. In this talk we report on spectroscopic studies of the discharge and estimate plasma properties such as temperature and density of excited species and electrons. Furthermore, we report on the effects of pulse polarity as well as anodic streamer discharges on the CO2 conversion efficiency. Finally, we will focus on the effects of vibrational excitation on carbon dioxide reforming efficiency for streamer discharges. Our experimental results will be compared with an accompanying plasma computational model studies.

Simultaneous synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene in a magnetically-enhanced arc plasma.

PubMed

Li, Jian; Shashurin, Alexey; Kundrapu, Madhusudhan; Keidar, Michael

2012-02-02

Carbon nanostructures such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and graphene attract a deluge of interest of scholars nowadays due to their very promising application for molecular sensors, field effect transistor and super thin and flexible electronic devices(1-4). Anodic arc discharge supported by the erosion of the anode material is one of the most practical and efficient methods, which can provide specific non-equilibrium processes and a high influx of carbon material to the developing structures at relatively higher temperature, and consequently the as-synthesized products have few structural defects and better crystallinity. To further improve the controllability and flexibility of the synthesis of carbon nanostructures in arc discharge, magnetic fields can be applied during the synthesis process according to the strong magnetic responses of arc plasmas. It was demonstrated that the magnetically-enhanced arc discharge can increase the average length of SWCNT (5), narrow the diameter distribution of metallic catalyst particles and carbon nanotubes (6), and change the ratio of metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes (7), as well as lead to graphene synthesis (8). Furthermore, it is worthwhile to remark that when we introduce a non-uniform magnetic field with the component normal to the current in arc, the Lorentz force along the J×B direction can generate the plasmas jet and make effective delivery of carbon ion particles and heat flux to samples. As a result, large-scale graphene flakes and high-purity single-walled carbon nanotubes were simultaneously generated by such new magnetically-enhanced anodic arc method. Arc imaging, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to analyze the characterization of carbon nanostructures. These findings indicate a wide spectrum of opportunities to manipulate with the properties of nanostructures produced in plasmas by means of controlling the arc conditions.

Simultaneous Synthesis of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene in a Magnetically-enhanced Arc Plasma

PubMed Central

Li, Jian; Shashurin, Alexey; Kundrapu, Madhusudhan; Keidar, Michael

2012-01-01

Carbon nanostructures such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and graphene attract a deluge of interest of scholars nowadays due to their very promising application for molecular sensors, field effect transistor and super thin and flexible electronic devices1-4. Anodic arc discharge supported by the erosion of the anode material is one of the most practical and efficient methods, which can provide specific non-equilibrium processes and a high influx of carbon material to the developing structures at relatively higher temperature, and consequently the as-synthesized products have few structural defects and better crystallinity. To further improve the controllability and flexibility of the synthesis of carbon nanostructures in arc discharge, magnetic fields can be applied during the synthesis process according to the strong magnetic responses of arc plasmas. It was demonstrated that the magnetically-enhanced arc discharge can increase the average length of SWCNT 5, narrow the diameter distribution of metallic catalyst particles and carbon nanotubes 6, and change the ratio of metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes 7, as well as lead to graphene synthesis 8. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to remark that when we introduce a non-uniform magnetic field with the component normal to the current in arc, the Lorentz force along the J×B direction can generate the plasmas jet and make effective delivery of carbon ion particles and heat flux to samples. As a result, large-scale graphene flakes and high-purity single-walled carbon nanotubes were simultaneously generated by such new magnetically-enhanced anodic arc method. Arc imaging, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to analyze the characterization of carbon nanostructures. These findings indicate a wide spectrum of opportunities to manipulate with the properties of nanostructures produced in plasmas by means of controlling the arc conditions. PMID:22330847

New Raman-peak at 1850 cm(-1) observed in multiwalled carbon nanotubes produced by hydrogen arc discharge.

PubMed

Chen, B; Kadowaki, Y; Inoue, S; Ohkohchi, M; Zhao, X; Ando, Y

2010-06-01

The new peak (near 1850 cm(-1)) assigned to carbon linear chain included in the centre of very thin innermost multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) has been verified by Raman spectroscopy. These MWNTs were produced by dc arc discharge of pure graphite rods in pure hydrogen gas and existed in the cathode deposit. In this paper, we clarified that the new Raman-peaks could also be observed in the cathode deposit including MWNTs produced by hydrogen dc arc discharge using graphite electrode with added Y or La. By changing the quantity of addition (Y or La), dc arc current and pressure of ambient hydrogen gas, the optimum condition to get maximum intensity of the new Raman-peaks was obtained. For the case of 1 wt% La, dc 50 A, H2 pressure of 50 Torr was found to be optimum, and the intensity of new Raman-peak was even higher than the G-band peak. For the case of 1 wt% Y, dc 50 A, H2 pressure of 50 Torr was optimum, but the intensity of new Raman-peak was weaker than the G-band peak. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that the crystallinity of MWNTs produced with pure graphite rod was better than those produced with added Y or La.

Electromagnetic radiation generated by arcing in low density plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vayner, Boris V.; Ferguson, Dale C.; Snyder, David B.; Doreswamy, C. V.

1996-01-01

An unavoidable step in the process of space exploration is to use high-power, very large spacecraft launched into Earth orbit. Obviously, the spacecraft will need powerful energy sources. Previous experience has shown that electrical discharges occur on the surfaces of a high-voltage array, and these discharges (arcs) are undesirable in many respects. Moreover, any high voltage conductor will interact with the surrounding plasma, and that interaction may result in electrical discharges between the conductor and plasma (or between two conductors with different potentials, for example, during docking and extravehicular activity). One very important aspect is the generation of electromagnetic radiation by arcing. To prevent the negative influence of electromagnetic noise on the operation of spacecraft systems, it seems necessary to determine the spectra and absolute levels of the radiation, and to determine limitations on the solar array bias voltage that depend on the parameters of LEO plasma and the technical requirements of the spacecraft equipment. This report describes the results of an experimental study and computer simulation of the electromagnetic radiation generated by arcing on spacecraft surfaces. A large set of high quality data was obtained during the Solar Array Module Plasma Interaction Experiment (SAMPIE, flight STS-62) and ground test. These data include the amplitudes of current, pulse forms, duration of each arc, and spectra of plasma waves. A theoretical explanation of the observed features is presented in this report too. The elaborated model allows us to determine the parameters of the electromagnetic noise for different frequency ranges, distances from the arcing site, and distinct kinds of plasma waves.

Non-Intrusive Magneto-Optic Detecting System for Investigations of Air Switching Arcs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Pengfei; Zhang, Guogang; Dong, Jinlong; Liu, Wanying; Geng, Yingsan

2014-07-01

In current investigations of electric arc plasmas, experiments based on modern testing technology play an important role. To enrich the testing methods and contribute to the understanding and grasping of the inherent mechanism of air switching arcs, in this paper, a non-intrusive detecting system is described that combines the magneto-optic imaging (MOI) technique with the solution to inverse electromagnetic problems. The detecting system works in a sequence of main steps as follows: MOI of the variation of the arc flux density over a plane, magnetic field information extracted from the magneto-optic (MO) images, arc current density distribution and spatial pattern reconstruction by inverting the resulting field data. Correspondingly, in the system, an MOI set-up is designed based on the Faraday effect and the polarization properties of light, and an intelligent inversion algorithm is proposed that involves simulated annealing (SA). Experiments were carried out for high current (2 kA RMS) discharge cases in a typical low-voltage switchgear. The results show that the MO detection system possesses the advantages of visualization, high resolution and response, and electrical insulation, which provides a novel diagnostics tool for further studies of the arc.

Magnetic dipole discharges. II. Cathode and anode spot discharges and probe diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stenzel, R. L.; Urrutia, J. M.; Ionita, C.; Schrittwieser, R.

2013-08-01

The high current regime of a magnetron-type discharge has been investigated. The discharge uses a permanent magnet as a cold cathode which emits secondary electrons while the chamber wall or a grounded electrode serves as the anode. As the discharge voltage is increased, the magnet develops cathode spots, which are short duration arcs that provide copious electrons to increase the discharge current dramatically. Short (1 μs), high current (200 A) and high voltage (750 V) discharge pulses are produced in a relaxation instability between the plasma and a charging capacitor. Spots are also observed on a negatively biased plane Langmuir probe. The probe current pulses are as large as those on the magnet, implying that the high discharge current does not depend on the cathode surface area but on the properties of the spots. The fast current pulses produce large inductive voltages, which can reverse the electrical polarity of the magnet and temporarily operate it as an anode. The discharge current may also oscillate at the frequency determined by the charging capacitor and the discharge circuit inductance. Each half cycle of high-current current pulses exhibits a fast (≃10 ns) current rise when a spot is formed. It induces high frequency (10-100 MHz) transients and ringing oscillations in probes and current circuits. Most probes behave like unmatched antennas for the electromagnetic pulses of spot discharges. Examples are shown to distinguish the source of oscillations and some rf characteristics of Langmuir probes.

Comparative study on interactions between laser and arc plasma during laser-GTA welding and laser-GMA welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Minghua; Xu, Jiannan; Xin, Lijun; Zhao, Zuofu; Wu, Fufa

2016-10-01

This paper describes an investigation on differences in interactions between laser and arc plasma during laser-gas tungsten arc (LT) welding and laser-gas metal arc (LM) welding. The characteristics of LT heat source and LM heat source, such as plasma behavior, heat penetration ability and spectral information were comparably studied. Based on the plasma discharge theory, the interactions during plasma discharge were modeled and analyzed. Results show that in both LT and LM welding, coupling discharge between the laser keyhole plasma and arc happens, which strongly enhance the arc. But, the enhancing effect in LT welding is much more sensitive than that in LM welding when parameters are adjusted.

Results Of Insulation Resistance Between Solar Cell String Gaps Without RTV Adhesive Grout After Electrostatic Discharge Tests With Cover Glass Flashover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Bao; Wong, Frankie; Redick, Tod; Masui, Hirokazu; Endo, Taishi; Toyoda, Kazuhiro; Cho, Mengu

2011-10-01

A series of electrostatic discharge (ESD) tests was performed on solar array test coupons consisting of Advanced Triple Junction InGaP2/InGaAs/Ge solar cells. The motivation for these tests was to evaluate the effects of ESD on solar array design without room temperature vulcanized (RTV) adhesive grout between the string-to-string parallel gaps. To investigate the threshold of permanently sustained secondary arcs, various combinations of gap width, load voltage and string current were tested in a vacuum chamber equipped with an electron beam gun. This ESD test program included the ESD test circuit with simulated panel coverglass flashover. Although ESD events did not result in permanent sustained arcs, the insulation resistance between strings was found to decrease as the number of secondary arcs accumulated in the gap.

Effect of Si on DC arc plasma generation from Al-Cr and Al-Cr-Si cathodes used in oxygen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhirkov, I.; Landälv, L.; Göthelid, E.; Ahlgren, M.; Eklund, P.; Rosen, J.

2017-02-01

Al2O3 alloyed with Cr is an important material for the tooling industry. It can be synthesized from an arc discharge using Al-Cr cathodes in an oxygen atmosphere. Due to formation of Al-rich oxide islands on the cathode surface, the arc process stability is highly sensitive to oxygen pressure. For improved stability, the use of Al0.70Cr0.25Si0.05 cathodes has previously been suggested, where Si may reduce island formation. Here, we have investigated the effect of Si by comparing plasma generation and thin film deposition from Al0.7Cr0.3 and Al0.7Cr0.25Si0.05 cathodes. Plasma ion composition, ion energies, ion charge states, neutral species, droplet formation, and film composition have been characterized at different O2 flow rates for arc currents of 60 and 90 A. Si and related compounds are detected in plasma ions and in plasma neutrals. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis show that the cathode composition and the film composition are the same, with Si present in droplets as well. The effect of Si on the process stability, ion energies, and ion charge states is found to be negligible compared to that of the arc current. The latter is identified as the most relevant parameter for tuning the properties of the reactive discharge. The present work increases the fundamental understanding of plasma generation in a reactive atmosphere, and provides input for the choice of cathode composition and process parameters in reactive DC arc synthesis.

Note: Triggering behavior of a vacuum arc plasma source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lan, C. H., E-mail: lanchaohui@163.com; Long, J. D.; Zheng, L.

2016-08-15

Axial symmetry of discharge is very important for application of vacuum arc plasma. It is discovered that the triggering method is a significant factor that would influence the symmetry of arc discharge at the final stable stage. Using high-speed multiframe photography, the transition processes from cathode-trigger discharge to cathode-anode discharge were observed. It is shown that the performances of the two triggering methods investigated are quite different. Arc discharge triggered by independent electric source can be stabilized at the center of anode grid, but it is difficult to achieve such good symmetry through resistance triggering. It is also found thatmore » the triggering process is highly correlated to the behavior of emitted electrons.« less

SHEET PLASMA DEVICE

DOEpatents

Henderson, O.A.

1962-07-17

An ion-electron plasma heating apparatus of the pinch tube class was developed wherein a plasma is formed by an intense arc discharge through a gas and is radially constricted by the magnetic field of the discharge. To avoid kink and interchange instabilities which can disrupt a conventional arc shortiy after it is formed, the apparatus is a pinch tube with a flat configuration for forming a sheet of plasma between two conductive plates disposed parallel and adjacent to the plasma sheet. Kink instabilities are suppressed by image currents induced in the conductive plates while the interchange instabilities are neutrally stable because of the flat plasma configuration wherein such instabilities may occur but do not dynamically increase in amplitude. (AEC)

Electrical and hydrodynamic characterization of a high current pulsed arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sousa Martins, R.; Chemartin, L.; Zaepffel, C.; Lalande, Ph; Soufiani, A.

2016-05-01

High current pulsed arcs are of significant industrial interest and, aiming to reduce time and cost, there is progressively more and more need for computation tools that describe and predict the behaviour of these arcs. These simulation codes need inputs and validations by experimental databases, but accurate data is missing for this category of electric discharges. The principal lack of understanding is with respect to the transient phase of the current, which can reach thousands of amperes in a few microseconds. In this paper, we present the work realized on an experimental setup that simulates in the laboratory an arc column subjected to five levels of high pulsed current, ranging from 10 kA to 100 kA, with the last one corresponding to the standard lightning current waveform used in aircraft certification processes. This device was instrumented by high speed video cameras to assess the characteristic sizes of the arc channel and to characterize the shock wave generated by the arc expansion. The arc channel radius was measured over time during the axisymmetric phase and reached 3.2 cm. The position and velocity of the shock wave was determined during the first 140 μs. The background-oriented schlieren method was used to study the shock wave and a model for the light deflection inside the shock wave was developed. The mass density profile of the shock wave was estimated and showed good agreement with Rankine-Hugoniot relations at the wave front. Electrical measurements were also used to estimate the time-dependent resistance and conductivity of the arc for times lasting up to 50 μs.

Electrostatic Discharge Properties of Irradiated Nanocomposites

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

47 24. Example Plot of Mean Current vs . Voltage Difference Curves ..................................48 25...across dielectric surfaces and prevent ESD arcing to very high voltage differentials (Figure 2) [7]. All of these drastic alterations in material...structure currents (3) Area thickness and dielectric strength of the material (4) Total charge involved in the event (5) Breakdown voltage (6) Current

Modeling of inhomogeneous mixing of plasma species in argon-steam arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeništa, J.; Takana, H.; Uehara, S.; Nishiyama, H.; Bartlová, M.; Aubrecht, V.; Murphy, A. B.

2018-01-01

This paper presents numerical simulation of mixing of argon- and water-plasma species in an argon-steam arc discharge generated in a thermal plasma generator with the combined stabilization of arc by axial gas flow (argon) and water vortex. The diffusion of plasma species itself is described by the combined diffusion coefficients method in which the coefficients describe the diffusion of argon ‘gas,’ with respect to water vapor ‘gas.’ Diffusion processes due to the gradients of mass density, temperature, pressure, and an electric field have been considered in the model. Calculations for currents 150-400 A with 15-22.5 standard liters per minute (slm) of argon reveal inhomogeneous mixing of argon and oxygen-hydrogen species with the argon species prevailing near the arc axis. All the combined diffusion coefficients exhibit highly nonlinear distribution of their values within the discharge, depending on the temperature, pressure, and argon mass fraction of the plasma. The argon diffusion mass flux is driven mainly by the concentration and temperature space gradients. Diffusions due to pressure gradients and due to the electric field are of about 1 order lower. Comparison with our former calculations based on the homogeneous mixing assumption shows differences in temperature, enthalpy, radiation losses, arc efficiency, and velocity at 400 A. Comparison with available experiments exhibits very good qualitative and quantitative agreement for the radial temperature and velocity profiles 2 mm downstream of the exit nozzle.

Formation of Sn-M (M=Fe, Al, Ni) alloy nanoparticles by DC arc-discharge and their electrochemical properties as anodes for Li-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Song; Huang, Hao; Wu, Aimin; Yu, Jieyi; Gao, Jian; Dong, Xinglong; Liu, Chunjing; Cao, Guozhong

2016-10-01

A direct current arc-discharge method was applied to prepare the Sn-M (M=Fe, Al, Ni) bi-alloy nanoparticles. Thermodynamic is introduced to analyze the energy circumstances for the formation of the nanoparticles during the physical condensation process. The electrochemical properties of as-prepared Sn-M alloy nanoparticles are systematically investigated as anodes of Li-ion batteries. Among them, Sn-Fe nanoparticles electrode exhibits high Coulomb efficiency (about 71.2%) in the initial charge/discharge (257.9 mA h g-1/366.6 mA h g-1) and optimal cycle stability (a specific reversible capacity of 240 mA h g-1 maintained after 20 cycles) compared with others. Large differences in the electrochemical behaviors indicate that the chemical composition and microstructure of the nanoparticles determine the lithium-ion storage properties and the long-term cyclic stability during the charge/discharge process.

Behavior of Combined Dielectric-Metallic Systems in a Charged Particle Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gordon, W. L.; Hoffman, R. W.

1984-01-01

The charging and discharging characteristics of an electrically isolated solar array segment were studied in order to simulate discharges seen during geomagnetic substorms. A solar array segment was floated while bombarded with monoenergetic electrons at various angles of incidence. The potentials of the array surface and of the interconnects were monitored using Trek voltage probes to maintain electrical isolation. A back plate was capacitively coupled to the array to provide information on the characteristics of the transients accompanying the discharges. Several modes of discharging of the array were observed at relatively low differential and absolute potentials (a few kilovolts). A relatively slow discharge response in the array was observed, discharging over one second with currents of nanoamps. Two types of faster discharges were also seen which lasted a few hundredths of a millisecond and with currents on the order of microamps. Some results indicate an electron emission process associated with the arcs.

Characterization of Ni ferrites powders prepared by plasma arc discharge process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safari, A.; Gheisari, Kh.; Farbod, M.

2017-01-01

The aim of this work was to synthesize a single-phase spinel structure from a mixture of zinc, iron and nickel powders by plasma arc discharge method. A mixture of zinc, iron and nickel powders with the appropriate molar ratio was prepared and formed into a cylindrical shape. The synthesis process was performed in air, oxygen and argon atmospheres with the applied arc current of 400 A and pressure of 1 atm. After establishing an arc between the electrodes, the produced powders were collected and their structure and magnetic properties were examined by XRD and VSM, respectively. ZnO as an impurity was appeared in the as-produced powders owing to the high reactivity of zinc atoms, preventing the formation of Ni-Zn ferrite. A pure spinel structure with the highest saturation magnetization (43.8 emu/g) was observed as zinc powders removed completely from the initial mixture. Morphological evaluations using field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that the mean size of fabricated nanoparticles was in the range 100-200 nm and was dependent on the production conditions.

Cathode degradation and erosion in high pressure arc discharges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardy, T. L.; Nakanishi, S.

1984-01-01

The various processes which control cathode erosion and degradation were identified and evaluated. A direct current arc discharge was established between electrodes in a pressure-controlled gas flow environment. The cathode holder was designed for easy testing of various cathode materials. The anode was a water cooled copper collector electrode. The arc was powered by a dc power supply with current and voltage regulated cross-over control. Nitrogen and argon were used as propellants and the materials used were two percent thoriated tungsten, barium oxide impregnated porous tungsten, pure tungsten and lanthanum hexaboride. The configurations used were cylindrical solid rods, wire bundles supported by hollow molybdenum tubes, cylindrical hollow tubes, and hollow cathodes of the type used in ion thrusters. The results of the mass loss tests in nitrogen indicated that pure tungsten eroded at a rate more than 10 times faster than the rates of the impregnated tungsten materials. It was found that oxygen impurities of less than 0.5 percent in the nitrogen increased the mass loss rate by a factor of 4 over high purity nitrogen. At power levels less than 1 kW, cathode size and current level did not significantly affect the mass loss rate. The hollow cathode was found to be operable in argon and in nitrogen only at pressures below 400 and 200 torr, respectively.

Double-ended metal halide arc discharge lamp with electrically isolated containment shroud

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muzeroll, Martin M. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A double-ended arc discharge lamp includes a sealed, light-transmissive outer jacket, a light-transmissive shroud mounted within the outer jacket and directly supported by the outer jacket, and an arc discharge tube mounted within the shroud. The arc tube is typically a metal halide arc discharge tube. In a preferred embodiment, the shroud includes an outwardly flared portion at each end. The outwardly flared portions space the shroud from the outer jacket and support the shroud within the outer jacket. The outwardly flared portions of the shroud can be affixed to the outer jacket by fusing. The outer jacket can be provided with inwardly extending dimples for locating the shroud with respect to the outer jacket. In another embodiment, the outer jacket includes reduced diameter portions near each end which are attached to the shroud.

Commutation circuit for an HVDC circuit breaker

DOEpatents

Premerlani, William J.

1981-01-01

A commutation circuit for a high voltage DC circuit breaker incorporates a resistor capacitor combination and a charging circuit connected to the main breaker, such that a commutating capacitor is discharged in opposition to the load current to force the current in an arc after breaker opening to zero to facilitate arc interruption. In a particular embodiment, a normally open commutating circuit is connected across the contacts of a main DC circuit breaker to absorb the inductive system energy trapped by breaker opening and to limit recovery voltages to a level tolerable by the commutating circuit components.

Commutation circuit for an HVDC circuit breaker

DOEpatents

Premerlani, W.J.

1981-11-10

A commutation circuit for a high voltage DC circuit breaker incorporates a resistor capacitor combination and a charging circuit connected to the main breaker, such that a commutating capacitor is discharged in opposition to the load current to force the current in an arc after breaker opening to zero to facilitate arc interruption. In a particular embodiment, a normally open commutating circuit is connected across the contacts of a main DC circuit breaker to absorb the inductive system energy trapped by breaker opening and to limit recovery voltages to a level tolerable by the commutating circuit components. 13 figs.

Nonthermal Biological Treatments Using Discharge Plasma Produced by Pulsed Power 6. Production of NO Using Pulsed Arc Discharges and Its Medical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namihira, Takao; Katsuki, Sunao; Akiyama, Hidenori; Okamoto, Kazufumi

Nitric monoxide (NO) is increasingly being used in medical applications. Current applications use a gas cylinder of N2 mixed with a high concentration of NO. This arrangement is potentially dangerous, given the possibility of an accidental leak of NO from the cylinder. The presence of NO in air leads to the formation of nitric dioxide (NO2), which is toxic to the lungs. Therefore on-site generation of NO would be very desirable to treat patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and other related illnesses. Recently, pure NO was generated using a pulsed arc discharge in dry air with an NO2-NO converter and charcoal. The concentration of NO was easily controlled by controlling pulse repetition rate and gas flow rate. This system is already under investigation in an animal experiment.

Scaling laws and edge effects for polymer surface discharges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balmain, K. G.

1979-01-01

Specimens of Mylar sheet were exposed to a 20 kV electron beam. The resulting surface discharge arcs were photographed and the discharge current into a metal backing plate measured as a function of time. The area of the Mylar sheet was defined by a round aperture in a close-fitting metal mask, and the current pulse characteristics were plotted against area on log-log paper. The plots appear as straight lines (due to power-law behavior) with slopes of 0.50 for the peak current, 1.00 for the charge released, 1.49 for the energy and 0.55 for the pulse duration. Evidence is presented for the occurrence of banded charge distributions near grounded edges, on both Teflon and Mylar.

High current DC negative ion source for cyclotron

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Etoh, H., E-mail: Hrh-Etoh@shi.co.jp; Aoki, Y.; Mitsubori, H.

2016-02-15

A filament driven multi-cusp negative ion source has been developed for proton cyclotrons in medical applications. In Cs-free operation, continuous H{sup −} beam of 10 mA and D{sup −} beam of 3.3 mA were obtained stably at an arc-discharge power of 3 kW and 2.4 kW, respectively. In Cs-seeded operation, H{sup −} beam current reached 22 mA at a lower arc power of 2.6 kW with less co-extracted electron current. The optimum gas flow rate, which gives the highest H{sup −} current, was 15 sccm in the Cs-free operation, while it decreased to 4 sccm in the Cs-seeded operation. Themore » relationship between H{sup −} production and the design/operating parameters has been also investigated by a numerical study with KEIO-MARC code, which gives a reasonable explanation to the experimental results of the H{sup −} current dependence on the arc power.« less

Generation of uniform low-temperature plasma in a pulsed non-self-sustained glow discharge with a large-area hollow cathode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akhmadeev, Yu. H.; Denisov, V. V., E-mail: volodyadenisov@yandex.ru; Koval, N. N.

Generation of plasma in a pulsed non-self-sustained glow discharge with a hollow cathode with an area of ≥2 m{sup 2} at gas pressures of 0.4–1 Pa was studied experimentally. At an auxiliary arc-discharge current of 100 A and a main discharge voltage of 240 V, a pulse-periodic glow discharge with a current amplitude of 370 A, pulse duration of 340 μs, and repetition rate of 1 kHz was obtained. The possibility of creating a uniform gas-discharge plasma with a density of up to 10{sup 12} cm{sup −3} and an electron temperature of 1 eV in a volume of >0.2 m{supmore » 3} was demonstrated. Such plasma can be efficiently used to treat material surfaces and generate pulsed ion beams with a current density of up to 15 mA/cm{sup 2}.« less

Glow-to-arc transition in plasma-assisted combustion at 100 MPa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsson, A.; Andreasson, S.

2015-04-01

Electric energy can be added to the combustion of solid propellants in a gun in order to augment and to control parts of the internal ballistic cycle of the launch of a projectile. The pressure in the chamber and bore during launch is typically several hundred megapascal and the electric energy must be delivered to the flame at such a pressure level. To increase the understanding of the interaction between a flame and an electrical discharge at elevated pressure, experiments have been performed at 100 MPa in a combustion chamber where electric current has been conducted through the flame of a solid propellant. Pressure, voltage and current have been measured. The measured signals have been analysed and interpreted. The sequence of events has been interpreted as an initial formation of a glow-like discharge in the flame followed by a discharge mode transition to a filamentary arc discharge. The transition is shown to be dependent on the flame conductivity. For the test propellant used (Nzk5230 doped with 5% potassium nitrate), the flame conductivity is calculated to be 0.84 S m-1 and the discharge mode transition is found to occur after a dissipation of 0.2-0.4 kJ, or 11-22 kJ m-1 of electric energy, at an electric power of 0.1-0.5 MW.

Decomposition of naphthalene by dc gliding arc gas discharge.

PubMed

Yu, Liang; Li, Xiaodong; Tu, Xin; Wang, Yu; Lu, Shengyong; Yan, Jianhua

2010-01-14

Gliding arc discharge has been proved to be effective in treatment of gas and liquid contaminants. In this study, physical characteristics of dc gliding arc discharge and its application to naphthalene destruction are investigated with different external resistances and carrier gases. The decomposition rate increases with increasing of oxygen concentration and decreases with external resistance. This value can be achieved up to 92.3% at the external resistance of 50 kOmega in the oxygen discharge, while the highest destruction energy efficiency reaches 3.6 g (kW h)(-1) with the external resistance of 93 kOmega. Possible reaction pathways and degradation mechanisms in the plasma with different gases are proposed by qualitative analysis of postdestructed products. In the air and oxygen gliding arc discharges, the naphthalene degradation is mainly governed by reactions with oxygen-derived radicals.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING IONS OF VAPORIZABLE MATERIALS

DOEpatents

Starr, C.

1957-11-19

This patent relates to electronic discharge devices used as ion sources, and in particular describes an ion source for application in a calutron. The source utilizes two cathodes disposed at opposite ends of a longitudinal opening in an arc block fed with vaporized material. A magnetic field is provided parallel to the length of the arc block opening. The electrons from the cathodes are directed through slits in collimating electrodes into the arc block parallel to the magnetic field and cause an arc discharge to occur between the cathodes, as the arc block and collimating electrodes are at a positive potential with respect to the cathode. The ions are withdrawn by suitable electrodes disposed opposite the arc block opening. When such an ion source is used in a calutron, an arc discharge of increased length may be utilized, thereby increasing the efficiency and economy of operation.

Optical and structural properties of colloidal zirconia nanoparticles prepared by arc discharge in liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peymani forooshani, Reza; Poursalehi, Reza; Yourdkhani, Amin

2018-01-01

Zirconia is one of the important ceramic materials with unique properties such as high melting point, high ionic conductivity, high mechanical properties and low thermal conductivity. Therefore, zirconia is one of the useful materials in refractories, thermal barriers, cutting tools, oxygen sensors electrolytes, catalysis, catalyst supports and solid oxide fuel cells. Recently, direct current (DC) arc discharge is extensively employed to synthesis of metal oxide nanostructures in liquid environments. The aim of this work is the synthesis of colloidal zirconia nanoparticles by DC arc discharge method in water as a medium. Arc discharge was ignited between two pure zirconium electrodes in water. Optical and structural properties of prepared colloidal nanoparticles were investigated. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and UV-visible spectroscopy, were employed for characterization of particle size, morphology, crystal structure and optical properties, respectively. SEM images demonstrate that the nanoparticles are spherical in shape with an average size lower than 38 nm. The XRD patterns of the nanoparticles were consistent with tetragonal and monoclinic zirconia crystal structures. The optical transmission spectra of the colloidal solution show optical characteristic of zirconia nanoparticles as a wide band gap semiconductor with no absorption peak in visible wavelength with the considerable amount of oxygen deficiency. Oxidation of colloidal nanoparticles in water could be explained via reaction with either dissociated oxygen from water in hot plasma region or with dissolved oxygen in water. The results provide a simple and flexible method for preparation of zirconia nanoparticles with a capability of mass production without environmental footprints.

Carbon Nano-particle Synthesized by Pulsed Arc Discharge Method as a Light Emitting Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadi, Ramin; Ahmadi, Mohamad Taghi; Ismail, Razali

2018-07-01

Owing to the specific properties such as high mobility, ballistic carrier transport and light emission, carbon nano-particles (CNPs) have been employed in nanotechnology applications. In the presented work, the CNPs are synthesized by using the pulsed arc discharge method between two copper electrodes. The rectifying behaviour of produced CNPs is explored by assuming an Ohmic contact between the CNPs and the electrodes. The synthesized sample is characterized by electrical investigation and modelling. The current-voltage ( I- V) relationship is investigated and bright visible light emission from the produced CNPs was measured. The electroluminescence (EL) intensity was explored by changing the distance between two electrodes. An incremental behaviour on EL by a resistance gradient and distance reduction is identified.

Carbon Nano-particle Synthesized by Pulsed Arc Discharge Method as a Light Emitting Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadi, Ramin; Ahmadi, Mohamad Taghi; Ismail, Razali

2018-04-01

Owing to the specific properties such as high mobility, ballistic carrier transport and light emission, carbon nano-particles (CNPs) have been employed in nanotechnology applications. In the presented work, the CNPs are synthesized by using the pulsed arc discharge method between two copper electrodes. The rectifying behaviour of produced CNPs is explored by assuming an Ohmic contact between the CNPs and the electrodes. The synthesized sample is characterized by electrical investigation and modelling. The current-voltage (I-V) relationship is investigated and bright visible light emission from the produced CNPs was measured. The electroluminescence (EL) intensity was explored by changing the distance between two electrodes. An incremental behaviour on EL by a resistance gradient and distance reduction is identified.

Crystal structure and electrochemical characteristics of non-AB 5 type La-Ni system alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Siqi; Ouyang, Chuying; Lei, Minsheng

The La-Ni system compounds have been prepared by arc-melting method under Ar atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the as-prepared alloys consist of different phases. The electrochemical properties, including activation, maximum discharge capacity, high rate chargeability (HRC), and high rate dischargeability (HRD) of these alloy electrodes have been studied through the charge-discharge recycle testing at different temperatures and charge (or discharge) currents. Among the La-Ni alloy electrodes studied, LaNi 2.28 alloy has the most excellent high rate charging performance, and La 2Ni 7 alloy exhibit the highest high rate dischargeability, while La 7Ni 3 alloy is capable of discharging at low temperature.

Theoretical and experimental investigation into high current hollow cathode arc attachment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downey, Ryan T.

This research addresses several concerns of the mechanisms controlling performance and lifetime of high-current single-channel-hollow-cathodes, the central electrode and primary life-limiting component in Magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. Specifically covered are the trends, and the theorized governing mechanisms, seen in the discharge efficiency and power, the size of the plasma attachment to the cathode (the active zone), cathode exit plume plasma density and energy, along with plasma property distributions of the internal plasma column (the IPC) of a single-channel-hollow-cathode. Both experiment and computational modeling were employed in the analysis of the cathodes. Employing Tantalum and Tungsten cathodes (of 2, 6 and 10 mm inner diameter), experiments were conducted to measure the temperature profile of operating cathodes, the width of the active zone, the discharge voltage, power, plasma arc resistance and efficiency, with mass flow rates of 50 to 300 sccm of Argon, and discharge currents of 15 to 50 Amps. Langmuir probing was used to obtain measurements for the electron temperature, plasma density and plasma potential at the cathode exit plane (down stream tip). A computational model was developed to predict the distribution of plasma inside the cathode, based upon experimentally determined boundary conditions. It was determined that the peak cathode temperature is a function of both interior cathode density and discharge current, though the location of the peak temperature is controlled gas density but not discharge current. The active zone width was found to be an increasing function of the discharge current, but a decreasing function of the mass flow rate. The width of the active zone was found to not be controlled by the magnitude of the peak cathode wall temperature. The discharge power consumed per unit of mass throughput is seen as a decreasing function of the mass flow rate, showing the increasing efficiency of the cathode. Finally, this new understanding of the mechanisms of the plasma attachment phenomena of a single-channel-hollow-cathode were extrapolated to the multi-channel-hollow-cathode environment, to explain performance characteristics of these devices seen in previous research.

A Comparative Study of the Dispersion of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Made by Arc-Discharge and Chemical Vapour Deposition.

PubMed

Frømyr, Tomas-Roll; Bourgeaux-Goget, Marie; Hansen, Finn Knut

2015-05-01

A method has been developed to characterize the dispersion of multi-wall carbon nanotubes in water using a disc centrifuge for the detection of individual carbon nanotubes, residual aggregates, and contaminants. Carbon nanotubes produced by arc-discharge have been measured and compared with carbon nanotubes produced by chemical vapour deposition. Studies performed on both pristine (see text) arc-discharge nanotubes is rather strong and that high ultra-sound intensity is required to achieve complete dispersion of carbon nanotube bundles. The logarithm of the mode of the particle size distribution of the arc-discharge carbon nanotubes was found to be a linear function of the logarithm of the total ultrasonic energy input in the dispersion process.

A theoretical analysis of vacuum arc thruster performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polk, James E.; Sekerak, Mike; Ziemer, John K.; Schein, Jochen; Qi, Niansheng; Binder, Robert; Anders, Andre

2001-01-01

In vacuum arc discharges the current is conducted through vapor evaporated from the cathode surface. In these devices very dense, highly ionized plasmas can be created from any metallic or conducting solid used as the cathode. This paper describes theoretical models of performance for several thruster configurations which use vacuum arc plasma sources. This analysis suggests that thrusters using vacuum arc sources can be operated efficiently with a range of propellant options that gives great flexibility in specific impulse. In addition, the efficiency of plasma production in these devices appears to be largely independent of scale because the metal vapor is ionized within a few microns of the cathode electron emission sites, so this approach is well-suited for micropropulsion.

A 60 mA DC H- multi cusp ion source developed at TRIUMF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayamanna, K.; Ames, F.; Bylinskii, I.; Lovera, M.; Minato, B.

2018-07-01

This paper describes the latest high-current multi cusp type ion source developed at TRIUMF, which is capable of producing a negative hydrogen ion beam (H-) of 60 mA of direct current at 140V and 90A arc. The results achieved to date including emittance measurements and filament lifetime issues are presented. The low current version of this ion source is suitable for medical cyclotrons as well as accelerators and the high current version is intended for producing large neutral hydrogen beams for fusion research. The description of the source magnetic configuration, the electron filter profile and the differential pumping techniques given in the paper will allow the building of an arc discharge H- ion source with similar properties.

Modeling and Simulation of Ablation-Controlled Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundrapu, Madhusudhan N.

Ablation and plasma formation in high energy laser target interactions and arc discharges are studied numerically. Each of the two processes is modeled separately due to the type of energy source and the resulting flow eld. Ablation of the target material and plasma formation are coupled to obtain evaporation rate, temperature distribution, velocity eld, and species concentration self-consistently. Laser ablation is studied in the perspective of directed energy applications, where beam size varies from few centimeters to tens of centimeters with energies extending up to 10 kW/cm2. Because of this high energy deposition, the evaporated material expands to supersonic speeds into the free space. Due to the large spot sizes and associated supersonic flow, one dimensional Euler equations are considered to be sufficient for modeling the plume. Instead, more emphasis was given to evaporation model, by introducing Knudsen layer kinetics at the plume target interface, and plasma shielding. The evaporation rate is validated with results from the experiments and simulations are carried out to nd the in fluence of laser beam frequency on evaporation rates. The evaporation model used in this work is found to be more accurate than the widely used model based on sonic speed assumption. The optimum beam wavelength for Al surfaces is found to be 850 nm. Attenuation of telemetry data by plasma is a concern for the testing of directed energy systems. Electrostatic approach for the mitigation of communication attenuation is analyzed to obtain the fluency limits up to which the approach can be implemented. It is found from sheath calculations that uninterrupted telemetry can be achieved through Al plasma for fluences below 4 J/cm2 at a background pressure of 1 atm, using a maximum bias voltage of 10 kV . Arc discharge ablation is modeled for the synthesis of nanoparticles. The electric arc generated between the electrodes, placed inside a Helium chamber, evaporates the catalyst-lled carbon anode to form a web of nanoparticles. Conservative form of Navier-Stokes equations along with energy equation and species transport are solved in cylindrical coordinates using SIMPLER algorithm. Current continuity in electric potential form is solved to obtain the potential distribution. Current is then calculated from the potential, and from axial current, magnetic eld is obtained using Ampere's law. Anode sublimation rate and current voltage characteristics are compared with experiments for arc currents varying from 10 to 100 A. Nanoparticle formation is estimated using homogeneous nucleation and surface diusion models. For an arc current of 60 A and inter-electrode gap of 4 mm with 68 Pa, the diameter of Nickel cluster is found to be 9.2 nm, which agrees with the upper limit of TEM measurements. The length of single walled nanotube is found to be 3.5 mum for this case. Parametric studies carried out by varying arc current, background pressure, and electrode gap showed moderate in uence on the growth rate. Hot chamber arc discharge method, proposed in this work, is found to be promising to maximize the growth of nanoparticles.

40 CFR 63.1652 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... operator shall cause to be discharged into the atmosphere from any new or reconstructed submerged arc... to be discharged into the atmosphere from any existing open submerged arc furnace exhaust gases... or operator shall cause to be discharged into the atmosphere from any existing semi-sealed submerged...

40 CFR 63.1652 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... operator shall cause to be discharged into the atmosphere from any new or reconstructed submerged arc... to be discharged into the atmosphere from any existing open submerged arc furnace exhaust gases... or operator shall cause to be discharged into the atmosphere from any existing semi-sealed submerged...

40 CFR 63.1652 - Emission standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... operator shall cause to be discharged into the atmosphere from any new or reconstructed submerged arc... to be discharged into the atmosphere from any existing open submerged arc furnace exhaust gases... or operator shall cause to be discharged into the atmosphere from any existing semi-sealed submerged...

Characteristics of Single Cathode Cascaded Bias Voltage Arc Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Wei; Deng, Baiquan; Zeng, Xianjun; Gou, Fujun; Xue, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Weiwei; Cao, Xiaogang; Yang, Dangxiao; Cao, Zhi

2016-06-01

A single cathode with a cascaded bias voltage arc plasma source has been developed with a new quartz cathode chamber, instead of the previous copper chambers, to provide better diagnostic observation and access to the plasma optical emission. The cathode chamber cooling scheme is also modified to be naturally cooled only by light emission without cooling water to improve the optical thin performance in the optical path. A single-parameter physical model has been developed to describe the power dissipated in the cascaded bias voltage arc discharge argon plasmas, which have been investigated by utilizing optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and Langmuir probe. In the experiments, discharge currents from 50 A to 100 A, argon flow rates from 800 sccm to 2000 sccm and magnetic fields of 0.1 T and 0.2 T were chosen. The results show: (a) the relationship between the averaged resistivity and the averaged current density exhibits an empirical scaling law as \\barη \\propto \\bar {j}-0.63369 and the power dissipated in the arc has a strong relation with the filling factor; (b) through the quartz, the argon ions optical emission lines have been easily observed and are dominating with wavelengths between 340 nm and 520 nm, which are the emissions of Ar+-434.81 nm and Ar+-442.60 nm line, and the intensities are increasing with the arc current and decreasing with the inlet argon flow rate; and (c) the electron density and temperature can reach 2.0 × 1019 m-3 and 0.48 eV, respectively, under the conditions of an arc current of 90 A and a magnetic field of 0.2 T. The half-width of the ne radial profile is approximatively equal to a few Larmor radii of electrons and can be regarded as the diameter of the plasma jet in the experiments. supported by the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Program Special of Ministry of Science and Technology (No. 2013GB114003), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11275135, 11475122)

Ignition of Fuel Vapors Beneath Titanium Aircraft Skins Exposed to Lightning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kosvic, T. C.; Helgeson, N. L.; Gerstein, M.

1971-01-01

Hot-spot and puncture ignition of fuel vapors by simulated lightning discharges was studied experimentally. The influences of skin coating, skin structure, discharge polarity, skin thickness, discharge current level, and current duration were measured and interpreted. Ignition thresholds are reported for titanium alloy constructed as sheets, sheets coated with sealants, and sandwich skins. Results indicated that the ignition threshold charge transfer for coated sheets, honeycomb, and truss skins is respectively about 200%, 400%, 800% that of bare alloy sheet of .102 cm (.040 in.)-thickness. It was found that hot-spot ignition can occur well after termination of the arc, and that sandwich materials allow ignition only if punctured.

Pulsed electromagnetic gas accelleration. [incorporation of hollow cathode in plasma discharge and suitability determination of MPD discharge as plasmadynamic laser source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jahn, R. G.

1973-01-01

Direct measurement with thermocouples of the power deposited in the anode of a multi-megawatt magnetoplasmadynamic discharge has shown the fractional anode power to decrease from 50% at 200 kW to 10% at 20 MW. Using local measurements of current density, electric potential, and electron temperature, the traditional model for heat conduction to the anode is found to be inadequate. Other experiments in which the voltage-current characteristics and exhaust velocities of MPD arcs using Plexiglas and boron nitride chamber insulators and various mass injection configurations show that ablation can affect nominal accelerator operation in several distinct ways. The incorporation of a hollow cathode in a 7 kA plasma discharge has shown that a stable current attachment can be realized in the cavity without the aid of cathode heaters, keeper electrodes, or emissive coatings.

A review of vacuum ARC ion source research at ANSTO

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, P.J.; Noorman, J.T.; Watt, G.C.

1996-08-01

The authors talk briefly describes the history and current status of vacuum arc ion source research at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO). In addition, the author makes some mention of the important role of previous Vacuum Arc Ion Source Workshops in fostering the development of this research field internationally. During the period 1986 - 89, a type of plasma centrifuge known as a vacuum arc centrifuge was developed at ANSTO as part of a research project on stable isotope separation. In this device, a high current vacuum arc discharge was used to produce a metal plasma whichmore » was subsequently rotated in an axial magnetic field. The high rotational speeds (10{sup 5} - 10{sup 6} rad sec{sup {minus}1}) achievable with this method produce centrifugal separation of ions with different mass:charge ratios such as isotopic species. The first portent of things to come occurred in 1985 when Dr. Ian Brown visited ANSTO`s Lucas Heights Research Laboratories and presented a talk on the metal vapour vacuum arc (MEVVA) ion source which had only recently been invented by Brown and co-workers, J. Galvin and R. MacGill, at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. For those of us involved in vacuum arc centrifuge research, this was an exciting development primarily because the metal vapour vacuum arc plasma source was common to both devices. Thus, a type of arc, which had since the 1930`s been extensively investigated as a means of switching high current loads, had found wider application as a useful plasma source.« less

Discharge stabilization studies of CO laser gas mixtures in quasi-steady supersonic flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, G.; Smith, J. A.

1976-01-01

Experiments were conducted to study the applicability of a double discharge stabilization scheme in conditions appropriate for high energy CO lasers in supersonic flows. A Ludwieg tube impulse flow facility and a ballasted capacitor bank provided essentially steady flow and discharge conditions (d.c.) for times longer than ten electrode length-flow transit times. Steady, arc-free, volume discharges were produced in a Mach 3 test cavity using an auxiliary discharge to stabilize the main discharge in N2 and He/CO mixture. A signigicant result is the lack of observed plasma E/N changes in response to auxiliary discharge current changes. Also, where glow discharges were obtained, the energy loading achieved was very much less than the threshold level required for laser operation.

Self-healing fuse development.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, N. D.

1972-01-01

The self-healing fuse is a very fast acting current overload protective device which opens and recloses in a few milliseconds. The fuse confines a mercury column in an insulated channel and returns the mercury to the channel after firing. Ratings 5 to 50 A at 600 peak volts are possible with a life of hundreds of cycles. Compared to conventional fuses, much less fault current energy fires the fuse by heating the mercury to boiling temperature. Next an arc discharge develops while explosive forces expel the liquid mercury from the channel. Then the high impedance arc either extinguishes immediately, or operates for a few milliseconds, until a switch opens the circuit.

REGULATOR FOR CALUTRON ION SOURCE

DOEpatents

Miller, B.F.

1958-09-01

Improvements are described in electric discharge devices and circuits for a calutron and, more specifically, presents an arc discharge regulator circuit for the ion source of the calatron. In general, the source comprises a filament which bombards a cathode with electrons, a griid control electrode between the filament and the cathode, and an anode electrode. The control electrode has a DC potential which is varied in response to changes in the anode current flow by means of a saturable reactor installed in its power supply energizing line having the anode current flowing through its control winding. In this manner the bombardment current to the cathode may be decreased when the anode current increases beyond a predetermined level.

METHOD OF PRODUCING ENERGETIC PLASMA FOR NEUTRON PRODUCTION

DOEpatents

Bell, P.R.; Simon, A.; Mackin, R.J. Jr.

1961-01-24

A method is given for producing an energetic plasma for neutron production. An energetic plasma is produced in a small magnetically confined subvolume of the device by providing a selected current of energetic molecular ions at least greater than that required for producing a current of atomic ions sufficient to achieve "burnout" of neutral particles in the subvolume. The atomic ions are provided by dissociation of the molecular ions by an energetic arc discharge within the subvolume. After burnout, the arc discharge is terminated, the magnetic fields increased, and cold fuel feed is substituted for the molecular ions. After the subvolume is filled with an energetic plasma, the size of the magnetically confined subvolume is gradually increased until the entire device is filled with an energetic neutron producing plasma. The reactions which take place in the device to produce neutrons will generate a certain amount of heat energy which may be converted by the use of a conventional heat cycle to produce electrical energy.

Low-Carbon Watershed Management: Potential of Greenhouse Gas Reductions from Wastewater Treatment in Rural Vietnam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Lan Huong; Mohan, Geetha; Jian, Pu; Takemoto, Kazuhiko; Fukushi, Kensuke

2016-01-01

Currently in many cities and rural areas of Vietnam, wastewater is discharged to the environment without any treatment, which emits considerable amount of greenhouse gas (GHG), particularly methane. In this study, four GHG emission scenarios were examined, as well as the baseline scenario, in order to verify the potential of GHG reduction from domestic wastewater with adequate treatment facilities. The ArcGIS and ArcHydro tools were employed to visualize and analyze GHG emissions resulting from discharge of untreated wastewater, in rural areas of Vu Gia Thu Bon river basin, Vietnam. By applying the current IPCC guidelines for GHG emissions, we found that a reduction of GHG emissions can be achieved through treatment of domestic wastewater in the studied area. Compared with baseline scenario, a maximum 16% of total GHG emissions can be reduced, in which 30% of households existing latrines are substituted by Japanese Johkasou technology and other 20% of domestic wastewater is treated by conventional activated sludge.

Electric field formation in three different plasmas: A fusion reactor, arc discharge, and the ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kwan Chul

2017-11-01

Three examples of electric field formation in the plasma are analyzed based on a new mechanism driven by ion-neutral collisions. The Gyro-Center Shift analysis uses the iteration of three equations including perpendicular current induced by the momentum exchange between ions and neutrals when there is asymmetry over the gyro-motion. This method includes non-zero divergence of current that leads the solution of time dependent state. The first example is radial electric field formation at the boundary of the nuclear fusion device, which is a key factor in the high-confinement mode operation of future fusion reactors. The second example is the reversed rotation of the arc discharge cathode spot, which has been a mysterious subject for more than one hundred years. The third example is electric field formations in the earth's ionosphere, which are important components of the equatorial electrojet and black aurora. The use of one method that explains various examples from different plasmas is reported, along with a discussion of the applications.

Low-Carbon Watershed Management: Potential of Greenhouse Gas Reductions from Wastewater Treatment in Rural Vietnam

PubMed Central

Mohan, Geetha; Jian, Pu; Takemoto, Kazuhiko; Fukushi, Kensuke

2016-01-01

Currently in many cities and rural areas of Vietnam, wastewater is discharged to the environment without any treatment, which emits considerable amount of greenhouse gas (GHG), particularly methane. In this study, four GHG emission scenarios were examined, as well as the baseline scenario, in order to verify the potential of GHG reduction from domestic wastewater with adequate treatment facilities. The ArcGIS and ArcHydro tools were employed to visualize and analyze GHG emissions resulting from discharge of untreated wastewater, in rural areas of Vu Gia Thu Bon river basin, Vietnam. By applying the current IPCC guidelines for GHG emissions, we found that a reduction of GHG emissions can be achieved through treatment of domestic wastewater in the studied area. Compared with baseline scenario, a maximum 16% of total GHG emissions can be reduced, in which 30% of households existing latrines are substituted by Japanese Johkasou technology and other 20% of domestic wastewater is treated by conventional activated sludge. PMID:27699202

Pulsed Electron Source with Grid Plasma Cathode and Longitudinal Magnetic Field for Modification of Material and Product Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devyatkov, V. N.; Koval, N. N.

2018-01-01

The description and the main characteristics of the pulsed electron source "SOLO" developed on the basis of the plasma cathode with grid stabilization of the emission plasma boundary are presented. The emission plasma is generated by a low-pressure arc discharge, and that allows to form the dense low-energy electron beam with a wide range of independently adjustable parameters of beam current pulses (pulse duration of 20-250 μs, pulse repetition rate of 1-10 s-1, amplitude of beam current pulses of 20-300 A, and energy of beam electrons of 5-25 keV). The special features of generation of emission plasma by constricted low-pressure arc discharge in the grid plasma cathode partially dipped into a non-uniform magnetic field and of formation and transportation of the electron beam in a longitudinal magnetic field are considered. The application area of the electron source and technologies realized with its help are specified.

Direct-current arc and alternating-current spark emission spectrographic field methods for the semiquantitative analysis of geologic materials

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grimes, D.J.; Marranzino, A.P.

1968-01-01

Two spectrographic methods are used in mobile field laboratories of the U. S. Geological Survey. In the direct-current arc method, the ground sample is mixed with graphite powder, packed into an electrode crater, and burned to completion. Thirty elements are determined. In the spark method, the sample, ground to pass a 150-mesh screen, is digested in hydrofluoric acid followed by evaporation to dryness and dissolution in aqua regia. The solution is fed into the spark gap by means of a rotating-disk electrode arrangement and is excited with an alternating-current spark discharge. Fourteen elements are determined. In both techniques, light is recorded on Spectrum Analysis No. 1, 35-millimeter film, and the spectra are compared visually with those of standard films.

Quantitative imaging of carbon dimer precursor for nanomaterial synthesis in the carbon arc

DOE PAGES

Vekselman, V.; Khrabry, A.; Kaganovich, I.; ...

2018-02-06

Delineating the dominant processes responsible for nanomaterial synthesis in a plasma environment requires measurements of the precursor species contributing to the growth of nanostructures. Here, we performed comprehensive measurements of spatial and temporal profiles of carbon dimers (C 2) in sub-atmospheric-pressure carbon arc by laser-induced fluorescence. Measured spatial profiles of C 2 coincide with the growth region of carbon nanotubes (Fang et al 2016 Carbon 107 273–80) and vary depending on the arc operation mode, which is determined by the discharge current and the ablation rate of the graphite anode. The C 2 density profile exhibits large spatial and timemore » variations due to motion of the arc core. A comparison of the experimental data with the 2D simulation results of self-consistent arc modeling shows good agreement. The model predicts well the main processes determining spatial profiles of carbon dimers (C 2).« less

Quantitative imaging of carbon dimer precursor for nanomaterial synthesis in the carbon arc

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vekselman, V.; Khrabry, A.; Kaganovich, I.

Delineating the dominant processes responsible for nanomaterial synthesis in a plasma environment requires measurements of the precursor species contributing to the growth of nanostructures. Here, we performed comprehensive measurements of spatial and temporal profiles of carbon dimers (C 2) in sub-atmospheric-pressure carbon arc by laser-induced fluorescence. Measured spatial profiles of C 2 coincide with the growth region of carbon nanotubes (Fang et al 2016 Carbon 107 273–80) and vary depending on the arc operation mode, which is determined by the discharge current and the ablation rate of the graphite anode. The C 2 density profile exhibits large spatial and timemore » variations due to motion of the arc core. A comparison of the experimental data with the 2D simulation results of self-consistent arc modeling shows good agreement. The model predicts well the main processes determining spatial profiles of carbon dimers (C 2).« less

The hollow cathode in the quasi-steady MPD discharge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von Jaskowsky, W. F.; Jahn, R. G.; Clark, K. E.; Krishnan, M.

1973-01-01

A large hollow cathode has been operated in a quasi-steady MPD discharge over a range of current from 7 to 30 kA and argon mass flow from 0.04 to 6.0 g/sec. The 1.3-cm-i.d. cathode cavity attains steady emission characteristics in some tens of microseconds without the assistance of auxiliary heating, low work function inserts, or external keeper electrodes. Measured current and potential distributions within the cavity reveal that the current attaches in a zone 1 to 2 cm long with a surface current density greater than 1000 A/sq cm and a local axial electric field less than 10 V/cm. Electron densities within the cavity, estimated from spectroscopic records, are above 10 to the 17th power per cu cm, at least one order of magnitude greater than has been reported for either ion engine hollow cathodes or conventional solid cathodes in similar arc discharges.

On the physical processes ruling an atmospheric pressure air glow discharge operating in an intermediate current regime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prevosto, L., E-mail: prevosto@waycom.com.ar; Mancinelli, B.; Chamorro, J. C.

2015-02-15

Low-frequency (100 Hz), intermediate-current (50 to 200 mA) glow discharges were experimentally investigated in atmospheric pressure air between blunt copper electrodes. Voltage–current characteristics and images of the discharge for different inter-electrode distances are reported. A cathode-fall voltage close to 360 V and a current density at the cathode surface of about 11 A/cm{sup 2}, both independent of the discharge current, were found. The visible emissive structure of the discharge resembles to that of a typical low-pressure glow, thus suggesting a glow-like electric field distribution in the discharge. A kinetic model for the discharge ionization processes is also presented with the aim of identifying themore » main physical processes ruling the discharge behavior. The numerical results indicate the presence of a non-equilibrium plasma with rather high gas temperature (above 4000 K) leading to the production of components such as NO, O, and N which are usually absent in low-current glows. Hence, the ionization by electron-impact is replaced by associative ionization, which is independent of the reduced electric field. This leads to a negative current-voltage characteristic curve, in spite of the glow-like features of the discharge. On the other hand, several estimations show that the discharge seems to be stabilized by heat conduction; being thermally stable due to its reduced size. All the quoted results indicate that although this discharge regime might be considered to be close to an arc, it is still a glow discharge as demonstrated by its overall properties, supported also by the presence of thermal non-equilibrium.« less

Optical-Fiber-Welding Machine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goss, W. C.; Mann, W. A.; Goldstein, R.

1985-01-01

Technique yields joints with average transmissivity of 91.6 percent. Electric arc passed over butted fiber ends to melt them together. Maximum optical transmissivity of joint achieved with optimum choice of discharge current, translation speed, and axial compression of fibers. Practical welding machine enables delicate and tedious joining operation performed routinely.

From source to surface: Tracking magmatic boron and chlorine input into the geothermal systems of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bégué, Florence; Deering, Chad D.; Gravley, Darren M.; Chambefort, Isabelle; Kennedy, Ben M.

2017-10-01

The magmatic contribution into geothermal fluids in the central Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ), New Zealand, has been attributed to either andesitic, 'arc-type' fluids, or rhyolitic, 'rift-type' fluids to explain the compositional diversity of discharge waters. However, this model relies on outdated assumptions related to geochemical trends associated with the magma at depth of typical arc to back-arc settings. Current tectonic models have shown that the TVZ is situated within a rifting arc and hosts magmatic systems dominated by distinct rhyolite types, that are likely to have evolved under different conditions than the subordinate andesites. Therefore, a new appraisal of the existing models is required to further understand the origin of the spatial compositional diversity observed in the geothermal fluids and its relationship to the structural setting. Here, we use volatile concentrations (i.e. H2O, Cl, B) from rhyolitic and andesitic mineral-hosted melt inclusions to evaluate the magmatic contribution to the TVZ geothermal systems. The andesite and two different types of rhyolites (R1 and R2) are each distinct in Cl/H2O and B/Cl, which will affect volatile solubility and phase separation (vapor vs. hydrosaline liquid) of the exsolved volatile phase. Ultimately, these key differences in the magmatic volatile constituents will play a significant role in governing the concentration of Cl discharged into geothermal systems. We estimate bulk fluid compositions (B and Cl) in equilibrium with the different melt types to show the potential contribution of 'parent' fluids to the geothermal systems throughout the TVZ. The results of this analysis show that the variability in fluid compositions partly reflects degassing from previously unaccounted for distinct magma source compositions. We suggest the geothermal systems that appear to have an 'arc-type' andesitic fluid contribution are actually derived from a rhyolite melt in equilibrium with a highly crystalline andesite magma. This model is in better agreement with the current understanding of magma petrogenesis in the central TVZ and its atypical rifted-arc tectonic setting, and show that the central TVZ records an arc, not back-arc, fluid signature.

Studies of corona and back discharges in carbon dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czech, Tadeusz; Sobczyk, Arkadiusz Tomasz; Jaworek, Anatol; Krupa, Andrzej; Rajch, Eryk

2013-01-01

Results of spectroscopic investigations and current-voltage characteristics of corona and back discharges generated in point-plane electrode geometry in CO2 at atmospheric pressure for positive and negative polarity of the discharge electrode are presented in the paper. Three forms of back discharge, for both polarities, were investigated: glow, streamer and low-current back-arc. To generate the back-discharges for the conditions similar to electrostatic precipitator, the plate electrode was covered with fly ash layer. In order to characterize back discharge processes, the emission spectra were measured and compared with those obtained for normal discharge, generated in the same electrode configuration but without the fly ash layer on the plate electrode. The measurements have shown that optical emission spectral lines of atoms and molecules, excited or ionised in back discharge, depend on the forms of the discharge, the discharge current, and are different in the zones close to needle electrode and fly ash layer. From the comparison of spectral lines of back and normal discharges, an effect of fly ash layer on discharge characteristics and morphology has been determined. In normal corona, the emission spectra are mainly predetermined by the working gas components, but in the case of back discharge, the atomic and molecular lines, resulting from chemical composition of fly ash, are also identified. Differences in the spectra of back discharge for positive and negative polarities of the needle electrode have been explained by considering the kind of ions generated in the crater in fly ash layer. For back arc, the emission of spectral lines of atoms and molecules from fly ash layer can be recorded in the crater zone, but in the needle zone, only the emission lines of CO2 and its decomposition products (CO and C2) can be noticed. The studies of back discharge in CO2, as one of the main components of flue gases, were undertaken because this type of discharge, after unwanted inception, decreases the energy and collection efficiencies of electrostatic precipitator. The second reason behind these studies is that CO2 is the main component of flue gas leaving oxyfuel boiler that re-circulates in the combustion-precipitation cycle. It was shown that discharges in CO2 lead to contamination of discharge electrode with carbonaceous products that can cause severe maintenance problems of electrostatic precipitator. The recognition of the characteristics of electrostatic precipitator operating in the oxyfuel system is, therefore, of crucial importance for exhaust gas cleaning in modern combustion systems.

Fabrication of TiO2/Carbon Photocatalyst using Submerged DC Arc Discharged in Ethanol/Acetic Acid Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saraswati, T. E.; Nandika, A. O.; Andhika, I. F.; Patiha; Purnawan, C.; Wahyuningsih, S.; Rahardjo, S. B.

2017-05-01

This study aimed to fabricate a modified photocatalyst of TiO2/C to enhance its performance. The fabrication was achieved using the submerged direct current (DC) arc-discharge method employing two graphite electrodes, one of which was filled with a mixture of carbon powder, TiO2, and binder, in ethanol with acetic acid added in various concentrations. The arc-discharge method was conducted by flowing a current of 10-20 A (~20 V). X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed significant placements of the main peak characteristics of TiO2, C graphite, and titanium carbide. The surface analysis using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that fabricated TiO2/C nanoparticles had stretching vibrations of Ti-O, C-H, C═O, C-O, O-H and C═C in the regions of 450-550 cm-1, 2900-2880 cm-1, 1690-1760 cm-1, 1050-1300 cm-1, 3400-3700 cm-1 and ~1600 cm-1, respectively. In addition, the study investigated the photocatalysts of unmodified and modified TiO2/C for photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye solution under mercury lamp irradiation. The effectiveness of the degradation was defined by the decrease in 60-minute absorbance under a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Modified TiO2/C proved to be significantly more efficient in reducing dye concentrations, reaching ~70%. It indicated that the oxygen-containing functional groups have been successfully attached to the surface of the nanoparticles and played a role in enhancing photocatalytic activity.

GAS DISCHARGE SWITCH EVALUATION FOR RHIC BEAM ABORT KICKER APPLICATION.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ZHANG,W.; SANDBERG,J.; SHELDRAKE,R.

2002-06-30

A gas discharge switch EEV HX3002 is being evaluated at Brookhaven National Laboratory as a possible candidate of RHIC Beam Abort Kicker modulator main switch. At higher beam energy and higher beam intensity, the switch stability becomes very crucial. The hollow anode thyratron used in the existing system is not rated for long reverse current conduction. The reverse voltage arcing caused thyratron hold-off voltage de-rating has been the main limitation of the system operation. To improve the system reliability, a new type of gas discharge switch has been suggested by Marconi Applied Technology for its reverse conducting capability.

Investigation of atmospheric pressure glow microdischarge between flat cathode and needle anode in helium and argon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astafiev, Alexander; Belyaev, Vladimir; Zamchii, Roman; Kudryavtsev, Anatoly; Stepanova, Olga; Chen, Zhaoquan

2016-09-01

DC atmospheric-pressure glow microdischarge was generated between a flat cathode and needle anode with a diameter of 100 μm in a special chamber with helium or argon. Dependences of discharge parameters on an interelectrode gap was investigated with an original experimental setup based on a movable arm on the hinge joint which allowed changing the gap with a step of 5 μm. The gap was varied from 5 to 700 μm. Discharge current was 1-21 mA. Such discharge cell has a very low interelectrode capacitance and provides increasing the stability of the discharge against arc formation (transition to RC oscillations mode) at low currents of 1 mA. A weak dependence of discharge voltage across the gap was revealed in helium at 100-250 μm between the electrodes (normal discharge). In contrast to this, glow microdischarge in argon has a descending current-voltage characteristic and unstable nature. The discharge voltage depending on the gap changes significantly slower than in helium. According to our estimations, the strength of electrical field of positive glow in argon is 5 times lower than in helium. Saint Petersburg State University (Grant No. 0.37.218.2016).

Shunting arc plasma source for pure carbon ion beam.

PubMed

Koguchi, H; Sakakita, H; Kiyama, S; Shimada, T; Sato, Y; Hirano, Y

2012-02-01

A plasma source is developed using a coaxial shunting arc plasma gun to extract a pure carbon ion beam. The pure carbon ion beam is a new type of deposition system for diamond and other carbon materials. Our plasma device generates pure carbon plasma from solid-state carbon material without using a hydrocarbon gas such as methane gas, and the plasma does not contain any hydrogen. The ion saturation current of the discharge measured by a double probe is about 0.2 mA∕mm(2) at the peak of the pulse.

Shunting arc plasma source for pure carbon ion beam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koguchi, H.; Sakakita, H.; Kiyama, S.

2012-02-15

A plasma source is developed using a coaxial shunting arc plasma gun to extract a pure carbon ion beam. The pure carbon ion beam is a new type of deposition system for diamond and other carbon materials. Our plasma device generates pure carbon plasma from solid-state carbon material without using a hydrocarbon gas such as methane gas, and the plasma does not contain any hydrogen. The ion saturation current of the discharge measured by a double probe is about 0.2 mA/mm{sup 2} at the peak of the pulse.

Characterization of a medium-sized washer-gun for an axisymmetric mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Hongshen; Liu, Ming; Shi, Peiyun; Yang, Zhida; Zhu, Guanghui; Lu, Quanming; Sun, Xuan

2018-04-01

A new medium-sized washer gun is developed for a plasma start-up in a fully axisymmetric mirror. The gun is positioned at the east end of the Keda Mirror with AXisymmetricity facility and operated in the pulsed mode with an arc discharging time of 1.2 ms and a typical arc current of 8.5 kA with 1.5 kV discharge voltage. To optimize the operation, a systematic scan of the neutral pressure, the arc voltage, the bias voltage on a mesh grid 6 cm in front of the gun and an end electrode located on the west end of mirror, and the mirror ratio was performed. The streaming plasma was measured with triple probes in the three mirror cells and a diamagnetic loop in the central cell. Floating potential measurements suggest that the plasma could be divided into streaming and mirror-confined plasmas. The floating potential for the streaming plasma is negative, with an electric field pointing inwards. The mirror-confined plasma has a typical lifetime of 0.5 ms.

Characterization of a medium-sized washer-gun for an axisymmetric mirror.

PubMed

Yi, Hongshen; Liu, Ming; Shi, Peiyun; Yang, Zhida; Zhu, Guanghui; Lu, Quanming; Sun, Xuan

2018-04-01

A new medium-sized washer gun is developed for a plasma start-up in a fully axisymmetric mirror. The gun is positioned at the east end of the Keda Mirror with AXisymmetricity facility and operated in the pulsed mode with an arc discharging time of 1.2 ms and a typical arc current of 8.5 kA with 1.5 kV discharge voltage. To optimize the operation, a systematic scan of the neutral pressure, the arc voltage, the bias voltage on a mesh grid 6 cm in front of the gun and an end electrode located on the west end of mirror, and the mirror ratio was performed. The streaming plasma was measured with triple probes in the three mirror cells and a diamagnetic loop in the central cell. Floating potential measurements suggest that the plasma could be divided into streaming and mirror-confined plasmas. The floating potential for the streaming plasma is negative, with an electric field pointing inwards. The mirror-confined plasma has a typical lifetime of 0.5 ms.

Fusion splicing small-core photonic crystal fibers and single-mode fibers by repeated arc discharges.

PubMed

Xiao, Limin; Jin, Wei; Demokan, M S

2007-01-15

We demonstrate a novel method for low-loss splicing small-core photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) and single-mode fibers (SMFs) by repeated arc discharges using a conventional fusion splicer. An optimum mode field match at the interface of PCF-SMF and an adiabatic mode field variation in the longitudinal direction of the small-core PCF can be achieved by repeated arc discharges applied over the splicing joint to gradually collapse the air holes of the small-core PCF. This method is simple and offers a practical solution for light coupling between small-core PCFs and SMFs.

Fusion splicing small-core photonic crystal fibers and single-mode fibers by repeated arc discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Limin; Jin, Wei; Demokan, M. S.

2007-01-01

We demonstrate a novel method for low-loss splicing small-core photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) and single-mode fibers (SMFs) by repeated arc discharges using a conventional fusion splicer. An optimum mode field match at the interface of PCF-SMF and an adiabatic mode field variation in the longitudinal direction of the small-core PCF can be achieved by repeated arc discharges applied over the splicing joint to gradually collapse the air holes of the small-core PCF. This method is simple and offers a practical solution for light coupling between small-core PCFs and SMFs.

Properties of micro-arc oxidation coatings on aluminum alloy at different negative peak current densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Xin; Jiang, Bailing; Li, Hongtao; Liu, Cancan; Shao, Lianlian

2018-05-01

Micro-arc oxidation coatings were fabricated on 6061 aluminum alloy using whereby bipolar pulse mode in the case of different negative peak current densities. The phase composition, microstructures and wear properties were studied using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and ball-on-disk wear tester, respectively. As results indicate, by virtue of negative peak current density, the oxygen can be expelled by produced hydrogen on anode in the case of negative pulse width and via the opened discharge channel. The results of x-ray diffraction, surface and cross-sectional morphology indicated that the coating was structured compactly taking on less small-diameter micro-pores and defects with negative peak current density of 75 A dm‑2. Additionally, as the results of wear tracks and weight loss bespeak, by virtue of appropriate negative peak current density, coatings resisted the abrasive wear and showed excellent wear resistance.

Comparative characteristics of electron energy spectrum in PIG and arc type discharge plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romanyuk, L. I.; Suavilnyy, N. Y.

1978-01-01

The electron distribution functions relative to the velocity component directed along the magnetic field are compared for PIG and arc type discharges. The identity of these functions for the plasma region pierced by the primary electron beam and their difference in the peripheral part of the discharge are shown. It is concluded that the electron distribution function in the PIG type discharge is formed during one transit of the primary electron through the discharge gap. The mechanisms of electron energy spectrum formation in both the axis region and the peripheral region of the discharge are discussed.

Increase in the Acceleration Efficiency of Solids in a Hybrid Coaxial Magnetoplasma Accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerasimov, D. Yu.; Sivkov, A. A.

2018-01-01

It is shown that in a hybrid coaxial magnetoplasma accelerator with a channel length of 350 mm and a diameter of 23 mm, the acceleration velocity and the energy conversion efficiency increase as the length of the plasma structure formation channel filled with a gas-generating material decreases from 17 to 9 mm. It is found that it is reasonable to use paraffin as the gas-generating material as it has a less significant deionizing effect on the high-current arc discharge and hence causes a less significant decrease in the discharge current intensity and an increase in conductive and inductive electrodynamic forces.

Plasma-surface interaction in negative hydrogen ion sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Motoi

2018-05-01

A negative hydrogen ion source delivers more beam current when Cs is introduced to the discharge, but a continuous operation of the source reduces the beam current until more Cs is added to the source. This behavior can be explained by adsorption and ion induced desorption of Cs atoms on the plasma grid surface of the ion source. The interaction between the ion source plasma and the plasma grid surface of a negative hydrogen ion source is discussed in correlation to the Cs consumption of the ion source. The results show that operation with deuterium instead of hydrogen should require more Cs consumption and the presence of medium mass impurities as well as ions of the source wall materials in the arc discharge enlarges the Cs removal rate during an ion source discharge.

Design of an arc-free thermal blanket

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fellas, C. N.

1981-01-01

The success of a multilayer thermal blanket in eliminating arcing is discussed. Arcing is eliminated by limiting the surface potential to well below the threshold level for discharge. This is achieved by enhancing the leakage current which results in conduction of the excess charge to the spacecraft structure. The thermal blanket consists of several layers of thermal control (space approved) materials, bonded together, with Kapton on the outside, arranged in such a way that when the outer surface is charged by electron irradiation, a strong electric field is set up on the Kapton layer resulting in a greatly improved conductivity. The basic properties of matter utilized in designing this blanket method of charge removal, and optimum thermo-optical properties are summarized.

Arc dynamics of a pulsed DC nitrogen rotating gliding arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Fengsen; Zhang, Hao; Li, Xiaodong; Wu, Angjian; Yan, Jianhua; Ni, Mingjiang; Tu, Xin

2018-03-01

In this study, a novel pulsed direct current (DC) rotating gliding arc (RGA) plasma reactor co-driven by an external magnetic field and a tangential gas flow has been developed. The dynamic characteristics of the rotating gliding arc have been investigated by means of numerical simulation and experiment. The simulation results show that a highly turbulent vortex flow can be generated at the bottom of the RGA reactor to accelerate the arc rotation after arc ignition, whereas the magnitude of gas velocity declined significantly along the axial direction of the RGA reactor. The calculated arc rotation frequency (14.4 Hz) is reasonably close to the experimental result (18.5 Hz) at a gas flow rate of 10 l min-1. In the presence of an external magnet, the arc rotation frequency is around five times higher than that of the RGA reactor without using a magnet, which suggests that the external magnetic field plays a dominant role in the maintenance of the arc rotation in the upper zone of the RGA reactor. In addition, when the magnet is placed outside the reactor reversely to form a reverse external magnetic field, the arc can be stabilized at a fixed position in the inner wall of the outer electrode at a critical gas flow rate of 16 l min-1.

Dynamic Discharge Arc Driver. [computerized simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dannenberg, R. E.; Slapnicar, P. I.

1975-01-01

A computer program using nonlinear RLC circuit analysis was developed to accurately model the electrical discharge performance of the Ames 1-MJ energy storage and arc-driver system. Solutions of circuit parameters are compared with experimental circuit data and related to shock speed measurements. Computer analysis led to the concept of a Dynamic Discharge Arc Driver (DDAD) capable of increasing the range of operation of shock-driven facilities. Utilization of mass addition of the driver gas offers a unique means of improving driver performance. Mass addition acts to increase the arc resistance, which results in better electrical circuit damping with more efficient Joule heating, producing stronger shock waves. Preliminary tests resulted in an increase in shock Mach number from 34 to 39 in air at an initial pressure of 2.5 torr.

Study of a DC gas discharge with a copper cathode in a water flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tazmeev, G. Kh.; Timerkaev, B. A.; Tazmeev, Kh. K.

2017-07-01

A dc gas discharge between copper electrodes in the current range of 5-20 A was studied experimentally. The discharge gap length was varied within 45-70 mm. The cathode was a 10-mm-diameter rod placed in the water flowing out from a dielectric tube. Three discharge configurations differing in the position of the cathode upper end with respect to the water surface were considered: (i) above water; (ii) flush with the water surface, and (iii) under water. The electric and optical characteristics of the discharge in the second configuration were studied in more detail. It is established that the discharge properties are similar to those of an electric arc. Considerable cathode erosion was observed in the third configuration. It is revealed that fine-dispersed copper grains form in the course of erosion.

Characteristics of ultraviolet light and radicals formed by pulsed discharge in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Bing; Kunitomo, Shinta; Igarashi, Chiaki

2006-09-01

In this investigation, the ultraviolet light characteristics and OH radical properties produced by a pulsed discharge in water were studied. For the plate-rod reactor, it was found that the ultraviolet light energy has a 3.2% total energy injected into the reactor. The ultraviolet light changed with the peak voltage and electrode distance. UV characteristics in tap water and the distilled water are given. The intensity of the OH radicals was the highest for the 40 mm electrode distance reactor. In addition, the properties of hydrogen peroxide and ozone were also studied under arc discharge conditions. It was found that the OH radicals were in the ground state and the excited state when a pulsed arc discharge was used. The ozone was produced by the arc discharge even if the oxygen gas is not bubbled into the reactor. The ozone concentration produces a maximum value with treatment time.

High intensity discharge device containing oxytrihalides

DOEpatents

Lapatovich, Walter P.; Keeffe, William M.; Liebermann, Richard W.; Maya, Jakob

1987-01-01

A fill composition for a high intensity discharge device including mercury, niobium oxytrihalide, and a molecular stabilization agent is provided. The molar ratio of niobium oxytrihalide to the molecular stabilization agent in the fill is in the range of from about 5:1 to about 7.5:1. Niobium oxytrihalide is present in the fill in sufficient amount to produce, by dissociation in the discharge, atomic niobium, niobium oxide, NbO, and niobium dioxide, NbO.sub.2, with the molar ratio of niobium-containing vapor species to mercury in the fill being in the range of from about 0.01:1 to about 0.50:1; and mercury pressure of about 1 to about 50 atmospheres at lamp operating temperature. There is also provided a high intensity discharge device comprising a sealed light-transmissive arc tube; the arc tube including the above-described fill; and an energizing means for producing an electric discharge within the arc tube.

High intensity discharge device containing oxytrihalides

DOEpatents

Lapatovich, W.P.; Keeffe, W.M.; Liebermann, R.W.; Maya, J.

1987-06-09

A fill composition for a high intensity discharge device including mercury, niobium oxytrihalide, and a molecular stabilization agent is provided. The molar ratio of niobium oxytrihalide to the molecular stabilization agent in the fill is in the range of from about 5:1 to about 7.5:1. Niobium oxytrihalide is present in the fill in sufficient amount to produce, by dissociation in the discharge, atomic niobium, niobium oxide, NbO, and niobium dioxide, NbO[sub 2], with the molar ratio of niobium-containing vapor species to mercury in the fill being in the range of from about 0.01:1 to about 0.50:1; and mercury pressure of about 1 to about 50 atmospheres at lamp operating temperature. There is also provided a high intensity discharge device comprising a sealed light-transmissive arc tube; the arc tube including the above-described fill; and an energizing means for producing an electric discharge within the arc tube. 7 figs.

The Modification of Carbon with Iron Oxide Synthesized in Electrolysis Using the Arc Discharge Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endah Saraswati, Teguh; Dewi Indah Prasiwi, Oktaviana; Masykur, Abu; Handayani, Nestri; Anwar, Miftahul

2017-02-01

The modification of carbon-based nanomaterials with metals is widely studied due to its unique properties. Here, the modification of carbon nanomaterial with iron oxide has been successfully carried out. This modification was achieved using arc discharge in 50% ethanol liquid media. The anode used in the arc discharge was prepared from a mixture of carbon and iron oxide that was synthesized in electrolysis and was then calcined at 250°C with silicon binder with a mass ratio of 3:1:1, and the cathode used was graphite rod. Both electrodes were set in the nearest gap that could provide an arc during arc-discharging, leading to carbon-based nanoparticle formation. The diffractogram pattern of the X-ray diffraction of the fabricated nanoparticles confirmed the typical peak of carbon, iron oxide and iron. The magnetization value of the result analysis of the vibrating sample magnetometer was 9.9 emu/g. The bandgap energy measurement using diffuse reflectance ultra violet was estimated to be 2.18 eV. Using the transmission electron microscopy, the structure of the nanomaterial produced was observed as carbon-encapsulated iron compound nanoparticles.

Preliminary Experimental Measurements for a Gallium Electromagnetic (GEM) Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Robert E.; Burton, Rodney L.; Glumac, Nick G.; Polzin, Kurt A.

2007-01-01

A low-energy gallium plasma source is used to perform a spatially and temporally broad spectroscopic survey in the 220-520 nm range. Neutral, singly, and doubly ionized gallium are present in a 20 J, 1.8 kA (peak) arc discharge operating with a central cathode. When the polarity of the inner electrode is reversed the discharge current and arc voltage waveforms remain similar. Utilizing a central anode configuration, multiple Ga lines are absent in the 270-340 nm range. In addition, neutral and singly ionized Fe spectral lines are present, indicating erosion of the outer electrode. With graphite present on the insulator to facilitate breakdown, line emission from the gallium species is further reduced and while emissions from singly and doubly ionized carbon atoms and molecular carbon (C2) radicals are observed. These data indicate that a significant fraction of energy is shifted from the gallium and deposited into the various carbon species.

Enhanced lifetime for thin-dielectric microdischarge-arrays operating in DC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dussart, Remi; Felix, Valentin; Overzet, Lawrence; Aubry, Olivier; Stolz, Arnaud; Lefaucheux, Philippe; Gremi-Univ Orleans-Cnrs Collaboration; University Of Texas At Dallas Collaboration

2016-09-01

Micro-hollow cathode discharge arrays using silicon as the cathode have a very limited lifetime because the silicon bubbles and initiates micro-arcing. To avoid this destructive behavior, the same configuration was kept but, another material was selected for the cathode. Using micro and nanotechnologies ordinarily used in microelectronic and MEMS device fabrication, we made arrays of cathode boundary layer (CBL)-type microreactors consisting of nickel electrodes separated by a 6 µm thick SiO2 layer. Microdischarges were ignited in arrays of 100 µm diameter holes at different pressures (200750 Torr) in different gases. Electrical and optical measurements were made to characterize the arrays. Unlike the microdischarges produced using silicon cathodes, the Ni cathode discharges remain very stable with essentially no micro-arcing. DC currents between 50 and 900 µA flowed through each microreactor with a discharge voltage of typically 200 V. Stable V-I characteristics showing both the normal and abnormal regimes were observed and are consistent with the spread of the plasma over the cathode area. Due to their stability and lifetime, new applications of these DC, CBL-type microreactors can now be envisaged.

Carbon Coating Of Copper By Arc-Discharge Pyrolysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebihara, Ben T.; Jopek, Stanley

1988-01-01

Adherent, abrasion-resistant coat deposited with existing equipment. Carbon formed and deposited as coating on copper substrate by pyrolysis of hydrocarbon oil in electrical-arc discharges. Technique for producing carbon deposits on copper accomplished with electrical-discharge-machining equipment used for cutting metals. Applications for new coating technique include the following: solar-energy-collecting devices, coating of metals other than copper with carbon, and carburization of metal surfaces.

The application of a non-thermal plasma generated by gas-liquid gliding arc discharge in sterilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Chang Ming; Wang, Jing; Zhang, Lu; Xia Li, Hong; Liu, Hui; Xiong, Ya

2012-01-01

Gliding arc discharge has been investigated in recent years as an innovative physicochemical technique for contaminated water treatment at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature. In this study we tested a gas-liquid gliding arc discharge reactor, the bacterial suspension of which was treated circularly. When the bacterial suspension was passed through the electrodes and circulated at defined flow rates, almost 100% of the bacteria were killed in less than 3.0 min. Experimental results showed that it is possible to achieve an abatement of 7.0 decimal logarithm units within only 30 s. Circulation flow rates and types of feeding gas caused a certain impact on bacteria inactivation, but the influences are not obvious. So, under the promise of sterilization effect, industrial applications can select their appropriate operating conditions. All inactivation curves presented the same three-phase profile showing an apparent sterilization effect. Analysis of the scanning electron microscope images of bacterial cells supports the speculation that the gas-liquid gliding arc discharge plasma is acting under various mechanisms driven essentially by oxidation and the effect of electric field. These results enhance the possibility of applying gas-liquid gliding arc discharge decontamination systems to disinfect bacterial-contaminated water. Furthermore, correlational research indicates the potential applications of this technology in rapid sterilization of medical devices, spacecraft and food.

Optical arc sensor using energy harvesting power source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Kyoo Nam; Rho, Hee Hyuk

2016-06-01

Wireless sensors without external power supply gained considerable attention due to convenience both in installation and operation. Optical arc detecting sensor equipping with self sustaining power supply using energy harvesting method was investigated. Continuous energy harvesting method was attempted using thermoelectric generator to supply standby power in micro ampere scale and operating power in mA scale. Peltier module with heat-sink was used for high efficiency electricity generator. Optical arc detecting sensor with hybrid filter showed insensitivity to fluorescent and incandescent lamps under simulated distribution panel condition. Signal processing using integrating function showed selective arc discharge detection capability to different arc energy levels, with a resolution below 17J energy difference, unaffected by bursting arc waveform. The sensor showed possibility for application to arc discharge detecting sensor in power distribution panel. Also experiment with proposed continuous energy harvesting method using thermoelectric power showed possibility as a self sustainable power source of remote sensor.

A centre-triggered magnesium fuelled cathodic arc thruster uses sublimation to deliver a record high specific impulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, Patrick R. C.; Bilek, Marcela; McKenzie, David R.

2016-08-01

The cathodic arc is a high current, low voltage discharge that operates in vacuum and provides a stream of highly ionised plasma from a solid conducting cathode. The high ion velocities, together with the high ionisation fraction and the quasineutrality of the exhaust stream, make the cathodic arc an attractive plasma source for spacecraft propulsion applications. The specific impulse of the cathodic arc thruster is substantially increased when the emission of neutral species is reduced. Here, we demonstrate a reduction of neutral emission by exploiting sublimation in cathode spots and enhanced ionisation of the plasma in short, high-current pulses. This, combined with the enhanced directionality due to the efficient erosion profiles created by centre-triggering, substantially increases the specific impulse. We present experimentally measured specific impulses and jet power efficiencies for titanium and magnesium fuels. Our Mg fuelled source provides the highest reported specific impulse for a gridless ion thruster and is competitive with all flight rated ion thrusters. We present a model based on cathode sublimation and melting at the cathodic arc spot explaining the outstanding performance of the Mg fuelled source. A further significant advantage of an Mg-fuelled thruster is the abundance of Mg in asteroidal material and in space junk, providing an opportunity for utilising these resources in space.

Detection of nanoparticles in carbon arc discharge with laser-induced incandescence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yatom, S.; Bak, J.; Khrabryi, A.

Laser-induced incandescence measurements were conducted in the carbon arc discharge, used for synthesis of carbon nanostructures. The results reveal two spatial regions occupied by dominant populations of carbon particles with different sizes. Close to the axis of the arc, large micron size particles dominate the incandescence signal. In the arc periphery, the dominant population of nanoparticles has diameter of 20 nm. Using a heat transfer model between the gas, arc plasma and the particles, it is shown that such a drastic difference in the particle sizes can be explained by evaporation of the micron-scale particles which move across the arcmore » plasma towards the arc periphery. It is also hypothesized that mass evaporated from the micro particles contributes to the carbon feedstock for the formation of nanostructures. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

Detection of nanoparticles in carbon arc discharge with laser-induced incandescence

DOE PAGES

Yatom, S.; Bak, J.; Khrabryi, A.; ...

2017-02-20

Laser-induced incandescence measurements were conducted in the carbon arc discharge, used for synthesis of carbon nanostructures. The results reveal two spatial regions occupied by dominant populations of carbon particles with different sizes. Close to the axis of the arc, large micron size particles dominate the incandescence signal. In the arc periphery, the dominant population of nanoparticles has diameter of 20 nm. Using a heat transfer model between the gas, arc plasma and the particles, it is shown that such a drastic difference in the particle sizes can be explained by evaporation of the micron-scale particles which move across the arcmore » plasma towards the arc periphery. It is also hypothesized that mass evaporated from the micro particles contributes to the carbon feedstock for the formation of nanostructures. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

Modeling of high pressure arc-discharge with a fully-implicit Navier-Stokes stabilized finite element flow solver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahai, A.; Mansour, N. N.; Lopez, B.; Panesi, M.

2017-05-01

This work addresses the modeling of high pressure electric discharge in an arc-heated wind tunnel. The combined numerical solution of Poisson’s equation, radiative transfer equations, and the set of Favre-averaged thermochemical nonequilibrium Navier-Stokes equations allows for the determination of the electric, radiation, and flow fields, accounting for their mutual interaction. Semi-classical statistical thermodynamics is used to determine the plasma thermodynamic properties, while transport properties are obtained from kinetic principles with the Chapman-Enskog method. A multi-temperature formulation is used to account for thermal non-equilibrium. Finally, the turbulence closure of the flow equations is obtained by means of the Spalart-Allmaras model, which requires the solution of an additional scalar transport equation. A Streamline upwind Petrov-Galerkin stabilized finite element formulation is employed to solve the Navier-Stokes equation. The electric field equation is solved using the standard Galerkin formulation. A stable formulation for the radiative transfer equations is obtained using the least-squares finite element method. The developed simulation framework has been applied to investigate turbulent plasma flows in the 20 MW Aerodynamic Heating Facility at NASA Ames Research Center. The current model is able to predict the process of energy addition and re-distribution due to Joule heating and thermal radiation, resulting in a hot central core surrounded by colder flow. The use of an unsteady three-dimensional treatment also allows the asymmetry due to a dynamic electric arc attachment point in the cathode chamber to be captured accurately. The current work paves the way for detailed estimation of operating characteristics for arc-heated wind tunnels which are critical in testing thermal protection systems.

Synthesis method for ultrananocrystalline diamond in powder employing a coaxial arc plasma gun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naragino, Hiroshi; Tominaga, Aki; Hanada, Kenji; Yoshitake, Tsuyoshi

2015-07-01

A new method that enables us to synthesize ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) in powder is proposed. Highly energetic carbon species ejected from a graphite cathode of a coaxial arc plasma gun were provided on a quartz plate at a high density by repeated arc discharge in a compact vacuum chamber, and resultant films automatically peeled from the plate were aggregated and powdered. The grain size was easily controlled from 2.4 to 15.0 nm by changing the arc discharge energy. It was experimentally demonstrated that the proposed method is a new and promising method that enables us to synthesize UNCD in powder easily and controllably.

New algorithm for controlling electric arc furnaces using their vibrational and acoustic characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherednichenko, V. S.; Bikeev, R. A.; Serikov, V. A.; Rechkalov, A. V.; Cherednichenko, A. V.

2016-12-01

The processes occurring in arc discharges are analyzed as the sources of acoustic radiation in an electric arc furnace (EAF). Acoustic vibrations are shown to transform into mechanical vibrations in the furnace laboratory. The shielding of the acoustic energy fluxes onto water-cooled wall panels by a charge is experimentally studied. It is shown that the rate of charge melting and the depth of submergence of arc discharges in the slag and metal melt can be monitored by measuring the vibrational characteristics of furnaces and using them in a universal industrial process-control system, which was developed for EAFs.

Electrode erosion in arc discharges at atmospheric pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardy, T. L.

1985-01-01

An experimental investigation was performed in an effort to measure and increase lifetime of electrodes in an arcjet thruster. The electrode erosion of various anode and cathode materials was measured after tests in an atmospheric pressure nitrogen arc discharge at powers less than 1 kW. A free-burning arc configuration and a constricted arc configuration were used to test the materials. Lanthanum hexboride and thoriated tungsten had low cathode erosion rates while thoriated tungsten and pure tungsten had the lowest anode erosion rates of the materials tested. Anode cooling, reverse gas flow, an external magnetic fields were all found to reduce electrode mass loss.

Optical Emission Spectroscopy of a 150kW DC Arc Torch: A Comparison of Transferred vs. Non-Transferred Modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Counts, D. A.; Giuliani, J. L.; Peterson, S. H.; Han, Q. Y.; Sartwell, B. D.

1997-04-01

DC arc torches are proposed or in use for solid waste remediation at several sites. However, there is no consensus on the optimal mode of operation: transferred or non-transferred arc. As part of a project to investigate plasma treatment of shipboard waste, we have been investigating both modes at atmospheric pressure. This paper reports on the use of visible optical emission spectroscopy to determine the electron temperature, T_e, in the arc discharge for both the transferred and non transferred mode. In each case three industrial gases are compared, nitrogen, air and oxygen, at different flow rates and currents. Te is determined from the Balmer line ratio, wherein 5% hydrogen gas is added to the working gas in the torch flow. Variation of the emission with torch height and across the arc radius will be discussed. Recently, free arcs have shown evidence of non-LTE behavior in the arc mantle. Comparison of arc emission spectra as a function of radius for the transferred vs. non-transferred modes will be reported. Calorimetry results for the chamber walls, exhaust, and waste crucible will be correlated with the spectral results. This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research.

Investigation of the relevant kinetic processes in the initial stage of a double-arcing instability in oxygen plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mancinelli, B.; Prevosto, L.; Chamorro, J. C.; Minotti, F. O.; Kelly, H.

2018-05-01

A numerical investigation of the kinetic processes in the initial (nanosecond range) stage of the double-arcing instability was developed. The plasma-sheath boundary region of an oxygen-operated cutting torch was considered. The energy balance and chemistry processes in the discharge were described. It is shown that the double-arcing instability is a sudden transition from a diffuse (glow-like) discharge to a constricted (arc-like) discharge in the plasma-sheath boundary region arising from a field-emission instability. A critical electric field value of ˜107 V/m was found at the cathodic part of the nozzle wall under the conditions considered. The field-emission instability drives in turn a fast electronic-to-translational energy relaxation mechanism, giving rise to a very fast gas heating rate of at least ˜109 K/s, mainly due to reactions of preliminary dissociation of oxygen molecules via the highly excited electronic state O2(B3Σu-) populated by electron impact. It is expected that this fast oxygen heating rate further stimulates the discharge contraction through the thermal instability mechanism.

Formation of Sn–M (M=Fe, Al, Ni) alloy nanoparticles by DC arc-discharge and their electrochemical properties as anodes for Li-ion batteries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Song; Huang, Hao, E-mail: huanghao@dlut.edu.cn; Wu, Aimin

2016-10-15

A direct current arc-discharge method was applied to prepare the Sn–M (M=Fe, Al, Ni) bi-alloy nanoparticles. Thermodynamic is introduced to analyze the energy circumstances for the formation of the nanoparticles during the physical condensation process. The electrochemical properties of as-prepared Sn–M alloy nanoparticles are systematically investigated as anodes of Li-ion batteries. Among them, Sn–Fe nanoparticles electrode exhibits high Coulomb efficiency (about 71.2%) in the initial charge/discharge (257.9 mA h g{sup −1}/366.6 mA h g{sup −1}) and optimal cycle stability (a specific reversible capacity of 240 mA h g{sup −1} maintained after 20 cycles) compared with others. Large differences in themore » electrochemical behaviors indicate that the chemical composition and microstructure of the nanoparticles determine the lithium-ion storage properties and the long-term cyclic stability during the charge/discharge process. - Graphical abstract: The growth mechanism and electrochemical performance of Sn-based alloy nanoparticles. - Highlights: • Thermodynamic analyses of oxides on Sn-M nanoparticles surface. • The relationship between chemical components and electrochemical responses. • Sn-Fe nanoparticles show excellent electrode performance.« less

An ablative pulsed plasma thruster with a segmented anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhe; Ren, Junxue; Tang, Haibin; Ling, William Yeong Liang; York, Thomas M.

2018-01-01

An ablative pulsed plasma thruster (APPT) design with a ‘segmented anode’ is proposed in this paper. We aim to examine the effect that this asymmetric electrode configuration (a normal cathode and a segmented anode) has on the performance of an APPT. The magnetic field of the discharge arc, plasma density in the exit plume, impulse bit, and thrust efficiency were studied using a magnetic probe, Langmuir probe, thrust stand, and mass bit measurements, respectively. When compared with conventional symmetric parallel electrodes, the segmented anode APPT shows an improvement in the impulse bit of up to 28%. The thrust efficiency is also improved by 49% (from 5.3% to 7.9% for conventional and segmented designs, respectively). Long-exposure broadband emission images of the discharge morphology show that compared with a normal anode, a segmented anode results in clear differences in the luminous discharge morphology and better collimation of the plasma. The magnetic probe data indicate that the segmented anode APPT exhibits a higher current density in the discharge arc. Furthermore, Langmuir probe data collected from the central exit plane show that the peak electron density is 75% higher than with conventional parallel electrodes. These results are believed to be fundamental to the physical mechanisms behind the increased impulse bit of an APPT with a segmented electrode.

Characterization of direct-current atmospheric-pressure discharges useful for ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Shelley, Jacob T; Wiley, Joshua S; Chan, George C Y; Schilling, Gregory D; Ray, Steven J; Hieftje, Gary M

2009-05-01

Two relatively new ambient ionization sources, direct analysis in real time (DART) and the flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA), use direct current, atmospheric-pressure discharges to produce reagent ions for the direct ionization of a sample. Although at a first glance these two sources appear similar, a fundamental study reveals otherwise. Specifically, DART was found to operate with a corona-to-glow transition (C-G) discharge whereas the FAPA was found to operate with a glow-to-arc transition (G-A) discharge. The characteristics of both discharges were evaluated on the basis of four factors: reagent-ion production, response to a model analyte (ferrocene), infrared (IR) thermography of the gas used for desorption and ionization, and spatial emission characteristics. The G-A discharge produced a greater abundance and a wider variety of reagent ions than the C-G discharge. In addition, the discharges yielded different adducts and signal strengths for ferrocene. It was also found that the gas exiting the discharge chamber reached a maximum of 235 degrees C and 55 degrees C for the G-A and C-G discharges, respectively. Finally, spatially resolved emission maps of both discharges showed clear differences for N(2)(+) and O(I). These findings demonstrate that the discharges used by FAPA and DART are fundamentally different and should have different optimal applications for ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (ADI-MS).

Development of plasma cathode electron guns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oks, Efim M.; Schanin, Peter M.

1999-05-01

The status of experimental research and ongoing development of plasma cathode electron guns in recent years is reviewed, including some novel upgrades and applications to various technological fields. The attractiveness of this kind of e-gun is due to its capability of creating high current, broad or focused beams, both in pulsed and steady-state modes of operation. An important characteristic of the plasma cathode electron gun is the absence of a thermionic cathode, a feature which leads to long lifetime and reliable operation even in the presence of aggressive background gas media and at fore-vacuum gas pressure ranges such as achieved by mechanical pumps. Depending on the required beam parameters, different kinds of plasma discharge systems can be used in plasma cathode electron guns, such as vacuum arcs, constricted gaseous arcs, hollow cathode glows, and two kinds of discharges in crossed E×B fields: Penning and magnetron. At the present time, plasma cathode electron guns provide beams with transverse dimension from fractional millimeter up to about one meter, beam current from microamperes to kiloamperes, beam current density up to about 100 A/cm2, pulse duration from nanoseconds to dc, and electron energy from several keV to hundreds of keV. Applications include electron beam melting and welding, surface treatment, plasma chemistry, radiation technologies, laser pumping, microwave generation, and more.

Optical arc sensor using energy harvesting power source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choi, Kyoo Nam, E-mail: knchoi@inu.ac.kr; Rho, Hee Hyuk, E-mail: rdoubleh0902@inu.ac.kr

Wireless sensors without external power supply gained considerable attention due to convenience both in installation and operation. Optical arc detecting sensor equipping with self sustaining power supply using energy harvesting method was investigated. Continuous energy harvesting method was attempted using thermoelectric generator to supply standby power in micro ampere scale and operating power in mA scale. Peltier module with heat-sink was used for high efficiency electricity generator. Optical arc detecting sensor with hybrid filter showed insensitivity to fluorescent and incandescent lamps under simulated distribution panel condition. Signal processing using integrating function showed selective arc discharge detection capability to different arcmore » energy levels, with a resolution below 17 J energy difference, unaffected by bursting arc waveform. The sensor showed possibility for application to arc discharge detecting sensor in power distribution panel. Also experiment with proposed continuous energy harvesting method using thermoelectric power showed possibility as a self sustainable power source of remote sensor.« less

Characteristics of Atmospheric Pressure Rotating Gliding Arc Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hao; Zhu, Fengsen; Tu, Xin; Bo, Zheng; Cen, Kefa; Li, Xiaodong

2016-05-01

In this work, a novel direct current (DC) atmospheric pressure rotating gliding arc (RGA) plasma reactor has been developed for plasma-assisted chemical reactions. The influence of the gas composition and the gas flow rate on the arc dynamic behaviour and the formation of reactive species in the N2 and air gliding arc plasmas has been investigated by means of electrical signals, high speed photography, and optical emission spectroscopic diagnostics. Compared to conventional gliding arc reactors with knife-shaped electrodes which generally require a high flow rate (e.g., 10-20 L/min) to maintain a long arc length and reasonable plasma discharge zone, in this RGA system, a lower gas flow rate (e.g., 2 L/min) can also generate a larger effective plasma reaction zone with a longer arc length for chemical reactions. Two different motion patterns can be clearly observed in the N2 and air RGA plasmas. The time-resolved arc voltage signals show that three different arc dynamic modes, the arc restrike mode, takeover mode, and combined modes, can be clearly identified in the RGA plasmas. The occurrence of different motion and arc dynamic modes is strongly dependent on the composition of the working gas and gas flow rate. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51576174), the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (No. 20120101110099) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2015FZA4011)

ION SOURCE FOR A CALUTRON

DOEpatents

Backus, J.G.

1957-12-24

This patent relates to ion sources and more particularly describes an ion source for a calutron which has the advantage of efficient production of an ion beam and long operation time without recharging. The source comprises an arc block provided with an arc chamber connected to a plurality of series-connected charge chambers and means for heating the charge within the chambers. A cathode is disposed at one end of the arc chamber and enclosed hy a vapor tight housing to protect the cathode. The arc discharge is set up between the cathode and the block due to a difference in potentials placed on these parts, and a magnetic field is aligned with the arc discharge. Cooling of the arc block is accomplished by passing coolant through a hollow stem secured at one end to the block and rotatably mounted at the other end through the wall of the calutron. The ions are removed through a slit in the arc chamber by accelerating electrodes.

Bifurcations in the theory of current transfer to cathodes of DC discharges and observations of transitions between different modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieniek, M. S.; Santos, D. F. N.; Almeida, P. G. C.; Benilov, M. S.

2018-04-01

General scenarios of transitions between different spot patterns on electrodes of DC gas discharges and their relation to bifurcations of steady-state solutions are analyzed. In the case of cathodes of arc discharges, it is shown that any transition between different modes of current transfer is related to a bifurcation of steady-state solutions. In particular, transitions between diffuse and spot modes on axially symmetric cathodes, frequently observed in the experiment, represent an indication of the presence of pitchfork or fold bifurcations of steady-state solutions. Experimental observations of transitions on cathodes of DC glow microdischarges are analyzed and those potentially related to bifurcations of steady-state solutions are identified. The relevant bifurcations are investigated numerically and the computed patterns are found to conform to those observed in the course of the corresponding transitions in the experiment.

Controlling diameter distribution of catalyst nanoparticles in arc discharge.

PubMed

Li, Jian; Volotskova, Olga; Shashurin, Alexey; Keidar, Michael

2011-11-01

It is demonstrated that the diameter distribution of catalyst nanoparticles in arc discharge can be controlled by a magnetic field. The magnetic field affects the arc shape, shortens the diffusing time of the catalyst nanoparticles through the nucleation zone, and consequentially reduces the average diameters of nanoparticles. The average diameter is reduced from about 7.5 nm without magnetic field to about 5 nm is the case of a magnetic field. Decrease of the catalyst nanoparticle diameter with magnetic field correlates well with decrease in the single-wall carbon nanotube and their bundles diameters.

Acceleration processes in the quasi-steady magnetoplasmadynamic discharge. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyle, M. J.

1974-01-01

The flow field characteristics within the discharge chamber and exhaust of a quasi-steady magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) arcjet were examined to clarify the nature of the plasma acceleration process. The observation of discharge characteristics unperturbed by insulator ablation and terminal voltage fluctuations, first requires the satisfaction of three criteria: the use of refractory insulator materials; a mass injection geometry tailored to provide propellant to both electrode regions of the discharge; and a cathode of sufficient surface area to permit nominal MPD arcjet operation for given combinations of arc current and total mass flow. The axial velocity profile and electromagnetic discharge structure were measured for an arcjet configuration which functions nominally at 15.3 kA and 6 g/sec argon mass flow. An empirical two-flow plasma acceleration model is advanced which delineates inner and outer flow regions and accounts for the observed velocity profile and calculated thrust of the accelerator.

Arc plasma generator of atomic driver for steady-state negative ion source.

PubMed

Ivanov, A A; Belchenko, Yu I; Davydenko, V I; Ivanov, I A; Kolmogorov, V V; Listopad, A A; Mishagin, V V; Putvinsky, S V; Shulzhenko, G I; Smirnov, A

2014-02-01

The paper reviews the results of development of steady-state arc-discharge plasma generator with directly heated LaB6 cathode. This arc-discharge plasma generator produces a plasma jet which is to be converted into an atomic one after recombination on a metallic plate. The plate is electrically biased relative to the plasma in order to control the atom energies. Such an intensive jet of hydrogen atoms can be used in negative ion sources for effective production of negative ions on a cesiated surface of plasma grid. All elements of the plasma generator have an augmented water cooling to operate in long pulse mode or in steady state. The thermo-mechanical stresses and deformations of the most critical elements of the plasma generator were determined by simulations. Magnetic field inside the discharge chamber was optimized to reduce the local power loads. The first tests of the steady-state arc plasma generator prototype have performed in long-pulse mode.

Highly porous micro-roughened structures developed on aluminum surface using the jet of rotating arc discharges at atmospheric pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asadollahi, Siavash; Farzaneh, Masoud; Stafford, Luc

2018-02-01

Aluminum 6061 samples were exposed to the jet of an atmospheric pressure rotating arc discharge operated in either nitrogen or air. After multiple passes of treatment with an air-based plasma jet at very short source-to-substrate distances, scanning electron microscopy combined with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a highly porous micro-roughened alumina-based structure on the surface of aluminum. Based on optical emission spectroscopy and high-speed optical imaging of the jet interacting with aluminum samples, it was found that the process is mainly driven by the energy transfer from the plasma source to the surface through transient plasma-transferred arcs. The occurrence of multiple arc discharges over very short time scales can induce rapid phase transformations of aluminum with characteristics similar to the ones usually observed during laser ablation of materials with femto- to nanosecond laser pulses or during the formation of cathode spots on the surface of metals.

Dynamics, OH distributions and UV emission of a gliding arc at various flow-rates investigated by optical measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jiajian; Sun, Zhiwei; Li, Zhongshan; Ehn, Andreas; Aldén, Marcus; Salewski, Mirko; Leipold, Frank; Kusano, Yukihiro

2014-07-01

We demonstrate a plasma discharge which is generated between two diverging electrodes and extended into a gliding arc in non-equilibrium condition by an air flow at atmospheric pressure. Effects of the air flow rates on the dynamics, ground-state OH distributions and spectral characterization of UV emission of the gliding arc were investigated by optical methods. High-speed photography was utilized to reveal flow-rate dependent dynamics such as ignitions, propagation, short-cutting events, extinctions and conversions of the discharge from glowtype to spark-type. Short-cutting events and ignitions occur more frequently at higher flow rates. The anchor points of the gliding arc are mostly steady at the top of the electrodes at lower flow rates whereas at higher flow rates they glide up along the electrodes most of the time. The afterglow of fully developed gliding arcs is observed to decay over hundreds of microseconds after being electronically short-cut by a newly ignited arc. The extinction time decreases with the increase of the flow rate. The frequency of the conversion of a discharge from glow-type to spark-type increases with the flow rate. Additionally, spatial distributions of ground-state OH were investigated using planar laser-induced fluorescence. The results show that the shape, height, intensity and thickness of ground-state OH distribution vary significantly with air flow rates. Finally, UV emission of the gliding arc is measured using optical emission spectroscopy and it is found that the emission intensity of NO γ (A-X), OH (A-X) and N2 (C-B) increase with the flow rates showing more characteristics of spark-type arcs. The observed phenomena indicate the significance of the interaction between local turbulence and the gliding arc.

Welding arc plasma physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cain, Bruce L.

1990-01-01

The problems of weld quality control and weld process dependability continue to be relevant issues in modern metal welding technology. These become especially important for NASA missions which may require the assembly or repair of larger orbiting platforms using automatic welding techniques. To extend present welding technologies for such applications, NASA/MSFC's Materials and Processes Lab is developing physical models of the arc welding process with the goal of providing both a basis for improved design of weld control systems, and a better understanding of how arc welding variables influence final weld properties. The physics of the plasma arc discharge is reasonably well established in terms of transport processes occurring in the arc column itself, although recourse to sophisticated numerical treatments is normally required to obtain quantitative results. Unfortunately the rigor of these numerical computations often obscures the physics of the underlying model due to its inherent complexity. In contrast, this work has focused on a relatively simple physical model of the arc discharge to describe the gross features observed in welding arcs. Emphasis was placed of deriving analytic expressions for the voltage along the arc axis as a function of known or measurable arc parameters. The model retains the essential physics for a straight polarity, diffusion dominated free burning arc in argon, with major simplifications of collisionless sheaths and simple energy balances at the electrodes.

Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Production by the Arc Process: A Parametric Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, Carl D.; Gorelik, Olga; Proft, William J.

2000-01-01

Single wall carbon nanotubes are produced using the arc discharge process. Graphite anodes are filled with a mixture of nickel and yttrium metallic powders, then vaporized by creating a high current arc. By varying the current, gap distance, and ambient pressure it is shown that the best yield of single wall carbon nanotubes is obtained within a narrow range of conditions. The relative yield and purity of the product are indicated semi-quantitatively from scanning electric microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Two types of anodes have been investigated. The first is hollow and filled with a powder mixture of graphite, nickel and yttrium. The second is filled with a paste made of a mixture of metal nitrates, graphite powder and carbon adhesive, then reduced in an argon atmosphere at high temperature. Product purity and yield will be compared for the two types of anodes. The graphite in the anodes may have hydrogen attached in the pores. To remove this impurity anodes have been baked up to 1400 - 1500 C. The effect of baking the anodes on impurities in the product will be given.

Note: Arc discharge plasma source with plane segmented LaB{sub 6} cathode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akhmetov, T. D., E-mail: t.d.akhmetov@inp.nsk.su; Davydenko, V. I.; Ivanov, A. A.

2016-05-15

A plane cathode composed of close-packed hexagonal LaB{sub 6} (lanthanum hexaboride) segments is described. The 6 cm diameter circular cathode is heated by radiation from a graphite foil flat spiral. The cathode along with a hollow copper anode is used for the arc discharge plasma production in a newly developed linear plasma device. A separately powered coil located around the anode is used to change the magnetic field strength and geometry in the anode region. Different discharge regimes were realized using this coil.

Unstable behavior of anodic arc discharge for synthesis of nanomaterials

DOE PAGES

Gershman, Sophia; Raitses, Yevgeny

2016-07-27

A short carbon arc operating with a high ablation rate of the graphite anode exhibits a combined motion of the arc and the arc attachment to the anode. A characteristic time scale of this motion is in a 10 -3 sec range. The arc exhibits a negative differential resistance before the arc motion occurs. Thermal processes in the arc plasma region interacting with the ablating anode are considered as possible causes of this unstable arc behavior. It is also hypothesized that the arc motion could potentially cause mixing of the various nanoparticles synthesized in the arc in the high ablationmore » regime.« less

Unstable behavior of anodic arc discharge for synthesis of nanomaterials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gershman, Sophia; Raitses, Yevgeny

A short carbon arc operating with a high ablation rate of the graphite anode exhibits a combined motion of the arc and the arc attachment to the anode. A characteristic time scale of this motion is in a 10 -3 sec range. The arc exhibits a negative differential resistance before the arc motion occurs. Thermal processes in the arc plasma region interacting with the ablating anode are considered as possible causes of this unstable arc behavior. It is also hypothesized that the arc motion could potentially cause mixing of the various nanoparticles synthesized in the arc in the high ablationmore » regime.« less

Test facility and preliminary performance of a 100 kW class MPD thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sovey, James S.; Mantenieks, Maris A.; Haag, Thomas W.; Raitano, Paul; Parkes, James E.

1989-01-01

A 260 kW magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster test facility was assembled and used to characterize thrusters at power levels up to 130 kW using argon and helium propellants. Sensitivities of discharge characteristics to arc current, mass flow rate, and applied magnetic field were investigated. A thermal efficiency correlation developed by others for low power MPD thrusters defined parametric guidelines to minimize electrode losses in MPD thrusters. Argon and helium results suggest that a parameter defined as the product of arc voltage and the square root of the mass flow rate must exceed .7 V-kg(1/2)-s(-1/2) in order to obtain thermal efficiencies in excess of 60 percent.

Anode power deposition in quasi-steady MPD arcs. [accelerator anode heat flux measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saber, A. J.; Jahn, R. G.

1973-01-01

The power deposited in the anode of a quasi-steady MPD accelerator has been measured directly by thermocouples attached to the inside surface of a shell anode which provide a local measurement of anode heat flux. The results over a range of arc currents from 5.5 to 44 kiloamperes and argon mass flows from 1 g/sec to 48 g/sec show that the fraction of the total input power deposited in the anode decreases drastically from 50% at an arc power of 200 kW to 10% at 20 MW, and that anode power is not uniformly deposited in the anode. A theoretical model of the anode heat transfer, including effects of anode work function, electron thermal energy, and anode sheath, can be brought into reasonable agreement with the measurements, provided the effective range of the conduction electrons from within the discharge plasma to the anode surface is properly acknowledged.

Mass-spectroscopic study of the influence of nozzle material on high-pressure SF6 arcs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, R.; Kneubühl, F. K.; Schötzau, H. J.

1989-03-01

The interrupting capability of a gas-blast high-voltage circuit breaker (CB) is mainly determined by the self-induced pressure rise caused by the thermal arc energy, the composition of the arc plasma and the chemical reactions occuring during and after current interruption. We have studied the nozzle materials boron nitride (BN), quartz (SiO2), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyethylene (PE) and epoxy resin (ER) with respect to their influence on these processes with the aid of a model circuit breaker (MCB). Direct measurements of the arc-induced pressure rise reveal that the portion of the arc energy available for the pressure rise varies greatly (˜20% 65%) with the properties of the nozzle material. Nozzle erosion is significantly higher for materials with high values (e.g. polymers). Therefore, the lifetime of polymer nozzles is considerably shorter than that of ceramic nozzles. We have investigated the influence of the nozzle material on the decomposition products formed in the arc discharge of our MCB by studying the composition and time dependence of these products. The MCB was directly attached to the time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) with the aid of a molecular-beam sampling system, which allowed real-time measurements of the arced gas during and after current interruption, thus providing information on the ablation mechanism and on the reaction kinetics of vaporised nozzle material with dissociated SF6. The most abundant long-lived reaction products are SF4, SOF2, C2H2, CO, and CS2. Their formation rates have been determined as functions of the nozzle material. With respect to quantities and properties of decomposition products, ceramics are superior to polymers since they form only small concentrations of corrosive and toxic products.

Development of a plasma generator for a long pulse ion source for neutral beam injectors.

PubMed

Watanabe, K; Dairaku, M; Tobari, H; Kashiwagi, M; Inoue, T; Hanada, M; Jeong, S H; Chang, D H; Kim, T S; Kim, B R; Seo, C S; Jin, J T; Lee, K W; In, S R; Oh, B H; Kim, J; Bae, Y S

2011-06-01

A plasma generator for a long pulse H(+)/D(+) ion source has been developed. The plasma generator was designed to produce 65 A H(+)/D(+) beams at an energy of 120 keV from an ion extraction area of 12 cm in width and 45 cm in length. Configuration of the plasma generator is a multi-cusp bucket type with SmCo permanent magnets. Dimension of a plasma chamber is 25 cm in width, 59 cm in length, and 32.5 cm in depth. The plasma generator was designed and fabricated at Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Source plasma generation and beam extraction tests for hydrogen coupling with an accelerator of the KSTAR ion source have been performed at the KSTAR neutral beam test stand under the agreement of Japan-Korea collaborative experiment. Spatial uniformity of the source plasma at the extraction region was measured using Langmuir probes and ±7% of the deviation from an averaged ion saturation current density was obtained. A long pulse test of the plasma generation up to 200 s with an arc discharge power of 70 kW has been successfully demonstrated. The arc discharge power satisfies the requirement of the beam production for the KSTAR NBI. A 70 keV, 41 A, 5 s hydrogen ion beam has been extracted with a high arc efficiency of 0.9 -1.1 A/kW at a beam extraction experiment. A deuteron yield of 77% was measured even at a low beam current density of 73 mA/cm(2). © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Study of a contracted glow in low-frequency plasma-jet discharges operating with argon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Minotti, F.; Giuliani, L.; Xaubet, M.

2015-11-15

In this work, we present an experimental and theoretical study of a low frequency, atmospheric plasma-jet discharge in argon. The discharge has the characteristics of a contracted glow with a current channel of submillimeter diameter and a relatively high voltage cathode layer. In order to interpret the measurements, we consider the separate modeling of each region of the discharge: main channel and cathode layer, which must then be properly matched together. The main current channel was modeled, extending a previous work, as similar to an arc in which joule heating is balanced by lateral heat conduction, without thermal equilibrium betweenmore » electrons and heavy species. The cathode layer model, on the other hand, includes the emission of secondary electrons by ion impact and by additional mechanisms, of which we considered emission due to collision of atoms excited at metastable levels, and field-enhanced thermionic emission (Schottky effect). The comparison of model and experiment indicates that the discharge can be effectively sustained in its contracted form by the secondary electrons emitted by collision of excited argon atoms, whereas thermionic emission is by far insufficient to provide the necessary electrons.« less

The study of the plasma jets of lead and silver simulating spent nuclear fuel components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonov, N. N.; Gavrikov, A. V.; Smirnov, V. P.; Liziakin, G. D.; Usmanov, R. A.; Vorona, N. A.; Timirkhanov, R. A.

2018-01-01

One of the tasks that must be solved to develop a spent nuclear fuel (SNF) plasma separation method is a creation of plasma source of substances simulating SNF components. Plasma of the diffuse arc discharge in a magnetic field with an incandescent cathode was considered in this paper, as such source. The discharge was initiated in a model substances vapor (lead and silver). Evaporation was carried out by crucible induction heating. Current- voltage characteristics of the discharge were obtained. Spectral analysis of the plasma jets radiation and double probe characteristics measurements in the area behind the anode were carried out. The minimum potential difference between the anode and cathode reached a value of about 7 V at current of about 1 A. When the potential difference in the discharge gap was close to 30 V (4.5 A) and 10 V (5.2 A) electron temperature in the plasma jet was 5-7 eV and 1-3 eV, respectively. Plasma density in jets took the value from 1011 cm-3 to 1012 cm-3. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using this type of discharge for the SNF plasma separation method approbation.

Generation of high charge state metal ion beams by electron cyclotron resonance heating of vacuum arc plasma in cusp trap.

PubMed

Nikolaev, A G; Savkin, K P; Oks, E M; Vizir, A V; Yushkov, G Yu; Vodopyanov, A V; Izotov, I V; Mansfeld, D A

2012-02-01

A method for generating high charge state heavy metal ion beams based on high power microwave heating of vacuum arc plasma confined in a magnetic trap under electron cyclotron resonance conditions has been developed. A feature of the work described here is the use of a cusp magnetic field with inherent "minimum-B" structure as the confinement geometry, as opposed to a simple mirror device as we have reported on previously. The cusp configuration has been successfully used for microwave heating of gas discharge plasma and extraction from the plasma of highly charged, high current, gaseous ion beams. Now we use the trap for heavy metal ion beam generation. Two different approaches were used for injecting the vacuum arc metal plasma into the trap--axial injection from a miniature arc source located on-axis near the microwave window, and radial injection from sources mounted radially at the midplane of the trap. Here, we describe preliminary results of heating vacuum arc plasma in a cusp magnetic trap by pulsed (400 μs) high power (up to 100 kW) microwave radiation at 37.5 GHz for the generation of highly charged heavy metal ion beams.

Assessment of Corona/Arcing Hazard for Electron Beam Welding in Space Shuttle Bay at LEO for ISWE: Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nunes, A. C., Jr.; Russell, C.; Vaughn, J.; Stocks, C.; ODell, D.; Bhat, B.

1996-01-01

Test welds were made in argon over a range of pressures from 10-5 to 10-3 torr (the latter pressure an order of magnitude above pressures anticipated in the space shuttle bay during welding) with and without plasma on 304 stainless steel, 6Al-4V titanium, and 5456 aluminum in search of any possible unwanted electrical discharges. Only a faint steady glow of beam-excited atoms around the electron beam and sometimes extending out into the vacuum chamber was observed. No signs of current spiking or of any potentially dangerous electrical discharge were found.

The effect of frequency on atmospheric pressure glow discharge in a pin-to-plate gap sustained by a resonant power supply

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Yong Sheng; Ding, Wei Dong; Wang, Ya Nan

More and more researchers have been attracted to the research of atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) because of its great prospect in numerous industrial applications. Nevertheless, almost all of the industrial applications are based on achievement of stable, large-volume, and uniform APGD. In a previous study, stable filamentary APGD was obtained by applying a resonant power supply between pin-to-plate electrodes which could limit the peak value of discharge current to supress the glow-to-arc transition through a series-wound resonance principle. The filamentary APGD is centimeter-level in the length but only several millimeters in diameter. Therefore, in order to obtain large-volume andmore » uniform APGD, it is significant to study how to diffuse filamentary APGD in radial direction. With the increasing resonant frequency of alternating current discharge, excited particles (mainly including energetic electrons and trapped ions left from the previous half-cycle discharge) in the electrodes gap increase, which benefits obtaining stable self-sustaining APGD. In this paper, mechanism and law of the influence of resonant frequency on the diffusion of filamentary APGD in ambient air were studied. By comparing the photos of discharge plasma and waveforms of the discharge voltage and current, it is found that the volume of the glow discharge plasma enlarges as the resonant frequency of the power supply increases. It is very significant and anticipating to study how to obtain stable, large-volume, and uniform APGD in ambient air by the resonant power supply.« less

Effects of insulator ablation on the operation of a quasi-steady MPD arc

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyle, M. J.; Jahn, R. G.

1973-01-01

Multimegawatt operation of quasi-steady MPD arcjets can involve serious ablation of the insulator surfaces within the arc discharge chamber. Various degrees of insulator ablation manifest themselves by significantly perturbing the voltage-current characteristics and the exhaust velocity profiles. Voltage-current characteristics for two different insulator materials, Plexiglas and boron nitride, are interpreted in terms of an empirical Ohm's law. Use of the refractory insulator material eliminates the ablation-dominated nature of the terminal voltage, but the exhaust stream is still disturbed by insulator material. An Alfven critical velocity model can be applied to this influence of insulator ablation on exhaust velocity. Appropriate changes in the propellant injection geometry eliminate this influence and result in arcjet operation which is independent of insulator material. A particular combination of propellant injection geometries reduces the terminal voltage for a given current and mass flow while maintaining insulator-independent operation, thus implying an improvement in the overall efficiency of the device.

Developing a diagnostic tool for measuring maximum effective temperature within high pressure electrodeless discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whiting, Michael; Preston, Barry; Mucklejohn, Stuart; Santos, Monica; Lister, Graeme

2016-09-01

Here we present an investigation into the feasibility of creating a diagnostic tool for obtaining maximum arc temperature measurements within a high pressure electrodeless discharge; utilizing integrating sphere measurements of optically thin lines emitted from mercury atoms within commercially available high pressure mercury lamp arc tubes. The optically thin lines chosen were 577 nm and 1014 nm from a 250 W high pressure mercury lamp operated at various powers. The effective temperature could be calculated by considering the relative intensities of the two optically thin lines and comparison with the theoretical ratio of the temperature dependent power emitted from the lines derived from the atomic spectral data provided by NIST. The calculations gave effective arc temperatures of 5755, 5804 and 5820 K at 200, 225, 250 W respectively. This method was subsequently used as a basis for determining maximum effective arc temperature within microwave-driven electrodeless discharge capsules, with varying mercury content of 6.07, 9.4 and 12.95 mg within 1 × 10-6 m3 giving maximum effective temperatures of 5163, 4768 and 4715 K respectively at 240 W.

Fast surface temperature measurement of Teflon propellant-in-pulsed ablative discharges using HgCdTe photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonsen, Erik L.; Burton, Rodney L.; Reed, Garrett A.; Spanjers, Gregory G.

2006-10-01

High-speed mercury cadmium telluride photovoltaic detectors, sensitive to infrared emission, are investigated as a means of measuring surface temperature on a microsecond time frame during pulsed ablative discharges with Teflon™ as the ablated material. Analysis is used to derive a governing equation for detector output voltage for materials with wavelength dependent emissivity. The detector output voltage is experimentally calibrated against thermocouples embedded in heated Teflon. Experimental calibration is performed with Teflon that has been exposed to ˜200 pulsed discharges and non-plasma-exposed Teflon and is compared to theoretical predictions to analyze emissivity differences. The diagnostic capability is evaluated with measurements of surface temperature from the Teflon propellant of electric micropulsed plasma thrusters. During the pulsed current discharge, there is insufficient information to claim that the surface temperature is accurately measured. However, immediately following the discharge, the postpulse cooling curve is measured. The statistical spread of postpulse surface temperature from shot to shot, most likely due to arc constriction and localization, is investigated to determine an operational envelope for postpulse temperature and mass ablation. This information is useful for determining postpulse ablation contributions to mass loss as well as evaluation of theoretical discharge models currently under development.

Effectiveness of recycling light in ultra-bright short-arc discharge lamps.

PubMed

Malul, Asher; Nakar, Doron; Feuermann, Daniel; Gordon, Jeffrey M

2007-10-17

Recycling light back into a plasma lamp's radiant zone can enhance its radiance. Measurements are reported for the effectiveness, spectral properties and modified plasma radiance maps that result from light recycling with a specular hemispherical mirror in commercial 150 W ultrabright Xenon short-arc discharge lamps, motivated by projection, biomedical and high-temperature furnace applications. For certain spectral windows and plasma arc regions, radiance can be heightened by up to 70%. However, the overall light recycling efficiency is reduced to about half this value due to lamp geometry. The manner in which light-plasma interactions affect light recycling efficacy is also elucidated.

Electric field induced needle-pulsed arc discharge carbon nanotube production apparatus: circuitry and mechanical design.

PubMed

Kia, Kaveh Kazemi; Bonabi, Fahimeh

2012-12-01

A simple and low cost apparatus is reported to produce multiwall carbon nanotubes and carbon nano-onions by a low power short pulsed arc discharge reactor. The electric circuitry and the mechanical design details and a micro-filtering assembly are described. The pulsed-plasma is generated and applied between two graphite electrodes. The pulse width is 0.3 μs. A strong dc electric field is established along side the electrodes. The repetitive discharges occur in less than 1 mm distance between a sharp tip graphite rod as anode, and a tubular graphite as cathode. A hydrocarbon vapor, as carbon source, is introduced through the graphite nozzle in the cathode assembly. The pressure of the chamber is controlled by a vacuum pump. A magnetic field, perpendicular to the plasma path, is provided. The results show that the synergetic use of a pulsed-current and a dc power supply enables us to synthesize carbon nanoparticles with short pulsed plasma. The simplicity and inexpensiveness of this plan is noticeable. Pulsed nature of plasma provides some extra degrees of freedom that make the production more controllable. Effects of some design parameters such as electric field, pulse frequency, and cathode shape are discussed. The products are examined using scanning probe microscopy techniques.

Electric field induced needle-pulsed arc discharge carbon nanotube production apparatus: Circuitry and mechanical design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kia, Kaveh Kazemi; Bonabi, Fahimeh

A simple and low cost apparatus is reported to produce multiwall carbon nanotubes and carbon nano-onions by a low power short pulsed arc discharge reactor. The electric circuitry and the mechanical design details and a micro-filtering assembly are described. The pulsed-plasma is generated and applied between two graphite electrodes. The pulse width is 0.3 {mu}s. A strong dc electric field is established along side the electrodes. The repetitive discharges occur in less than 1 mm distance between a sharp tip graphite rod as anode, and a tubular graphite as cathode. A hydrocarbon vapor, as carbon source, is introduced through themore » graphite nozzle in the cathode assembly. The pressure of the chamber is controlled by a vacuum pump. A magnetic field, perpendicular to the plasma path, is provided. The results show that the synergetic use of a pulsed-current and a dc power supply enables us to synthesize carbon nanoparticles with short pulsed plasma. The simplicity and inexpensiveness of this plan is noticeable. Pulsed nature of plasma provides some extra degrees of freedom that make the production more controllable. Effects of some design parameters such as electric field, pulse frequency, and cathode shape are discussed. The products are examined using scanning probe microscopy techniques.« less

Electric field induced needle-pulsed arc discharge carbon nanotube production apparatus: Circuitry and mechanical design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kia, Kaveh Kazemi; Bonabi, Fahimeh

2012-12-01

A simple and low cost apparatus is reported to produce multiwall carbon nanotubes and carbon nano-onions by a low power short pulsed arc discharge reactor. The electric circuitry and the mechanical design details and a micro-filtering assembly are described. The pulsed-plasma is generated and applied between two graphite electrodes. The pulse width is 0.3 μs. A strong dc electric field is established along side the electrodes. The repetitive discharges occur in less than 1 mm distance between a sharp tip graphite rod as anode, and a tubular graphite as cathode. A hydrocarbon vapor, as carbon source, is introduced through the graphite nozzle in the cathode assembly. The pressure of the chamber is controlled by a vacuum pump. A magnetic field, perpendicular to the plasma path, is provided. The results show that the synergetic use of a pulsed-current and a dc power supply enables us to synthesize carbon nanoparticles with short pulsed plasma. The simplicity and inexpensiveness of this plan is noticeable. Pulsed nature of plasma provides some extra degrees of freedom that make the production more controllable. Effects of some design parameters such as electric field, pulse frequency, and cathode shape are discussed. The products are examined using scanning probe microscopy techniques.

Laser-Based Optical System for Reactive Radical Concentration Measurements in Plasmas and Flames

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

role of different plasma components in chain propagation support: (1) and (2) - corona plasma generators with high-voltage multiple needle electrodes ; (3...H20 2) and HCN. Measurements in Gliding Arc, Dielectric Barrier Discharge and Pulsed Corona Plasma systems and in flame and flow reactor systems are...discharges operating in air with iron electrodes - 260V.35 Using visual quantification from high speed camera arc images, the approximate thickness of

High Current ESD Test of Advanced Triple Junction Solar Array Coupon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.; Schneider, Todd A.; Vaughn, Jason A.; Hoang, Bao; Wong, Frankie

2014-01-01

Testing was conducted on an Advanced Triple Junction (ATJ) coupon that was part of a risk reduction effort in the development of a high-powered solar array design by Space Systems Loral, LLC (SSL). The ATJ coupon was a small, 4-cell, two-string configuration of flight-type design that has served as the basic test coupon design used in previous SSL environmental aging campaigns. The objective of the present test was to evaluate the performance of the coupon after being subjected to induced electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing at two string voltages (100 V, 150 V) and four string currents (1.65 A, 2.0 A, 2.475 A, and 3.3 A). An ESD test circuit, unique to SSL solar array design, was built that simulates the effect of missing cells and strings in a full solar panel with special primary arc flashover circuitry. A total of 73 primary arcs were obtained that included 7 temporary sustained arcs (TSA) events. The durations of the TSAs ranged from 50 micro-seconds to 2.75 milli-seconds. All TSAs occurred at a string voltage of 150 V. Post-ESD functional testing showed that no degradation occurred due to the TSA events. These test results point to a robust design for application to a high-current, high-power mission.

Enhanced ablation of small anodes in a carbon nanotube arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raitses, Yevgeny; Fetterman, Abraham; Keidar, Michael

2008-11-01

An atmospheric pressure helium arc discharge is used for carbon nanotube synthesis. The arc discharge operates in an anodic mode with the ablating anode made from a graphite material. For such conditions, models predict the electron-repelling (negative) anode sheath. In the present experiments, the anode ablation rate is investigated as a function of the anode diameter. It is found that anomalously high ablation occurs for small anode diameters (< 0.4 cm). This result is explained by the formation of an electron-attracting (positive) anode sheath leading to increased power losses on small anodes as compared to larger anodes [1]. The suggested mechanism for the positive anode sheath formation is plasma convergence. The increased ablation rate due to this positive sheath could imply a greater yield of carbon nanotube production. [1] A. J. Fetterman, Y. Raitses and M. Keidar, Carbon (2008).

Photoionization in a Numerical Simulation of a Spark Discharge in Air

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

thunder , exploding thin conductors, and ignition of a fuel/air mixture in an internal combustion engine. All of these arcs have a circular cylindrical...that this arc resistance can be questioned. A detailed numerical study of an arc came from the research on thunder and lightning.4 This study is

The effect of the configuration of a single electrode corona discharge on its acoustic characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xinlei; Zhang, Liancheng; Huang, Yifan; Wang, Jin; Liu, Zhen; Yan, Keping

2017-07-01

A new sparker system based on pulsed spark discharge with a single electrode has already been utilized for oceanic seismic exploration. However, the electro-acoustic energy efficiency of this system is lower than that of arc discharge based systems. A simple electrode structure was investigated in order to improve the electro-acoustic energy efficiency of the spark discharge. Experiments were carried out on an experimental setup with discharge in water driven by a pulsed power source. The voltage-current waveform, acoustic signal and bubble oscillation were recorded when the relative position of the electrode varied. The electro-acoustic energy efficiency was also calculated. The load voltage had a saltation for the invaginated electrode tip, namely an obvious voltage remnant. The more the electrode tip was invaginated, the larger the pressure peaks and first period became. The results show that electrode recessing into the insulating layer is a simple and effective way to improve the electro-acoustic energy efficiency from 2% to about 4%.

CO2 Dissociation by Low Current Gliding Discharge in the Reverse Vortex Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutsol, Alexander

2012-10-01

If performed with high energy efficiency, plasma-chemical dissociation of carbon dioxide can be a way of converting and storing energy when there is an excess of electric energy, for example generated by solar elements of wind turbines. CO2 dissociation with efficiency of up to 90% was reported earlier for low pressure microwave discharge in supersonic flow. A new plasma-chemical system uses a low current gliding discharge in the reverse vortex flow of plasma gas. The system is a development of the Gliding Arc in Tornado reactor. The system was used to study dissociation of CO2 in wide ranges of the following experimental parameters: reactor pressure (15-150 kPa), discharge current (50-500 mA), gas flow rate (3-30 liters per minute), and electrode gap length (1-10 cm). Additionally, the effect of thermal energy recuperation on CO2 dissociation efficiency was tested. Plasma chemical efficiency of CO2 dissociation is very low (about 3%) in a short discharge at low pressures (about 15 kPa) when it is defined by electronic excitation. The highest efficiency (above 40%) was reached at pressures 50-70 kPa in a long discharge with thermal energy recuperation. It means that the process is controlled by thermal dissociation with subsequent effective quenching. Plasma chemical efficiency was determined from the data of chromatographic analysis and oscilloscope electric power integration, and also was checked calorimetrically by the thermal balance of the system.

Test Facility and Preliminary Performance of a 100 kW Class MPD Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sovey, J. S.; Mantenieks, M. A.; Haag, Thomas W.; Raitano, P.; Parkes, J. E.

1989-01-01

A 260 kW magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster test facility was assembled and used to characterize thrusters at power levels up to 130 kW using argon and helium propellants. Sensitivities of discharge characteristics to arc current, mass flow rate, and applied magnetic field were investigated. A thermal efficiency correlation developed by others for low power MPD thrusters defined parametric guidelines to minimize electrode losses in MPD thrusters. Argon and helium results suggest that a parameter defined as the product of arc voltage and the square root of the mass flow rate must exceed 0.7 V/kg(sup 1/2)/sec(sup 1/2) in order to obtain thermal efficiencies in excess of 60 percent.

Influence of Plasma Jet Temperature Profiles in Arc Discharge Methods of Carbon Nanotubes Synthesis

PubMed Central

Raniszewski, Grzegorz; Wiak, Slawomir; Pietrzak, Lukasz; Szymanski, Lukasz; Kolacinski, Zbigniew

2017-01-01

One of the most common methods of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesis is application of an electric-arc plasma. However, the final product in the form of cathode deposit is composed of carbon nanotubes and a variety of carbon impurities. An assay of carbon nanotubes produced in arc discharge systems available on the market shows that commercial cathode deposits contain about 10% CNTs. Given that the quality of the final product depends on carbon–plasma jet parameters, it is possible to increase the yield of the synthesis by plasma jet control. Most of the carbon nanotubes are multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). It was observed that the addition of catalysts significantly changes the plasma composition, effective ionization potential, the arc channel conductance, and in effect temperature of the arc and carbon elements flux. This paper focuses on the influence of metal components on plasma-jet forming containing carbon nanotubes cathode deposit. The plasma jet temperature control system is presented. PMID:28336884

Influence of Plasma Jet Temperature Profiles in Arc Discharge Methods of Carbon Nanotubes Synthesis.

PubMed

Raniszewski, Grzegorz; Wiak, Slawomir; Pietrzak, Lukasz; Szymanski, Lukasz; Kolacinski, Zbigniew

2017-02-23

One of the most common methods of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesis is application of an electric-arc plasma. However, the final product in the form of cathode deposit is composed of carbon nanotubes and a variety of carbon impurities. An assay of carbon nanotubes produced in arc discharge systems available on the market shows that commercial cathode deposits contain about 10% CNTs. Given that the quality of the final product depends on carbon-plasma jet parameters, it is possible to increase the yield of the synthesis by plasma jet control. Most of the carbon nanotubes are multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). It was observed that the addition of catalysts significantly changes the plasma composition, effective ionization potential, the arc channel conductance, and in effect temperature of the arc and carbon elements flux. This paper focuses on the influence of metal components on plasma-jet forming containing carbon nanotubes cathode deposit. The plasma jet temperature control system is presented.

Versatile plasma ion source with an internal evaporator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turek, M.; Prucnal, S.; Drozdziel, A.; Pyszniak, K.

2011-04-01

A novel construction of an ion source with an evaporator placed inside a plasma chamber is presented. The crucible is heated to high temperatures directly by arc discharge, which makes the ion source suitable for substances with high melting points. The compact ion source enables production of intense ion beams for wide spectrum of solid elements with typical separated beam currents of ˜100-150 μA for Al +, Mn +, As + (which corresponds to emission current densities of 15-25 mA/cm 2) for the extraction voltage of 25 kV. The ion source works for approximately 50-70 h at 100% duty cycle, which enables high ion dose implantation. The typical power consumption of the ion source is 350-400 W. The paper presents detailed experimental data (e.g. dependences of ion currents and anode voltages on discharge and filament currents and magnetic flux densities) for Cr, Fe, Al, As, Mn and In. The discussion is supported by results of Monte Carlo method based numerical simulation of ionisation in the ion source.

ION SOURCE

DOEpatents

Blue, C.W.; Luce, J.S.

1960-07-19

An ion source is described and comprises an arc discharge parallel to the direction of and inside of a magnetic field. an accelerating electrode surrounding substantially all of the discharge except for ion exit apertures, and means for establishing an electric field between that electrode and the arc discharge. the electric field being oriented at an acute angle to the magnetic field. Ions are drawn through the exit apertures in the accelrating electrcde in a direction substantially divergent to the direction of the magnetic field and so will travel in a spiral orbit along the magnetic field such that the ions will not strike the source at any point in their orbit within the magnetic field.

Proof-of-Concept Experiments on a Gallium-Based Ignitron for Pulsed Power Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ali, H. K.; Hanson, V. S.; Polzin, K. A.; Pearson, J. B.

2015-01-01

Ignitrons are electrical switching devices that operate at switching times that are on the order of microseconds, can conduct high currents of thousands of amps, and are capable of holding off tens of thousands of volts between pulses. They consist of a liquid metal pool within an evacuated tube that serves both the cathode and the source of atoms and electrons for an arc discharge. Facing the liquid metal pool is an anode suspended above the cathode, with a smaller ignitor electrode tip located just above the surface of the cathode. The ignitron can be charged to significant voltages, with a potential difference of thousands of volts between anode and cathode. When an ignition pulse is delivered from the ignitor electrode to the cathode, a small amount of the liquid metal is vaporized and subsequently ionized, with the high voltage between the anode and cathode causing the gas to bridge the gap between the two electrodes. The electrons and ions move rapidly towards the anode and cathode, respectively, with the ions liberating still more atoms from the liquid metal cathode surface as a high-current plasma arc discharge is rapidly established. This arc continues in a self-sustaining fashion until the potential difference between the anode and cathode drops below some critical value. Ignitrons have been used in a variety of pulsed power applications, including the railroad industry, industrial chemical processing, and high-power arc welding. In addition, they might prove useful in terrestrial power grid applications, serving as high-current fault switches, quickly shunting dangerous high-current or high-voltage spikes safely to ground. The motivation for this work stemmed from the fact that high-power, high-reliability, pulsed power devices like the ignitron have been used for ground testing in-space pulsed electric thruster technologies, and the continued use of ignitrons could prove advantageous to the future development and testing of such thrusters. Previous ignitron designs have used mercury as the liquid metal cathode, owing to its presence as a liquid at room temperatures and a vapor pressure of 10 Pa (75 mtorr) at room temperature. While these are favorable properties, there are obvious environmental and personal safety concerns with the storage, handling, and use of mercury and its compounds. The purpose of the present work was to fabricate and test an ignitron that used as its cathode an alternate liquid metal that was safe to handle and store. To that end, an ignitron test article that used liquid gallium as the cathode material was developed and tested. Gallium is a metal that has a melting temperature of 29.76 C, which is slightly above room temperature, and a boiling point of over 2,300 C at atmospheric pressure. This property makes gallium the element with the largest relative difference between melting and boiling points. Gallium has a limited role in biology, and when ingested, it will be subsequently processed by the body and expelled rather than accumulating to toxic levels. The next section of this Technical Memorandum (TM) provides background information on the development of mercury-based ignitrons, which serves as the starting point for the development of the gallium-based variant. Afterwards, the experimental hardware and setup used in proof-of-concept testing of a basic gallium ignitron are presented. Experimental data, consisting of discharge voltage and current waveforms as well as high-speed imaging of the gallium arc discharge in the gallium ignitron test article, are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the concept. Discussion of the data and suggestions on improvements for future iterations of the design are presented in the final two sections of this TM.

Crystal structure and electrochemical properties of rare earth non-stoichiometric AB5-type alloy as negative electrode material in Ni-MH battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xinbo; Chai, Yujun; Yin, Wenya; Zhao, Minshou

2004-07-01

The La 0.85Mg xNi 4.5Co 0.35Al 0.15 (0.05⩽ x⩽0.35) system compounds have been prepared by arc melting method under Ar atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the as-prepared alloys have different lattice parameters and cell volumes. The electrochemical properties of these alloys have been studied through the charge-discharge recycle testing at different temperatures and discharge currents. It is found that the La 0.85Mg 0.25Ni 4.5Co 0.35Al 0.15 alloy electrode is capable of performing high-rate discharge. Moreover, it has very excellent electrochemical properties as negative electrode materials in Ni-MH battery at low temperature, even at -40°C.

Physicochemical modifications and applications of carbon nano-onions for electrochemical energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgohain, Rituraj

Carbon nano-onions (CNOs), concentrically multilayered fullerenes, are prepared by several different methods. We are studying the properties of two specific CNOs: A-CNOs and N-CNOs. A-CNOs are synthesized by underwater arc discharge, and N-CNOs are synthesized by high-temperature graphitization of commercial nanodiamond. In this study the synthesis of A-CNOs are optimized by designing an arc discharge aparatus to control the arc plasma. Moreover other synthesis parameters such as arc power, duty cycles, temperature, graphitic and metal impurities are controlled for optimum production of A-CNOs. Also, a very efficient purification method is developed to screen out A-CNOs from carboneseous and metal impurities. In general, A-CNOs are larger than N-CNOs (ca. 30 nm vs. 7 nm diameter). The high surface area, appropriate mesoporosity, high thermal stability and high electrical conductivity of CNOs make them a promising material for various applications. These hydrophobic materials are functionalized with organic groups on their outer layers to study their surface chemistry and to decorate with metal oxide nanoparticles. Both CNOs and CNO nanocomposites are investigated for application in electrochemical capacitors (ECs). The influences of pH, concentration and additives on the performance of the composites are studied. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate high specific capacitance and high cycling stability with high energy and power density of the composite materials in aqueous electrolyte. Key words: Carbon Nano-onions, Arc discharge, Purification, Functionalization, Supercapacitor.

Welding Experiments of Aluminum Alloy by Space GHTA Welding in the ISS Orbital Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suita, Yoshikazu; Takai, Daisuke; Sugiyama, Satoshi; Terajima, Noboru; Tsukuda, Yoshiyuki; Fujisawa, Shoichiro; Imagawa, Kichiro

As a feasible welding method in space, the authors have previously proposed the space GHTA (Gas Hollow Tungsten Arc) welding process. The space GHTA welding with high frequency power source for the arc starting may cause the electro-magnetic noise problems of computer equipments placed on the ISS. Therefore, in this paper the welding experiments of aluminum alloy by the space GHTA welding with DC high voltage power source for the arc starting was carried out in the ISS orbital pressure 10-5Pa. It is made clear that there is the shifting phenomenon in which the spark discharge changes to the glow or arc discharge at starting phenomenon of the space GHTA welding in high vacuum condition, and the features of those starting phenomenon are demonstrated. And the space GHTA welding with DC high voltage power source can be used for welding in the ISS orbital pressure.

Synthesis and characteristics of Ag/Pt bimetallic nanocomposites by arc-discharge solution plasma processing.

PubMed

Pootawang, Panuphong; Saito, Nagahiro; Takai, Osamu; Lee, Sang-Yul

2012-10-05

Arc discharge in solution, generated by applying a high voltage of unipolar pulsed dc to electrodes of Ag and Pt, was used as a method to form Ag/Pt bimetallic nanocomposites via electrode erosion by the effects of the electric arc at the cathode (Ag rod) and the sputtering at the anode (Pt rod). Ag/Pt bimetallic nanocomposites were formed as colloidal particles dispersed in solution via the reduction of hydrogen radicals generated during discharge without the addition of chemical precursor or reducing agent. At a discharge time of 30 s, the fine bimetallic nanoparticles with a mean particle size of approximately 5 nm were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). With increasing discharge time, the bimetallic nanoparticle size tended to increase by forming an agglomeration. The presence of the relatively small amount of Pt dispersed in the Ag matrix could be observed by the analytical mapping mode of energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and high-resolution TEM. This demonstrated that the synthesized particle was in the form of a nanocomposite. No contamination of other chemical substances was detected by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Hence, solution plasma could be a clean and simple process to effectively synthesize Ag/Pt bimetallic nanocomposites and it is expected to be widely applicable in the preparation of several types of nanoparticle.

Low temperature formation of electrode having electrically conductive metal oxide surface

DOEpatents

Anders, Simone; Anders, Andre; Brown, Ian G.; McLarnon, Frank R.; Kong, Fanping

1998-01-01

A low temperature process is disclosed for forming metal suboxides on substrates by cathodic arc deposition by either controlling the pressure of the oxygen present in the deposition chamber, or by controlling the density of the metal flux, or by a combination of such adjustments, to thereby control the ratio of oxide to metal in the deposited metal suboxide coating. The density of the metal flux may, in turn, be adjusted by controlling the discharge current of the arc, by adjusting the pulse length (duration of on cycle) of the arc, and by adjusting the frequency of the arc, or any combination of these parameters. In a preferred embodiment, a low temperature process is disclosed for forming an electrically conductive metal suboxide, such as, for example, an electrically conductive suboxide of titanium, on an electrode surface, such as the surface of a nickel oxide electrode, by such cathodic arc deposition and control of the deposition parameters. In the preferred embodiment, the process results in a titanium suboxide-coated nickel oxide electrode exhibiting reduced parasitic evolution of oxygen during charging of a cell made using such an electrode as the positive electrode, as well as exhibiting high oxygen overpotential, resulting in suppression of oxygen evolution at the electrode at full charge of the cell.

Space and time resolved representation of a vacuum arc light emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgescu, N.; Sandolache, G.; Zoita, V.

1999-04-01

An optoelectronic multichannel detection system for the study of the visible light emission of a vacuum circuit breaker arc is described. The system consists of two multiple slit collimator assemblies coupled directly to the arc discharge chamber and an electronic detection part. The light emitted by the arc is collected by the two collimator assemblies and is transmitted through optical fibres to the electronic detection part. By using a new, simple computational method two-dimensional plots of the vacuum arc light emission at different times are obtained.

Influence of the temperature of electrode material on its disintegration under the action of an arc discharge in hydrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolotov, A. V.; Yukhimchuk, S. A.

1985-01-01

An analysis is made of the electrophysical processes occurring at the end surface of rod electrodes during constant and alternating arc discharge in hydrogen. Experiments are reported on the effect of surface temperature of tungsten electrodes on their erosion. The influence of activating additions of thorium oxide, the structure of the tungsten, and the gas surrounding the electrode on the specific thermal loading and the erosion of the electrodes is discussed.

Low Current Surface Flashover for Initiation of Electric Propulsion Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dary, Omar G.

There has been a recent increase in interest in miniaturization of propulsion systems for satellites. These systems are needed to propel micro- and nano-satellites, where platforms are much smaller than conventional satellites and require smaller levels of thrust. Micro-propulsion systems for these satellites are in their infancy and they must manage with smaller power systems and smaller propellant volumes. Electric propulsion systems operating on various types of electric discharges are typically used for these needs. One of the central components of such electrical micropropulsion systems are ignitor subsystems, which are required for creation the breakdown and initiation of the main discharge. Ignitors have to provide reliable ignition for entire lifetime of the micropropulsion system. Electric breakdown in vacuum usually require high voltage potentials of hundreds of kilovolts per mm to induce breakdown. The breakdown voltage can be significantly decreased (down to several kVs per mm) if dielectric surface flashover is utilized. However, classical dielectric surface flashover operates at large electric current (100s of Amperes) and associated with overheating and damage of the electrodes/dielectric assembly after several flashover events. The central idea of this work was to eliminate the damage to the flashover electrode assembly by limiting the flashover currents to low values in milliampere range (Low Current Surface Flashover -LCSF) and utilize LCSF system as an ignition source for the main discharge on the micropropulsion system. The main objective of this research was to create a robust LCSF ignition system, capable producing a large number of surface flashover triggering events without significant damage to the LCSF electrode assembly. The thesis aims to characterize the plasma plume created at LCSF, study electrodes ablation and identify conditions required for robust triggering of main discharge utilized on micro-propulsion system. Conditioning of a new LCSF assembly (flashover current was limited to <100 mA in all experiments) was measured and breakdown voltages in the range of 8kV to 12kV were observed for the fully conditioned assembly. No damage to the LCSF electrode assembly was observed after about 104 LCSF events. The LCSF assembly created sufficient amount of seed plasma in order to bridge a vacuum gap between the high-current electrodes and to reliably ignite high-current arcs (10A-12A arc were used in this work). Ignition of the high-current arc was observed at three different cases of LCSF with limiting currents 100 mA, 33 mA and 20 mA respectively. Plasma parameter measurements were conducted with variety of Langmuir probes inside the LCSF plume. Ion currents created by the LCSF were primarily expelled directly perpendicular from the insulator surface. The plasma expansion for the LCSF assembly was measured to be 2 x 106-6 x 106 cm/s. Plasma density was measured to range 10 10-1011 cm-3. The plasma density was maximal near the LCSF assembly and quickly reduced radially. Temporal decay of the plasma was observed on a time scale of about 5 micros after the LCSF event. The results of this work are significant for creation of ignitor for micropropulsion systems. LCSF system offers reliable triggering for numerous ignition pulses for entire lifetime of the micropropulsion system and reduces complexity and volume of the system by excluding moving parts and the need for an external gas tanks.

Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization of explosives using alternating current corona discharge ion source.

PubMed

Usmanov, D T; Chen, L C; Yu, Z; Yamabe, S; Sakaki, S; Hiraoka, K

2015-04-01

The high-sensitive detection of explosives is of great importance for social security and safety. In this work, the ion source for atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/mass spectrometry using alternating current corona discharge was newly designed for the analysis of explosives. An electromolded fine capillary with 115 µm inner diameter and 12 mm long was used for the inlet of the mass spectrometer. The flow rate of air through this capillary was 41 ml/min. Stable corona discharge could be maintained with the position of the discharge needle tip as close as 1 mm to the inlet capillary without causing the arc discharge. Explosives dissolved in 0.5 µl methanol were injected to the ion source. The limits of detection for five explosives with 50 pg or lower were achieved. In the ion/molecule reactions of trinitrotoluene (TNT), the discharge products of NOx (-) (x = 2,3), O3 and HNO3 originating from plasma-excited air were suggested to contribute to the formation of [TNT - H](-) (m/z 226), [TNT - NO](-) (m/z 197) and [TNT - NO + HNO3 ](-) (m/z 260), respectively. Formation processes of these ions were traced by density functional theory calculations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dynamic Contraction of the Positive Column of a Self-Sustained Glow Discharge in Molecular Gas Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shneider, Mikhail

2014-10-01

Contraction of the gas discharge, when current contracts from a significant volume of weakly ionized plasma into a thin arc channel, was attracted attention of scientists for more than a century. Studies of the contraction (also called constriction) mechanisms, besides carrying interesting science, are of practical importance, especially when contraction should be prevented. A set of time-dependent two-dimensional equations for the non-equilibrium weakly-ionized nitrogen/ air plasma is formulated. The process is described by a set of time-dependent continuity equations for the electrons, positive and negative ions; gas and vibrational temperature; by taking into account the convective heat and plasma losses by the transverse flux. Transition from the uniform to contracted state was analyzed. It was shown that such transition experiences a hysteresis, and that the critical current of the transition increases when the pressure (gas density) drops. Possible coexistence of the contracted and uniform state of the plasma in the discharge where the current flows along the density gradient of the background gas was discussed. In this talk the problems related to the dynamic contraction of the current channel inside a quasineutral positive column of a self-sustained glow discharge in molecular gas in a rectangular duct with convection cooling will be discussed. Study presented in this talk was stimulated by the fact that there are large number of experiments on the dynamic contraction of a glow discharge in nitrogen and air flows and a many of possible applications. Similar processes play a role in the powerful gas-discharge lasers. In addition, the problem of dynamic contraction in the large volume of non-equilibrium weakly ionized plasma is closely related to the problem of streamer to leader transitions in lightning and blue jets.

The Study of Complex (Ti, Zr, Cs) Nanopowder Influencing the Effective Ionization Potential of Arc Discharge When Mma Welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sapozhkov, S. B.; Burakova, E. M.

2016-08-01

Strength is one of the most important characteristics of a weld joint. Mechanical properties of a weld metal can be improved in a variety of ways. One of the possibilities is to add a nanopowder to the weld metal. Authors of the paper suggest changing the production process of MMA welding electrodes via adding nanopowder Ti, Zr, Cs to electrode components through liquid glass. Theoretical research into the nanopowder influence on the effective ionization potential (Ueff) of welding arc discharge is also necessitated. These measures support arcing stability, improve strength of a weld joint, as the consequence, ensure quality enhancing of a weld joint and the structure on the whole.

Silicon etch with chromium ions generated by a filtered or non-filtered cathodic arc discharge

PubMed Central

Scopece, Daniele; Döbeli, Max; Passerone, Daniele; Maeder, Xavier; Neels, Antonia; Widrig, Beno; Dommann, Alex; Müller, Ulrich; Ramm, Jürgen

2016-01-01

Abstract The pre-treatment of substrate surfaces prior to deposition is important for the adhesion of physical vapour deposition coatings. This work investigates Si surfaces after the bombardment by energetic Cr ions which are created in cathodic arc discharges. The effect of the pre-treatment is analysed by X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and in-depth X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and compared for Cr vapour produced from a filtered and non-filtered cathodic arc discharge. Cr coverage as a function of ion energy was also predicted by TRIDYN Monte Carlo calculations. Discrepancies between measured and simulated values in the transition regime between layer growth and surface removal can be explained by the chemical reactions between Cr ions and the Si substrate or between the substrate surface and the residual gases. Simulations help to find optimum and more stable parameters for specific film and substrate combinations faster than trial-and-error procedure. PMID:27877854

Ignition of PBXW-115 Due to Electrostatic Discharge

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

observations, a model describing the shock ignition of a solid explosive has been developed. This work was funded by the Office Of Naval Technology...analytical model , which is discussed in Chapter 6, has demonstrated that if ESD induces a thermal explosion in an arc channel, then the reaction can be...voltage electrode to measure the current change, dI/dt, through the sample. The dI/dt data were used to Epon 815 Resin, Miller Stephenson Chemical Co

Discharge coefficient correlations for circular-arc venturi flowmeters at critical /sonic/ flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnberg, B. T.; Britton, C. L.; Seidl, W. F.

1973-01-01

Experimental data are analyzed to support theoretical predictions for discharge coefficients in circular-arc venturi flow meters operating in the critical sonic flow regime at throat Reynolds numbers above 150 thousand. The data tend to verify the predicted 0.25% decrease in the discharge coefficient during transition from a laminar to turbulent boundary layer. Four different test gases and three flow measurement facilities were used in the experiments with 17 venturis with throat sizes from 0.15 to 1.37 in. and Beta ratios ranging from 0.014 to 0.25. Recommendations are given as to how the effectiveness of future studies in the field could be improved.

Non-equilibrium nitrogen DC-arc plasma treatment of TiO2 nanopowder.

PubMed

Suzuki, Yoshikazu; Gonzalez-Aguilar, José; Traisnel, Noel; Berger, Marie-Hélène; Repoux, Monique; Fulcheri, Laurent

2009-01-01

Non-equilibrium nitrogen DC-arc plasma treatment of a commercial TiO2 anatase nanopowder was examined to obtain nitrogen-doped TiO2. By using a non-thermal discharge at low current (150 mA) and high voltage (1200 V) using pure N2 gas, light yellowish-gray TiO2 powder was successfully obtained within a short period of 5-10 min. XPS and TEM-EELS studies confirmed the existence of doped nitrogen. Due to the relatively mild conditions (plasma power of 180 W), metastable anatase structure and fine crystallite size of TiO2 (ca. 10 nm) were maintained after the plasma treatment. The in-flight powder treatment system used in this study is promising for various type of powder treatment.

Plasma Torch for Plasma Ignition and Combustion of Coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ustimenko, Alexandr; Messerle, Vladimir

2015-09-01

Plasma-fuel systems (PFS) have been developed to improve coal combustion efficiency. PFS is a pulverized coal burner equipped with arc plasma torch producing high temperature air stream of 4000 - 6000 K. Plasma activation of coal at the PFS increases the coal reactivity and provides more effective ignition and ecologically friendly incineration of low-rank coal. The main and crucial element of PFS is plasma torch. Simplicity and reliability of the industrial arc plasma torches using cylindrical copper cathode and air as plasma forming gas predestined their application at heat and power engineering for plasma aided coal combustion. Life time of these plasma torches electrodes is critical and usually limited to 200 hours. Considered in this report direct current arc plasma torch has the cathode life significantly exceeded 1000 hours. To ensure the electrodes long life the process of hydrocarbon gas dissociation in the electric arc discharge is used. In accordance to this method atoms and ions of carbon from near-electrode plasma deposit on the active surface of the electrodes and form electrode carbon condensate which operates as ``actual'' electrode. Complex physicochemical investigation showed that deposit consists of nanocarbon material.

Ball Lightning–Aerosol Electrochemical Power Source or A Cloud of Batteries

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Despite numerous attempts, an adequate theoretical and experimental simulation of ball lightning still remains incomplete. According to the model proposed here, the processes of electrochemical oxidation within separate aerosol particles are the basis for this phenomenon, and ball lightning is a cloud of composite nano or submicron particles, where each particle is a spontaneously formed nanobattery which is short-circuited by the surface discharge because it is of such a small size. As free discharge-shorted current loops, aerosol nanobatteries are exposed to a powerful mutual magnetic dipole–dipole attraction. The gaseous products and thermal energy produced by each nanobattery as a result of the intra-particle self-sustaining electrochemical reactions, cause a mutual repulsion of these particles over short distances and prevent their aggregation, while a collectivization of the current loops of separate particles, due to the electric arc overlapping between adjacent particles, weakens their mutual magnetic attraction over short distances. Discharge currents in the range of several amperes to several thousand amperes as well as the pre-explosive mega ampere currents, generated in the reduction–oxidation reactions and distributed between all the aerosol particles, explain both the magnetic attraction between the elements of the ball lightning substance and the impressive electromagnetic effects of ball lightning.

Radiating dipole model of interference induced in spacecraft circuitry by surface discharges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metz, R. N.

1984-01-01

Spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit can be charged electrically to high voltages by interaction with the space plasma. Differential charging of spacecraft surfaces leads to arc and blowoff discharging. The discharges are thought to upset interior, computer-level circuitry. In addition to capacitive or electrostatic effects, significant inductive and less significant radiative effects of these discharges exist and can be modeled in a dipole approximation. Flight measurements suggest source frequencies of 5 to 50 MHz. Laboratory tests indicate source current strengths of several amperes. Electrical and magnetic fields at distances of many centimeters from such sources can be as large as tens of volts per meter and meter squared, respectively. Estimates of field attenuation by spacecraft walls and structures suggest that interior fields may be appreciable if electromagnetic shielding is much thinner than about 0.025 mm (1 mil). Pickup of such fields by wires and cables interconnecting circuit components could be a source of interference signals of several volts amplitude.

Physical model and experimental results of cathode erosion related to power supply ripple

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, W. J.; O'Hair, E. A.; Hatfield, L. L.; Kristiansen, M.

1992-01-01

This paper discusses the physical effects of power supply ripple on cathode erosion and cathode arc attachment in a water-cooled, 30 kW nitrogen arcjet. Experimental results are presented for 2 percent thoriated tungsten, which show that the long-term cathode erosion rate is a decreasing function of current ripple over the range 1-13 percent. Above this range, the cathode discharge becomes unstable, and the erosion rate rapidly increases. A qualitative model of this effect is given in terms of a magnetically induced radial motion of the arc column, and an overall increase in the cathode spot radius due to the higher peak current associated with higher ripple. The most important effect of power supply ripple is therefore shown to be its ability to collectively drive the cathode attachment away from the cathode center. This leads to an increase in the cathode attachment area, and a subsequent decrease in the cathode erosion rate.

A glucose concentration and temperature sensor based on long period fiber gratings induced by electric-arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Chao; Wang, Qi

2017-10-01

As one of the key parameters in biological and chemical reactions, glucose concentration objectively reflects the characteristics of reactions, so the real-time monitoring of glucose concentration is important in the field of biochemical. Meanwhile, the influence from temperature should be considered. The fiber sensors have been studied extensively for decades due to the advantages of small size, immunity to electromagnetic interference and high sensitivity, which are suitable for the application of biochemical sensing. A long period fiber grating (LPFG) sensor induced by electric-arc discharge has been fabricated and demonstrated for simultaneous measurement of glucose concentration and temperature. The proposed sensor was fabricated by inscribing a sing mode fiber (SMF) with periodic electric-arc discharge technology. During the fabrication process, the electric-arc discharge technology was produced by a commercial fusion splicer, and the period of inscribed LPFG was determined by the movement of translation stages. A serials of periodic geometrical deformations would be formed in SMF after the fabrication, and the discharge intensity and discharge time can be adjusted though the fusion splicer settings screen. The core mode can be coupled into the cladding modes at certain wavelength when they satisfy the phase-matching conditions, and there will be several resonance dips in the transmission spectrum in LPFG. The resonance dips formed by the coupling between cladding modes and core mode have different sensitivity responses, so the simultaneous measurement for multi-parameter can be realized by monitoring the wavelength shifts of the resonance dips. Compared with the LPFG based on conventional SMF, the glucose concentration sensitivity has been obviously enhanced by etching the cladding with hydrofluoric acid solution. Based on the independent measured results, a dual-parameter measurement matrix has been built for signal demodulation. Because of the easy fabrication, low cost, small size and high sensitivity, the sensor is promising to be used for the biochemical sensing field where simultaneous measurement of glucose concentration and temperature is required.

Atmospheric pressure arc discharge with ablating graphite anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemchinsky, V. A.; Raitses, Y.

2015-06-01

The anodic carbon arc discharge is used to produce carbon nanoparticles. Recent experiments with the carbon arc at atmospheric pressure helium demonstrated the enhanced ablation rate for narrow graphite anodes resulting in high deposition rates of carbonaceous products on the copper cathode (Fetterman et al 2008 Carbon 46 1322-6). The proposed model explains these results with interconnected steady-state models of the cathode and the anode processes. When considering cathode functioning, the model predicts circulation of the particles in the near-cathode region: evaporation of the cathode material, ionization of evaporated atoms and molecules in the near-cathode plasma, return of the resulting ions to the cathode, surface recombination of ions and electrons followed again by cathode evaporation etc. In the case of the low anode ablation rate, the ion acceleration in the cathode sheath provides the major cathode heating mechanism. In the case of an intensive anode ablation, an additional cathode heating is due to latent fusion heat of the atomic species evaporated from the anode and depositing at the cathode. Using the experimental arc voltage as the only input discharge parameter, the model allows us to calculate the anode ablation rate. A comparison of the results of calculations with the available experimental data shows reasonable agreement.

Gas pressure and electron density at the level of the active zone of hollow cathode arc discharges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minoo, M. H.

1984-01-01

A model for the longitudinal variations of the partial pressures of electrons, ions, and neutral particles is proposed as a result of an experimental study of pressure variations at the level of the active zone as a function of the various discharge parameters of a hollow cathode arc. The cathode region where the temperature passes through its maximum is called active zone. The proposed model embodies the very important variations which the partial electron and neutral particles pressures undergo at the level of the active zone.

Preparation and investigation of diamond-like carbon stripper foils by filtered cathodic vacuum arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Qiwen; Du, Yinghui; Zhang, Rong; Xu, Guoji

2013-04-01

Thin diamond-like carbon (DLC) stripper foils ˜5 μg/cm2 in thickness were produced and evaluated as heavy-ion strippers for the Beijing HI-13 Tandem Accelerator. The DLC layers ˜4 μg/cm2 in thickness were produced by the filtered cathodic vacuum arc technology onto glass slides coated with betaine-saccharose as releasing agent, which were previously covered with evaporated carbon layers ˜1 μg/cm2 in thickness by the controlled ac arc-discharge method. Irradiation lifetimes of the DLC stripper foils were tested using the heavy-ion beams at the terminal of the Beijing HI-13 Tandem Accelerator, and compared with those of the standard carbon stripper foils made by the combined dc and ac arc-discharge method. The measurements indicate that the DLC stripper foils outlast the standard combined dc and ac arc-discharge carbon stripper foils by a factor of at least 13 and 4for the 197Au- (˜9 MeV, ˜1 μA) and 63Cu- (˜9 MeV, ˜1 μA) ion beams, respectively. The structure and properties of the DLC foils deposited onto silicon substrates by the filtered cathodic vacuum arc technology were also evaluated and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The scanning electron microscopy images show that the DLC foils contain hardly droplets through the double 90° filters. The X-ray photoelectron spectrum indicates that sp3 bonds of the DLC foils exceed 70%. The integral intensity ratio of the D peak to the G peak (ID/IG) measured by the Raman spectroscopy is0.78.

Electron diffusion through the baffle aperture of a hollow cathode thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brophy, J. R.; Wilbur, P. J.

1979-01-01

The use of a hollow cathode in place of an oxide cathode to increase thruster operating lifetimes requires, among other things, the addition of a baffle to restrict the flow of electrons from the hollow cathode. A theoretical model is developed which relates the baffle aperture area of a hollow-cathode thruster to the magnetic flux density and plasma properties in the aperture region, with the result that this model could be used as an aid in thruster design. Extensive Langmuir probing is undertaken to verify the validity of the model and demonstrate its capability. It is shown that the model can be used to calculate the aperture area required to effect discharge operation at a specified discharge voltage and arc current.

High-speed imaging system for observation of discharge phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanabe, R.; Kusano, H.; Ito, Y.

2008-11-01

A thin metal electrode tip instantly changes its shape into a sphere or a needlelike shape in a single electrical discharge of high current. These changes occur within several hundred microseconds. To observe these high-speed phenomena in a single discharge, an imaging system using a high-speed video camera and a high repetition rate pulse laser was constructed. A nanosecond laser, the wavelength of which was 532 nm, was used as the illuminating source of a newly developed high-speed video camera, HPV-1. The time resolution of our system was determined by the laser pulse width and was about 80 nanoseconds. The system can take one hundred pictures at 16- or 64-microsecond intervals in a single discharge event. A band-pass filter at 532 nm was placed in front of the camera to block the emission of the discharge arc at other wavelengths. Therefore, clear images of the electrode were recorded even during the discharge. If the laser was not used, only images of plasma during discharge and thermal radiation from the electrode after discharge were observed. These results demonstrate that the combination of a high repetition rate and a short pulse laser with a high speed video camera provides a unique and powerful method for high speed imaging.

High Power Hydrogen Injector with Beam Focusing for Plasma Heating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deichuli, P.P.; Ivanov, A.A.; Korepanov, S.A.

2005-01-15

High power neutral beam injector has been developed with the atom energy of 25 keV, a current of 60 A, and several milliseconds pulse duration. Six of these injectors will be used for upgrade of the atomic injection system at central cell of a Gas Dynamic Trap (GDT) device and 2 injectors are planned for SHIP experiment.The injector ion source is based on an arc discharge plasma box. The plasma emitter is produced by a 1 kA arc discharge in hydrogen. A multipole magnetic field produced with permanent magnets at the periphery of the plasma box is used to increasemore » its efficiency and improve homogeneity of the plasma emitter. The ion beam is extracted by a 4-electrodes ion optical system (IOS). Initial beam diameter is 200 mm. The grids of the IOS have a spherical curvature for geometrical focusing of the beam. The optimal IOS geometry and grid potentials were found with the numerical simulation to provide precise beam formation. The measured angular divergence of the beam is 0.02 rad, which corresponds to the 2.5 cm Gaussian radius of the beam profile measured at focal point.« less

Research of influence of mobile cathodic stains of the vacuum arc for reception of the adjustable roughness of metal surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anikeev, V. N.; Dokukin, M. Yu

2017-05-01

In the modern technics there is a requirement in micro- and macrorough surfaces of products for improvement of their operational characteristics (improvement of adhesive properties of various coverings, decrease in deterioration of rubbing details because of the best deduction of greasing, increase of the heat exchanging coefficient from a surface, stimulation of adhesive processes on sites of contact to a bone fabric of medical implants in stomatology and orthopedy etc.). In the given work the modes of reception regulated micro- and macrorough surfaces on samples from a titanic alloy and stainless steel by electrothermal influence of moving cathodic stains in the vacuum arc discharge are investigated. Chaotically moving stains, possessing high specific power allocation (∼ 107 W/cm2), “scan” the difficult design of a product, including “shadow” sites, doing rough its blanket. The sizes of roughnesses are regulated by a current and time of influence of the discharge, pressure in the vacuum chamber and a number of other parameters. The scheme of experimental device, photo and the characteristic of rough surfaces and technological modes of their reception are resulted.

Destruction of acenaphthene, fluorene, anthracene and pyrene by a dc gliding arc plasma reactor.

PubMed

Yu, Liang; Tu, Xin; Li, Xiaodong; Wang, Yu; Chi, Yong; Yan, Jianhua

2010-08-15

In this study, four kinds of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) i.e. acenaphthene, fluorene, anthracene and pyrene are used as targets for investigation of PAHs treatment process assisted by dc gliding arc discharge. The effects of carrier gas and external resistance on the PAHs decomposition process are discussed. The results indicate that the destruction rate can be achieved to the highest with the carrier gas of oxygen and the external resistance of 50 kOmega independent of type of PAHs. Furthermore, experimental results suggest that destruction energy efficiency of gliding arc plasma would be improved by treating higher concentration pollutants. Based on the analysis of experimental results, possible destruction mechanisms in different gas discharge are discussed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 420.46 - Pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... new source subject to this subpart which introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works...) Basic oxygen furnace steelmaking—semi-wet; and electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No discharge... combustion; electric arc furnace steelmaking—wet. Subpart D Pollutant or pollutant property Pretreatment...

40 CFR 420.46 - Pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... new source subject to this subpart which introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works...) Basic oxygen furnace steelmaking—semi-wet; and electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No discharge... combustion; electric arc furnace steelmaking—wet. Subpart D Pollutant or pollutant property Pretreatment...

40 CFR 420.46 - Pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... new source subject to this subpart which introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works...) Basic oxygen furnace steelmaking—semi-wet; and electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No discharge... combustion; electric arc furnace steelmaking—wet. Subpart D Pollutant or pollutant property Pretreatment...

40 CFR 420.46 - Pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... new source subject to this subpart which introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works...) Basic oxygen furnace steelmaking—semi-wet; and electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No discharge... combustion; electric arc furnace steelmaking—wet. Subpart D Pollutant or pollutant property Pretreatment...

Diagnostics of reactive oxygen species produced by microplasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sousa, J. S.; Puech, V.

2013-11-01

Atmospheric pressure generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by microplasmas was experimentally studied. The remarkable stability of the microcathode sustained discharge (MCSD) allowed the operation of dc glow discharges, free from the glow-to-arc transition, in He/O2/NO mixtures at atmospheric pressure. Absolute densities of the main ROS were measured by different optical diagnostics: singlet delta oxygen (O2(a 1Δg)) by infrared emission and vacuum ultraviolet absorption in the effluent, ozone (O3) by ultraviolet absorption in the effluent, and atomic oxygen inside the discharge by two-photon absorption laser induced fluorescence. The effect of different parameters, such as gas flow and mixture, and discharge current, on the production of these ROS was studied. High ROS densities up to 1016 cm-3 were achieved. It is shown that the density ratio of O2(a 1Δg) to O3 can be finely tuned in the range [10-3-10+4], through the values of discharge current and NO concentration, and that high O2(a 1Δg) and O3 densities can be transported over distances longer than 50 cm. The MCSD is, thus, a very suitable tool for the continuous production at atmospheric pressure of large fluxes of O2(a 1Δg) and O3, useful to a wide range of applications, notably in plasma medicine.

Study of SF6 gas decomposition products based on spectroscopy technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Ji-xing; Na, Yan-xiang; Ni, Wei-yuan; Li, Guo-wei; Feng, Ke-cheng; Song, Gui-cai

2011-08-01

With the rapid development of power industry, the number of SF6 electrical equipment are increasing, it has gradually replaced the traditional insulating oil material as insulation and arc media in the high-voltage electrical equipment. Pure SF6 gas has excellent insulating properties and arc characteristics; however, under the effect of the strong arc, SF6 gas will decompose and generate toxic substances, then corroding electrical equipment, thereby affecting the insulation and arc ability of electrical equipment. If excessive levels of impurities in the gas that will seriously affect the mechanical properties, breaking performance and electrical performance of electrical equipment, it will cause many serious consequences, even threaten the safe operation of the grid. This paper main analyzes the basic properties of SF6 gas and the basic situation of decomposition in the discharge conditions, in order to simulate the actual high-voltage electrical equipment, designed and produced a simulation device that can simulate the decomposition of SF6 gas under a high voltage discharge, and using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to analyze the sample that produced by the simulation device. The result show that the main discharge decomposition product is SO2F2 (sulfuryl fluoride), the substance can react with water and generate corrosive H2SO4(sulfuric acid) and HF (hydrogen fluoride), also found that the increase in the number with the discharge, SO2F2concentration levels are on the rise. Therefore, the material can be used as one of the main characteristic gases to determine the SF6 electrical equipment failure, and to monitor their concentration levels.

40 CFR 420.45 - Pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources. (a) Electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No discharge of process... electric arc furnace steelmaking—wet. Subpart D Pollutant or pollutant property Pretreatment standards for...

40 CFR 420.45 - Pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources. (a) Electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No discharge of process... electric arc furnace steelmaking—wet. Subpart D Pollutant or pollutant property Pretreatment standards for...

40 CFR 420.45 - Pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources. (a) Electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No discharge of process... electric arc furnace steelmaking—wet. Subpart D Pollutant or pollutant property Pretreatment standards for...

40 CFR 420.45 - Pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources. (a) Electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No discharge of process... electric arc furnace steelmaking—wet. Subpart D Pollutant or pollutant property Pretreatment standards for...

Development of high efficiency Versatile Arc Discharge Ion Source at CERN ISOLDE.

PubMed

Penescu, L; Catherall, R; Lettry, J; Stora, T

2010-02-01

We report here recent developments of Forced Electron Beam Induced Arc Discharge (FEBIAD) ion sources at the ISOLDE radioactive ion beam facility, hosted at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). As a result of the propositions to improve the ionization efficiency, two FEBIAD prototypes have been produced and successfully tested in 2008. Off-line studies showed that the 1+ ionization efficiencies for noble gases are 5-20 times larger than with the standard ISOLDE FEBIAD ion sources and reach 60% for radon, which allowed the identification at ISOLDE of (229)Rn, an isotope that had never previously been observed in the laboratory. A factor of 3 increase is also expected for the ionization efficiency of the other elements. The experimental and theoretical methodology is presented. The theoretical model, which gives precise insights on the processes affecting the ionization, is used to design optimal sources (grouped under the name of VADIS--Versatile Arc Discharge Ion Source) for the different chemical classes of the produced isotopes, as already demonstrated for the noble gases.

Spectroscopic determination of the composition of a 50 kV hydrogen diagnostic neutral beam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, X.; Nornberg, M. D., E-mail: mdnornberg@wisc.edu; Den Hartog, D. J.

2016-11-15

A grating spectrometer with an electron multiplying charge-coupled device camera is used to diagnose a 50 kV, 5 A, 20 ms hydrogen diagnostic neutral beam. The ion source density is determined from Stark broadened H{sub β} emission and the spectrum of Doppler-shifted H{sub α} emission is used to quantify the fraction of ions at full, half, and one-third beam energy under a variety of operating conditions including fueling gas pressure and arc discharge current. Beam current is optimized at low-density conditions in the ion source while the energy fractions are found to be steady over most operating conditions.

Assessment of environmental effects on Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Cheng-Yi; Nahra, Henry K.

1991-01-01

Analyses of EPS (electrical power system) interactions with the LEO (low earth orbit) environment are described. The results of these analyses will support EPS design so as to be compatible with the natural and induced environments and to meet power, lifetime, and performance requirements. The environmental impacts to the Space Station Freedom EPS include aerodynamic drag, atomic oxygen erosion, ultraviolet degradation, VXB effect, ionizing radiation dose and single event effects, electromagnetic interference, electrostatic discharge, plasma interactions (ion sputtering, arcing, and leakage current), meteoroid and orbital debris threats, thermal cycling effects, induced current and voltage potential differences in the SSF due to induced electric field, and contamination degradation.

Radiated and conducted EMI from a 30-cm ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whittlesey, A. C.; Peer, W.

1981-01-01

In order to properly assess the interaction of a spacecraft with the EMI environment produced by an ion thruster, the EMI environment was characterized. Therefore, radiated and conducted emissions were measured from a 30-cm mercury ion thruster. The ion thruster beam current varied from zero to 2.0 amperes and the emissions were measured from 5 KHz to 200 MHz. Several different types of antennas were used to obtain the measurements. The various measurements that were made included: magnetic field due to neutralizer/beam current loop; radiated electric fields of thruster and plume; and conducted emissions on arc discharge, neutralizer keeper and magnetic baffle lines.

A novel post-arc current measuring equipment based on vacuum arc commutation and arc blow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Minfu; Ge, Guowei; Duan, Xiongying; Huang, Zhihui

2017-07-01

The paper proposes a novel post-arc current measuring equipment (NPACME), which is based on the vacuum arc commutation and magnetic arc blow. The NPACME is composed of the vacuum circuit breaker (VCB), shunt resistor, protective gap, high-precision current sensor and externally applied transverse magnetic field (ETMF). The prototype of the NPACME is designed and controlled by optical fiber communications. The vacuum arc commutation between the vacuum arc and the shunt resistor with ETMF is investigated. The test platform is established in the synthetic short-circuit test and the vacuum arc is observed by the high speed CMOS camera. The mathematic description of the vacuum arc commutation is obtained. Based on the current commutation characteristic, the parameters of the NPACME are optimized and the post-arc current is measured. The measuring result of the post-arc current is accurate with small interference and the post-arc charge is obtained. The experimental results verify that the NPACME is correct and accurate, which can be used to measure the post-arc characteristic in breaking test.

SiC Nanowires Synthesized by Rapidly Heating a Mixture of SiO and Arc-Discharge Plasma Pretreated Carbon Black.

PubMed

Wang, Feng-Lei; Zhang, Li-Ying; Zhang, Ya-Fei

2008-11-22

SiC nanowires have been synthesized at 1,600 degrees C by using a simple and low-cost method in a high-frequency induction furnace. The commercial SiO powder and the arc-discharge plasma pretreated carbon black were mixed and used as the source materials. The heating-up and reaction time is less than half an hour. It was found that most of the nanowires have core-shell SiC/SiO(2) nanostructures. The nucleation, precipitation, and growth processes were discussed in terms of the oxide-assisted cluster-solid mechanism.

Contribution For Arc Temperature Affected By Current Increment Ratio At Peak Current In Pulsed Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kano, Ryota; Mitubori, Hironori; Iwao, Toru

2015-11-01

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding is one of the high quality welding. However, parameters of the pulsed arc welding are many and complicated. if the welding parameters are not appropriate, the welding pool shape becomes wide and shallow.the convection of driving force contributes to the welding pool shape. However, in the case of changing current waveform as the pulse high frequency TIG welding, the arc temperature does not follow the change of the current. Other result of the calculation, in particular, the arc temperature at the reaching time of peak current is based on these considerations. Thus, the accurate measurement of the temperature at the time is required. Therefore, the objective of this research is the elucidation of contribution for arc temperature affected by current increment ratio at peak current in pulsed arc. It should obtain a detail knowledge of the welding model in pulsed arc. The temperature in the case of increment of the peak current from the base current is measured by using spectroscopy. As a result, when the arc current increases from 100 A to 150 A at 120 ms, the transient response of the temperature didn't occur during increasing current. Thus, during the current rise, it has been verified by measuring. Therefore, the contribution for arc temperature affected by current increment ratio at peak current in pulsed arc was elucidated in order to obtain more knowledge of welding model of pulsed arc.

Influence of arc current and pressure on non-chemical equilibrium air arc behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, WU; Yufei, CUI; Jiawei, DUAN; Hao, SUN; Chunlin, WANG; Chunping, NIU

2018-01-01

The influence of arc current and pressure on the non-chemical equilibrium (non-CE) air arc behavior of a nozzle structure was investigated based on the self-consistent non-chemical equilibrium model. The arc behavior during both the arc burning and arc decay phases were discussed at different currents and different pressures. We also devised the concept of a non-equilibrium parameter for a better understanding of non-CE effects. During the arc burning phase, the increasing current leads to a decrease of the non-equilibrium parameter of the particles in the arc core, while the increasing pressure leads to an increase of the non-equilibrium parameter of the particles in the arc core. During the arc decay phase, the non-CE effect will decrease by increasing the arc burning current and the nozzle pressure. Three factors together—convection, diffusion and chemical reactions—influence non-CE behavior.

Arc discharge convection studies: A Space Shuttle experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bellows, A. H.; Feuersanger, A. E.

1984-01-01

Three mercury vapor arc lamps were tested in the microgravity environment of one of NASA's small, self-contained payloads during STS-41B. A description of the payload structural design, photographic and optical systems, and electrical system is provided. Thermal control within the payload is discussed. Examination of digital film data indicates that the 175 watt arc lamp has a significant increase in light output when convection is removed in the gravity-free environment of space.

Apparatus for in situ heating and vitrification

DOEpatents

Buelt, James L.; Oma, Kenton H.; Eschbach, Eugene A.

1994-01-01

An apparatus for decontaminating ground areas where toxic chemicals are buried includes a plurality of spaced electrodes located in the ground and to which a voltage is applied for bringing about current flow. Power delivered to the ground volatilizes the chemicals that are then collected and directed to a gas treatment system. A preferred form of the invention employs high voltage arc discharge between the electrodes for heating a ground region to relatively high temperatures at relatively low power levels. Electrodes according to the present invention are provided with preferentially active lower portions between which current flows for the purpose of soil heating or for soil melting and vitrification. Promoting current flow below ground level avoids predominantly superficial treatment and increases electrode life.

Apparatus for in situ heating and vitrification

DOEpatents

Buelt, J.L.; Oma, K.H.; Eschbach, E.A.

1994-05-31

An apparatus for decontaminating ground areas where toxic chemicals are buried includes a plurality of spaced electrodes located in the ground and to which a voltage is applied for bringing about current flow. Power delivered to the ground volatilizes the chemicals that are then collected and directed to a gas treatment system. A preferred form of the invention employs high voltage arc discharge between the electrodes for heating a ground region to relatively high temperatures at relatively low power levels. Electrodes according to the present invention are provided with preferentially active lower portions between which current flows for the purpose of soil heating or for soil melting and vitrification. Promoting current flow below ground level avoids predominantly superficial treatment and increases electrode life. 15 figs.

A 1D ion species model for an RF driven negative ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, I.; Holmes, A. J. T.

2017-08-01

A one-dimensional model for an RF driven negative ion source has been developed based on an inductive discharge. The RF source differs from traditional filament and arc ion sources because there are no primary electrons present, and is simply composed of an antenna region (driver) and a main plasma discharge region. However the model does still make use of the classical plasma transport equations for particle energy and flow, which have previously worked well for modelling DC driven sources. The model has been developed primarily to model the Small Negative Ion Facility (SNIF) ion source at CCFE, but may be easily adapted to model other RF sources. Currently the model considers the hydrogen ion species, and provides a detailed description of the plasma parameters along the source axis, i.e. plasma temperature, density and potential, as well as current densities and species fluxes. The inputs to the model are currently the RF power, the magnetic filter field and the source gas pressure. Results from the model are presented and where possible compared to existing experimental data from SNIF, with varying RF power, source pressure.

Numerical investigation of dielectric barrier discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jing

1997-12-01

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is a transient discharge occurring between two electrodes in coaxial or planar arrangements separated by one or two layers of dielectric material. The charge accumulated on the dielectric barrier generates a field in a direction opposite to the applied field. The discharge is quenched before an arc is formed. It is one of the few non-thermal discharges that operates at atmospheric pressure and has the potential for use in pollution control. In this work, a numerical model of the dielectric barrier discharge is developed, along with the numerical approach. Adaptive grids based on the charge distribution is used. A self-consistent method is used to solve for the electric field and charge densities. The Successive Overrelaxation (SOR) method in a non-uniform grid spacing is used to solve the Poisson's equation in the cylindrically-symmetric coordinate. The Flux Corrected Transport (FCT) method is modified to solve the continuity equations in the non-uniform grid spacing. Parametric studies of dielectric barrier discharges are conducted. General characteristics of dielectric barrier discharges in both anode-directed and cathode-directed streamer are studied. Effects of the dielectric capacitance, the applied field, the resistance in external circuit and the type of gases (O2, air, N2) are investigated. We conclude that the SOR method in an adaptive grid spacing for the solution of the Poisson's equation in the cylindrically-symmetric coordinate is convergent and effective. The dielectric capacitance has little effect on the g-factor of radical production, but it determines the strength of the dielectric barrier discharge. The applied field and the type of gases used have a significant role on the current peak, current pulse duration and radical generation efficiency, discharge strength, and microstreamer radius, whereas the external series resistance has very little effect on the streamer properties. The results are helpful in further understanding the ozone generation and pollution control process in a dielectric barrier discharge.

Progress Towards Microwave Ignition of Explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curling, Mark; Collins, Adam; Dima, Gabriel; Proud, William

2009-06-01

Microwaves could provide a method of propellant ignition that does away with a traditional primer, making ammunition safer and suitable for Insensitive Munitions (IM) applications. By embedding a suitable material inside a propellant, it is postulated that microwaves could be used to stimulate hotspots, through direct heating or electrostatic discharge (arcing) across the energetic material. This paper reports on progress in finding these suitable materials. Graphite rod, magnetite cubes and powders of graphite, aluminium, copper oxide, and iron were irradiated in a conventional microwave oven. Temperature measurements were made using a shielded thermocouple and thermal paints. Only graphite rod and magnetite showed significant heating upon microwave exposure. The light output from arcing of iron, steel, iron pyrite, magnetite and graphite was measured in the same microwave oven as above. Sample mass and shape were correlated with arcing intensity. A strategy is proposed to create a homogeneous igniter material by embedding arcing materials within an insulator, Polymethylpentene (TPX). External discharges were transmitted through TPX, however no embedded samples were successful in generating an electrical breakdown suitable for propellant ignition.

Binary and ternary gas mixtures with temperature enhanced diffuse glow discharge characteristics for use in closing switches

DOEpatents

Christophorou, Loucas G.; Hunter, Scott R.

1990-01-01

An improvement to the gas mixture used in diffuse glow discharge closing switches is disclosed which includes binary and ternary gas mixtures which are formulated to exhibit decreasing electron attachment with increasing temperature. This increases the efficiency of the conductance of the glow discharge and further inhibits the formation of an arc.

Binary and ternary gas mixtures with temperature enhanced diffuse glow discharge characteristics for use in closing switches

DOEpatents

Christophorou, L.G.; Hunter, S.R.

1990-06-26

An improvement to the gas mixture used in diffuse glow discharge closing switches is disclosed which includes binary and ternary gas mixtures which are formulated to exhibit decreasing electron attachment with increasing temperature. This increases the efficiency of the conductance of the glow discharge and further inhibits the formation of an arc. 11 figs.

Binary and ternary gas mixtures with temperature enhanced diffuse glow discharge characteristics for use in closing switches

DOEpatents

Christophorou, L.G.; Hunter, S.R.

1988-06-28

An improvement to the gas mixture used in diffuse glow discharge closing switches is disclosed which includes binary and ternary gas mixtures which are formulated to exhibit decreasing electron attachment with increasing temperature. This increases the efficiency of the conductance of the glow discharge and further inhibits the formation of an arc. 11 figs.

Solar Array at Very High Temperatures: Ground Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vayner, Boris

2016-01-01

Solar array design for any spacecraft is determined by the orbit parameters. For example, operational voltage for spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is limited by significant differential charging due to interactions with low temperature plasma. In order to avoid arcing in LEO, solar array is designed to generate electrical power at comparatively low voltages (below 100 V) or to operate at higher voltages with encapsulated of all suspected discharge locations. In Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) differential charging is caused by energetic electrons that produce differential potential between coverglass and conductive spacecraft body in a kilovolt range. In such a case, weakly conductive layer over coverglass (ITO) is one of possible measures to eliminate dangerous discharges on array surface. Temperature variations for solar arrays in both orbits are measured and documented within the range of -150 C +110 C. This wide interval of operational temperatures is regularly reproduced in ground tests with radiative heating and cooling inside shroud with flowing liquid nitrogen. The requirements to solar array design and tests turn out to be more complicated when planned trajectory crosses these two orbits and goes closer to Sun. Conductive layer over coverglass causes sharp increase in parasitic current collected from LEO plasma, high temperature may cause cracks in encapsulating material (RTV), radiative heating of coupon in vacuum chamber becomes practically impossible above 150 C, conductivities of glass and adhesive go up with temperature that decrease array efficiency, and mechanical stresses grow up to critical magnitudes. A few test arrangements and respective results are presented in current paper. Coupons were tested against arcing in simulated LEO and GEO environments under elevated temperatures up to 200 C. The dependence of leakage current on temperature was measured, and electrostatic cleanness was verified for coupons with antireflection (AR) coating over ITO layer.

Exposures of tungsten nanostructures to divertor plasmas in DIII-D

DOE PAGES

Rudakov, D. L.; Wong, C. P. C.; Doerner, R. P.; ...

2016-01-22

Tungsten nanostructures (W-fuzz) prepared in the PISCES-A linear device have been found to survive direct exposure to divertor plasmas in DIII-D. W-fuzz was exposed in the lower divertor of DIII-D using the divertor material evaluation system. Two samples were exposed in lower single null (LSN) deuterium H-mode plasmas. The first sample was exposed in three discharges terminated by vertical displacement event disruptions, and the second in two discharges near the lowered X-point. More recently, three samples were exposed near the lower outer strike point in predominantly helium H-mode LSN plasmas. In all cases, the W-fuzz survived plasma exposure with littlemore » obvious damage except in the areas where unipolar arcing occurred. In conclusion, arcing is effective in W-fuzz removal, and it appears that surfaces covered with W-fuzz can be more prone to arcing than smooth W surfaces.« less

A vacuum spark ion source: High charge state metal ion beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yushkov, G. Yu., E-mail: gyushkov@mail.ru; Nikolaev, A. G.; Frolova, V. P.

2016-02-15

High ion charge state is often important in ion beam physics, among other reasons for the very practical purpose that it leads to proportionately higher ion beam energy for fixed accelerating voltage. The ion charge state of metal ion beams can be increased by replacing a vacuum arc ion source by a vacuum spark ion source. Since the voltage between anode and cathode remains high in a spark discharge compared to the vacuum arc, higher metal ion charge states are generated which can then be extracted as an ion beam. The use of a spark of pulse duration less thanmore » 10 μs and with current up to 10 kA allows the production of ion beams with current of several amperes at a pulse repetition rate of up to 5 pps. We have demonstrated the formation of high charge state heavy ions (bismuth) of up to 15 + and a mean ion charge state of more than 10 +. The physics and techniques of our vacuum spark ion source are described.« less

High Current, High Density Arc Plasma as a New Source for WiPAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waleffe, Roger; Endrizzi, Doug; Myers, Rachel; Wallace, John; Clark, Mike; Forest, Cary; WiPAL Team

2016-10-01

The Wisconsin Plasma Astrophysics Lab (WiPAL) has installed a new array of nineteen plasma sources (plasma guns) on its 3 m diameter, spherical vacuum vessel. Each gun is a cylindrical, molybdenum, washer-stabilized, arc plasma source. During discharge, the guns are maintained at 1.2 kA across 100 V for 10 ms by the gun power supply establishing a high density plasma. Each plasma source is fired independently allowing for adjustable plasma parameters, with densities varying between 1018 -1019 m-3 and electron temperatures of 5-15 eV. Measurements were characterized using a 16 tip Langmuir probe. The plasma source will be used as a background plasma for the magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG), the Terrestrial Reconnection Experiment (TREX), and as the plasma source for a magnetic mirror experiment. Temperature, density, and confinement results will be presented. This work is supported by the DoE and the NSF.

In situ heating to detoxify organic-contaminated soils

DOEpatents

Buelt, James L.; Oma, Kenton H.

1990-01-01

A method and apparatus for decontaminating ground areas where toxic chemicals are buried comprises disposition of a plurality of spaced electrodes in the ground to be treated and application of a voltage across the electrodes for bringing about current flow through the ground. Power delivered to the ground volatilizes the chemicals which are collected and directed to a gas treatment system. The preferred form of the invention employs high voltage arc discharge between the electrodes for heating a ground region to relatively high temperatures at relatively low power levels.

Immobilized WO3 nanoparticles on graphene oxide as a photo-induced antibacterial agent against UV-resistant Bacillus pumilus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Farshad; Rasuli, Reza; Jafarian, Vahab

2018-04-01

We present the antibacterial and photo-catalytic activity of immobilized WO3 nanoparticles on graphene oxide sheets. WO3 nanoparticles were immobilized on graphene oxide using the arc discharge method in arc currents of 5, 20, 40 and 60 A. Tauc plots of the UV-visible spectra show that the band gap of the prepared samples decreases (to ~2.7 eV) with respect to the WO3 nanoparticles. Photo-catalytic activity was examined by the degradation of rhodamine B under ultra-violet irradiation and the results show that the photo-catalytic activity of WO3 nanoparticles is increased by immobilizing them on graphene oxide sheets. In addition, the photo-degradation yield of the samples prepared by the 5 A arc current is 84% in 120 min, which is more than that of the other samples. The antibacterial activity of the prepared samples was studied against Bacillus pumilus (B. pumilus) bacteria, showing high resistance to ultra-violet exposure. Our results show that the bare and immobilized WO3 nanoparticles become more active under UV irradiation and their antibacterial properties are comparable with Ag nanoparticles. Besides this, the results show that although the photo-catalytic activity of the post-annealed samples at 500 °C is less than the as-prepared samples, it is, however, more active against B. pumilus bacteria under UV irradiation.

Dissociation phenomena in electron-beam sustained carbon dioxide lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Michael R.; Willetts, David V.

1990-01-01

A number of applications are emerging requiring efficient, long pulse, long-life sealed CO2 lasers. Examples include the proposed NASA and ESA wind lidars. Electron-beam sustained discharge devices are strong contenders. Unlike self-sustained discharges, e-beam sustenance readily provides efficient performance from large volume discharges and offers pulse lengths well in excess of the microsecond or so generally associated with self-sustained devices. In the case of the e-beam sustained laser, since the plasma is externally maintained and operated at electric field strengths less than that associated with the glow to arc transition, the discharges can be run even in the presence of strongly attacking species such as O2. Build up of large levels of attacking contaminants is nevertheless undesirable as their presence reduces the current drawn by the plasma and thus the pumping rate to the upper laser level. The impedance rise leads to a mismatch of the pulse forming network with a consequent loss of control over energy deposition, operating E/N, and gain. Clearly CO2 dissociation rates, the influence of dissociation products on the discharge and gain, and tolerance of the discharge to these products need to be determined. This information can then be used to assess co-oxidation catalyst requirements for sealed operation.

High-intensity discharge lamp and Duffing oscillator—Similarities and differences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumann, Bernd; Schwieger, Joerg; Stein, Ulrich; Hallerberg, Sarah; Wolff, Marcus

2017-12-01

The processes inside the arc tube of high-intensity discharge lamps are investigated using finite element simulations. The behavior of the gas mixture inside the arc tube is governed by differential equations describing mass, energy, and charge conservation, as well as the Helmholtz equation for the acoustic pressure and the Reynolds equations for the flow driven by buoyancy and Reynolds stresses. The model is highly nonlinear and requires a recursion procedure to account for the impact of acoustic streaming on the temperature and other fields. The investigations reveal the presence of a hysteresis and the corresponding jump phenomenon, quite similar to a Duffing oscillator. The similarities and, in particular, the differences of the nonlinear behavior of the high-intensity discharge lamp to that of a Duffing oscillator are discussed. For large amplitudes, the high-intensity discharge lamp exhibits a stiffening effect in contrast to the Duffing oscillator. It is speculated on how the stiffening might affect hysteresis suppression.

Multi-cathode metal vapor arc ion source

DOEpatents

Brown, Ian G.; MacGill, Robert A.

1988-01-01

An ion generating apparatus utilizing a vacuum chamber, a cathode and an anode in the chamber. A source of electrical power produces an arc or discharge between the cathode and anode. The arc is sufficient to vaporize a portion of the cathode to form a plasma. The plasma is directed to an extractor which separates the electrons from the plasma, and accelerates the ions to produce an ion beam. One embodiment of the appaatus utilizes a multi-cathode arrangement for interaction with the anode.

Using Arc/Info GIS to help implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permit for Los Angeles County

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levine, D.A.; Pace, P.J.; Woods, J.A.

1997-06-01

One of Los Angeles County Department of Public Works` many responsibilities is to manage non-point pollution that enters the storm drain network within Los Angeles County. The management of this non-point source pollution is mandated by the NPDES guidelines under the Federal Clean Water Act. These guidelines require the County to monitor the drainage network and the storm water and urban runoff flowing through it. The County covers over 3,117 square miles, with the NPDES Permit covering over 3,100 square miles and over 2500 miles of storm drains. A proposed solution to monitor and manage this vast geographic area ismore » centered upon an Arc/Info GIS. Some of the many concerns which need to be addressed include the administration and evaluation of Best Management Practices (BMP`s), storm drain inspection for illegal connections and illicit discharges, and pollutant load assessment and modeling. The storm drain network and other coverages will be related to external data bases currently used for facility management and planning. This system would be used for query purposes to perform spatial modeling and {open_quotes}what if{close_quotes} scenarios needed to create maps and reports required by the permit and to evaluate various BMP implementation strategies.« less

Investigating Discharge Ignition Fundamentals of Micro-Cathode Arc Thrusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teel, George Lewis

This dissertation is a compilation of studies of the volatile process that vacuum arcs undergo, known as breakdown. Breakdown is a transfer of electrons from one electrode to another. These electrons typically bombard the electrode surfaces causing secondary electron emission and ionization. This expulsion of ions and electrons then proceed to cause arc discharge, is what most people associate as ``the spark.'' This field-emission to breakdown process induces localized heating, which then causes this explosive ionization to occur. Once plasma is formed, high temperatures and pressures are forced on the surrounding surfaces. This initiation process, the effects of this process, and the manipulation of these effects have all been studied and described in this work. A series of initial observations of the before and after effects of discharge have been made through various equipment such as a Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive X-Ray, and Confocal Microscope. Methods to develop a resistance measurement scheme provided a means to characterize the thruster's operation over its lifetime. Further characterization of the plasma plume was done through the use of Langmuir probes. Temperature and density distributions were also measured. An entirely new and miniaturized design of the thrusters were developed and initially tested. Last, a new application for these vacuum arc thrusters was studied for use in an underwater environment. The purpose of this work was to further develop a vacuum arc thruster, known as the Micro-Cathode Arc Thruster (muCAT), which has been developed at the George Washington University's Micro Propulsion and Nanotechnology Lab. The muCAT has been developed over the past decade, and in the last 5 years has gone from simple lab circuitry to space flown hardware. Therefore it is imperative to fully understand every aspect of this technology to achieve precisely what missions require. The results of this dissertation have allowed a new thruster concept to be developed, which is more robust and smaller than previous designed muCAT with erosion control built into the design. A new application for these vacuum arc thrusters has also been tested as underwater propulsion. This research has allowed us to come closer to a more perfected piece of propulsion technology.

Effect of superhydrophobicity on surface damage of silicone rubber under AC voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yufeng; Jin, Haiyun; Nie, Shichao; Tong, Cheng; Gao, Naikui

2018-03-01

In this paper, the influence of superhydrophobicity on the surface damage of silicone rubber is studied. On a common silicone rubber surface, a droplet can become elongated, and arc discharge induced by the droplet can cause tracking on the silicone rubber surface. However, for a superhydrophobic silicone rubber surface, a droplet can leave the silicone rubber due to the low adhesion of the superhydrophobic surface. Accordingly, arc discharge caused by the droplet does not occur, and the surface of the silicone rubber is not affected. Results demonstrate that using a superhydrophobic surface has a significant effect on limiting the surface damage of silicone rubber.

SiC Nanowires Synthesized by Rapidly Heating a Mixture of SiO and Arc-Discharge Plasma Pretreated Carbon Black

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

SiC nanowires have been synthesized at 1,600 °C by using a simple and low-cost method in a high-frequency induction furnace. The commercial SiO powder and the arc-discharge plasma pretreated carbon black were mixed and used as the source materials. The heating-up and reaction time is less than half an hour. It was found that most of the nanowires have core-shell SiC/SiO2nanostructures. The nucleation, precipitation, and growth processes were discussed in terms of the oxide-assisted cluster-solid mechanism. PMID:20596456

Sensing characteristics of long period gratings in hollow core fiber fabricated via electrode arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iadicicco, Agostino; Cutolo, A.; Campopiano, Stefania

2014-05-01

This paper reports on the fabrication of Long Period Gratings (LPGs) in hollow-core air-silica photonic bandgap fibers (HC-PCFs) by using pressure assisted Electrode Arc Discharge (EAD) technique. In particular, the fabrication procedure relies on the combined use of EAD step, to locally heat the HC fiber, and of a static pressure (slightly higher than the external one) inside the fiber holes, to modify the holes. Here, the experimental fabrication of LPG prototypes with different periods and lengths are discussed. And, the sensitivity of LPGs in HC-PCF to environmental parameters such as strain, temperature and static pressure are presented and discussed.

A technique for measuring hypersonic flow velocity profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gartrell, L. R.

1973-01-01

A technique for measuring hypersonic flow velocity profiles is described. This technique utilizes an arc-discharge-electron-beam system to produce a luminous disturbance in the flow. The time of flight of this disturbance was measured. Experimental tests were conducted in the Langley pilot model expansion tube. The measured velocities were of the order of 6000 m/sec over a free-stream density range from 0.000196 to 0.00186 kg/cu m. The fractional error in the velocity measurements was less than 5 percent. Long arc discharge columns (0.356 m) were generated under hypersonic flow conditions in the expansion-tube modified to operate as an expansion tunnel.

Characterization of the C-2W Plasma Guns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubois, Ami; Sokolov, Vladimir; Korepanov, Sergey; Osin, Dima; Player, Gabriel; TAE Team

2017-10-01

Previous use of coaxial arc discharge plasma guns on the C-2U device exhibited great success in plasma stabilization and improved confinement. On the C-2W experiment, arc discharge plasma guns will again be used to facilitate the electrical connection between the plasma core and the divertor electrodes in order to maintain the electrode edge biasing and induce E x B shear to control plasma rotation. Each plasma gun contains an internal solenoid used to shape the plasma stream. Characterization of electron density (ne) , electron temperature (Te) , floating potential (Vf) , and total plasma flux in an arc discharge lasting 6 ms without the internal solenoid are presented. A Langmuir probe located 27 cm axially outside of the plasma gun anode measures a bell-like radial ne profile with peak ne 1018 m-3 and Te 2 - 10 eV. Observed spectral lines of impurity ions provide an estimate of Te, and Balmer series line ratios of the main ion component are used to evaluate ne at both the probe location and near the plasma gun anode. A calorimeter measures the plasma flux to be constant and equivalent to 1 kA.

Properties of thermal air plasma with admixing of copper and carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fesenko, S.; Veklich, A.; Boretskij, V.; Cressault, Y.; Gleizes, A.; Teulet, Ph

2014-11-01

This paper deals with investigations of air plasma with admixing of copper and carbon. Model plasma source unit with real breaking arc was used for the simulation of real discharges, which can be occurred during sliding of Cu-C composite electrodes on copper wire at electromotive vehicles. The complex technique of plasma property studies is developed. From one hand, the radial profiles of temperature and electron density in plasma of electric arc discharge in air between Cu-C composite and copper electrodes in air flow were measured by optical spectroscopy techniques. From another hand, the radial profiles of electric conductivity of plasma mixture were calculated by solution of energy balance equation. It was assumed that the thermal conductivity of air plasma is not depending on copper or carbon vapor admixtures. The electron density is obtained from electric conductivity profiles by calculation in assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium in plasma. Computed in such way radial profiles of electron density in plasma of electric arc discharge in air between copper electrodes were compared with experimentally measured profiles. It is concluded that developed techniques of plasma diagnostics can be reasonably used in investigations of thermal plasma with copper and carbon vapors.

Characteristics of arc currents on a negatively biased solar cell array in a plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, D. B.

1984-01-01

The time dependence of the emitted currents during arcing on solar cell arrays is being studied. The arcs are characterized using three parameters: the voltage change of the array during the arc (i.e., the charge lost), the peak current during the arc, and the time constant describing the arc current. This paper reports the dependence of these characteristics on two array parameters, the interconnect bias voltage and the array capacitance to ground. It was found that the voltage change of the array during an arc is nearly equal to the bias voltage. The array capacitance, on the other hand, influences both the peak current and the decay time constant of the arc. Both of these characteristics increase with increasing capacitance.

Inductive storage for quasi-steady MPD thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, K. E.

1978-01-01

Experiments in which a quasi-steady MPD thruster is driven by a large inductor demonstrate the feasibility of using inductive energy storage to couple an intermittent high power plasma thruster to a lower power steady state supply, such as a thermionic converter. Switching between inductor charging and MPD thrusting phases of the current cycle occurs smoothly, with the voltage spike generated during switching sufficient to initiate the arc discharge in the thruster without an auxiliary starting circuit. Further, the current waveforms delivered by the inductor are of a shape suitable for the quasi-steady thrusting process, and they agree with analytical estimates, indicating that the interaction between the thruster impedance and the inductive source is dynamically stable.

Post-arc current simulation based on measurement in vacuum circuit breaker with a one-dimensional particle-in-cell model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Shenli; Mo, Yongpeng; Shi, Zongqian; Li, Junliang; Wang, Lijun

2017-10-01

The post-arc dielectric recovery process has a decisive effect on the current interruption performance in a vacuum circuit breaker. The dissipation of residual plasma at the moment of current zero under the transient recovery voltage, which is the first stage of the post-arc dielectric recovery process and forms the post-arc current, has attracted many concerns. A one-dimensional particle-in-cell model is developed to simulate the measured post-arc current in the vacuum circuit breaker in this paper. At first, the parameters of the residual plasma are estimated roughly by the waveform of the post-arc current which is taken from measurements. After that, different components of the post-arc current, which are formed by the movement of charged particles in the residual plasma, are discussed. Then, the residual plasma density is adjusted according to the proportion of electrons and ions absorbed by the post-arc anode derived from the particle-in-cell simulation. After this adjustment, the post-arc current waveform obtained from the simulation is closer to that obtained from measurements.

ARC and Melting Efficiency of Plasma ARC Welds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClure, J. C.; Nunes, A. C.; Evans, D. M.

1999-01-01

A series of partial penetration Variable Polarity Plasma Arc welds were made at equal power but various combinations of current and voltage on 2219 Aluminum. Arc efficiency was measured calorimetrically and ranged between 48% and 66% for the conditions of the welds. Arc efficiency depends in different ways on voltage and current. The voltage effect dominates. Raising voltage while reducing current increases arc efficiency. Longer, higher voltage arcs are thought to transfer a greater portion of arc power to the workpiece through shield gas convection. Melting efficiency depends upon weld pool shape as well as arc efficiency. Increased current increases the melting efficiency as it increases the depth to width ratio of the weld pool. Increased plasma gas flow does the same thing. Higher currents are thought to raise arc pressure and depress liquid at the bottom of the weld pool. More arc power then transfers to the workpiece through increasing plasma gas convection. If the power is held constant, the reduced voltage lowers the arc efficiency, while the pool shape change increases the melting efficiency,

High Current ESD Test of Advanced Triple Junction Solar Array Coupon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.; Schneider, Todd A.; Vaughn, Jason A.; Hoang, Bao; Wong, Frankie

2015-01-01

A test was conducted on an Advanced Triple Junction (ATJ) coupon that was part of a risk reduction effort in the development of a high-powered solar array design by SSL. The ATJ coupon was a small, 4-cell, two-string configuration that has served as the basic test coupon design used in previous SSL environmental aging campaigns. The coupon has many attributes of the flight design; e.g., substrate structure with graphite face sheets, integrated by-pass diodes, cell interconnects, RTV grout, wire routing, etc. The objective of the present test was to evaluate the performance of the coupon after being subjected to induced electrostatic discharge testing at two string voltages (100 V, 150 V) and four array current (1.65 A, 2.0 A, 2.475 A, and 3.3 A). An ESD test circuit, unique to SSL solar array design, was built that simulates the effect of missing cells and strings in a full solar panel with special primary arc flashover circuitry. A total of 73 primary arcs were obtained that included 7 temporary sustained arcs (TSA) events. The durations of the TSAs ranged from 50 micros to 2.9 ms. All TSAs occurred at a string voltage of 150 V. Post-test Large Area Pulsed Solar Simulator (LAPSS), Dark I-V, and By-Pass Diode tests showed that no degradation occurred due to the TSA events. In addition, the post-test insulation resistance measured was > 50 G-ohms between cells and substrate. These test results indicate a robust design for application to a high-current, high-power mission application.

High Current ESD Test of Advanced Triple Junction Solar Array Coupon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, K. H.; Schneider, T. A.; Vaughn, J. A.; Hoang, B.; Wong, F.

2014-01-01

A test was conducted on an Advanced Triple Junction (ATJ) coupon that was part of a risk reduction effort in the development of a high-powered solar array design by SSL. The ATJ coupon was a small, 4-cell, two-string configuration that has served as the basic test coupon design used in previous SSL environmental aging campaigns. The coupon has many attributes of the flight design; e.g., substrate structure with graphite face sheets, integrated by-pass diodes, cell interconnects, RTV grout, wire routing, etc. The objective of the present test was to evaluate the performance of the coupon after being subjected to induced electrostatic discharge testing at two string voltages (100 V, 150 V) and four array current (1.65 A, 2.0 A, 2.475 A, and 3.3 A). An ESD test circuit, unique to SSL solar array design, was built that simulates the effect of missing cells and strings in a full solar panel with special primary arc flashover circuitry. A total of 73 primary arcs were obtained that included 7 temporary sustained arcs (TSA) events. The durations of the TSAs ranged from 50 µs to 2.9 ms. All TSAs occurred at a string voltage of 150 V. Post-test Large Area Pulsed Solar Simulator (LAPSS), Dark I-V, and By-Pass Diode tests showed that no degradation occurred due to the TSA events. In addition, the post-test insulation resistance measured was > 50 G-ohms between cells and substrate. These test results indicate a robust design for application to a high-current, high-power mission application.

High Current ESD Test of Advanced Triple Junction Solar Array Coupon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.; Schneider, Todd A.; Vaughn, Jason A.; Hoang, Bao; Wong, Frankie

2014-01-01

Testing was conducted on an Advanced Triple Junction (ATJ) coupon that was part of a risk reduction effort in the development of a high-powered solar array design by Space Systems/Loral, LLC (SSL). The ATJ coupon was a small, 4-cell, two-string configuration that has served as the basic test coupon design used in previous SSL environmental aging campaigns. The coupon has many attributes of the flight design; e.g., substrate structure with graphite face sheets, integrated by-pass diodes, cell interconnects, RTV grout, wire routing, etc. The objective of the present test was to evaluate the performance of the coupon after being subjected to induced electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing at two string voltages (100 V, 150 V) and four array currents (1.65 A, 2.0 A, 2.475 A, and 3.3 A). An ESD test circuit, unique to SSL solar array design, was built that simulates the effect of missing cells and strings in a full solar panel with special primary arc flashover circuitry. A total of 73 primary arcs were obtained that included 7 temporary sustained arcs (TSA) events. The durations of the TSAs ranged from 50 micro-seconds to 2.75 milli-seconds. All TSAs occurred at a string voltage of 150 V. Post-test Large Area Pulsed Solar Simulator (LAPSS), Dark I-V, and By-Pass Diode tests showed that no degradation occurred due to the TSA events. In addition, the post-test insulation resistance measured was > 50 G-ohms between cells and substrate. These test results indicate a robust design for application to a high-current, high-power mission.

Glow-to-arc transition events in H2-Ar direct current pulsed plasma: automated measurement of current and voltage.

PubMed

Mendes, Luciano A; Mafra, Márcio; Rodrigues, Jhonatam C

2012-01-01

The glow-to-arc transition phenomena (arcing) observed in plasma reactors used in materials processing was studied through the arcs characteristic current and voltage waveforms. In order to capture these arcs signals, a LABVIEW™ based automated instrumentation system (ARCVIEW) was developed, including the integration of an oscilloscope equipped with proper current and voltage probes. The system also allows capturing the process parameters at the arc occurrence moments, which were used to map the arcs events conditions. Experiments in H(2)-Ar DC pulsed plasma returned signals data from 215 arcs events, which were analyzed through software routines. According to the results, an anti-arcing system should react in the time order of few microseconds to prevent most of the damage caused by the undesired arcing phenomena.

Investigation of the AC Plasma Torch Working Conditions for the Plasma Chemical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safronov, A. A.; Vasilieva, O. B.; Dudnik, J. D.; E Kuznetsov, V.; Shiryaev, V. N.; Subbotin, D. I.; Pavlov, A. V.

2017-04-01

The presented design and parameters of a three-phase AC plasma torch with the power up to 500 kW, flow rate of air 30-50 g/s (temperature up to 5000 K) could be used in different plasma chemical processes. Range of measured plasma temperature is 3500-5000 K. The paper presents investigations of the plasma torch operation modes for its application in plasma chemical technologies. Plasma chemical technologies for various purposes (processing, destruction of various wastes, including technological and hazardous waste, conversion or production of chemicals to obtain nanoscale materials, etc.) are very promising in terms of the process efficiency. Their industrial use is difficult due to the lack of inexpensive and reliable plasma torches providing the desired level of temperature, enthalpy of the working gas and other necessary conditions for the process. This problem can be solved using a considered design of a three-phase alternating current plasma torch with power of 150-500 kW with working gas flow rate of 30-50 g/s with mass average temperature up to 5000K on the basis of which an industrial plasma chemical plant can be created. The basis of the plasma torch operation is a railgun effect that is the principle of arc movement in the field of its own current field. Thanks to single supply of power to the arc, arcs forming in the discharge chamber of the plasma torch move along the electrodes under the action of electrodynamic forces resulting from the interaction of the arc current with its own magnetic field. Under the condition of the three-phase supply voltage, arc transits from the electrode to the electrode with change in the anodic and cathodic phases with frequency of 300 Hz. A special feature of this design is the ability to organize the movement of the arc attachment along the electrode, thus ensuring an even distribution of the thermal load and thus achieve long time of continuous operation of the plasma torch. The parameters of the plasma jet of the plasma torch and the single-phase three-phase plasma injector for use in a plasma-chemical unit for production of nano-dispersed materials are described in the paper.

Generalized Bohm’s criterion and negative anode voltage fall in electric discharges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Londer, Ya. I.; Ul’yanov, K. N., E-mail: kulyanov@vei.ru

2013-10-15

The value of the voltage fall across the anode sheath is found as a function of the current density. Analytic solutions are obtained in a wide range of the ratio of the directed velocity of plasma electrons v{sub 0} to their thermal velocity v{sub T}. It is shown that the voltage fall in a one-dimensional collisionless anode sheath is always negative. At the small values of v{sub 0}/v{sub T}, the obtained expression asymptotically transforms into the Langmuir formula. Generalized Bohm’s criterion for an electric discharge with allowance for the space charge density ρ(0), electric field E(0), ion velocity v{sub i}(0),more » and ratio v{sub 0}/v{sub T} at the plasma-sheath interface is formulated. It is shown that the minimum value of the ion velocity v{sub i}{sup *}(0) corresponds to the vanishing of the electric field at one point inside the sheath. The dependence of v{sub i}{sup *} (0) on ρ(0), E(0), and v{sub 0}/v{sub T} determines the boundary of the existence domain of stationary solutions in the sheath. Using this criterion, the maximum possible degree of contraction of the electron current at the anode is determined for a short high-current vacuum arc discharge.« less

Theoretical and experimental investigation on magneto-hydrodynamics of plasma window

DOE PAGES

Wang, S. Z.; Zhu, K.; Huang, S.; ...

2016-01-05

As a new device, we designed plasma window to use plasma discharge to separate atmosphere from vacuum with high difference of pressure. It has many excellent properties, being able to be used as available passage for ion beam with negligible energy loss, also impervious to radiation damage and thermal damage. Normally beam focusing by accelerators is not that easy to achieve within channel of small cross section. 10 mm diameter plasma window's experimental realization could contribute to its further application in accelerator system. In this paper, 10 mm diameter 60 mm long plasma window has first been designed and managedmore » to generate arc discharge with argon gas experimentally. Our result proves that it has the ability to separate at least 28.8 kPa (not the upper limit) from 360 Pa with 50 A direct current and 2.5 kW power supplied. Current increase leads to linear inlet pressure increase obviously, while it has less impact on outlet pressure and voltage, coming to the conclusion that the higher current of plasma discharge, the larger pressure difference it creates. Furthermore, theoretical analysis of 10 mm diameter plasma window in axis symmetrical configuration using argon also has been provided, in which a numerical 2D FLUENT-based magneto-hydrodynamic simulation model is settled. It has a good agreement with experimental result on voltage and mass flow rate when inlet pressure is increased.« less

Transient Response of Arc Temperature and Iron Vapor Concentration Affected by Current Frequency with Iron Vapor in Pulsed Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Tatsuro; Maeda, Yoshifumi; Yamamoto, Shinji; Iwao, Toru

2016-10-01

TIG arc welding is chemically a joining technology with melting the metallic material and it can be high quality. However, this welding should not be used in high current to prevent cathode melting. Thus, the heat transfer is poor. Therefore, the deep penetration cannot be obtained and the weld defect sometimes occurs. The pulsed arc welding has been used for the improvement of this defect. The pulsed arc welding can control the heat flux to anode. The convention and driving force in the weld pool are caused by the arc. Therefore, it is important to grasp the distribution of arc temperature. The metal vapor generate from the anode in welding. In addition, the pulsed current increased or decreased periodically. Therefore, the arc is affected by such as a current value and current frequency, the current rate of increment and the metal vapor. In this paper, the transient response of arc temperature and the iron vapor concentration affected by the current frequency with iron vapor in pulsed arc was elucidated by the EMTF (ElectroMagnetic Thermal Fluid) simulation. As a result, the arc temperature and the iron vapor were transient response as the current frequency increase. Thus, the temperature and the electrical conductivity decreased. Therefore, the electrical field increased in order to maintain the current continuity. The current density and electromagnetic force increased at the axial center. In addition, the electronic flow component of the heat flux increased at the axial center because the current density increased. However, the heat conduction component of the heat flux decreased.

Macroparticle generation in DC arc discharge from a WC cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhirkov, Igor; Polcik, Peter; Kolozsvári, Szilard; Rosen, Johanna

2017-03-01

We have studied macroparticle generation from a tungsten carbide cathode used in a dc vacuum arc discharge. Despite a relatively high decomposition/melting point (˜3100 K), there is an intensive generation of visible particles with sizes in the range 20-35 μm. Visual observations during the discharge and scanning electron microscopy of the cathode surface and of collected macroparticles indicate a new mechanism for particle formation and acceleration. Based on the W-C phase diagram, there is an intensive sublimation of carbon from the melt resulting from the cathode spot. The sublimation supports the formation of a sphere, which is accelerated upon an explosion initiated by Joule heating at the critical contact area between the sphere and the cathode body. The explosive nature of the particle acceleration is confirmed by surface features resembling the remains of a splash on the droplet surface.

Observation of copper atoms behavior in a vacuum arc discharge using laser spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sung, Y. M.; Hayashi, Y.; Okraku-Yirenkyi, Y.; Otsubo, M.; Honda, C.; Sakoda, T.

2003-01-01

In order to investigate the most important parameters influencing the breaking characteristic of a vacuum circuit breaker (VCB), the behavior of copper (Cu) particles emitted from electrodes designed as an imitation of a vacuum valve of the VCB was observed. The temporal-spatial intensity distributions due to Cu particles in an excited state or a neutral state were measured using the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) technique and a charge coupled device camera attached with a special filter. The diffusion velocity of a Cu atom was also investigated by evaluating a Doppler shift of the LIF signal. The results showed that most Cu particles were emitted from the anode and were in an excited state or an ionized state during an arc discharge. Also, Cu particles were distributed between electrodes even after the discharge chocked, and its diffusion velocity in the direction of the cathode from the anode was about 2.6 km/s.

Investigation of hydrocarbon oil transformation by gliding arc discharge: comparison of batch and recirculated configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitehead, J. Christopher; Prantsidou, Maria

2016-04-01

The degradation of liquid dodecane was studied in a gliding arc discharge (GAD) of humid argon or nitrogen. A batch or recirculating configuration was used. The products in the gaseous and liquid phase were analysed by infrared and chromatography and optical emission spectroscopy was used to identify the excited species in the discharge. The best degradation performance comes from the use of humid N2 but a GAD of humid argon produces fewer gas-phase products but more liquid-phase end-products. A wide range of products such as heavier saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons both aliphatic and aromatic, and oxidation products mainly alcohols, but also aldehydes, ketones and esters are produced in the liquid-phase. The recirculating treatment mode is more effective than the batch mode increasing the reactivity and changing the product selectivities. Overall, the study shows promising results for the organic liquid waste treatment, especially in the recirculating mode.

Control of arc length during gas metal arc welding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Madigan, R.B.; Quinn, T.P.

1994-12-31

An arc-length control system has been developed for gas metal arc welding (GMAW) under spray transfer welding conditions. The ability to monitor and control arc length during arc welding allows consistent weld characteristics to be maintained and therefore improves weld quality. Arc length control has only been implemented for gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), where an automatic voltage control (AVC) unit adjusts torch-to-work distance. The system developed here compliments the voltage- and current-sensing techniques commonly used for control of GMAW. The system consists of an arc light intensity sensor (photodiode), a Hall-effect current sensor, a personal computer and software implementingmore » a data interpretation and control algorithms. Arc length was measured using both arc light and arc current signals. Welding current was adjusted to maintain constant arc length. A proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller was used. Gains were automatically selected based on the desired welding conditions. In performance evaluation welds, arc length varied from 2.5 to 6.5 mm while welding up a sloped workpiece (ramp in CTWD) without the control. Arc length was maintained within 1 mm of the desired (5 mm ) with the control.« less

Investigating Efficient Tar Management from Biomass and Waste to Energy Gasification Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

Non-thermal plasma systems, including low-pressure glow, radio frequency and corona discharges , offer high chemical selectivity and relatively...Chemosphere 2007;68(10):1821-9; Van Durme, Jim, et. al; Abatement and degredation pathways of toluene of indoor air by positive corona discharge . xi... discharges including high temperature plasma torchesviii, microwaveix, coronax and as related to this study, gliding arc nonthermal plasmaxi and catalystsxii

E-beam high voltage switching power supply

DOEpatents

Shimer, Daniel W.; Lange, Arnold C.

1997-01-01

A high power, solid state power supply is described for producing a controllable, constant high voltage output under varying and arcing loads suitable for powering an electron beam gun or other ion source. The present power supply is most useful for outputs in a range of about 100-400 kW or more. The power supply is comprised of a plurality of discrete switching type dc-dc converter modules, each comprising a voltage regulator, an inductor, an inverter for producing a high frequency square wave current of alternating polarity, an improved inverter voltage clamping circuit, a step up transformer, and an output rectifier for producing a dc voltage at the output of each module. The inputs to the converter modules are fed from a common dc rectifier/filter and are linked together in parallel through decoupling networks to suppress high frequency input interactions. The outputs of the converter modules are linked together in series and connected to the input of the transmission line to the load through a decoupling and line matching network. The dc-dc converter modules are phase activated such that for n modules, each module is activated equally 360.degree./n out of phase with respect to a successive module. The phased activation of the converter modules, combined with the square current waveforms out of the step up transformers, allows the power supply to operate with greatly reduced output capacitance values which minimizes the stored energy available for discharge into an electron beam gun or the like during arcing. The present power supply also provides dynamic response to varying loads by controlling the voltage regulator duty cycle using simulated voltage feedback signals and voltage feedback loops. Circuitry is also provided for sensing incipient arc currents reflected at the output of the power supply and for simultaneously decoupling the power supply circuitry from the arcing load.

E-beam high voltage switching power supply

DOEpatents

Shimer, D.W.; Lange, A.C.

1997-03-11

A high power, solid state power supply is described for producing a controllable, constant high voltage output under varying and arcing loads suitable for powering an electron beam gun or other ion source. The present power supply is most useful for outputs in a range of about 100-400 kW or more. The power supply is comprised of a plurality of discrete switching type dc-dc converter modules, each comprising a voltage regulator, an inductor, an inverter for producing a high frequency square wave current of alternating polarity, an improved inverter voltage clamping circuit, a step up transformer, and an output rectifier for producing a dc voltage at the output of each module. The inputs to the converter modules are fed from a common dc rectifier/filter and are linked together in parallel through decoupling networks to suppress high frequency input interactions. The outputs of the converter modules are linked together in series and connected to the input of the transmission line to the load through a decoupling and line matching network. The dc-dc converter modules are phase activated such that for n modules, each module is activated equally 360{degree}/n out of phase with respect to a successive module. The phased activation of the converter modules, combined with the square current waveforms out of the step up transformers, allows the power supply to operate with greatly reduced output capacitance values which minimizes the stored energy available for discharge into an electron beam gun or the like during arcing. The present power supply also provides dynamic response to varying loads by controlling the voltage regulator duty cycle using simulated voltage feedback signals and voltage feedback loops. Circuitry is also provided for sensing incipient arc currents reflected at the output of the power supply and for simultaneously decoupling the power supply circuitry from the arcing load. 7 figs.

Atmospheric-pressure electric discharge as an instrument of chemical activation of water solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rybkin, V. V.; Shutov, D. A.

2017-11-01

Results of experimental studies and numerical simulations of physicochemical characteristics of plasmas generated in different types of atmospheric-pressure discharges (pulsed streamer corona, gliding electric arc, dielectric barrier discharge, glow-discharge electrolysis, diaphragmatic discharge, and dc glow discharge) used to initiate various chemical processes in water solutions are analyzed. Typical reactor designs are considered. Data on the power supply characteristics, plasma electron parameters, gas temperatures, and densities of active particles in different types of discharges excited in different gases and their dependences on the external parameters of discharges are presented. The chemical composition of active particles formed in water is described. Possible mechanisms of production and loss of plasma particles are discussed.

Hydrothermal heat discharge in the Cascade Range, northwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingebritsen, S.E.; Mariner, R.H.

2010-01-01

Hydrothermal heat discharge in the Cascade Range includes the heat discharged by thermal springs, by "slightly thermal" springs that are only a few degrees warmer than ambient temperature, and by fumaroles. Thermal-spring heat discharge is calculated on the basis of chloride-flux measurements and geothermometer temperatures and totals ~ 240 MW in the U.S. part of the Cascade Range, excluding the transient post-1980 discharge at Mount St. Helens (~80 MW as of 2004-5). Heat discharge from "slightly thermal" springs is based on the degree of geothermal warming (after correction for gravitational potential energy effects) and totals ~. 660. MW. Fumarolic heat discharge is calculated by a variety of indirect and direct methods and totals ~160 MW, excluding the transient mid-1970s discharge at Mount Baker (~80 MW) and transient post-1980 discharge at Mount St. Helens (>. 230. MW as of 2005). Other than the pronounced transients at Mount St. Helens and Mount Baker, hydrothermal heat discharge in the Cascade Range appears to be fairly steady over a ~25-year period of measurement. Of the total of ~. 1050. MW of "steady" hydrothermal heat discharge identified in the U.S. part of the Cascade Range, less than 50. MW occurs north of latitude 45??15' N (~0.1 MW per km arc length from 45??15' to 49??N). Much greater rates of hydrothermal heat discharge south of 45??15'N (~1.7 MW per km arc length from 40?? to 45??15'N) may reflect the influence of Basin and Range-style extensional tectonics (faulting) that impinges on the Cascades as far north as Mount Jefferson but is not evident farther north. ?? 2010.

Physical characteristics of welding arc ignition process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Linan; Song, Yonglun; Xiao, Tianjiao; Ran, Guowei

2012-07-01

The existing research of welding arc mainly focuses on the stable combustion state and the research on the mechanism of welding arc ignition process is quite lack. The tungsten inert gas(TIG) touch arc ignition process is observed via a high speed camera and the high time resolution spectral diagnosis system. The changing phenomenon of main ionized element provided the electrons in the arc ignition is found. The metallic element is the main contributor to provide the electrons at the beginning of the discharging, and then the excitated shielding gas element replaces the function of the metallic element. The electron density during the period of the arc ignition is calculated by the Stark-broadened lines of Hα. Through the discussion with the repeatability in relaxation phenomenon, the statistical regularity in the arc ignition process is analyzed. The similar rules as above are observed through the comparison with the laser-assisted arc ignition experiments and the metal inert gas(MIG) arc ignition experiments. This research is helpful to further understanding on the generation mechanism of welding arc ignition and also has a certain academic and practical significance on enriching the welding physical theoretical foundation and improving the precise monitoring on automatic arc welding process.

In situ synthesis of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes by modified arc discharging method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Tingkai; Ji, Xianglin; Jin, Wenbo; Yang, Wenbo; Zhao, Xing; Dang, Alei; Li, Hao; Li, Tiehu

2017-02-01

Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs) were in situ synthesized by a temperature-controlled arc discharging furnace with DC electric field using Co-Ni alloy powder as catalyst in helium gas. The microstructures of s-SWCNTs were characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and Raman spectrometry apparatus. The experimental results indicated that the best voltage value in DC electric field is 54 V, and the environmental temperature of the reaction chamber is 600 °C. The mean diameter of s-SWCNTs was estimated about 1.3 nm. The chiral vector ( n, m) of s-SWCNTs was calculated to be (10, 10) type according to the electron diffraction patterns.

Single-step synthesis and magnetic separation of graphene and carbon nanotubes in arc discharge plasmas.

PubMed

Volotskova, O; Levchenko, I; Shashurin, A; Raitses, Y; Ostrikov, K; Keidar, M

2010-10-01

The unique properties of graphene and carbon nanotubes made them the most promising nanomaterials attracting enormous attention, due to the prospects for applications in various nanodevices, from nanoelectronics to sensors and energy conversion devices. Here we report on a novel deterministic, single-step approach to simultaneous production and magnetic separation of graphene flakes and carbon nanotubes in an arc discharge by splitting the high-temperature growth and low-temperature separation zones using a non-uniform magnetic field and tailor-designed catalyst alloy, and depositing nanotubes and graphene in different areas. Our results are very relevant to the development of commercially-viable, single-step production of bulk amounts of high-quality graphene.

Annular arc accelerator shock tube

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leibowitz, L. P. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

An annular arc accelerator shock tube employs a cold gas driver to flow a stream of gas from an expansion section through a high voltage electrode section to a test section, thus driving a shock wave in front of it. A glow discharge detects the shock wave and actuates a trigger generator which in turn fires spark-gap switches to discharge a bank of capacitors across a centered cathode and an annular anode in tandem electrode sections. The initial shock wave passes through the anode section from the cathode section thereby depositing energy into the flow gas without the necessity of any diaphragm opening in the gas flow from the expansion section through the electrode sections.

Filtered cathodic arc source

DOEpatents

Falabella, S.; Sanders, D.M.

1994-01-18

A continuous, cathodic arc ion source coupled to a macro-particle filter capable of separation or elimination of macro-particles from the ion flux produced by cathodic arc discharge is described. The ion source employs an axial magnetic field on a cathode (target) having tapered sides to confine the arc, thereby providing high target material utilization. A bent magnetic field is used to guide the metal ions from the target to the part to be coated. The macro-particle filter consists of two straight solenoids, end to end, but placed at 45[degree] to one another, which prevents line-of-sight from the arc spot on the target to the parts to be coated, yet provides a path for ions and electrons to flow, and includes a series of baffles for trapping the macro-particles. 3 figures.

Filtered cathodic arc source

DOEpatents

Falabella, Steven; Sanders, David M.

1994-01-01

A continuous, cathodic arc ion source coupled to a macro-particle filter capable of separation or elimination of macro-particles from the ion flux produced by cathodic arc discharge. The ion source employs an axial magnetic field on a cathode (target) having tapered sides to confine the arc, thereby providing high target material utilization. A bent magnetic field is used to guide the metal ions from the target to the part to be coated. The macro-particle filter consists of two straight solenoids, end to end, but placed at 45.degree. to one another, which prevents line-of-sight from the arc spot on the target to the parts to be coated, yet provides a path for ions and electrons to flow, and includes a series of baffles for trapping the macro-particles.

Parameter estimation of extended free-burning electric arc within 1 kA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qiuqin; Liu, Hao; Wang, Feng; Chen, She; Zhai, Yujia

2018-05-01

A long electric arc, as a common phenomenon in the power system, not only damages the electrical equipment but also threatens the safety of the system. In this work, a series of tests on a long electric arc in free air have been conducted. The arc voltage and current data were obtained, and the arc trajectories were captured using a high speed camera. The arc images were digitally processed by means of edge detection, and the length is formulated and achieved. Based on the experimental data, the characteristics of the long arc are discussed. It shows that the arc voltage waveform is close to the square wave with high-frequency components, whereas the current is almost sinusoidal. As the arc length elongates, the arc voltage and the resistance increase sharply. The arc takes a spiral shape with the effect of magnetic forces. The arc length will shorten briefly with the occurrence of the short-circuit phenomenon. Based on the classical Mayr model, the parameters of the long electric arc, including voltage gradient and time constant, with different lengths and current amplitudes are estimated using the linear least-square method. To reduce the computational error, segmentation interpolation is also employed. The results show that the voltage gradient of the long arc is mainly determined by the current amplitude but almost independent of the arc length. However, the time constant is jointly governed by these two variables. The voltage gradient of the arc with the current amplitude at 200-800 A is in the range of 3.9 V/cm-20 V/cm, and the voltage gradient decreases with the increase in current.

Arcing and its role in PFC erosion and dust production in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudakov, D. L.; Chrobak, C. P.; Doerner, R. P.; Krasheninnikov, S. I.; Moyer, R. A.; Umstadter, K. R.; Wampler, W. R.; Wong, C. P. C.

2013-07-01

Two types of arc tracks are observed on the plasma-facing components (PFCs) in DIII-D. "Unmagnetized" random walk tracks are produced during glow discharges; they are rare and have no importance for PFC erosion but may degrade diagnostic mirrors. "Magnetized" scratch-like type II tracks are produced by unipolar arcs during plasma operations; they are formed by "retrograde BxJ" motion of the cathode spot and are roughly perpendicular to the local magnetic field. Type II arcs cause measurable erosion of graphite, but based on the evidence available they are relatively small contributors to the total erosion of carbon in DIII-D compared to other mechanisms such as physical and chemical sputtering and ablation from leading edges. Erosion by arcing of tungsten films deposited on graphite samples was observed in Divertor Material Evaluation System (DiMES) experiments. New DiMES experiments aimed at time-resolved arc measurements are proposed.

Field-aligned currents associated with multiple arc systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, J.; Knudsen, D. J.; Gillies, D. M.; Donovan, E.; Burchill, J. K.

2016-12-01

It is often thought that auroral arcs are a direct consequence of upward field-aligned currents. In fact, the relation between currents and brightness is more complicated. Multiple auroral arc systems provide and opportunity to study this relation in detail; this information can be used as a test of models for quasi-static arc formation. In this study, we have identified two types of FAC configurations in multiple parallel arc systems using ground-based optical data from the THEMIS all-sky imagers (ASIs), magnetometers and electric field instruments onboard the Swarm satellites during the period from December 2013 to March 2015. In type 1 events, each arc is an intensification within a broad, unipolar current sheet and downward currents only exist outside the upward current sheet. In type 2 events, multiple arc systems represent a collection of multiple up/down current pairs. By collecting 12 events for type 1 and 17 events for type 2, we find that (1) Type 1 events are mainly located between 22-23MLT. Type 2 events are mainly located around midnight. (2) The typical size of upward and downward FAC in type 2 events are comparable, while upward FAC in type 1 events are larger than downward FAC. (3) Upward currents with more arcs embedded have larger intensities and widths. (4) There is no significant difference between the characteristic widths of multiple arcs and single arcs.

Arc-Induced Long Period Gratings from Standard to Polarization-Maintaining and Photonic Crystal Fibers

PubMed Central

Campopiano, Stefania; Iadicicco, Agostino

2018-01-01

In this work, we report about our recent results concerning the fabrication of Long Period Grating (LPG) sensors in several optical fibers, through the Electric Arc Discharge (EAD) technique. In particular, the following silica fibers with both different dopants and geometrical structures are considered: standard Ge-doped, photosensitive B/Ge codoped, P-doped, pure-silica core with F-doped cladding, Panda type Polarization-maintaining, and Hollow core Photonic crystal fiber. An adaptive platform was developed and the appropriate “recipe” was identified for each fiber, in terms of both arc discharge parameters and setup arrangement, for manufacturing LPGs with strong and narrow attenuation bands, low insertion losses, and short length. As the fabricated devices have appealing features from the application point of view, the sensitivity characteristics towards changes in different external perturbations (i.e., surrounding refractive index, temperature, and strain) are investigated and compared, highlighting the effects of different fiber composition and structure. PMID:29558407

Hydrodynamic and Sediment Responses of Open Channels to Exposed Pipe Encasements

PubMed Central

Mao, J. Q.; Zhang, H. Q.; Dai, H. C.; Yuan, B. H.; Hu, T. F.

2015-01-01

The effects of exposed pipe encasements on the local variation of hydrodynamic and sediment conditions in a river channel are examined. Laboratory experiments are performed to assess the response of water level, flow regime and bed deformation to several representative types of concrete encasements. The experimental conditions considered are: three types of exposed pipe encasements exposed on the bed, including trapezoidal shape, circular-arc shape and polygonal shape, and three sets of discharges, including annual discharge, once-in-3-year flood, and once-in-50-year flood. Our experiments show that: (1) the amount of backwater definitely depends on the encasement geometric shape and the background discharge; (2) smaller discharges generally tend to induce local scour of river bed downstream of the encasement, and the order of sensitivity of bed deformation to the encasement geometric shape is trapezoidal > circular-arc > polygonal; (3) comparatively speaking, the polygonal encasement may be considered as a suitable protective structure for pipelines across alluvial rivers, with relatively modest effects on the local hydrodynamic conditions and bed stabilization. PMID:26588840

Analysis of Arc Characteristics and Flow Field in Arc Chamber of High-Voltage SF6 Auto-Expansion Circuit Breaker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junmin; Chen, Zhang

2008-10-01

A new magnetic hydro-dynamics model for nozzle arc emphasizing the interaction of arc with PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene) vapour is established based on the conservation equations. The interruption of auto-expansion circuit breaker is simulated numerically by finite element method and the influence of PTFE vapour on the arc is analysed with this model. The results reveal that the flow field inside the arc chamber is determined by the arc current, the arcing time, the nozzle arc and the clogging of its thermal boundary. The establishment of quenching pressure relies on both SF6 gas and PTFE vapour that absorbed arc energy in the nozzle. The PTFE vapour leads to an increase in the pressure of nozzle arc obviously, and a decrease in the temperature of arc. But it enhances the temperature of arc at zero current and slows down the decreasing rate of arc temperature as the current decreases.

Bottom-Up Syntheses and Characterization of One Dimensional Nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Yao-Wen

Nanomaterials, materials having at least one dimension below 100 nm, have been creating exciting opportunities for fundamental quantum confinement studies and applications in electronic devices and energy technologies. One obvious and important aspect of nanomaterials is their production. Although nanostructures can be obtained by top-down reductive e-beam lithography and focused ion beam processes, further development of these processes is needed before these techniques can become practical routes to large scale production. On the other hand, bottom-up syntheses, with advantages in material diversity, throughput, and the potential for large volume production, may provide an alternative strategy for creating nanostructures. In this work, we explore syntheses of one dimensional nanostructures based on hydrothermal and arc discharge methods. The first project presented in this thesis involves syntheses of technologically important nanomaterials and their potential application in energy harvesting. In particular, it was demonstrated that single crystal ferroelectric lead magnesium niobate lead titanate (PMN-PT) nanowires can be synthesized by a hydrothermal route. The chemical composition of the synthesized nanowires is near the rhombohedral-monoclinic boundary of PMN-PT, which leads to a high piezoelectric coefficient of 381 pm/V. Finally, the potential use of PMN-PT nanowires in energy harvesting applications was also demonstrated. The second part of this thesis involves the synthesis of carbon and boron nitride nanotubes by dc arc discharges. In particular, we investigated how local plasma related properties affected the synthesis of carbon nanostructures. Finally, we investigated the anodic nature of the arc and how a dc arc discharge can be applied to synthesize boron nitride nanotubes.

Improvements to CHI Plasma Start-up and Ramp-up in NSTX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarboe, T. R.; Raman, R.; Nelson, B. A.; Mueller, D.; Bell, M. G.; Roquemore, L.; Kugel, H. W.; Soukhanovskii, V.

2009-11-01

Experiments in NSTX have now demonstrated the savings of central solenoid inductive flux after coupling of toroidal plasmas produced by the technique of Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) to inductive sustainment and ramp-up of the toroidal plasma current. In these discharges, the central solenoid with zero pre-charge was used to apply an inductive loop voltage to the decaying CHI started discharges. The coupled discharges ramped up to 800kA without the benefit of auxiliary heating. Inductive flux savings was realized as a result of an effort to reduce the influx of low-Z impurities during the plasma start-up phase. This was achieved through the use of 400ms long CHI discharges produced using a DC rectifier power supply to ablate low-Z surface impurities from the lower divertor electrodes, followed by the use of Lithium evaporative coatings and an effort to reduce spurious arcs in the upper divertor region by controlling the extent of CHI plasma growth in the vessel. Previous work on NSTX has shown that CHI started discharges after coupling to neutral beam heated discharges can transition to an H-mode. These important new results from NSTX demonstrate that CHI is a viable solenoid-free plasma startup method for future STs and Tokamaks. This work supported by U.S. DOE Contracts # DE-AC02-09CH11466 and DE-FG02-99ER54519 AM08.

Method for gas-metal arc deposition

DOEpatents

Buhrmaster, C.L.; Clark, D.E.; Smartt, H.B.

1990-11-13

Method and apparatus for gas-metal arc deposition of metal, metal alloys, and metal matrix composites are disclosed. The apparatus contains an arc chamber for confining a D.C. electrical arc discharge, the arc chamber containing an outlet orifice in fluid communication with a deposition chamber having a deposition opening in alignment with the orifice for depositing metal droplets on a coatable substrate. Metal wire is passed continuously into the arc chamber in alignment with the orifice. Electric arcing between the metal wire anode and the orifice cathode produces droplets of molten metal from the wire which pass through the orifice and into the deposition chamber for coating a substrate exposed at the deposition opening. When producing metal matrix composites, a suspension of particulates in an inert gas enters the deposition chamber via a plurality of feed openings below and around the orifice so that reinforcing particulates join the metal droplets to produce a uniform mixture which then coats the exposed substrate with a uniform metal matrix composite. 1 fig.

Method for gas-metal arc deposition

DOEpatents

Buhrmaster, Carol L.; Clark, Denis E.; Smartt, Herschel B.

1990-01-01

Method and apparatus for gas-metal arc deposition of metal, metal alloys, and metal matrix composites. The apparatus contains an arc chamber for confining a D.C. electrical arc discharge, the arc chamber containing an outlet orifice in fluid communication with a deposition chamber having a deposition opening in alignment wiht the orifice for depositing metal droplets on a coatable substrate. Metal wire is passed continuously into the arc chamber in alignment with the orifice. Electric arcing between the metal wire anode and the orifice cathode produces droplets of molten metal from the wire which pass through the orifice and into the deposition chamber for coating a substrate exposed at the deposition opening. When producing metal matrix composites, a suspension of particulates in an inert gas enters the deposition chamber via a plurality of feed openings below and around the orifice so that reinforcing particulates join the metal droplets to produce a uniform mixture which then coats the exposed substrate with a uniform metal matrix composite.

Apparatus for gas-metal arc deposition

DOEpatents

Buhrmaster, Carol L.; Clark, Denis E.; Smartt, Herschel B.

1991-01-01

Apparatus for gas-metal arc deposition of metal, metal alloys, and metal matrix composites. The apparatus contains an arc chamber for confining a D.C. electrical arc discharge, the arc chamber containing an outlet orifice in fluid communication with a deposition chamber having a deposition opening in alignment with the orifice for depositing metal droplets on a coatable substrate. Metal wire is passed continuously into the arc chamber in alignment with the orifice. Electric arcing between the metal wire anode and the orifice cathode produces droplets of molten metal from the wire which pass through the orifice and into the deposition chamber for coating a substrate exposed at the deposition opening. When producing metal matrix composites, a suspenion of particulates in an inert gas enters the deposition chamber via a plurality of feed openings below and around the orifice so that reinforcing particulates join the metal droplets to produce a uniform mixture which then coats the exposed substrate with a uniform metal matrix composite.

Interface microstructure engineering by high power impulse magnetron sputtering for the enhancement of adhesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehiasarian, A. P.; Wen, J. G.; Petrov, I.

2007-03-01

An excellent adhesion of hard coatings to steel substrates is paramount in practically all application areas. Conventional methods utilize Ar glow etching or cathodic arc discharge pretreatments that have the disadvantage of producing weak interfaces or adding droplets, respectively. One tool for interface engineering is high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS). HIPIMS is based on conventional sputtering with extremely high peak power densities reaching 3kWcm-2 at current densities of >2Acm-2. HIPIMS of Cr and Nb was used to prepare interfaces on 304 stainless steel and M2 high speed steel (HSS). During the pretreatment, the substrates were biased to Ubias=-600V and Ubias=-1000V in the environment of a HIPIMS of Cr and Nb plasma. The bombarding flux density reached peak values of 300mAcm-2 and consisted of highly ionized metal plasma containing a high proportion of Cr1+ and Nb1+. Pretreatments were also carried out with Ar glow discharge and filtered cathodic arc as comparison. The adhesion was evaluated for coatings consisting of a 0.3μm thick CrN base layer and a 4μm thick nanolayer stack of CrN /NbN with a period of 3.4nm, hardness of HK0.025=3100, and residual stress of -1.8GPa. For HIPIMS of Cr pretreatment, the adhesion values on M2 HSS reached scratch test critical load values of LC=70N, thus comparing well to LC=51N for interfaces pretreated by arc discharge plasmas and to LC=25N for Ar etching. Cross sectional transmission electron microscopy studies revealed a clean interface and large areas of epitaxial growth in the case of HIPIMS pretreatment. The HIPIMS pretreatment promoted strong registry between the orientation of the coating and polycrystalline substrate grains due to the incorporation of metal ions and the preservation of crystallinity of the substrate. Evidence and conditions for the formation of cube-on-cube epitaxy and axiotaxy on steel and γ-TiAl substrates are presented.

Liquid-metal-fed Pulsed Plasma Thrusters for In-space Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Markusic, Thomas E.

2004-01-01

Liquid metal propellants may provide a path toward more reliable and efficient pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs). Conceptual thruster designs which eliminate the need for high current switches and propellant metering valves are described. Propellant loading techniques are suggested that show promise to increase thruster propellant utilization, dynamic, and electrical efficiency. Calibration results from a compact, electromagnetically-pumped propellant feed system are presented. Results for lithium and gallium propellants show capability to meter propellant at flow rates up to 10 +/- 0.1 mg/s. Experiments investigating the initiation of arc discharges using liquid metal droplets are presented. High speed photography and laser interferometry provide spatially and temporally resolved information on the decomposition of liquid metal droplets , and the evolution of the accelerating current channel.

Swarm Observation of Field-Aligned Currents Associated With Multiple Auroral Arc Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, J.; Knudsen, D. J.; Gillies, D. M.; Donovan, E. F.; Burchill, J. K.

2017-10-01

Auroral arcs occur in regions of upward field-aligned currents (FACs); however, the relation is not one to one, since kinetic energy of the current-carrying electrons is also important in the production of auroral luminosity. Multiple auroral arc systems provide an opportunity to study the relation between FACs and auroral brightness in detail. In this study, we have identified two types of FAC configurations in multiple parallel arc systems using ground-based optical data from the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms all-sky imagers, magnetometers and electric field instruments on board the Swarm satellites. In "unipolar FAC" events, each arc is an intensification within a broad, unipolar current sheet and downward return currents occur outside of this broad sheet. In "multipolar FAC" events, multiple arc systems represent a collection of multiple up/down current pairs. By collecting 17 events with unipolar FAC and 12 events with multipolar FACs, we find that (1) unipolar FAC events occur most frequently between 20 and 21 magnetic local time and multipolar FAC events tend to occur around local midnight and within 1 h after substorm onset. (2) Arcs in unipolar FAC systems have a typical width of 10-20 km and a spacing of 25-50 km. Arcs in multipolar FAC systems are wider and more separated. (3) Upward currents with more arcs embedded have larger intensities and widths. (4) Electric fields are strong and highly structured on the edges of multiple arc system with unipolar FAC. The fact that arcs with unipolar FAC are much more highly structured than the associated currents suggests that arc multiplicity is indicative not of a structured generator deep in the magnetosphere, but rather of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling process.

Ion beam generating apparatus

DOEpatents

Brown, I.G.; Galvin, J.

1987-12-22

An ion generating apparatus utilizing a vacuum chamber, a cathode and an anode in the chamber. A source of electrical power produces an arc or discharge between the cathode and anode. The arc is sufficient to vaporize a portion of the cathode to form a plasma. The plasma is directed to an extractor which separates the electrons from the plasma, and accelerates the ions to produce an ion beam. 10 figs.

Surface breakdown igniter for mercury arc devices

DOEpatents

Bayless, John R.

1977-01-01

Surface breakdown igniter comprises a semiconductor of medium resistivity which has the arc device cathode as one electrode and has an igniter anode electrode so that when voltage is applied between the electrodes a spark is generated when electrical breakdown occurs over the surface of the semiconductor. The geometry of the igniter anode and cathode electrodes causes the igniter discharge to be forced away from the semiconductor surface.

Along-arc distribution of 3He/4He and 87Sr/86Sr in thermal fluids of the Kuril Island arc (Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taran, Y.; Kalacheva, E.; Bujakajte, M.; Inguaggiato, S.

2017-12-01

The Kuril Island arc in the NW Pacific extends for 1200 km from the Kamchatka Peninsula to Hokkaido Islandand separates the margin Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. Among 40 active volcanoes at least 7 are characterized by strong and high-temperature fumarolic activity, 1 to 3 volcanoes are erupting right now, and many of active and dormant volcanoes host hydrothermal systems. We report our data on hydrochemistry and isotopic composition of He and Sr from fumarolic and hydrothermal discharges sampled along the arc, from Ebeko volcano on Paramushir Island to Golovnin volcano on Kunashir Island. The data were obtained during the field campaign in 2015-2017. Most of hydrothermal systems of Kuril Islands discharge acid-to-ultra acid SO4-Cl and Cl-SO4 waters and steam-heated SO4 waters. On some islands, like Shiashkotan, northern Kurils, coastal hot springs can be found issuing Na-Cl waters mixed with seawater. Mature Na-Cl waters are known only on southern big islands Iturup and Kunashir. The distribution of 3He/4He in hydrothermal and fumarolic gases along the arc is very uniform with 3He/4He values close to the MORB value of 8Ra where Ra is atmospheric ratio (1.4 x 10-6). The northernmost Ebeko volcano discharges fumaroles with 3He/4He up to 7.9Ra, and bubbling gas in the nearest hot springs up to 7.6Ra. Such high 3He/4He values with a maximum of 8.3Ra in fumaroles of the Pallas Peak in the middle of the arc were measured in all thermal manifestations of the arc (fumaroles, hydrothermal steam vents and bubbling gases) up to the southernmost Kunashir Island, where volcanic and hydrothermal gases are characterized by significantly lower values of 5.5Ra at Mendeleev volcano and 3.5Ra at Golovnin volcano. Isotopic ratio of the dissolved Sr as a rule corresponds to the 87Sr/86Sr values of the host rocks and only in the coastal hot springs demonstrates partial mixing with seawater. There is also a general consistence of 87Sr/86Sr in springs and 3He/4He in gases. This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant # 15-17-20011.

Arc Jet Facility Test Condition Predictions Using the ADSI Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmer, Grant; Prabhu, Dinesh; Terrazas-Salinas, Imelda

2015-01-01

The Aerothermal Design Space Interpolation (ADSI) tool is used to interpolate databases of previously computed computational fluid dynamic solutions for test articles in a NASA Ames arc jet facility. The arc jet databases are generated using an Navier-Stokes flow solver using previously determined best practices. The arc jet mass flow rates and arc currents used to discretize the database are chosen to span the operating conditions possible in the arc jet, and are based on previous arc jet experimental conditions where possible. The ADSI code is a database interpolation, manipulation, and examination tool that can be used to estimate the stagnation point pressure and heating rate for user-specified values of arc jet mass flow rate and arc current. The interpolation is performed in the other direction (predicting mass flow and current to achieve a desired stagnation point pressure and heating rate). ADSI is also used to generate 2-D response surfaces of stagnation point pressure and heating rate as a function of mass flow rate and arc current (or vice versa). Arc jet test data is used to assess the predictive capability of the ADSI code.

The modelling of an SF6 arc in a supersonic nozzle: II. Current zero behaviour of the nozzle arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Q.; Liu, J.; Yan, J. D.; Fang, M. T. C.

2016-08-01

The present work (part II) forms the second part of an investigation into the behaviour of SF6 nozzle arc. It is concerned with the aerodynamic and electrical behaviour of a transient nozzle arc under a current ramp specified by a rate of current decay (di/dt) before current zero and a voltage ramp (dV/dt) after current zero. The five flow models used in part I [1] for cold gas flow and DC nozzle arcs have been applied to study the transient arc at three stagnation pressures (P 0) and two values of di/dt for the current ramp, representing a wide range of arcing conditions. An analysis of the physical mechanisms encompassed in each flow model is given with an emphasis on the adequacy of a particular model in describing the rapidly varying arc around current zero. The critical rate of rise of recovery voltage (RRRV) is found computationally and compared with test results of Benenson et al [2]. For transient nozzle arcs, the RRRV is proportional to the square of P 0, rather than to the square root of P 0 for DC nozzle arcs. The physical mechanisms responsible for the strong dependence of RRRV on P 0 have been investigated. The relative merits of the flow models employed are discussed.

Optical and structural properties of carbon dots/TiO2 nanostructures prepared via DC arc discharge in liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biazar, Nooshin; Poursalehi, Reza; Delavari, Hamid

2018-01-01

Synthesis and development of visible active catalysts is an important issue in photocatalytic applications of nanomaterials. TiO2 nanostructures coupled with carbon dots demonstrate a considerable photocatalytic activity in visible wavelengths. Extending optical absorption of a wide band gap semiconductor such as TiO2 with carbon dots is the origin of the visible activity of carbon dots modified semiconductor nanostructures. In addition, carbon dots exhibit high photostability, appropriate electron transport and chemical stability without considerable toxicity or environmental footprints. In this study, optical and structural properties of carbon dots/TiO2 nanostructures prepared via (direct current) DC arc discharge in liquid were investigated. Crystal structure, morphology and optical properties of the samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-visible spectroscopy respectively. SEM images show formation of spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 27 nm. In comparison with pristine TiO2, optical transmission spectrum of carbon dots/TiO2 nanostructures demonstrates an absorption edge at longer wavelengths as well a high optical absorption in visible wavelengths which is significant for visible activity of nanostructures as a photocatalyst. Finally, these results can provide a flexible and versatile pathway for synthesis of carbon dots/oxide semiconductor nanostructures with an appropriate activity under visible light.

Longitudinal magnet forces?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graneau, P.

1984-03-01

The Ampere electrodynamics of metallic conductors and experiments supporting it predict that the interaction of a current-carrying wire with its own magnetic field should produce longitudinal mechanical forces in the conductor, existing in addition to the transverse Lorentz forces. The longitudinal forces should stretch the conductor and have been referred to as Ampere tension. In 1964 it was discovered that a current pulse would break a straight copper wire into many fragments without visible melting. A metallurgical examination of the pieces confirmed that the metal parted in the solid state. The same observation has now been made with aluminum wires. In the latest experiments the wire was bent into a semicircle and arc-connected to a capacitor discharge circuit. The arc connections ruled out rupture by Lorentz hoop tension and indicated the longitudinal forces may also arise in circular magnet windings. Explanations of wire fragmentation by thermal shock, longitudinal stress waves, Lorentz pinch-off, bending stresses, and material defects have been considered and found unconvincing. Computed Ampere tensions would be sufficient to fracture hot wires. The Ampere tension would double the hoop tension normally expected in dipole magnets. This should be borne in mind in the design of large dipole magnets contemplated for MHD power generators and railgun accelerators.

Cathode-constriction and column-constriction in high current vacuum arcs subjected to an axial magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zaiqin; Ma, Hui; Liu, Zhiyuan; Geng, Yingsan; Wang, Jianhua

2018-04-01

The influence of the applied axial magnetic field on the current density distribution in the arc column and electrodes is intensively studied. However, the previous results only provide a qualitative explanation, which cannot quantitatively explain a recent experimental data on anode current density. The objective of this paper is to quantitatively determine the current constriction subjected to an axial magnetic field in high-current vacuum arcs according to the recent experimental data. A magnetohydrodynamic model is adopted to describe the high current vacuum arcs. The vacuum arc is in a diffuse arc mode with an arc current ranged from 6 kArms to 14 kArms and an axial magnetic field ranged from 20 mT to 110 mT. By a comparison of the recent experimental work of current density distribution on the anode, the modelling results show that there are two types of current constriction. On one hand, the current on the cathode shows a constriction, and this constriction is termed as the cathode-constriction. On the other hand, the current constricts in the arc column region, and this constriction is termed as the column-constriction. The cathode boundary is of vital importance in a quantitative model. An improved cathode constriction boundary is proposed. Under the improved boundary, the simulation results are in good agreement with the recent experimental data on the anode current density distribution. It is demonstrated that the current density distribution at the anode is sensitive to that at the cathode, so that measurements of the anode current density can be used, in combination with the vacuum arc model, to infer the cathode current density distribution.

Investigation of the Energy Balance in the Spark Discharge Generator for Nanoparticles Synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mylnikov, D. A.; Efimov, A. A.; Ivanov, V. V.

2017-07-01

In this paper we investigate the balance of energy in the discharge circuit of a spark discharge generator (SDG) for nanoparticles synthesis. The released energy consists of several parts: the energy in a discharge gap and the energy dissipated in the other elements of the circuit. In turn, in the gap a one part of the energy releases in preanode and precathode regions and the other part in an arc between electrodes. We measured these parts and proposed ways to optimize energy efficiency of the nanoparticles production.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING IONS OF VAPORIZABLE MATERIALS

DOEpatents

Wright, B.T.

1958-01-28

a uniform and copious supply of ions. The source comprises a hollow arc- block and means for establishing a magnetic field through the arc-block. Vaporization of the material to be ionized is produced by an electric heated filament. The arc producing structure within the arc-block consists of a cathode disposed between a pair of collimating electrodes along with an anode adjacent each collimating electrode on the side opposite the cathode. A positive potential applied to the anodes and collimating electrodes, with respect to the cathode, and the magnetic field act to accelerate the electrons from the cathode through a slit in each collimating clectrode towards the respective anode. In this manner a pair of collinear arc discharges are produced in the gas region which can be tapped for an abundant supply of ions of the material being analyzed.

Swarm observation of field-aligned current and electric field in multiple arc systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, J.; Knudsen, D. J.; Gillies, M.; Donovan, E.; Burchill, J. K.

2017-12-01

It is often thought that auroral arcs are a direct consequence of upward field-aligned currents. In fact, the relation between currents and brightness is more complicated. Multiple auroral arc systems provide and opportunity to study this relation in detail. In this study, we have identified two types of FAC configurations in multiple parallel arc systems using ground-based optical data from the THEMIS all-sky imagers (ASIs), magnetometers and electric field instruments onboard the Swarm satellites during the period from December 2013 to March 2015. In type 1 events, each arc is an intensification within a broad, unipolar current sheet and downward currents only exist outside the upward current sheet. These types of events are termed "unipolar FAC" events. In type 2 events, multiple arc systems represent a collection of multiple up/down current pairs, which are termed as "multipolar FAC" events. Comparisons of these two types of FAC events are presented with 17 "unipolar FAC" events and 12 "multipolar FAC" events. The results show that "unipolar FAC" and "multipolar FAC" events have systematic differences in terms of MLT, arc width and separation, and dependence on substorm onset time. For "unipolar FAC" events, significant electric field enhancements are shown on the edges of the broad upward current sheet. Electric field fluctuations inside the multiple arc system can be large or small. For "multipolar FAC" events, a strong correlation between magnetic and electric field indicate uniform conductance within each upward current sheet. The electrodynamical structures of multiple arc systems presented in this paper represents a step toward understanding arc generation.

Intense Pulsed Heavy Ion Beam Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masugata, Katsumi; Ito, Hiroaki

Development of intense pulsed heavy ion beam accelerator technology is described for the application of materials processing. Gas puff plasma gun and vacuum arc discharge plasma gun were developed as an active ion source for magnetically insulated pulsed ion diode. Source plasma of nitrogen and aluminum were successfully produced with the gas puff plasma gun and the vacuum arc plasma gun, respectively. The ion diode was successfully operated with gas puff plasma gun at diode voltage 190 kV, diode current 2.2 kA and nitrogen ion beam of ion current density 27 A/cm2 was obtained. The ion composition was evaluated by a Thomson parabola spectrometer and the purity of the nitrogen ion beam was estimated to be 86%. The diode also operated with aluminum ion source of vacuum arc plasma gun. The ion diode was operated at 200 kV, 12 kA, and aluminum ion beam of current density 230 A/cm2 was obtained. The beam consists of aluminum ions (Al(1-3)+) of energy 60-400 keV, and protons (90-130 keV), and the purity was estimated to be 89 %. The development of the bipolar pulse accelerator (BPA) was reported. A double coaxial type bipolar pulse generator was developed as the power supply of the BPA. The generator was tested with dummy load of 7.5 ohm, bipolar pulses of -138 kV, 72 ns (1st pulse) and +130 kV, 70 ns (2nd pulse) were succesively generated. By applying the bipolar pulse to the drift tube of the BPA, nitrogen ion beam of 2 A/cm2 was observed in the cathode, which suggests the bipolar pulse acceleration.

Development and optimization of a matrix converter supplying an electronic ballast - UV lamp system for water sterilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bokhtache, Aicha Aissa; Zegaoui, Abdallah; Aillerie, Michel; Djahbar, Abdelkader; Hemici, Kheira

2018-05-01

Electronic ballasts dedicated to discharge lamps allow improving the quality of radiation by operating at high frequency. In the present work, the use of a single-phase direct converter with a matrix structure for supplying a low-pressure mercury-argon UVC lamp for water sterilization is proposed. The structure of the converter is based on two switching cells allowing the realization of a fully controllable bidirectional switches. The advantages of such a matrix topology include the delivered of a sinusoidal waveform current with a controllable power factor close to unity, variable in amplitude and frequency. In order to obtain the desired amplitude and frequency, a PWM control was associated in the current realization. Finally, a linear adjustment of the lamp arc current was warranted by using of a PI regulator.

Diverse Electron-Induced Optical Emissions from Space Observatory Materials at Low Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennison, J.R.; Jensen, Amberly Evans; Wilson, Gregory; Dekany, Justin; Bowers, Charles W.; Meloy, Robert

2013-01-01

Electron irradiation experiments have investigated the diverse electron-induced optical and electrical signatures observed in ground-based tests of various space observatory materials at low temperature. Three types of light emission were observed: (i); long-duration cathodoluminescence which persisted as long as the electron beam was on (ii) short-duration (<1 s) arcing, resulting from electrostatic discharge; and (iii) intermediate-duration (100 s) glow-termed "flares". We discuss how the electron currents and arcing-as well as light emission absolute intensity and frequency-depend on electron beam energy, power, and flux and the temperature and thickness of different bulk (polyimides, epoxy resins, and silica glasses) and composite dielectric materials (disordered SiO2 thin films, carbon- and fiberglass-epoxy composites, and macroscopically-conductive carbon-loaded polyimides). We conclude that electron-induced optical emissions resulting from interactions between observatory materials and the space environment electron flux can, in specific circumstances, make significant contributions to the stray light background that could possibly adversely affect the performance of space-based observatories.

Heat transfer in GTA welding arcs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huft, Nathan J.

Heat transfer characteristics of Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) arcs with arc currents of 50 to 125 A and arc lengths of 3 to 11 mm were measured experimentally through wet calorimetry. The data collected were used to calculate how much heat reported to the cathode and anode and how much was lost from the arc column. A Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro was written to further analyze the data and account for Joule heating within the electrodes and radiation and convection losses from the arc, providing a detailed account of how heat was generated and dissipated within the system. These values were then used to calculate arc efficiencies, arc column voltages, and anode and cathode fall voltages. Trends were noted for variances in the arc column voltage, power dissipated from the arc column, and the total power dissipated by the system with changing arc length. Trends for variances in the anode and cathode fall voltages, total power dissipated, Joule heating within the torches and electrodes with changing arc current were also noted. In addition, the power distribution between the anode and cathode for each combination of arc length and arc current was examined. Keywords: Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, GTAW, anode fall, cathode fall, heat transfer, wet calorimetry

Automatic Control Of Length Of Welding Arc

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iceland, William F.

1991-01-01

Nonlinear relationships among current, voltage, and length stored in electronic memory. Conceptual microprocessor-based control subsystem maintains constant length of welding arc in gas/tungsten arc-welding system, even when welding current varied. Uses feedback of current and voltage from welding arc. Directs motor to set position of torch according to previously measured relationships among current, voltage, and length of arc. Signal paths marked "calibration" or "welding" used during those processes only. Other signal paths used during both processes. Control subsystem added to existing manual or automatic welding system equipped with automatic voltage control.

Dielectric Surface Effects on Transient Arcs in Lightning Arrester Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

pp. 816– 823, 1971. [13] V. I. Gibalov and G. J. Pietsch , “The development of dielectric barrier discharges in gas gaps and on surfaces,” J. Phys. D...Appl. Phys., vol. 33, p. 2618, 2000. [14] D. Braun, V. Gibalov, and G. Pietsch , “Two-dimensional modelling of the dielectric barrier discharge in air

Using of fiber-array diagnostic to measure the propagation of fast axial ionization wave during breakdown of electrically exploding tungsten wire in vacuum.

PubMed

Shi, Huantong; Zou, Xiaobing; Wang, Xinxin

2017-12-01

The physical process of electrical explosion of wires in vacuum is featured with the surface discharge along the wire, which generates the corona plasma layer and terminates the Joule heating of the wire core. In this paper, a fiber-array probe was designed to directly measure the radiation of surface arc with spatial and temporal resolution. The radiation of the exploding wire was casted to the section of an optical-fiber-array by a lens and transmitted to PIN diodes and finally collected with an oscilloscope. This probe enables direct diagnostics of the evolution of surface discharge with high temporal resolution and certain spatial resolution. The radiation of a tungsten wire driven by a positive current pulse was measured, and results showed that surface discharge initiates near the cathode and propagates toward the anode with a speed of 7.7 ± 1.6 mm/ns; further estimations showed that this process is responsible for the "conical" structure of the exploding wire.

Using of fiber-array diagnostic to measure the propagation of fast axial ionization wave during breakdown of electrically exploding tungsten wire in vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Huantong; Zou, Xiaobing; Wang, Xinxin

2017-12-01

The physical process of electrical explosion of wires in vacuum is featured with the surface discharge along the wire, which generates the corona plasma layer and terminates the Joule heating of the wire core. In this paper, a fiber-array probe was designed to directly measure the radiation of surface arc with spatial and temporal resolution. The radiation of the exploding wire was casted to the section of an optical-fiber-array by a lens and transmitted to PIN diodes and finally collected with an oscilloscope. This probe enables direct diagnostics of the evolution of surface discharge with high temporal resolution and certain spatial resolution. The radiation of a tungsten wire driven by a positive current pulse was measured, and results showed that surface discharge initiates near the cathode and propagates toward the anode with a speed of 7.7 ± 1.6 mm/ns; further estimations showed that this process is responsible for the "conical" structure of the exploding wire.

Insulation Coordination and Failure Mitigation Concerns for Roust Dc Electrical Power Systems (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

vulnerable to failure is air. This could be a discharge through an air medium or along an air/surface interface. Achieving robustness in dc power...sputtering” arcs) are discharges that are most commonly located in series with the intended load; the electrical impedance of the load limits the...particularly those used at voltages > 1000 V, is detection and measurement of partial- discharge (PD) activity. The presence of PD in a component typically

Paleohydrological methods and some examples from Swedish fluvial environments. II - River meanders.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, G.P.

1984-01-01

Empirical relations are developed between river-meander features and water-discharge characteristics for 19 reaches along Swedish rivers. In these relations, either average channel width or average radius of curvature of meander arcs can be used to estimate average annual peak discharge and average daily discharge. By accepting certain assumptions, the relations can be applied to other meandering Swedish rivers, present or ancient. The Oster-Dalalven River near Mora is used as an example.-Author

RF Noise Generation in High-Pressure Short-Arc DC Xenon Lamps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minayeva, Olga; Doughty, Douglas

2007-10-01

Continuous direct current xenon arcs will generate RF noise under certain circumstance, which can lead to excessive electro- magnetic interference in systems that use these arcs as light sources. Phenomenological observations are presented for xenon arcs having arc gaps ˜1 mm, cold fill pressures of ˜2.5 MPa, and currents up to 30 amps. Using a loop antenna in the vicinity of an operating lamp, it is observed that as the current to the arc is lowered there is a reproducible threshold at which the RF noise generation begins. This threshold is accompanied by a small abrupt drop in voltage (˜0.2 volts). The RF emission appears in pulses ˜150 nsec wide separated by ˜300 nec - the pulse interval decreases with decreasing current. The properties of the RF emission as a function of arc parameters (such as pressure, arc gap, electrode design) will be discussed and a semi-quantitative model presented.

Self-consistent radiation-based simulation of electric arcs: II. Application to gas circuit breakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iordanidis, A. A.; Franck, C. M.

2008-07-01

An accurate and robust method for radiative heat transfer simulation for arc applications was presented in the previous paper (part I). In this paper a self-consistent mathematical model based on computational fluid dynamics and a rigorous radiative heat transfer model is described. The model is applied to simulate switching arcs in high voltage gas circuit breakers. The accuracy of the model is proven by comparison with experimental data for all arc modes. The ablation-controlled arc model is used to simulate high current PTFE arcs burning in cylindrical tubes. Model accuracy for the lower current arcs is evaluated using experimental data on the axially blown SF6 arc in steady state and arc resistance measurements close to current zero. The complete switching process with the arc going through all three phases is also simulated and compared with the experimental data from an industrial circuit breaker switching test.

Theoretical and experimental investigation on magneto-hydrodynamics of plasma window

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, S. Z.; Zhu, K., E-mail: zhukun@pku.edu.cn; Huang, S.

2016-01-15

As a new device, plasma window has been designed to use plasma discharge to separate atmosphere from vacuum with high difference of pressure. It has many excellent properties, being able to be used as available passage for ion beam with negligible energy loss, also impervious to radiation damage and thermal damage. Normally beam focusing by accelerators is not that easy to achieve within channel of small cross section. 10 mm diameter plasma window's experimental realization could contribute to its further application in accelerator system. In this paper, 10 mm diameter 60 mm long plasma window has first been designed and managed to generatemore » arc discharge with argon gas experimentally. The result proves that it has the ability to separate at least 28.8 kPa (not the upper limit) from 360 Pa with 50 A direct current and 2.5 kW power supplied. Current increase leads to linear inlet pressure increase obviously, while it has less impact on outlet pressure and voltage, coming to the conclusion that the higher current of plasma discharge, the larger pressure difference it creates. Theoretical analysis of 10 mm diameter plasma window in axis symmetrical configuration using argon also has been provided, in which a numerical 2D FLUENT-based magneto-hydrodynamic simulation model is settled. It has a good agreement with experimental result on voltage and mass flow rate when inlet pressure is increased.« less

The anode mechanism of a thermal argon arc

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Busz-Peuckert, G.; Finkelnburg, W.

1984-01-01

In order to clarify the anode mechanism in freely burning argon arcs, the anode drop was determined by probe measurements in the current intensity range of 10 to 200 A and arc lengths between 2 and 10 mm. Simultaneously, the power input at the anode was determined by measuring the temperature increase in the cooling water, using a thermoelement, and compared to the electrical output at the arc and in the anodic drop area. An anodic contraction was observed in the arc, at low current intensities. The results can be explained in terms of the effects of a cathodic plasma current, and in the contracted arc, in terms of an additional anodic plasma current.

Active control of massively separated high-speed/base flows with electric arc plasma actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeBlauw, Bradley G.

The current project was undertaken to evaluate the effects of electric arc plasma actuators on high-speed separated flows. Two underlying goals motivated these experiments. The first goal was to provide a flow control technique that will result in enhanced flight performance for supersonic vehicles by altering the near-wake characteristics. The second goal was to gain a broader and more sophisticated understanding of these complex, supersonic, massively-separated, compressible, and turbulent flow fields. The attainment of the proposed objectives was facilitated through energy deposition from multiple electric-arc plasma discharges near the base corner separation point. The control authority of electric arc plasma actuators on a supersonic axisymmetric base flow was evaluated for several actuator geometries, frequencies, forcing modes, duty cycles/on-times, and currents. Initially, an electric arc plasma actuator power supply and control system were constructed to generate the arcs. Experiments were performed to evaluate the operational characteristics, electromagnetic emission, and fluidic effect of the actuators in quiescent ambient air. The maximum velocity induced by the arc when formed in a 5 mm x 1.6 mm x 2 mm deep cavity was about 40 m/s. During breakdown, the electromagnetic emission exhibited a rise and fall in intensity over a period of about 340 ns. After breakdown, the emission stabilized to a near-constant distribution. It was also observed that the plasma formed into two different modes: "high-voltage" and "low-voltage". It is believed that the plasma may be switching between an arc discharge and a glow discharge for these different modes. The two types of plasma do not appear to cause substantial differences on the induced fluidic effects of the actuator. In general, the characterization study provided a greater fundamental understanding of the operation of the actuators, as well as data for computational model comparison. Preliminary investigations of actuator geometry in the supersonic base flow determined that inclined cavity and normal cavity actuators positioned on the base near the base edge could produce significant disturbances in the shear layer. The disturbances were able to be tracked in time with phase-locked schlieren imaging and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The final set of flow control experiments were therefore performed with an eight-actuator base using the inclined cavity actuator geometry. The actuators were able to cause moderate influences on the axisymmetric shear layer velocity profile and base pressure. The most substantial changes to the shear layer and base pressure were noted for the highest current and duty cycle tests. At 1 A and 20% duty cycle, the base pressure was reduced by 3.5%. Similar changes were noted for all modes and a range of frequencies from about 10-30 kHz. Increases in duty cycle between 4% and 20% caused a nearly linear decrease in base pressure. Analysis of the shear layer velocity profiles acquired through PIV show a local thickening of the shear layer in the region of the disturbances caused by the actuator. A slight increase in thickness was also observed away from the disturbance. Disturbances were able to be tracked at all frequencies and translated along the shear layer at a convective velocity of 430 +/- 20 m/s. A fairly clear trend of increasing velocity disturbance amplitude correlating to increasing base pressure changes was noted. Moreover, the ability of the disturbances to stay well organized further down the shear layer also appears to be a significant factor in the actuators' effect on base pressure. Consistent with these observations, it appears that increased duty cycle causes increased shear layer disturbance amplitudes. The use of PIV has enabled substantial insight to be gained into the effects of the actuators on the ensemble-averaged flow field and on the variability of the instantaneous flow field with and without control. A sensitive bimodal recirculation region behavior was found in the no-control flow field that the plasma actuators could force. The flow field and turbulence statistics in each mode were substantially different. Through analysis of past no-control base pressure measurements, it is believed that the bimodal behavior fluctuates at a characteristic frequency between 0.4 and 0.5 Hz [StD = [special character omitted](5x10-5)]. The flat time-averaged base pressure distribution is due to the superposition of a normally non-flat instantaneous base pressure distribution. Also, the standard deviation of the base pressure measurements is reduced when in one recirculation region mode as compared to when it is fluctuating between recirculation region modes.

Solar Array at Very High Temperatures: Ground Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vayner, Boris

2016-01-01

Solar array design for any spacecraft is determined by the orbit parameters. For example, operational voltage for spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is limited by significant differential charging due to interactions with low temperature plasma. In order to avoid arcing in LEO, solar array is designed to generate electrical power at comparatively low voltages (below 100 volts) or to operate at higher voltages with encapsulation of all suspected discharge locations. In Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) differential charging is caused by energetic electrons that produce differential potential between the coverglass and the conductive spacecraft body in a kilovolt range. In such a case, the weakly conductive layer over coverglass, indium tin oxide (ITO) is one of the possible measures to eliminate dangerous discharges on array surface. Temperature variations for solar arrays in both orbits are measured and documented within the range of minus150 degrees Centigrade to plus 1100 degrees Centigrade. This wide interval of operational temperatures is regularly reproduced in ground tests with radiative heating and cooling inside a shroud with flowing liquid nitrogen. The requirements to solar array design and tests turn out to be more complicated when planned trajectory crosses these two orbits and goes closer to the Sun. The conductive layer over coverglass causes a sharp increase in parasitic current collected from LEO plasma, high temperature may cause cracks in encapsulating (Room Temperature Vulcanizing (RTV) material; radiative heating of a coupon in vacuum chamber becomes practically impossible above 1500 degrees Centigrade; conductivities of glass and adhesive go up with temperature that decrease array efficiency; and mechanical stresses grow up to critical magnitudes. A few test arrangements and respective results are presented in current paper. Coupons were tested against arcing in simulated LEO and GEO environments under elevated temperatures up to 2000 degrees Centigrade. The dependence of leakage current on temperature was measured, and electrostatic cleanness was verified for coupons with antireflection (AR) coating over the indium tin oxide (ITO) layer.

The Effect of Arc Proximity on Hydrothermal Activity Along Spreading Centers: New Evidence From the Mariana Back Arc (12.7°N-18.3°N)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Edward T.; Walker, Sharon L.; Resing, Joseph A.; Chadwick, William W.; Merle, Susan G.; Anderson, Melissa O.; Butterfield, David A.; Buck, Nathan J.; Michael, Susanna

2017-11-01

Back-arc spreading centers (BASCs) form a distinct class of ocean spreading ridges distinguished by steep along-axis gradients in spreading rate and by additional magma supplied through subduction. These characteristics can affect the population and distribution of hydrothermal activity on BASCs compared to mid-ocean ridges (MORs). To investigate this hypothesis, we comprehensively explored 600 km of the southern half of the Mariana BASC. We used water column mapping and seafloor imaging to identify 19 active vent sites, an increase of 13 over the current listing in the InterRidge Database (IRDB), on the bathymetric highs of 7 of the 11 segments. We identified both high and low (i.e., characterized by a weak or negligible particle plume) temperature discharge occurring on segment types spanning dominantly magmatic to dominantly tectonic. Active sites are concentrated on the two southernmost segments, where distance to the adjacent arc is shortest (<40 km), spreading rate is highest (>48 mm/yr), and tectonic extension is pervasive. Re-examination of hydrothermal data from other BASCs supports the generalization that hydrothermal site density increases on segments <90 km from an adjacent arc. Although exploration quality varies greatly among BASCs, present data suggest that, for a given spreading rate, the mean spatial density of hydrothermal activity varies little between MORs and BASCs. The present global database, however, may be misleading. On both BASCs and MORs, the spatial density of hydrothermal sites mapped by high-quality water-column surveys is 2-7 times greater than predicted by the existing IRDB trend of site density versus spreading rate.

Complex technology of vacuum-arc processing of structural material surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arustamov, V. N.; Ashurov, Kh. B.; Kadyrov, Kh. Kh.; Khudoikulov, I. Kh.

2015-08-01

The development of environmentally friendly and energy-resource-saving technologies based on vacuum arc discharge is a topical problem in science and engineering. In view of their unique properties, cathode spots of a vacuum arc induce cleaning of the surface of an article (cathode) from various contaminations and pulsed thermal action on the surface layers. These processes occur in complex with vacuum-arc deposition of coatings in the same technological cycle, which makes it possible to considerably increase the efficiency of methods for changing physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of the surface of steel articles, which considerably increase their service life. Analysis of the formation of the temperature regime of the surface during vacuum arc action and of the parameters of the deposited coating will make it possible to optimize the regimes of complex treatment of the surfaces of articles and is of considerable theoretical and practical importance.

Phase-Shifted Eccentric Core Fiber Bragg Grating Fabricated by Electric Arc Discharge for Directional Bending Measurement.

PubMed

Ouyang, Yang; Liu, Jianxia; Xu, Xiaofeng; Zhao, Yujia; Zhou, Ai

2018-04-11

A phase-shifted eccentric core fiber Bragg grating (PS-ECFBG) fabricated by electric arc discharge (EAD) is presented and demonstrated. It is composed of a fraction of eccentric core fiber fusion spliced in between two pieces of commercial single mode fibers, where a PS-FBG was written. The EAD in this work could flexibly change the amount of phase-shift by changing the discharge number or discharge duration. Because of the offset location of the eccentric core and the ultra-narrow resonant peak of the PS-ECFBG, it has a higher accuracy for measuring the directional bend. The elongation and compression of the eccentric core keep the magnitude of phase shift still unchanged during the bending process. The bending sensitivities of the PS-ECFBG at two opposite most sensitive directions are 57.4 pm/m -1 and -51.5 pm/m -1 , respectively. Besides, the PS-ECFBG has the potential to be a tunable narrow bandpass filter, which has a wider bi-directional adjustable range because of the bending responses. The strain and temperature sensitivities of the PS-ECFBG are experimentally measured as well, which are 0.70 pm/με and 8.85 pm/°C, respectively.

Tribological and Electrical Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon Films Deposited by Filtered Vacuum Arc Method for Medical Guidewire Application.

PubMed

Kang, Ki-Noh; Jeong, Hyejeong; Lee, Jaehyeong; Park, Yong Seob

2018-09-01

A good medical guidewires are used to introduce stents, catheters, and other medical devices inside the human body. In this study, diamond-like carbon (DLC) film was proposed to solve the poor adhesion problem of guidewire and to improve the tribological performance of guidewire. DLC films were fabricated on Si substrate by using FVA (Filtered Vacuum Arc) method. In this work, the tribological, structural, and electrical properties of the fabricated DLC films with various arc currents were experimentally investigated. All DLC films showed smooth and uniform surface with increasing applied arc current. The rms surface roughness was increased and the value of contact angle on the film surface was decreased with increasing arc current. The hardness and elastic modulus of DLC films were improved, and the resistivity value of DLC films were decreased with increasing arc current. These results are associated with ion bombardment effects by the applied arc current and bias voltage.

Size dependence effect of carbon-based anode material on intercalation characteristics of Li-ion battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anwar, Miftahul; Jupri, Dwi Rahmat; Saraswati, Teguh Endah

2017-01-01

This work aims to study the effect of the different size of Li-ion battery anode during charging state. Carbon-Based nanomaterial using arc-discharge in a liquid which is much simpler and cheaper compared to other techniques, i.e., CVD, laser vaporization, etc. The experiment was performed using intermediate DC power supply (1300 W) to produce an arc, and commercial graphite pencils (with 5 mm diameter) as negative and positive electrodes. Deionized water mixed with ethanol was used as a heat absorber. The result shows that arc discharge in deionized water could effectively produce carbon nanomaterial (i.e., nano-onions). In addition, finite element method-based simulation of the different intercalating process of Li-ion to the different shape of the anode, i.e., bulk semi-porous and porous anode materials for battery application is also presented. The results show that intercalation of Li ions depends on the anode structure due to the different potential density at anode region. This finding will provide support for design of Li-ion battery based on carbon nanomaterial

Change of the arc attachment mode and its effect on the lifetime in automotive high intensity discharge lamps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexejev, Alexander; Flesch, Peter; Mentel, Jürgen; Awakowicz, Peter

2016-10-01

In modern cars, the new generation Hg-free high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, the so called xenon lamps, take an important role. The long lifetime of these lamps is achieved by doping the tungsten electrodes with thorium. Thorium forms a dipole layer on the electrode surface, thus reducing the work function of tungsten. However, thoriating the electrodes is also an issue of trade and transport regulation, so a substitute is looked into. This work shows the influence of the arc attachment mode on the lifetime of the lamps. The mode of the arc attachment changes during the run-up phase of automotive HID lamps after a characteristic time period depending, i.e., on the filling of the lamps, which is dominated by scandium. It will be shown that this characteristic time period for the change of the attachment mode determines the long term performance of Hg-free xenon lamps. Measurements attributing the mode change to the scandium density in the filling are presented. The emitter effect of scandium will be suggested to be the reason of the mode change.

Compensated control loops for a 30-cm ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robson, R. R.

1976-01-01

The vaporizer dynamic control characteristics of a 30-cm diameter mercury ion thruster were determined by operating the thruster in an open loop steady state mode and then introducing a small sinusoidal signal on the main, cathode, or neutralizer vaporizer current and observing the response of the beam current, discharge voltage, and neutralizer keeper voltage, respectively. This was done over a range of frequencies and operating conditions. From these data, Bode plots for gain and phase were made and mathematical models were obtained. The Bode plots and mathematical models were analyzed for stability and appropriate compensation networks determined. The compensated control loops were incorporated into a power processor and operated with a thruster. The time responses of the compensated loops to changes in set points and recovery from arc conditions are presented.

Portable spark-gap arc generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ignaczak, L. R.

1978-01-01

Self-contained spark generator that simulates electrical noise caused by discharge of static charge is useful tool when checking sensitive component and equipment. In test set-up, device introduces repeatable noise pulses as behavior of components is monitored. Generator uses only standard commercial parts and weighs only 4 pounds; portable dc power supply is used. Two configurations of generator have been developed: one is free-running arc source, and one delivers spark in response to triggering pulse.

The mechanism of liquid metal jet formation in the cathode spot of vacuum arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gashkov, M. A.; Zubarev, N. M.; Mesyats, G. A.; Uimanov, I. V.

2016-08-01

We have theoretically studied the dynamics of molten metal during crater formation in the cathode spot of vacuum arc discharge. At the initial stage, a liquid-metal ridge is formed around the crater. This process has been numerically simulated in the framework of the two-dimensional axisymmetric heat and mass transfer problem in the approximation of viscous incompressible liquid. At a more developed stage, the motion of liquid metal loses axial symmetry, which corresponds to a tendency toward jet formation. The development of azimuthal instabilities of the ridge is analyzed in terms of dispersion relations for surface waves. It is shown that maximum increments correspond to instability of the Rayleigh-Plateau type. Estimations of the time of formation of liquid metal jets and their probable number are obtained.

DESTRUCTION OF NEUTRAL PARTICLES IN A DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A HIGH DENSITY PLASMA

DOEpatents

Simon, A.

1962-05-01

A method and apparatus are described for burning out neutral particles in an evacuated region and within a strong magnetic field. The method comprises injecting energetic molecular ions into the region perpendicular to the magnetic field and into the path of a dissociating, energetic arc discharge, the atomic ions formed in the dissociating process being trapped by the magnetic field, and then increasing the value of the trapped atomic ion current to such a value that the neutral particles are destroyed faster than they are formed, thereby causing a dense, energetic plasma to be built up and sustained by the magnetic field. (AEC)

Experimental investigation on the initial expansion stage of vacuum arc on cup-shaped TMF contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ting; Xiu, Shixin; Liu, Zixi; Zhang, Yanzhe; Feng, Dingyu

2018-02-01

Arc behavior and measures to control it directly affect the properties of vacuum circuit breakers. Nowadays, transverse magnetic field (TMF) contacts are widely used for medium voltages. A magnetic field perpendicular to the current direction between the TMF contacts makes the arc move, transmitting its energy to the whole contact and avoiding excessive local ablation. Previous research on TMF arc behavior concentrated mainly on the arc movement and less on the initial stage (from arc ignition to an unstable arc column). A significant amount of experiment results suggest that there is a short period of arc stagnation after ignition. The duration of this arc stagnation and the arc characteristics during this stage affect the subsequent arc motion and even the breaking property of interrupters. The present study is of the arc characteristics in the initial stage. Experiments were carried out in a demountable vacuum chamber with cup-shaped TMF contacts. Using a high-speed camera, both single-point arc ignition mode and multiple-point arc ignition (MPAI) mode were observed. The experimental data show that the probability of MPAI mode occurring is related to the arc current. The influences of arc-ignition mode, arc current, and contact diameter on the initial expansion process were investigated. In addition, simulations were performed to analyze the multiple arc expansion process mechanically. Based on the experimental phenomena and simulation results, the mechanism of the arc expansion motion was analyzed.

Theoretical model and experimental investigation of current density boundary condition for welding arc study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutaghane, A.; Bouhadef, K.; Valensi, F.; Pellerin, S.; Benkedda, Y.

2011-04-01

This paper presents results of theoretical and experimental investigation of the welding arc in Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) processes. A theoretical model consisting in simultaneous resolution of the set of conservation equations for mass, momentum, energy and current, Ohm's law and Maxwell equation is used to predict temperatures and current density distribution in argon welding arcs. A current density profile had to be assumed over the surface of the cathode as a boundary condition in order to make the theoretical calculations possible. In stationary GTAW process, this assumption leads to fair agreement with experimental results reported in literature with maximum arc temperatures of ~21 000 K. In contrast to the GTAW process, in GMAW process, the electrode is consumable and non-thermionic, and a realistic boundary condition of the current density is lacking. For establishing this crucial boundary condition which is the current density in the anode melting electrode, an original method is setup to enable the current density to be determined experimentally. High-speed camera (3000 images/s) is used to get geometrical dimensions of the welding wire used as anode. The total area of the melting anode covered by the arc plasma being determined, the current density at the anode surface can be calculated. For a 330 A arc, the current density at the melting anode surface is found to be of 5 × 107 A m-2 for a 1.2 mm diameter welding electrode.

Crustal growth of the Izu-Ogasawara arc estimated from structural characteristics of Oligocene arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, N.; Yamashita, M.; Kodaira, S.; Miura, S.; Sato, T.; No, T.; Tatsumi, Y.

2011-12-01

Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) carried out seismic surveys using a multichannel reflection system and ocean bottom seismographs, and we have clarified crustal structures of whole Izu-Ogasawara (Bonin)-Marina (IBM) arc since 2002. These refection images and velocity structures suggest that the crustal evolution in the intra-oceanic island arc accompanies with much interaction of materials between crust and mantle. Slow mantle velocity identified beneath the thick arc crusts suggests that dense crustal materials transformed into the mantle. On the other hand, high velocity lower crust can be seen around the bottom of the crust beneath the rifted region, and it suggests that underplating of mafic materials occurs there. Average crustal production rate of the entire arc is larger than expected one and approximately 200 km3/km/Ma. The production rate of basaltic magmas corresponds to that of oceanic ridge. Repeated crustal differentiation is indispensable to produce much light materials like continental materials, however, the real process cannot still be resolved yet. We, therefore, submitted drilling proposals to obtain in-situ middle crust with P-wave velocity of 6 km/s. In the growth history of the IBM arc, it is known by many papers that boninitic volcanisms preceded current bimodal volcanisms based on basaltic magmas. The current volcanisms accompanied with basaltic magmas have been occurred since Oligocene age, however, the tectonic differences to develop crustal architecture between Oligocene and present are not understood yet. We obtained new refraction/reflection data along an arc strike of N-S in fore-arc region. Then, we estimate crustal structure with severe change of the crustal thickness from refraction data, which are similar to that along the volcanic front. Interval for location of the thick arc crust along N-S is very similar to that along the volcanic front. The refection image indicates that the basement of the fore-arc is covered with thick sediments with the age of Oligocene and that half graben structures are much identified between the Oligocene arc and the current volcanic front. This may suggest that the Oligocene arc in current fore-arc basin is cut off from the current volcanic arc. Therefore, the Oligocene arc in the fore-arc may still keep structural characteristics inside the body since Oligocene age, which are before cutting off from the current volcanic front.

Contribution for Iron Vapor and Radiation Distribution Affected by Current Frequency of Pulsed Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimokura, Takuya; Mori, Yusuke; Iwao, Toru; Yumoto, Motoshige

Pulsed GTA welding has been used for improvement of stability, weld speed, and heat input control. However, the temperature and radiation power of the pulsed arc have not been elucidated. Furthermore, arc contamination by metal vapor changes the arc characteristics, e.g. by increasing radiation power. In this case, the metal vapor in pulsed GTA welding changes the distribution of temperature and radiation power as a function of time. This paper presents the relation between metal vapor and radiation power at different pulse frequencies. We calculate the Fe vapor distribution of the pulsed current. Results show that the Fe vapor is transported at fast arc velocity during the peak current period. During the base current period, the Fe vapor concentration is low and distribution is diffuse. The transition of Fe vapor distribution does not follow the pulsed current; the radiation power density distribution differs for high frequencies and low frequencies. In addition, the Fe vapor and radiation distribution are affected by the pulsed arc current frequency.

The influence of TIG-Arc physical characteristics on the penetration and weld width under different Ar and He supply conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Hongbin; Shen, Xiuqiang; Wang, Haoran

2018-06-01

In the paper, the 5A03 aluminium alloy was employed to study the influence of TIG arc on the penetration and the weld width. And the split anode method with water-cooled copper plate was used to measure and record the distribution of arc current, under different flow ratio of argon and helium conditions. And a gas supply device controlled by a solenoid valve was employed to obtain the stable TIG welding arc of gas supply alternately at the frequency of 1 Hz and 4 Hz, and then collected the phenomenon of arc alternate by the high-speed camera. The experimental results indicated that the current density at the arc anode center of argon and helium supply alternately with different mixing ratio is lower than that of the pure argon-arc center. Nonetheless, the former is more uniform in current density within 2 mm from the arc center. Furthermore, it presented as a component arc of argon-arc and helium-arc switched, with the condition of argon and helium supply alternately at a frequency of 1 Hz and the arc power density is greater and concentrated, leading to the wider and deeper weld.

Pulsed microdischarge with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for elemental analysis on solid metal samples.

PubMed

Li, Weifeng; Yin, Zhibin; Cheng, Xiaoling; Hang, Wei; Li, Jianfeng; Huang, Benli

2015-05-05

Pulsed microdischarge employed as source for direct solid analysis was investigated in N2 environment at atmospheric pressure. Compared with direct current (DC) microdischarge, it exhibits advantages with respect to the ablation and emission of the sample. Comprehensive evidence, including voltage-current relationship, current density (j), and electron density (ne), suggests that pulsed microdischarge is in the arc regime while DC microdischarge belongs to glow. Capability in ablating metal samples demonstrates that pulsed microdischarge is a viable option for direct solid sampling because of the enhanced instantaneous energy. Using optical spectrometer, only common emission lines of N2 can be acquired in DC mode, whereas primary atomic and ionic lines of the sample are obtained in the case of pulsed mode. Calculations show a significant difference in N2 vibrational temperatures between DC and pulsed microdischarge. Combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), pulsed microdischarge exhibits much better performances in calibration linearity and limits of detection (LOD) than those of DC discharge in direct analysis of samples of different matrices. To improve transmission efficiency, a mixture of Ar and N2 was employed as discharge gas as well as carrier gas in follow-up experiments, facilitating that LODs of most elements reached ng/g.

The Relationship between the Current Waveform just before the Current Zero and the Interruption Ability in the High-speed VCB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niwa, Yoshimitsu; Matsuzaki, Jun; Yokokura, Kunio

The high-speed vacuum circuit breaker, which forced the fault current to zero was investigated. The test circuit breaker consisted of a vacuum interrupter and a high frequency current source. The vacuum interrupter, which had the axial magnetic field electrode and the disk shape electrode, was tested. The arcing period of the high-speed vacuum circuit breaker is much shorter than that of conventional circuit breaker. The arc behavior of the test electrodes immediately after the contact separation was observed by a high-speed video camcorder. The relation between the current waveform just before the current zero and the interruption ability by varying the high frequency current source was investigated experimentally. The results demonstrate the interruption ability and the arc behavior of the high-speed vacuum circuit breaker. The high current interruption was made possible by the low current period just before the current zero, although the arcing time is short and the arc is concentrated.

Spatiotemporal temperature and density characterization of high-power atmospheric flashover discharges over inert poly(methyl methacrylate) and energetic pentaerythritol tetranitrate dielectric surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang, V.; Grant, C. D.; McCarrick, J. F.

2012-03-01

A flashover arc source that delivered up to 200 mJ on the 100s-of-ns time-scale to the arc and a user-selected dielectric surface was characterized for studying high-explosive kinetics under plasma conditions. The flashover was driven over thin pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) dielectric films and the resultant plasma was characterized in detail. Time- and space-resolved temperatures and electron densities of the plasma were obtained using atomic emission spectroscopy. The hydrodynamics of the plasma was captured through fast, visible imaging. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterize the films pre- and post-shot for any chemical alterations. Time-resolvedmore » infrared spectroscopy (TRIR) provided PETN depletion data during the plasma discharge. For both types of films, temperatures of 1.6-1.7 eV and electron densities of {approx}7-8 x 10{sup 17}/cm{sup 3}{approx}570 ns after the start of the discharge were observed with temperatures of 0.6-0.7 eV persisting out to 15 {mu}s. At 1.2 {mu}s, spatial characterization showed flat temperature and density profiles of 1.1-1.3 eV and 2-2.8 x 10{sup 17}/cm{sup 3} for PETN and PMMA films, respectively. Images of the plasma showed an expanding hot kernel starting from radii of {approx}0.2 mm at {approx}50 ns and reaching {approx}1.1 mm at {approx}600 ns. The thin films ablated or reacted several hundred nm of material in response to the discharge. First TRIR data showing the in situ reaction or depletion of PETN in response to the flashover arc were successfully obtained, and a 2-{mu}s, 1/e decay constant was measured. Preliminary 1 D simulations compared reasonably well with the experimentally determined plasma radii and temperatures. These results complete the first steps to resolving arc-driven PETN reaction pathways and their associated kinetic rates using in situ spectroscopy techniques.« less

CALUTRON

DOEpatents

Clark, A.F.

1959-06-16

A means of eliminating oscillating electrons from the arc slit region of calutron ion sources is offered. Free electrons and ions generated by the beam bombarding atoms of ambient atmosphere are discharged by a fin arrangement which sets up an electric field. The discharged ions travel toward a recess in which a fin and blister'' effect limits oscillations to one region from which they are removed by reversed electric fields. (T.R.H.)

23RD International Conference on Phenomena in Ionized Gases, Volume 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-12-01

discharges, and high pressure glows; arcs; high frequency discharges; ionospheric magnetospheric, and astrophysical plasmas; plasma diagnostic methods ...kf) in pulse reflectometry. Second, it different frequencies , and an Abel inversion is gives a quantitative model of the behaviour of the wave... design V method in the case of narrow mutual pitch of surface electrodes for high concentration ozone generation. 2. Experimental setup 20 The electrode

Two-dimensional electron density characterisation of arc interruption phenomenon in current-zero phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inada, Yuki; Kamiya, Tomoki; Matsuoka, Shigeyasu; Kumada, Akiko; Ikeda, Hisatoshi; Hidaka, Kunihiko

2018-01-01

Two-dimensional electron density imaging over free burning SF6 arcs and SF6 gas-blast arcs was conducted at current zero using highly sensitive Shack-Hartmann type laser wavefront sensors in order to experimentally characterise electron density distributions for the success and failure of arc interruption in the thermal reignition phase. The experimental results under an interruption probability of 50% showed that free burning SF6 arcs with axially asymmetric electron density profiles were interrupted with a success rate of 88%. On the other hand, the current interruption of SF6 gas-blast arcs was reproducibly achieved under locally reduced electron densities and the interruption success rate was 100%.

Effect of vacuum arc cathode spot distribution on breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Can; Yuan, Zhao; He, Junjia

2017-10-01

A DC circuit breaker performs a key function in breaking an intermediate-frequency (IF) current since breaking a pure IF current is equivalent to breaking a very small DC with a reverse IF current. In this study, it is found that cathode spots show a ring-shaped distribution at 2000 Hz. An arc with an uneven distribution of cathode spots has been simulated. The simulation results show that the distribution of cathode spots significantly affect the microparameter distribution of arc plasma. The current distribution on the anode side differs from that on the cathode side under the total radial electric field. Specifically, the anode current distribution is both uneven and concentrated. The applied axial magnetic field, which cannot reduce the concentrated anode current distribution effectively, might increase the concentration of the anode current. Finally, the uneven distribution of cathode spots reduces the breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing chamber.

Modelling of crater formation on anode surface by high-current vacuum arcs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Yunbo; Wang, Zhenxing; Jiang, Yanjun; Ma, Hui; Liu, Zhiyuan; Geng, Yingsan; Wang, Jianhua; Nordlund, Kai; Djurabekova, Flyura

2016-11-01

Anode melting and crater formation significantly affect interruption of high-current vacuum arcs. The primary objective of this paper is to theoretically investigate the mechanism of anode surface crater formation, caused by the combined effect of surface heating during the vacuum arc and pressure exerted on the molten surface by ions and electrons from the arc plasma. A model of fluid flow and heat transfer in the arc anode is developed and combined with a magnetohydrodynamics model of the vacuum arc plasma. Crater formation is observed in simulation for a peak arcing current higher than 15 kA on 40 mm diam. Cu electrodes spaced 10 mm apart. The flow of liquid metal starts after 4 or 5 ms of arcing, and the maximum velocities are 0.95 m/s and 1.39 m/s for 20 kA and 25 kA arcs, respectively. This flow redistributes thermal energy, and the maximum temperature of the anode surface does not remain in the center. Moreover, the condition for the liquid droplet formation on the anode surfaces is developed. The solidification process after current zero is also analyzed. The solidification time has been found to be more than 3 ms after 25 kA arcing. The long solidification time and sharp features on crater rims induce Taylor cone formation.

Tungsten erosion by unipolar arcing in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bykov, I.; Chrobak, C. P.; Abrams, T.; Rudakov, D. L.; Unterberg, E. A.; Wampler, W. R.; Hollmann, E. M.; Moyer, R. A.; Boedo, J. A.; Stahl, B.; Hinson, E. T.; Yu, J. H.; Lasnier, C. J.; Makowski, M.; McLean, A. G.

2017-12-01

Unipolar arcing was an important mechanism of metal surface erosion during the recently conducted Metal Rings Campaign in DIII-D when two toroidally continuous tile rings with 5 cm wide W-coated TZM inserts were installed in graphite tiles in the lower divertor, one on the floor and one on the shelf. Most of the arc damage occurred on the shelf ring. The total amount of W removed by arcing from the affected ˜4% of the shelf ring area was estimated ˜0.8 × 1021 at., about half of the total amount of W eroded and redeposited outside the inserts (1.8 ± 0.9)×1021 at. The rings were exposed for a total of ˜480 discharges, an equivalent of plasma time on W surfaces (with {{I}}{{p}}> 0.5 MA) ˜103 s. Arcing was monitored in situ with WI (400.9 nm) filtered camera and photomultipliers and showed that: (i) arcing only occurred during ELMs and disruptions, (ii) arcing rate was much lower on the floor than on the shelf ring, and (iii) arcing had a low cut off power flux density about 2 MW m-2. About half of arc tracks had large {10}\\circ pitch angle and probably were produced during disruptions. Such tracks were only found on the shelf. Moderate toroidal variation of the arc track density and W erosion with nearly n = 1 pattern has been measured.

Arc burst pattern analysis fault detection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, B. Don (Inventor); Aucoin, B. Michael (Inventor); Benner, Carl L. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A method and apparatus are provided for detecting an arcing fault on a power line carrying a load current. Parameters indicative of power flow and possible fault events on the line, such as voltage and load current, are monitored and analyzed for an arc burst pattern exhibited by arcing faults in a power system. These arcing faults are detected by identifying bursts of each half-cycle of the fundamental current. Bursts occurring at or near a voltage peak indicate arcing on that phase. Once a faulted phase line is identified, a comparison of the current and voltage reveals whether the fault is located in a downstream direction of power flow toward customers, or upstream toward a generation station. If the fault is located downstream, the line is de-energized, and if located upstream, the line may remain energized to prevent unnecessary power outages.

Estimation of residence time in a shallow lacustrine embayment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razmi, A. M.; Barry, D. A.; Lemmin, U.; Bakhtyar, R.

2012-12-01

Near-shore water quality in lacustrine bays subjected to effluent or stream discharges is affected by, amongst other things, the residence time within a given bay. Vidy Bay, located on the northern shore of Lake Geneva, Switzerland, receives discharge from a wastewater treatment plant, the Chamberonne River and a storm-water drain. The residence time of water in the bay largely depends on water exchanges with the main basin (Grand Lac) of Lake Geneva. Field investigations and modeling of the hydrodynamics of Vidy Bay have shown that currents are variable, due mainly to wind variability over the lake. However, in broad terms there are two main current patterns in the bay, (i) currents are linked to large gyres in the Grand Lac, or (ii) currents are partially independent of the Grand Lac and are controlled by small-scale gyres within the bay. Residence times in Vidy Bay were computed using the hydrodynamic model Delft3D. Since the Vidy Bay shoreline follows a shallow arc, the definition of the off-shore extent of the bay is ambiguous. Here, the largest within-bay gyre is used. Particle tracking was conducted for each of the three discharges into the bay. Model results were computed using meteorological data for 2010, and thus include the natural variability in wind patterns and seasonal stratification. An analysis of the results shows that a water parcel from the waste water outfall has a residence time ranging from hours to days. The water residence time is minimum near to the surface and maximum at the near bottom layer. The results confirmed that wind force, thermal stratification, and water depth are the main factors influencing residence time.

Development of High Interruption Capability Vacuum Circuit Breaker -Technology of Vacuum Arc Control-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niwa, Yoshimitsu; Kaneko, Eiji

Vacuum circuit breakers (VCB) have been widely used for power distribution systems. Vacuum Interrupters, which are the current interruption unit, have been increased its interruption capability with the development of vacuum arc control technology by magnetic field. There are three major type electrodes: disk shaped electrodes, radial magnetic field electrodes, axial magnetic field (AMF) electrodes. In the disk shaped electrode, the vacuum arc between the electrodes is not controlled. In the AMF electrode, the vacuum arc is diffused and stabilized by an axial magnetic field, which is parallel to the arc current. In the last type of electrodes, the vacuum arc column is rotated by magnetic force generated by the current flowing in the electrodes. The interruption current and the voltage of one break VCB is increased to 100 kA, 144 kV respectively. This paper describes basic configurations and functions of VCB, vacuum arc control technology in vacuum interrupters, recent researches and applications of VCB.

40 CFR 420.40 - Applicability; description of the steelmaking subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... are applicable to discharges and to the introduction of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works resulting from steelmaking operations conducted in basic oxygen and electric arc furnaces. [67 FR 64267, Oct...

40 CFR 420.40 - Applicability; description of the steelmaking subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... are applicable to discharges and to the introduction of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works resulting from steelmaking operations conducted in basic oxygen and electric arc furnaces. [67 FR 64267, Oct...

40 CFR 420.40 - Applicability; description of the steelmaking subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... are applicable to discharges and to the introduction of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works resulting from steelmaking operations conducted in basic oxygen and electric arc furnaces. [67 FR 64267, Oct...

40 CFR 420.40 - Applicability; description of the steelmaking subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... are applicable to discharges and to the introduction of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works resulting from steelmaking operations conducted in basic oxygen and electric arc furnaces. [67 FR 64267, Oct...

Systems tunnel linear shaped charge lightning strike

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, M.

1989-01-01

Simulated lightning strike testing of the systems tunnel linear shaped charge (LSC) was performed at the Thiokol Lightning Test Complex in Wendover, Utah, on 23 Jun. 1989. The test article consisted of a 160-in. section of the LSC enclosed within a section of the systems tunnel. The systems tunnel was bonded to a section of a solid rocket motor case. All test article components were full scale. The systems tunnel cover of the test article was subjected to three discharges (each discharge was over a different grounding strap) from the high-current generator. The LSC did not detonate. All three grounding straps debonded and violently struck the LSC through the openings in the systems tunnel floor plates. The LSC copper surface was discolored around the areas of grounding strap impact, and arcing occurred at the LSC clamps and LSC ends. This test verified that the present flight configuration of the redesigned solid rocket motor systems tunnel, when subjected to simulated lightning strikes with peak current levels within 71 percent of the worst-case lightning strike condition of NSTS-07636, is adequate to prevent LSC ignition. It is therefore recommended that the design remain unchanged.

Study of electrochemical properties of thin film materials obtained using plasma technologies for production of electrodes for pacemakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obrezkov, O. I.; Vinogradov, V. P.; Krauz, V. I.; Mozgrin, D. V.; Guseva, I. A.; Andreev, E. S.; Zverev, A. A.; Starostin, A. L.

2016-09-01

Studies of thin film materials (TFM) as coatings of tips of pacemaker electrodes implanted into the human heart have been performed. TFM coatings were deposited in vacuum by arc magnetron discharge plasma, by pulsed discharge of “Plasma Focus”, and by electron beam evaporation. Simulation of electric charge transfer to the heart in physiological blood- imitator solution and determination of electrochemical properties of the coatings were carried out. TFM of highly developed surface of contact with tissue was produced by argon plasma spraying of titanium powder with subsequent coating by titanium nitride in vacuum arc assisted by Ti ion implantation. The TFM coatings of pacemaker electrode have passed necessary clinical tests and were used in medical practice. They provide low voltage myocardium stimulation thresholds within the required operating time.

Synthesis and characterization of long-CNTs by electrical arc discharge in deionized water and NaCl solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, Amir Hossein; Khazali, Arezoo; Parhizgar, Sara Sadat

2018-02-01

In this study, electrical arc discharge method is used for the synthesis of multi wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The advantages of applied setup for producing CNTs are simplicity, low-cost procedures and avoiding the multistep purification. The experiments were optimized by submerging graphite electrodes inside deionized water and various concentrations of sodium chloride solution. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of liquid medium on growth, size and quality of the CNTs structures. The results show that CNTs of 150 Â µm length or larger with high purity and quality without using catalyst are produced on the cathode surface. Furthermore, the quantity of CNTs is influenced by NaCl concentration. Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction technique were used to characterize the results.

Caracterisation des Ondes Radar de Surface par la Simulation Numerique et les Mesures GPR pour l'Auscultation en

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filali, Bilai

Graphene, as an advanced carbon nano-structure, has attracted a deluge of interest of scholars recently because of it's outstanding mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. There are several different ways to synthesis graphene in practical ways, such as Mechanical Exfoliation, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), and Anodic Arc discharge. In this thesis a method of graphene synthesis in plasma will be discussed, in which this synthesis method is supported by the erosion of the anode material. This graphene synthesis method is one of the most practical methods which can provide high production rate. High purity of graphene flakes have been synthesized with an anodic arc method under certain pressure (about 500 torr). Raman spectrometer, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) have been utilized for characterization of the synthesis products. Arc produced graphene and commercially available graphene was compared by those machine and the difference lies in the number of layers, the thicknesses of each layer and the shape of the structure itself. Temperature dependence of the synthesis procedure has been studied. It has been found that the graphene can be produced on a copper foil substrate under temperatures near the melting point of copper. However, with a decrease in substrate temperature yields a transformation of the synthesized graphene into amorphous carbon. Glow discharge was utilized to functionalize grapheme. SEM and EDS observation indicated increases of oxygen content in the graphene after its exposure to glow discharge.

Selective synthesis of turbostratic polyhedral carbon nano-onions by arc discharge in water.

PubMed

Alessandro, F; Scarcello, A; Basantes Valverde, M D; Coello Fiallos, D C; Osman, S M; Cupolillo, A; Arias, M; Arias de Fuentes, O; De Luca, G; Aloise, A; Curcio, E; Nicotra, G; Spinella, C; Caputi, L S

2018-08-10

Carbon nano-onions (CNOs), in their spherical or polyhedral forms, represent an important class of nanomaterials, due to their peculiar physical and electrochemical properties. Among the different methods of production, arc discharge between graphite electrodes sustained by deionized water is one of the most promising to obtain good quality CNOs in gram quantities. We applied the method with the aim to optimize the production of CNOs, using an innovative experimental arrangement. The discharges generate dispersed nanomaterials and a black hard cathodic deposit, which were studied by transmission electron microscopy-high-resolution TEM, scanning electron microscopy, Raman, thermogravimetric analysis and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. A simple mechanical grinding of the deposits permitted us to obtain turbostratic polyhedral CNOs that exhibited higher stability towards burning in air, compared to CNOs found in water. We propose a mechanism for the formation of the CNOs present in the deposit, in which the crystallization is driven by a strong temperature gradient existing close to the cathode surface at the beginning of the process, and subsequently close to the deposit surface whenever it is growing.

Pressure and current effects on the thermal efficiency of an MPD arc used as a plasma source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pivirotto, T. J.

1972-01-01

Measurements of arc voltage and energy loss to the cooled electrodes of a magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) arc, operating without an applied magnetic field, were made at chamber pressures of 26 to 950 torr, argon mass flow rates of 0.08 to 44 g/s and current of 200 to 2000 A. The resulting arc thermal efficiency varied from 22% at a chamber pressure of 26 torr to 88% at 950 torr. Thermal efficiency was only weakly dependent on arc current. It is concluded that the MPD arc operating without an applied magnetic field and at higher pressure than normally used in thruster applications is a reliable and efficient steady-state plasma source.

Process Properties of Electronic High Voltage Discharges Triggered by Ultra-short Pulsed Laser Filaments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cvecek, Kristian; Gröschel, Benjamin; Schmidt, Michael

Remote processing of metallic workpieces by techniques based on electric arc discharge or laser irradiation for joining or cutting has a long tradition and is still being intensively investigated in present-day research. In applications that require high power processing, both approaches exhibit certain advantages and disadvantages that make them specific for a given task. While several hybrid approaches exist that try to combine the benefits of both techniques, none were as successful in providing a fixed electric discharge direction as discharges triggered by plasma filaments generated by ultra-short pulsed lasers. In this work we investigate spatial and temporal aspects of laser filament guided discharges and give an upper time delay between the filament creation and the electrical build-up of a dischargeable voltage for a successful filament triggered discharge.

Non-equilibrium plasma prevention of Schistosoma japonicum transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xing-Quan; Wang, Feng-Peng; Chen, Wei; Huang, Jun; Bazaka, Kateryna; Ostrikov, Kostya (Ken)

2016-10-01

Schistosoma japonicum is a widespread human and animal parasite that causes intestinal and hepatosplenic schistosomiasis linked to colon, liver and bladder cancers, and anemia. Estimated 230 million people are currently infected with Schistosoma spp, with 779 million people at risk of contracting the parasite. Infection occurs when a host comes into contact with cercariae, a planktonic larval stage of the parasite, and can be prevented by inactivating the larvae, commonly by chemical treatment. We investigated the use of physical non-equilibrium plasma generated at atmospheric pressure using custom-made dielectric barrier discharge reactor to kill S. japonicum cercariae. Survival rate decreased with treatment time and applied power. Plasmas generated in O2 and air gas discharges were more effective in killing S. japonicum cercariae than that generated in He, which is directly related to the mechanism by which cercariae are inactivated. Reactive oxygen species, such as O atoms, abundant in O2 plasma and NO in air plasma play a major role in killing of S. japonicum cercariae via oxidation mechanisms. Similar level of efficacy is also shown for a gliding arc discharge plasma jet generated in ambient air, a system that may be more appropriate for scale-up and integration into existing water treatment processes.

Use of predissociation to enhance the atomic hydrogen ion fraction in ion sources

DOEpatents

Kim, Jinchoon

1979-01-01

A duopigatron ion source is modified by replacing the normal oxide-coated wire filament cathode of the ion source with a hot tungsten oven through which hydrogen gas is fed into the arc chamber. The hydrogen gas is predissociated in the hot oven prior to the arc discharge, and the recombination rate is minimized by hot walls inside of the arc chamber. With the use of the above modifications, the atomic H.sub.1.sup.+ ion fraction output can be increased from the normal 50% to greater than 70% with a corresponding decrease in the H.sub.2.sup.+ and H.sub.3.sup.+ molecular ion fraction outputs from the ion source.

Method for making nanotubes and nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Zettl, Alexander Karlwalter; Cohen, Marvin Lou

2000-01-01

The present invention is an apparatus and method for producing nano-scale tubes and particles. The apparatus comprises novel electrodes for use in arc discharge techniques. The electrodes have interior conduits for delivery and withdrawal of material from the arc region where product is formed. In one embodiment, the anode is optionally made from more than one material and is termed a compound anode. The materials used in the compound anode assist in the reaction that forms product in the arc region of the apparatus. The materials assist either by providing reaction ingredients, catalyst, or affecting the reaction kinetics. Among other uses, the inventive apparatus is used to produce nanotubes and nanoparticles having a variety of electrical and mechanical properties.

High velocity pulsed wire-arc spray

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kincaid, Russell W. (Inventor); Witherspoon, F. Douglas (Inventor); Massey, Dennis W. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

Wire arc spraying using repetitively pulsed, high temperature gas jets, usually referred to as plasma jets, and generated by capillary discharges, substantially increases the velocity of atomized and entrained molten droplets. The quality of coatings produced is improved by increasing the velocity with which coating particles impact the coated surface. The effectiveness of wire-arc spraying is improved by replacing the usual atomizing air stream with a rapidly pulsed high velocity plasma jet. Pulsed power provides higher coating particle velocities leading to improved coatings. 50 micron aluminum droplets with velocities of 1500 m/s are produced. Pulsed plasma jet spraying provides the means to coat the insides of pipes, tubes, and engine block cylinders with very high velocity droplet impact.

A computational fluid dynamics simulation of high- and low-current arcs in self-blast circuit breakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claessens, M.; Möller, K.; Thiel, H. G.

1997-07-01

Computational fluid dynamics calculations for high- and low-current arcs in an interrupter of the self-blast type have been performed. The mixing process of the hot PTFE cloud with the cold 0022-3727/30/13/011/img6 in the pressure chamber is strongly inhomogeneous. The existence of two different species has been taken into account by interpolation of the material functions according to their mass fraction in each grid cell. Depending on the arcing time, fault current and interrupter geometry, blow temperatures of up to 2000 K have been found. The simulation results for a decaying arc immediately before current zero yield a significantly reduced arc cooling at the stagnation point for high blow temperatures.

Novel non-equilibrium modelling of a DC electric arc in argon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baeva, M.; Benilov, M. S.; Almeida, N. A.; Uhrlandt, D.

2016-06-01

A novel non-equilibrium model has been developed to describe the interplay of heat and mass transfer and electric and magnetic fields in a DC electric arc. A complete diffusion treatment of particle fluxes, a generalized form of Ohm’s law, and numerical matching of the arc plasma with the space-charge sheaths adjacent to the electrodes are applied to analyze in detail the plasma parameters and the phenomena occurring in the plasma column and the near-electrode regions of a DC arc generated in atmospheric pressure argon for current levels from 20 A up to 200 A. Results comprising electric field and potential, current density, heating of the electrodes, and effects of thermal and chemical non-equilibrium are presented and discussed. The current-voltage characteristic obtained is in fair agreement with known experimental data. It indicates a minimum for arc current of about 80 A. For all current levels, a field reversal in front of the anode accompanied by a voltage drop of (0.7-2.6) V is observed. Another field reversal is observed near the cathode for arc currents below 80 A.

Initiation of arcing on tungsten surface exposed to steady state He plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kajita, Shin; Noiri, Yasuyuki; Ohno, Noriyasu

2015-09-01

Arcing was initiated in steady state helium plasmas by negatively biasing a tungsten electrode to around -500 V. On the tungsten electrode, nanostructures were grown by the plasma irradiation. In this study, we characterized the property of the initiated arcing by measuring the temporal evolutions of the electrode potential and the arc current. The ignition frequency and duration of arcing were presented from the potential measurements; the arc duration was in the range of <10 ms and the distribution altered when changing the biasing voltage. The behavior of arc spots was observed with a fast framing camera. It was shown that the spots split frequently, and sometimes, they run on the surface independently. From the fluctuation of the arc current, the fractal feature of arcing was revealed.

Power processor for a 20CM ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biess, J. J.; Schoenfeld, A. D.; Cohen, E.

1973-01-01

A power processor breadboard for the JPL 20CM Ion Engine was designed, fabricated, and tested to determine compliance with the electrical specification. The power processor breadboard used the silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) series resonant inverter as the basic power stage to process all the power to the ion engine. The breadboard power processor was integrated with the JPL 20CM ion engine and complete testing was performed. The integration tests were performed without any silicon-controlled rectifier failure. This demonstrated the ruggedness of the series resonant inverter in protecting the switching elements during arcing in the ion engine. A method of fault clearing the ion engine and returning back to normal operation without elaborate sequencing and timing control logic was evolved. In this method, the main vaporizer was turned off and the discharge current limit was reduced when an overload existed on the screen/accelerator supply. After the high voltage returned to normal, both the main vaporizer and the discharge were returned to normal.

Chemical Production of Vibrationally Excited Carbon Monoxide from Carbon Vapor and Molecular Oxygen Precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frederickson, Kraig; Musci, Ben; Rich, J. William; Adamovich, Igor

2015-09-01

Recent results demonstrating the formation of vibrationally excited carbon monoxide from carbon vapor and molecular oxygen will be presented. Previous reaction dynamics simulations and crossed molecular beam experiments have shown that gas-phase reaction of carbon atoms and molecular oxygen produces vibrationally excited carbon monoxide. The present work examines the product distribution of this reaction in a collision dominated environment, at a pressure of several Torr. Carbon vapor is produced in an AC arc discharge in argon buffer operated at a voltage of approximately 1 kV and current of 10 A, and mixed with molecular oxygen, which may also be excited by an auxiliary RF discharge, in a flowing chemical reactor. Identification of chemical reaction products and inference of their vibrational populations is performed by comparing infrared emission spectra of the flow in the reactor, taken by a Fourier Transform IR spectrometer, with synthetic spectra. Estimates of vibrationally excited carbon monoxide concentration and relative vibrational level populations will be presented.

A Unusual Lightning Death in an Indoor Setting: A Case Report.

PubMed

Ventura, Francesco; Barranco, Rosario; Bonsignore, Alessandro; De Stefano, Francesco

2017-03-01

Death due to lightning strikes is infrequent, above all indoors. Some cases may take on a medical legal interest due to the unusual and uncommon circumstances in which they occur. The authors report an extremely rare case of electrocution occurred inside a house in a rural area. A 53-year-old man was reached by an electrical discharge originating from lightning while he was doing renovation work on a cottage. In this case, the correct interpretation of the autopsy and histological aspects and the attentive analysis of the circumstantial and environmental data led to the correct diagnosis of death and to the reconstruction of the dynamics with which it occurred. It was in fact possible to reconstruct that during a violent thunderstorm, lightning, discharging from the bottom upward formed an electric arc. The victim, who was close to metal objects (sawhorses), was struck on the left foot and the current exited from the right hand passing through the heart causing immediate death.

A precipitation organization climatology for North Carolina: Development and GIS-based analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarzar, Christopher M.

A climatology of precipitation organization is developed for the Southeast United States and is analyzed in a GIS framework. This climatology is created using four years (2009-2012) of daily-averaged data from the NOAA high-resolution multi-sensor precipitation estimation (MPE) dataset, specifically the radar-based quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) product and the mosaic reflectivity. The analysis associates precipitation at each pixel with the spatial scale of precipitation organization, either a mesoscale precipitation feature (MPF) or isolated storm. While the long-term averaged precipitation totals of these systems may be similar, their hydrological and climatological impacts are very different, especially at a local scale. The classification of these modes of precipitation organization in the current precipitation climatology provides information beyond standard precipitation climatologies that will benefit a range of hydrological and climatological applications. This study focuses on North Carolina and takes advantage of a GIS framework to examine hydrological responses to different modes of precipitation organization. Specifically, the following questions are addressed: First, what are the discharge response characteristics to precipitation events in different watersheds across the state, from the mountains to the coastal plain? Second, what are the different impacts on watershed discharge between MPF precipitation and isolated precipitation? We first present seasonal and annual composites of precipitation and duration of MPF and isolated storms across three regions of North Carolina: the western mountains, the central Piedmont, and the eastern coastal plain. Further analysis in a GIS framework provides information about the impacts this seasonal and geographic variability in precipitation has on watershed discharge. This analysis defines five watersheds in North Carolina based on five North Carolina river basins using ArcGIS watershed delineation techniques. The amount of precipitation that comes from MPF and isolated convection in each watershed is estimated using ArcGIS and QPE data from a climatology of precipitation organization. Comparing these estimates to USGS streamflow data provides information about the impact different modes of precipitation organization have on watershed discharge in North Carolina. It was found that precipitation from MPF and isolated events had substantial spatial and temporal variability. While MPF average daily precipitation was greatest in the winter, isolated average daily precipitation was greatest in the summer. This resulted in seasonal and spatial variations in precipitation-discharge correlations. Precipitation originating from MPF events produced stronger precipitation-discharge correlations in the winter and fall than in the summer and spring, while most isolated precipitation-discharge correlations were relatively weak. Additionally, the watersheds in the western mountains experienced stronger correlations with a shorter time lag than coastal watersheds. It was determined that much of this spatial variability in precipitation-discharge correlations could be explained by watershed characteristics. Overall, it was found that MPF precipitation is the main mode of precipitation organization that drives daily watershed discharge, and differences in watershed precipitation-discharge lag times can be best explained by the watershed characteristics.

Diode-rectified multiphase AC arc for the improvement of electrode erosion characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Manabu; Hashizume, Taro; Saga, Koki; Matsuura, Tsugio; Watanabe, Takayuki

2017-11-01

An innovative multiphase AC arc (MPA) system was developed on the basis of a diode-rectification technique to improve electrode erosion characteristics. Conventionally, electrode erosion in AC arc is severer than that in DC arc. This originated from the fact that the required properties for the cathode and anode are different, although an AC electrode works as the cathode and the anode periodically. To solve this problem, a separation of AC electrodes into pairs of thoriated tungsten cathode and copper anode by diode-rectification was attempted. A diode-rectified multiphase AC arc (DRMPA) system was then successfully established, resulting in a drastic improvement of the erosion characteristics. The electrode erosion rate in the DRMPA was less than one-third of that in the conventional MPA without the diode rectification. In order to clarify its erosion mechanism, electrode phenomena during discharge were visualized by a high-speed camera system with appropriate band-pass filters. Fluctuation characteristics of the electrode temperature in the DRMPA were revealed.

Simulation results of influence of constricted arc column on anode deformation and melting pool swirl in vacuum arcs with AMF contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lijun; Zhang, Xiao; Huang, Xiaolong; Jia, Shenli

2017-11-01

In the process of vacuum arc breaking, the energy injected into the anode will cause anode melting, evaporation, and deformation, resulting in the formation of the anode melting pool. The anode activities have great influence on the arc behavior. When the arc current is large enough, even the influence of axial magnetic field is considered, the arc column still is in contraction state, which means the arc burns only on a part of the electrode. In this paper, the model of anode melting pool deformation and rotation is used, and the model includes anode melting and solidification module, magneto-hydro-dynamic module of the anode melting pool, the volume of fraction method, and the current continuity equation. In this paper, the diffuse arc area is selected as 100%, 75%, and 50%, respectively. The anode temperature and deformation, the anode melting layer thickness, and the rotational velocity of the anode melting pool are obtained. The results show that when the current is at 17.5 kA (rms) and the diffuse arc area is 100%, the anode's maximum temperature is 1477 K and the crater depth is 0.83 mm. But when the diffuse arc areas are 75% and 50%, the anode's maximum temperatures reach 1500 K and 1761 K, and the crater depths reach 1.2 mm and 3 mm, respectively. Arc contraction will lead to more serious anode deformation. A similar result is obtained when the simulation current is 12.5 kA. Under the similar situation, the simulation results in the crater depth, the residual melt layer thickness, the rotational speed of the melting pool, and the maximum temperature of the anode at current zero are in good agreement with the experimental results.

The Role of Water Vapor and Dissociative Recombination Processes in Solar Array Arc Initiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galofar, J.; Vayner, B.; Degroot, W.; Ferguson, D.

2002-01-01

Experimental plasma arc investigations involving the onset of arc initiation for a negatively biased solar array immersed in low-density plasma have been performed. Previous studies into the arc initiation process have shown that the most probable arcing sites tend to occur at the triple junction involving the conductor, dielectric and plasma. More recently our own experiments have led us to believe that water vapor is the main causal factor behind the arc initiation process. Assuming the main component of the expelled plasma cloud by weight is water, the fastest process available is dissociative recombination (H2O(+) + e(-) (goes to) H* + OH*). A model that agrees with the observed dependency of arc current pulse width on the square root of capacitance is presented. A 400 MHz digital storage scope and current probe was used to detect arcs at the triple junction of a solar array. Simultaneous measurements of the arc trigger pulse, the gate pulse, the arc current and the arc voltage were then obtained. Finally, a large number of measurements of individual arc spectra were obtained in very short time intervals, ranging from 10 to 30 microseconds, using a 1/4 a spectrometer coupled with a gated intensified CCD. The spectrometer was systematically tuned to obtain optical arc spectra over the entire wavelength range of 260 to 680 nanometers. All relevant atomic lines and molecular bands were then identified.

Load-Bearing Biomedical Applications of Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings - Current Status

PubMed Central

Alakoski, Esa; Tiainen, Veli-Matti; Soininen, Antti; Konttinen, Yrjö T

2008-01-01

The current status of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings for biomedical applications is reviewed with emphasis on load-bearing coatings. Although diamond-like carbon coating materials have been studied for decades, no indisputably successful commercial biomedical applications for high load situations exist today. High internal stress, leading to insufficient adhesion of thick coatings, is the evident reason behind this delay of the break-through of DLC coatings for applications. Excellent adhesion of thick DLC coatings is of utmost importance for load-bearing applications. According to this review superior candidate material for articulating implants is thick and adherent DLC on both sliding surfaces. With the filtered pulsed arc discharge method, all the necessary requirements for the deposition of thick and adherent DLC are fulfilled, provided that the substrate material is selected properly. PMID:19478929

Power console development for NASA's electric propulsion outreach program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinero, Luis R.; Patterson, Michael J.; Satterwhite, Vincent E.

1993-01-01

NASA LeRC is developing a 30 cm diameter xenon ion thruster for auxiliary and primary propulsion applications. To maximize expectations for user-acceptance of ion propulsion technology, NASA LeRC, through their Electric Propulsion Outreach Program, is providing sectors of industry with portable power consoles for operation of 5 KW-class xenon ion thrusters. This power console provides all necessary functions to permit thruster operations over a 0.5-5 KW envelope under both manual and automated control. These functions include the following: discharge, cathode heater, neutralizer keeper, and neutralizer heater currents, screen and accelerator voltages, and a gas feed system to regulate and control propellant flow to the thruster. An electronic circuit monitors screen and accelerator currents and controls arcing events. The power console was successfully integrated with the NASA 30 cm thruster.

Study of Nanodispersed Iron Oxides Produced in Steel Drilling by Contracted Electric-Arc Air Plasma Torch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanov, P.; Galanov, D.; Vissokov, G.; Paneva, D.; Kunev, B.; Mitov, I.

2008-06-01

The optimal conditions on the plasma-forming gas flowrate, discharge current and voltage, distance between the plasma-torch nozzle and the metal plate surface for the process of penetration in and vaporization of steel plates by the contracted electric-arc air plasma torch accompanied by water quenching, were determined. The X-ray structural and phase studies as well as Mössbauer and electron microscope studies on the samples treated were performed. It was demonstrated that the vaporized elemental iron was oxidized by the oxygen present in the air plasma jet to form iron oxides (wüstite, magnetite, hematite), which, depending on their mass ratios, determined the color of the iron oxide pigments, namely, beginning from light yellow, through deep yellow, light brown, deep brown, violet, red-violet, to black. A high degree of dispersity of the iron oxides is thus produced, with an averaged diameter of the particles below 500 nm, and their defective crystal structure form the basis of their potential application as components of iron-containing catalysts and pigments.

Prediction of SFL Interruption Performance from the Results of Arc Simulation during High-Current Phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jong-Chul; Lee, Won-Ho; Kim, Woun-Jea

2015-09-01

The design and development procedures of SF6 gas circuit breakers are still largely based on trial and error through testing although the development costs go higher every year. The computation cannot cover the testing satisfactorily because all the real processes arc not taken into account. But the knowledge of the arc behavior and the prediction of the thermal-flow inside the interrupters by numerical simulations are more useful than those by experiments due to the difficulties to obtain physical quantities experimentally and the reduction of computational costs in recent years. In this paper, in order to get further information into the interruption process of a SF6 self-blast interrupter, which is based on a combination of thermal expansion and the arc rotation principle, gas flow simulations with a CFD-arc modeling are performed during the whole switching process such as high-current period, pre-current zero period, and current-zero period. Through the complete work, the pressure-rise and the ramp of the pressure inside the chamber before current zero as well as the post-arc current after current zero should be a good criterion to predict the short-line fault interruption performance of interrupters.

Instantaneous imaging of ozone in a gliding arc discharge using photofragmentation laser-induced fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsson, Kajsa; Hot, Dina; Gao, Jinlong; Kong, Chengdong; Li, Zhongshan; Aldén, Marcus; Bood, Joakim; Ehn, Andreas

2018-04-01

Ozone vapor, O3, is here visualized in a gliding arc discharge using photofragmentation laser-induced fluorescence. Ozone is imaged by first photodissociating the O3 molecule into an O radical and a vibrationally hot O2 fragment by a pump photon. Thereafter, the vibrationally excited O2 molecule absorbs a second (probe) photon that further transits the O2-molecule to an excited electronic state, and hence, fluorescence from the deexcitation process in the molecule can be detected. Both the photodissociation and excitation processes are achieved within one 248 nm KrF excimer laser pulse that is formed into a laser sheet and the fluorescence is imaged using an intensified CCD camera. The laser-induced signal in the vicinity of the plasma column formed by the gliding arc is confirmed to stem from O3 rather than plasma produced vibrationally hot O2. While both these products can be produced in plasmas a second laser pulse at 266 nm was utilized to separate the pump- from the probe-processes. Such arrangement allowed lifetime studies of vibrationally hot O2, which under these conditions were several orders of magnitude shorter than the lifetime of plasma-produced ozone.

Analytical instruments, ionization sources, and ionization methods

DOEpatents

Atkinson, David A.; Mottishaw, Paul

2006-04-11

Methods and apparatus for simultaneous vaporization and ionization of a sample in a spectrometer prior to introducing the sample into the drift tube of the analyzer are disclosed. The apparatus includes a vaporization/ionization source having an electrically conductive conduit configured to receive sample particulate which is conveyed to a discharge end of the conduit. Positioned proximate to the discharge end of the conduit is an electrically conductive reference device. The conduit and the reference device act as electrodes and have an electrical potential maintained between them sufficient to cause a corona effect, which will cause at least partial simultaneous ionization and vaporization of the sample particulate. The electrical potential can be maintained to establish a continuous corona, or can be held slightly below the breakdown potential such that arrival of particulate at the point of proximity of the electrodes disrupts the potential, causing arcing and the corona effect. The electrical potential can also be varied to cause periodic arcing between the electrodes such that particulate passing through the arc is simultaneously vaporized and ionized. The invention further includes a spectrometer containing the source. The invention is particularly useful for ion mobility spectrometers and atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometers.

Study of Scanning Micro-arc Oxidation and Coating Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Lingqin; Han, Jianmin; Domblesky, Joseph P.; Yang, Zhiyong; Li, Weijing

2017-11-01

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) continues to be the focus of numerous investigations, whereas relatively few studies have considered scanning micro-arc oxidation (SMAO). In the present work, an experimental study was performed using stationary and moving electrodes to investigate coating development in SMAO and discern the effect of key process parameters. Examination of oxide deposits made on A356 aluminum show that coating thickness and growth rate are inversely related to inter-electrode spacing and travel speed. An evaluation of SMAO deposits made by stationary and moving nozzles revealed that coating thickness profiles follow a Gaussian distribution due to the electrolyte flow field in the impingement zone. Hardness surveys and scanning electron microscope analysis of SMAO coatings revealed that micro-hardness distributions and cross-sectional morphology are similar to MAO for a stationary nozzle but that a denser outer layer develops when a moving nozzle is used. This is attributed to a high density of discharge occurring in micropores of the oxide film and remelting which results from the moving electrolyte column. Analysis of voltage-current characteristic curves shows that the resistance of the electrolyte column is essentially linear over the range considered and results indicate that it can be modeled as a variable length resistor. While further testing is needed, results confirm that SMAO is suitable for coating large, planar parts and for repairing worn surfaces.

Two color interferometric electron density measurement in an axially blown arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoller, Patrick; Carstensen, Jan; Galletti, Bernardo; Doiron, Charles; Sokolov, Alexey; Salzmann, René; Simon, Sandor; Jabs, Philipp

2016-09-01

High voltage circuit breakers protect the power grid by interrupting the current in case of a short circuit. To do so an arc is ignited between two contacts as they separate; transonic gas flow is used to cool and ultimately extinguish the arc at a current-zero crossing of the alternating current. A detailed understanding of the arc interruption process is needed to improve circuit breaker design. The conductivity of the partially ionized gas remaining after the current-zero crossing, a key parameter in determining whether the arc will be interrupted or not, is a function of the electron density. The electron density, in turn, is a function of the detailed dynamics of the arc cooling process, which does not necessarily occur under local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions. In this work, we measure the spatially resolved line-integrated index of refraction in a near-current-zero arc stabilized in an axial flow of synthetic air with two nanosecond pulsed lasers at wavelengths of 532 nm and 671 nm. Generating a stable, cylindrically symmetric arc enables us to determine the three-dimensional index of refraction distribution using Abel inversion. Due to the wavelength dependence of the component of the index of refraction related to the free electrons, the information at two different wavelengths can be used to determine the electron density. This information allows us to determine how important it is to take into account non-equilibrium effects for accurate modeling of the physics of decaying arcs.

Volcanic Lightning in the Laboratory: The Effect of Ultra-Rapid Melting on Ash Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, S.; Keller, F.; Helo, C.; Buhre, S.; Castro, J. M.

2016-12-01

Lightning discharge is a common process occurring at explosive volcanic eruptions. During the formation of ash plumes, the dynamical interaction of ash particles creates charges which can, given a sufficiently large charge gradient, cause lightning discharges within the plume (`plume lightning') or from ground to plume (`near-vent lightning'), respectively. Given the extreme heat release during the short duration of a discharge (potentially > 30.000 K), it is likely that the ash particles suspended in a plume are, in any form, affected by volcanic lightning. Genareau et al. (2015) found evidence of glass spherules and glass aggregates in ash deposits of two explosive eruptions (Eyjafjallajökull, Mt. Redoubt), and linked them to short-term melting processes induced by volcanic lightning (analogue to fulgurites). In order to systematically investigate the potential impact of lightning on air-suspended ash we have designed a new experimental setup. An electric arc between two electrodes is generated by a 400 Amp arc welding device. Ash-sized sample material is then blown into the established lightning arc, and a certain proportion of the injected silicate glasses and/or minerals is melted due to the high temperatures in and around the plasma channel. In a first set of experiments, we have used natural volcanic ash from Laacher See Tephra (Eifel, Germany) in distinct size fractions between 36 and 250 microns, in order to qualitatively investigate melting and amalgamation features. Spherule and aggregate textures similar to those reported by Genareau et al. (2015) were successfully reproduced during these experiments. In a second set of experiments, homogenized phonolitic glass fragments, in different size fractions, were subjected to the electric arc and subsequently analyzed under the EMP, in order to investigate effects of "flash melting" on major element glass chemistry. Genareau K, Wardman JB, Wilson TM, McNutt SR, Izbekov P (2015): Lightning-induced volcanic spherules. Geology, doi:10.1130/G36255.1

Effect of high power CO2 and Yb:YAG laser radiation on the characteristics of TIG arc in atmospherical pressure argon and helium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shikai; Xiao, Rongshi

2015-04-01

The effects of laser radiation on the characteristics of the DC tungsten inert gas (TIG) arc were investigated by applying a high power slab CO2 laser and a Yb:YAG disc laser. Experiment results reveal that the arc voltage-current curve shifts downwards, the arc column expands, and the arc temperature rises while the high power CO2 laser beam vertically interacts with the TIG arc in argon. With the increase of the laser power, the voltage-current curve of the arc shifts downwards more significantly, and the closer the laser beam impingement on the arc to the cathode, the more the decrease in arc voltage. Moreover, the arc column expansion and the arc temperature rise occur mainly in the region between the laser beam incident position and the anode. However, the arc characteristics hardly change in the cases of the CO2 laser-helium arc and YAG laser-arc interactions. The reason is that the inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption coefficients are greatly different due to the different electron densities of the argon and helium arcs and the different wave lengths of CO2 and YAG lasers.

Overvoltage protector using varistor initiated arc

DOEpatents

Brainard, John P.

1982-01-01

Coaxial conductors are protected against electrical overvoltage by at least one element of non-electroded varistor material that adjoins each other varistor element and conductor with which it contacts. With this construction, overvoltage current initiated through the varistor material arcs at the point contacts between varistor elements and, as the current increases, the arcs increase until they become a continuous arc between conductors, bypassing the varistor material.

Soft-Fault Detection Technologies Developed for Electrical Power Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Button, Robert M.

2004-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center, partner universities, and defense contractors are working to develop intelligent power management and distribution (PMAD) technologies for future spacecraft and launch vehicles. The goals are to provide higher performance (efficiency, transient response, and stability), higher fault tolerance, and higher reliability through the application of digital control and communication technologies. It is also expected that these technologies will eventually reduce the design, development, manufacturing, and integration costs for large, electrical power systems for space vehicles. The main focus of this research has been to incorporate digital control, communications, and intelligent algorithms into power electronic devices such as direct-current to direct-current (dc-dc) converters and protective switchgear. These technologies, in turn, will enable revolutionary changes in the way electrical power systems are designed, developed, configured, and integrated in aerospace vehicles and satellites. Initial successes in integrating modern, digital controllers have proven that transient response performance can be improved using advanced nonlinear control algorithms. One technology being developed includes the detection of "soft faults," those not typically covered by current systems in use today. Soft faults include arcing faults, corona discharge faults, and undetected leakage currents. Using digital control and advanced signal analysis algorithms, we have shown that it is possible to reliably detect arcing faults in high-voltage dc power distribution systems (see the preceding photograph). Another research effort has shown that low-level leakage faults and cable degradation can be detected by analyzing power system parameters over time. This additional fault detection capability will result in higher reliability for long-lived power systems such as reusable launch vehicles and space exploration missions.

Characterization of an electrothermal plasma source for fusion transient simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebhart, T. E.; Baylor, L. R.; Rapp, J.; Winfrey, A. L.

2018-01-01

The realization of fusion energy requires materials that can withstand high heat and particle fluxes at the plasma material interface. In this work, an electrothermal (ET) plasma source has been designed as a transient heat flux source for a linear plasma material interaction device. An ET plasma source operates in the ablative arc regime driven by a DC capacitive discharge. The current channel width is defined by the 4 mm bore of a boron nitride liner. At large plasma currents, the arc impacts the liner wall, leading to high particle and heat fluxes to the liner material, which subsequently ablates and ionizes. This results in a high density plasma with a large unidirectional bulk flow out of the source exit. The pulse length for the ET source has been optimized using a pulse forming network to have durations of 1 and 2 ms. The peak currents and maximum source energies seen in this system are 1.9 kA and 1.2 kJ for the 2 ms pulse and 3.2 kA and 2.1 kJ for the 1 ms pulse, respectively. This work is a proof of the principal project to show that an ET source produces electron densities and heat fluxes comparable to those anticipated in transient events in large future magnetic confinement fusion devices. Heat flux, plasma temperature, and plasma density were determined for each shot using infrared imaging and optical spectroscopy techniques. This paper will discuss the assumptions, methods, and results of the experiments.

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of silicon nanosheets by DC arc discharge for lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Yu, Xiuhong; Xue, Fanghong; Huang, Hao; Liu, Chunjing; Yu, Jieyi; Sun, Yuejun; Dong, Xinglong; Cao, Guozhong; Jung, Youngguan

2014-06-21

Two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin silicon nanosheets (Si NSs) were synthesized by DC arc discharge method and investigated as anode material for Li-ion batteries. The 2D ultrathin characteristics of Si NSs is confirmed by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The average size of Si NSs is about 20 nm, with thickness less than 2.5 nm. The characteristic Raman peak of Si NSs is found to have an appreciable (20 nm) shift to low frequency, presumably due to the size effect. The synergistic effects of Ar(+) and H(+) lead to 2D growth of Si NSs under high temperature and energy. Electrochemical analyses reveal that Si NSs anode possesses stable cycling performance and fast diffusion of Li-ions with insertion/extraction processes. Such Si NSs might be a promising candidate for anode of Li-ion batteries.

On-chip purification via liquid immersion of arc-discharge synthesized multiwalled carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hokkanen, Matti J.; Lautala, Saara; Shao, Dongkai; Turpeinen, Tuomas; Koivistoinen, Juha; Ahlskog, Markus

2016-07-01

Arc-discharge synthesized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (AD-MWNT) have been proven to be of high quality, but their use is very limited due to difficulties in obtaining them in a clean and undamaged form. Here, we present a simple method that purifies raw AD-MWNT material in laboratory scale without damage, and that in principle can be scaled up. The method consists of depositing raw AD-MWNT material on a flat substrate and immersing the substrate slowly in water, whereby the surface tension force of the liquid-substrate contact line selectively sweeps away the larger amorphous carbon debris and leaves relatively clean MWNTs on the substrate. We demonstrate the utility of the method by preparing clean individual MWNTs for measurement of their Raman spectra. The spectra exhibit the characteristics of high-quality tubes free from contaminants. We also show how one concomitantly with the purification process can obtain large numbers of clean suspended MWNTs.

System and method for mass production of graphene platelets in arc plasma

DOEpatents

Keidar, Michael; Shashurin, Alexey

2017-12-12

A system and method for producing graphene includes a discharge assembly and a substrate assembly. The discharge assembly includes a cathode and an anode, which in one embodiment are offset from each other. The anode produces a flux stream that is deposited onto a substrate. A collection device removes the deposited material from the rotating substrate. The flux stream can be a carbon vapor, with the deposited flux being graphene.

Thermal Characterization Study of Lithium-Ion Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britton, Doris L.; Miller, Thomas B.; Bennett, William R.

2007-01-01

The primary challenge in designing a full scale lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery system is safety under both normal operating as well as abusive conditions. The normal conditions involve expected charge/discharge cycles and it is known that heat evolves in batteries during those cycles. This is a major concern in the design for high power applications and careful thermal management is necessary to alleviate this concern. An emerging thermal measurement technology, such as the electrochemical calorimetric of batteries, will aid in the development of advanced, safe battery system. To support this technology, several "commercial-off-the-shelf" (COTS) Li-ion cells with different chemistries and designs are being evaluated for different cycling regimes at a given operating temperature. The Accelerated Rate Calorimeter (ARC)-Arbin cycler setup is used to measure the temperature, voltage, and current of the cells at different charge/discharge rates. Initial results demonstrated good cell cyclability. During the cycle testing, the cell exhibited an endothermic cooling in the initial part of the charge cycle. The discharge portion of the cycle is exothermic during the entire discharge period. The presence of an endothermic reaction indicates a significant entropy effect during the beginning of charge cycle. Further studies will be performed to understand the thermal characteristics of the Li-ion cells at the different operating conditions. The effects on the thermal response on cell aging and states-of-charge will also be identified.

An analysis of the ArcCHECK-MR diode array's performance for ViewRay quality assurance.

PubMed

Ellefson, Steven T; Culberson, Wesley S; Bednarz, Bryan P; DeWerd, Larry A; Bayouth, John E

2017-07-01

The ArcCHECK-MR diode array utilizes a correction system with a virtual inclinometer to correct the angular response dependencies of the diodes. However, this correction system cannot be applied to measurements on the ViewRay MR-IGRT system due to the virtual inclinometer's incompatibility with the ViewRay's multiple simultaneous beams. Additionally, the ArcCHECK's current correction factors were determined without magnetic field effects taken into account. In the course of performing ViewRay IMRT quality assurance with the ArcCHECK, measurements were observed to be consistently higher than the ViewRay TPS predictions. The goals of this study were to quantify the observed discrepancies and test whether applying the current factors improves the ArcCHECK's accuracy for measurements on the ViewRay. Gamma and frequency analysis were performed on 19 ViewRay patient plans. Ion chamber measurements were performed at a subset of diode locations using a PMMA phantom with the same dimensions as the ArcCHECK. A new method for applying directionally dependent factors utilizing beam information from the ViewRay TPS was developed in order to analyze the current ArcCHECK correction factors. To test the current factors, nine ViewRay plans were altered to be delivered with only a single simultaneous beam and were measured with the ArcCHECK. The current correction factors were applied using both the new and current methods. The new method was also used to apply corrections to the original 19 ViewRay plans. It was found the ArcCHECK systematically reports doses higher than those actually delivered by the ViewRay. Application of the current correction factors by either method did not consistently improve measurement accuracy. As dose deposition and diode response have both been shown to change under the influence of a magnetic field, it can be concluded the current ArcCHECK correction factors are invalid and/or inadequate to correct measurements on the ViewRay system. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Melting Efficiency During Plasma Arc Welding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClure, J.C.; Evans, D. M.; Tang, W.; Nunes, A. C.

1999-01-01

A series of partial penetration Variable Polarity Plasma Arc welds were made at equal power but various combinations of current and voltage on 2219 aluminum. Arc Efficiency was measured calorimetrically and ranged between 48% and 66%. Melting efficiency depends on the weld pool shape. Increased current increases the melting efficiency as it increases the depth to width ratio of the weld pool. Higher currents are thought to raise arc pressure and depress the liquid at the bottom of the weld pool causing a more nearly two dimensional heat flow condition.

Measurement of the densities of Cu and Ag vapours in a low-voltage switch using the hook method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lins, Günter

2012-05-01

In a research model of a low-voltage circuit breaker with fixed contacts and windows for optical access, arcs powered by either a high-current transformer or a capacitor bank were initiated by the explosion of tungsten wires. Air at atmospheric pressure was the switching medium. The number densities of neutral silver and copper vapours from contacts and arc runners were measured simultaneously by the hook method using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer combined with a 1 m spectrograph and a gated intensified CCD camera. When an arc current was flowing, a substantial fraction of the metal vapour was ionized, and thus not amenable to a density measurement with the technique chosen. To nevertheless obtain approximate density values, the arc current was forced to zero within 8 to 10 µs at a preset time and measurements were carried out 100 µs after extinction of the arc. At that time the metal vapour was expected to have recombined to a large extent but not yet diffused to the walls in significant amounts. Depending on the current amplitude reached within the arc duration the arc remained anchored to the silver contacts or commutated to the copper arc runners. At a maximum current amplitude of 650 A Ag vapour densities of the order of 1022 m-3 were observed near the anode outweighing the Cu vapour density by a factor of 20. When at 1600 A the arc commutated to the arc runners a Cu vapour density of 8 × 1021 m-3 was reached while the Ag density remained limited to 2 × 1021 m-3.

Upgrades, Current Capabilities and Near-Term Plans of the NASA ARC Mars Climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollingsworth, J. L.; Kahre, Melinda April; Haberle, Robert M.; Schaeffer, James R.

2012-01-01

We describe and review recent upgrades to the ARC Mars climate modeling framework, in particular, with regards to physical parameterizations (i.e., testing, implementation, modularization and documentation); the current climate modeling capabilities; selected research topics regarding current/past climates; and then, our near-term plans related to the NASA ARC Mars general circulation modeling (GCM) project.

Electrical discharge heating of chondrules in the solar nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Love, Stanley G.; Keil, Klaus; Scott, Edward R. D.

1995-01-01

We present a rudimentary theoretical assessment of electrical discharge heating as a candidate mechanism for the formation of chondrules in the solar nebula. The discharge model combines estimates of the properties of the nebula, a mechanism for terrestrial thunderstorm electrification, and some fundamental electrical properties of gases. Large uncertainties in the model inputs limit these calculations to order-or-magnitude accuracy. Despite the uncertainty, it is possible to estimate an upper limit to the efficiency of nebular discharges at melting millimeter-sized stony objects. We find that electrical arcs analogous to terrestrial lightning could have occurred in the nebula, but that under most conditions these discharges probably could not have melted chondrules. Despite our difficulties, we believe the topic worthy of further investigation and suggest some experiments which could improve our understanding of nebular discharges.

An Overlooked Source of Auroral Arc Field-Aligned Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knudsen, D. J.

2017-12-01

The search for the elusive generator of quiet auroral arcs often focuses on magnetospheric pressure gradients, based on the static terms in the so-called Vaslyiunas equation [Vasyliunas, in "Magneospheric Currents", Geophysical Monograph 28, 1984]. However, magnetospheric pressure gradient scale sizes are much larger than the width of individual auroral arcs. This discrepancy was noted by Atkinson [JGR, 27, p4746, 1970], who proposed that the auroral arcs are fed instead by steady-state polarization currents, in which large-scale convection across quasi-static electric field structures leads to an apparent time dependence in the frame co-moving with the plasma, and therefore to the generation of ion polarization currents. This mechanism has been adopted by a series of authors over several decades, relating to studies of the ionospheric feedback instability, or IFI. However, the steady-state polarization current mechanism does not require the IFI, nor even the ionsophere. Specifically, any quasi-static electric field structure that is stationary relative to large-scale plasma convection is subject to the generation this current. This talk demonstrates that assumed convection speeds of the order of a 100 m/s across typical arc fields structures can lead to the generation FAC magintudes of several μA/m2, typical of values observed at the ionospheric footpoint of auoral arcs. This current can be viewed as originating within the M-I coupling medium, along the entire field line connecting an auroral arc to its root in the magnetosphere.

A No-Arc DC Circuit Breaker Based on Zero-Current Interruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Xuewei; Chai, Jianyun; Sun, Xudong

2017-05-01

A dc system has no natural current zero-crossing point, so a dc arc is more difficult to extinguish than an ac arc. In order to effectively solve the problem of the dc arc, this paper proposes a dc circuit breaker (DCCB) capable of implementing a no-arc interruption. The proposed DCCB includes a main branch consisting of a mechanical switch, a diode and a current-limiting inductor, a semi-period resonance circuit consisting of a diode, an inductor and a capacitor, and a buffer branch consisting of a capacitor, a thyristor and a resistor. The mechanical switch is opened in a zero-current state, and the overvoltage caused by the counter electromotive force of the inductor does not exist. Meanwhile, the capacitor has a buffering effect on the voltage. The rising of the voltage of the mechanical switch is slower than the rising of the insulating strength of a contact gap of the mechanical switch, resulting in the contact gap not able to be broken down. Thus, the arc cannot be generated. The simulation results show that the proposed DCCB does not generate the arc in the interruption process, the rise rate of the short circuit current can be effectively limited, and the short circuit fault point can be rapidly isolated from the dc power supply.

Investigations Of A Pulsed Cathodic Vacuum Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oates, T. W. H.; Pigott, J.; Denniss, P.; Mckenzie, D. R.; Bilek, M. M. M.

2003-06-01

Cathodic vacuum arcs are well established as a method for producing thin films for coatings and as a source of metal ions. Research into DC vacuum arcs has been going on for over ten years in the School of Physics at the University of Sydney. Recently a project was undertaken in the school to design and build a pulsed CVA for use in the investigation of plasma sheaths and plasma immersion ion implantation. Pulsed cathodic vacuum arcs generally have a higher current and plasma density and also provide a more stable and reproducible plasma density than their DC counterparts. Additionally it has been shown that if a high repetition frequency can be established the deposition rate of pulsed arcs is equal to or greater than that of DC arcs with a concomitant reduction in the rate of macro-particle formation. We present here results of our investigations into the building of a center-triggered pulsed cathodic vacuum arc. The design of the power supply and trigger mechanism and the geometry of the anode and cathode are examined. Observations of type I and II arc spots using a CCD camera, and cathode spot velocity dependence on arc current will be presented. The role of retrograde motion in a high current pulsed arc is discussed.

[Plasma temperature calculation and coupling mechanism analysis of laser-double wire hybrid welding].

PubMed

Zheng, Kai; Li, Huan; Yang, Li-Jun; Gu, Xiao-Yan; Gao, Ying

2013-04-01

The plasma radiation of laser-double wire hybrid welding was collected by using fiber spectrometer, the coupling mechanism of arc with laser was studied through high-speed photography during welding process, and the temperature of hybrid plasma was calculated by using the method of Boltzmann plot. The results indicated that with laser hybrid, luminance was enhanced; radiation intensity became stronger; arc was attracted to the laser point; cross section contracted and arc was more stable. The laser power, welding current and arc-arc distance are important factors that have great influence on electron temperature. Increase in the laser power, amplification of welding current and reduction of arc-arc distance can all result in the rise of temperature.

Intra-Arc extension in Central America: Links between plate motions, tectonics, volcanism, and geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phipps Morgan, Jason; Ranero, Cesar; Vannucchi, Paola

2010-05-01

This study revisits the kinematics and tectonics of Central America subduction, synthesizing observations of marine bathymetry, high-resolution land topography, current plate motions, and the recent seismotectonic and magmatic history in this region. The inferred tectonic history implies that the Guatemala-El Salvador and Nicaraguan segments of this volcanic arc have been a region of significant arc tectonic extension; extension arising from the interplay between subduction roll-back of the Cocos Plate and the ~10-15 mm/yr slower westward drift of the Caribbean plate relative to the North American Plate. The ages of belts of magmatic rocks paralleling both sides of the current Nicaraguan arc are consistent with long-term arc-normal extension in Nicaragua at the rate of ~5-10 mm/yr, in agreement with rates predicted by plate kinematics. Significant arc-normal extension can ‘hide' a very large intrusive arc-magma flux; we suggest that Nicaragua is, in fact, the most magmatically robust section of the Central American arc, and that the volume of intrusive volcanism here has been previously greatly underestimated. Yet, this flux is hidden by the persistent extension and sediment infill of the rifting basin in which the current arc sits. Observed geochemical differences between the Nicaraguan arc and its neighbors which suggest that Nicaragua has a higher rate of arc-magmatism are consistent with this interpretation. Smaller-amplitude, but similar systematic geochemical correlations between arc-chemistry and arc-extension in Guatemala show the same pattern as the even larger variations between the Nicaragua arc and its neighbors. We are also exploring the potential implications of intra-arc extension for deformation processes along the subducting plate boundary and within the forearc ‘microplate'.

Experimental Investigation of the Induced Airflow of Corona Discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yong; Zhang, Xin; Wang, Xun-Nian; Wang, Wan-Bo; Huang, Zong-Bo; Li, Hua-Xing

2013-09-01

In order to improve the acceleration effect of corona discharge acting on air, we present an experimental study on the induced airflow produced by corona discharge between two parallel electrodes. The parameters investigated are the type of electrodes, actuation voltage and the distance in the absence of free airflow. The induced flow velocity is measured directly in the accelerated region using the particle image velocimetry technology. The results show that if corona discharge is not developed into arc discharge, the induced airflow velocity increases nearly linearly with the applied voltage and the maximum induced airflow velocity near the needle electrode reaches 36 m/s. It is expected that in the future, the result can be referred to in the research about effect of active flow control to reach much higher induced airflow speed.

Surface-Water Conditions in Georgia, Water Year 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Painter, Jaime A.; Landers, Mark N.

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Georgia Water Science Center-in cooperation with Federal, State, and local agencies-collected surface-water streamflow, water-quality, and ecological data during the 2005 Water Year (October 1, 2004-September 30, 2005). These data were compiled into layers of an interactive ArcReaderTM published map document (pmf). ArcReaderTM is a product of Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (ESRI?). Datasets represented on the interactive map are * continuous daily mean streamflow * continuous daily mean water levels * continuous daily total precipitation * continuous daily water quality (water temperature, specific conductance dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity) * noncontinuous peak streamflow * miscellaneous streamflow measurements * lake or reservoir elevation * periodic surface-water quality * periodic ecological data * historical continuous daily mean streamflow discontinued prior to the 2005 water year The map interface provides the ability to identify a station in spatial reference to the political boundaries of the State of Georgia and other features-such as major streams, major roads, and other collection stations. Each station is hyperlinked to a station summary showing seasonal and annual stream characteristics for the current year and for the period of record. For continuous discharge stations, the station summary includes a one page graphical summary page containing five graphs, a station map, and a photograph of the station. The graphs provide a quick overview of the current and period-of-record hydrologic conditions of the station by providing a daily mean discharge graph for the water year, monthly statistics graph for the water year and period of record, an annual mean streamflow graph for the period of record, an annual minimum 7-day average streamflow graph for the period of record, and an annual peak streamflow graph for the period of record. Additionally, data can be accessed through the layer's link to the National Water Inventory System Web (NWISWeb) Interface.

High pressure working mode of hollow cathode arc discharges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minoo, H.; Popovici, C.

1985-01-01

The behavior of high pressure cathotrons is discussed. Methods of preheating either the gas or the cathode itself are detailed together with various geometries for the hollow cathode. Three special configurations were tested, and the results are analyzed.

“Synthesis-on” and “synthesis-off” modes of carbon arc operation during synthesis of carbon nanotubes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yatom, Shurik; Selinsky, Rachel S.; Koel, Bruce E.

Arc discharge synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) remains largely uncontrollable, due to incomplete understanding of the synthetic process itself. Here, we show that synthesis of SWCNTs by a carbon arc may not constitute a single continuous process, but may instead consist of two distinct modes. One of these, a “synthesis-on” mode, produces the majority of the nanomaterials. During the synthesis-on mode, proportionally more carbon nanotubes are collected than in another mode, a “synthesis-off” mode. Both synthesis-on and synthesis-off modes for a typical arc configuration, employing a hollow anode filled with a mixture of powdered metal catalyst and graphite, weremore » characterized by using in situ electrical, imaging, and spectroscopic diagnostics, along with ex situ imaging and spectroscopy. The synthesis-on mode duration is rare compared to the total arc run-time, helping to explain the poor selectivity found in the final collected products, a known inadequacy of arc synthesis. Finally, the rarity of the synthesis on mode occurence may be due to the synthesis off mode being more favorable energetically.« less

“Synthesis-on” and “synthesis-off” modes of carbon arc operation during synthesis of carbon nanotubes

DOE PAGES

Yatom, Shurik; Selinsky, Rachel S.; Koel, Bruce E.; ...

2017-09-09

Arc discharge synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) remains largely uncontrollable, due to incomplete understanding of the synthetic process itself. Here, we show that synthesis of SWCNTs by a carbon arc may not constitute a single continuous process, but may instead consist of two distinct modes. One of these, a “synthesis-on” mode, produces the majority of the nanomaterials. During the synthesis-on mode, proportionally more carbon nanotubes are collected than in another mode, a “synthesis-off” mode. Both synthesis-on and synthesis-off modes for a typical arc configuration, employing a hollow anode filled with a mixture of powdered metal catalyst and graphite, weremore » characterized by using in situ electrical, imaging, and spectroscopic diagnostics, along with ex situ imaging and spectroscopy. The synthesis-on mode duration is rare compared to the total arc run-time, helping to explain the poor selectivity found in the final collected products, a known inadequacy of arc synthesis. Finally, the rarity of the synthesis on mode occurence may be due to the synthesis off mode being more favorable energetically.« less

Cathode fall model and current-voltage characteristics of field emission driven direct current microplasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Venkattraman, Ayyaswamy

2013-11-15

The post-breakdown characteristics of field emission driven microplasma are studied theoretically and numerically. A cathode fall model assuming a linearly varying electric field is used to obtain equations governing the operation of steady state field emission driven microplasmas. The results obtained from the model by solving these equations are compared with particle-in-cell with Monte Carlo collisions simulation results for parameters including the plasma potential, cathode fall thickness, ion number density in the cathode fall, and current density vs voltage curves. The model shows good overall agreement with the simulations but results in slightly overpredicted values for the plasma potential andmore » the cathode fall thickness attributed to the assumed electric field profile. The current density vs voltage curves obtained show an arc region characterized by negative slope as well as an abnormal glow discharge characterized by a positive slope in gaps as small as 10 μm operating at atmospheric pressure. The model also retrieves the traditional macroscale current vs voltage theory in the absence of field emission.« less

Significant reduction in arc frequency biased solar cells: Observations, diagnostics, and mitigation technique(s)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Upschulte, B. L.; Weyl, G. M.; Marinelli, W. J.; Aifer, E.; Hastings, D.; Snyder, D.

1991-01-01

A variety of experiments were performed which identify key factors contributing to the arcing of negatively biased high voltage solar cells. These efforts have led to reduction of greater than a factor of 100 in the arc frequency of a single cell following proper remediation procedures. Experiments naturally lead to and focussed on the adhesive/encapsulant that is used to bond the protective cover slip to the solar cell. An image-intensified charge coupled device (CCD) camera system recorded UV emission from arc events which occurred exclusively along the interfacial edge between the cover slip and the solar cell. Microscopic inspection of this interfacial region showed a bead of encapsulant along this entire edge. Elimination of this encapsulant bead reduced the arc frequency by two orders of magnitude. Water contamination was also identified as a key contributor which enhances arcing of the encapsulant bead along the solar cell edge. Spectrally resolved measurements of the observable UV light shows a feature assignable to OH(A-X) electronic emission, which is common for water contaminated discharges. Experiments in which the solar cell temperature was raised to 85 C showed a reduced arcing frequency, suggesting desorption of H2O. Exposing the solar cell to water vapor was shown to increase the arcing frequency. Clean dry gases such as O2, N2, and Ar show no enhancement of the arcing rate. Elimination of the exposed encapsulant eliminates any measurable sensitivity to H2O vapor.

Pulsed welding plasma source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knyaz'kov, A.; Pustovykh, O.; Verevkin, A.; Terekhin, V.; Shachek, A.; Tyasto, A.

2016-04-01

It is shown that in order to form the current pulse of a near rectangular shape, which provides conversion of the welding arc into a dynamic mode, it is rational to connect a forming element made on the basis of an artificial forming line in series to the welding DC circuit. The paper presents a diagram of a pulsed device for welding with a non-consumable electrode in argon which was developed using the forming element. The conversion of the arc into the dynamic mode is illustrated by the current and voltage oscillograms of the arc gap and the dynamic characteristic of the arc within the interval of one pulse generation time in the arc gap. The background current travels in the interpulse interval.

Characterization of Particulate Fume and Oxides Emission from Stainless Steel Plasma Cutting.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Hoang, Tien; Floyd, Evan L; Regens, James L

2017-04-01

Plasma cutting is a metal fabrication process that employs an electrically conductive plasma arc to cut metals. The metal fume emitted from stainless steel plasma cutting may consist of hexavalent chromium (Cr6+), which is a carcinogen, and other toxicants. Overexposure to plasma cutting fume may cause pulmonary toxicity and other health effects. This study was to evaluate the effects of operation parameters (arc current and arc time) on the fume formation rates, Cr6+ and other oxides concentrations, particle size distributions (PSD), and particle morphology. A fume chamber and high-volume pump were used to collect fume produced from cutting ER308L stainless steel plates with arc currents varying between 20 and 50 A. The amount of fume collected on glass fiber filters was gravimetrically determined and normalized to arc time. Cr6+ and other oxides in the fume were analyzed using ion chromatography. PSD of the fume was examined using a scanning mobility particle sizer and an aerodynamic particle sizer for fine and coarse fractions, respectively. The particle morphology was imaged through a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Total fume generation rate increased with arc current and ranged from 16.5 mg min-1 at 20 A to 119.0 mg min-1 at 50 A. Cr6+ emissions (219.8-480.0 µg min-1) from the plasma cutting were higher than welding fume in a previous study. Nitrogen oxides level can be an indicator of oxidation level and Cr6+ formation (R = 0.93). Both PSD measurement and TEM images confirmed a multimodal size distribution. A high concentration of a fine fraction of particles with geometric mean sizes from 96 to 235 nm was observed. Higher arc current yielded more particles, while lower arc current was not able to penetrate the metal plates. Hence, the worker should optimize the arc current to balance cut performance and fume emission. The findings indicated that arc current was the dominant factor in fume emission from plasma cutting. Appropriate ventilation and respiratory protection should be used to reduce workers' exposure. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

CALUTRON

DOEpatents

Lawrence, E.O.; Brobeck, W.M.

1959-04-14

ABS>An ion source is described for a calutron especially designed to improve the uniformity of charge vapor flow when the vapor encounters the arc. The inventive feature of the source consists of a specific source block construction wherein heater means prevents condensation from taking place within the block, and a separate vapor generator is supported on the wall of the block by a hollow thimble. The thimble communicates with a bore cavity in the block and the vapor flows therethrough into the cavity and uniformly out a slot along the length of the cavity where the arc discharge is located.

Very high efficacy electrodeless high intensity discharge lamps

DOEpatents

Johnson, Peter D.

1987-01-01

An electrodeless arc lamp comprises an outer jacket hermetically sealing and thermally protecting an arc tube inside which has an upwardly convex bottom center section. The absence of chemically reactive electrode material makes it possible to use metal halides other than iodides. The tube contains chlorides, bromides or a mixture thereof of scandium and sodium in a nearly equimolar relationship in addition to mercury and an inert gas. Good color balance can be obtained at reduced reservoir temperature and with less power loss. Reduction in wall temperature makes it possible to attain longer lamp life.

Very high efficacy electrodeless high intensity discharge lamps

DOEpatents

Johnson, P.D.

1985-10-03

An electrodeless arc lamp comprises an outer jacket hermetically sealing and thermally protecting an arc tube inside which has an upwardly convex bottom center section. The absence of chemically reactive electrode material makes it possible to use metal halides other than iodides. The tube contains chlorides, bromides or a mixture thereof of scandium and sodium in a nearly equimolar relationship in addition to mercury and an inert gas. Good color balance can be obtained at reduced reservoir temperature and with less power loss. Reduction in wall temperature makes it possible to attain longer lamp life.

Proceedings of the twenty sixth international symposium on discharges and electrical insulation in vacuum. V. 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2014-07-01

Vacuum science and technology has made vital contributions in high technology areas like space, high energy particle accelerators, plasma devices, pulse power, electronics, vacuum interrupters, thin films, melting and refining of metals/alloys, extraction and processing of advanced materials. Vacuum discharges, vacuum arc physics and technology and various applications towards vacuum interrupters, pulse power and particle accelerator are the main themes for this symposium. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately.

Proceedings of the twenty sixth international symposium on discharges and electrical insulation in vacuum. V. 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2014-07-01

Vacuum science and technology has made vital contributions in high technology areas like space, high energy particle accelerators, plasma devices, pulse power, electronics, vacuum interrupters, thin films, melting and refining of metals/alloys, extraction and processing of advanced materials. Vacuum discharges, vacuum arc physics and technology and various applications towards vacuum interrupters, pulse power and particle accelerator are the main themes for this symposium. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately.

Ignitability of Diesel Fuel with an Inclusion of Ultrafine Carbon Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krivosheev, P. N.; Leshchevich, V. V.; Shimchenko, S. Yu.; Shushkov, S. V.; Penyazkov, O. G.

2017-11-01

Nanosize carbon fuel additions were synthesized by the action of an electric discharge on a diesel fuel. Depending on the discharge regime, variously shaped carbon particles, including planar graphitized ones, were formed in the fuel. Ignitability of the produced samples was assessed by the method of initiation of a foamed fuel sample by a lowcurrent electric arc. The modified fuel showed the improvement of the ignition characteristics in the presence of a nanodispersed solid phase.

Numerical investigations of arc behaviour in gas metal arc welding using ANSYS CFX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnick, M.; Fuessel, U.; Hertel, M.; Spille-Kohoff, A.; Murphy, A. B.

2011-06-01

Current numerical models of gas metal arc welding (GMAW) are trying to combine magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) models of the arc and volume of fluid (VoF) models of metal transfer. They neglect vaporization and assume an argon atmosphere for the arc region, as it is common practice for models of gas tungsten arc welding. These models predict temperatures above 20 000 K and a temperature distribution similar to tungsten inert gas (TIG) arcs. However, current spectroscopic temperature measurements in GMAW arcs demonstrate much lower arc temperatures. In contrast to TIG arcs they found a central local minimum of the radial temperature distribution. The paper presents a GMAW arc model that considers metal vapour and which is in a very good agreement with experimentally observed temperatures. Furthermore, the model is able to predict the local central minimum in the radial temperature and the radial electric current density distributions for the first time. The axially symmetric model of the welding torch, the work piece, the wire and the arc (fluid domain) implements MHD as well as turbulent mixing and thermal demixing of metal vapour in argon. The mass fraction of iron vapour obtained from the simulation shows an accumulation in the arc core and another accumulation on the fringes of the arc at 2000 to 5000 K. The demixing effects lead to very low concentrations of iron between these two regions. Sensitive analyses demonstrate the influence of the transport and radiation properties of metal vapour, and the evaporation rate relative to the wire feed. Finally the model predictions are compared with the measuring results of Zielińska et al.

Carbon Stripper Foils Used in the Los Alamos PSR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borden, M.; Plum, M. A.; Sugai, I.

1997-05-01

Carbon stripper foils produced by the modified controlled ACDC arc discharge method (mCADAD) at the Institute for Nuclear Study by Dr. Isao Sugai have been tested and used for high current 800-MeV beam production in the Proton Storage Ring (PSR) since 1993. Two approximately 110 μg/cm2 foils are sandwiched together to produce an equivalent 220 μg/cm^2 foil. The combined foil is supported by 4-5 μm diameter carbon fibers attached to an aluminum frame. These foils have survived as long as five months during PSR normal beam production of near 70 μA on target average current. Typical life-times of other foils vary from seven to fourteen days with lower on-target average current. Beam loss data also indicate that Sugai's foils have slower shrinkage rates than other foils. Equipment has been assembled and used to produce foils by the mCADAD method at Los Alamos. These foils will be tested during 1997 operation.

Magnetless magnetic fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beklemishev, A. D.; Tajima, T.

1994-02-01

The authors propose a concept of thermonuclear fusion reactor in which the plasma pressure is balanced by direct gas-wall interaction in a high-pressure vessel. The energy confinement is achieved by means of the self-contained toroidal magnetic configuration sustained by an external current drive or charged fusion products. This field structure causes the plasma pressure to decrease toward the inside of the discharge and thus it should be magnetohydrodynamically stable. The maximum size, temperature and density profiles of the reactor are estimated. An important feature of confinement physics is the thin layer of cold gas at the wall and the adjacent transitional region of dense arc-like plasma. The burning condition is determined by the balance between these nonmagnetized layers and the current-carrying plasma. They suggest several questions for future investigation, such as the thermal stability of the transition layer and the possibility of an effective heating and current drive behind the dense edge plasma. The main advantage of this scheme is the absence of strong external magnets and, consequently, potentially cheaper design and lower energy consumption.

An innovative high-power constant-current pulsed-arc power-supply for a high-density pulsed-arc-plasma ion-source using a LaB6-filament.

PubMed

Ueno, A; Oguri, H; Ikegami, K; Namekawa, Y; Ohkoshi, K; Tokuchi, A

2010-02-01

An innovative high-power constant-current (CC) pulsed-arc (PA) power-supply (PS) indispensable for a high-density PA plasma ion-source using a lanthanum hexaboride (LaB(6)) filament was devised by combining a constant-voltage (CV) PA-PS, which is composed of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switch, a CV direct-current (dc) PS and a 270 mF capacitor with a CC-PA-PS, which is composed of an IGBT-switch, a CC-dc-PS and a 400 microH inductor, through the inductor. The hybrid-CC-PA-PS succeeded in producing a flat arc-pulse with a peak power of 56 kW (400 A x 140 V) and a duty factor of more than 1.5% (600 micros x 25 Hz) for Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) H(-) ion-source stably. It also succeeded in shortening the 99% rising-time of the arc-pulse-current to about 20 micros and tilting up or down the arc-pulse-current arbitrarily and almost linearly by changing the setting voltage of its CV-dc-PS.

Detection of High-impedance Arcing Faults in Radial Distribution DC Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, Marcelo C.; Button, Robert M.

2003-01-01

High voltage, low current arcing faults in DC power systems have been researched at the NASA Glenn Research Center in order to develop a method for detecting these 'hidden faults', in-situ, before damage to cables and components from localized heating can occur. A simple arc generator was built and high-speed and low-speed monitoring of the voltage and current waveforms, respectively, has shown that these high impedance faults produce a significant increase in high frequency content in the DC bus voltage and low frequency content in the DC system current. Based on these observations, an algorithm was developed using a high-speed data acquisition system that was able to accurately detect high impedance arcing events induced in a single-line system based on the frequency content of the DC bus voltage or the system current. Next, a multi-line, radial distribution system was researched to see if the arc location could be determined through the voltage information when multiple 'detectors' are present in the system. It was shown that a small, passive LC filter was sufficient to reliably isolate the fault to a single line in a multi-line distribution system. Of course, no modification is necessary if only the current information is used to locate the arc. However, data shows that it might be necessary to monitor both the system current and bus voltage to improve the chances of detecting and locating high impedance arcing faults

Mechanisms of anode power deposition in a low pressure free burning arc

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soulas, George C.; Myers, Roger M.

1994-01-01

Anode power deposition is a dominant power loss mechanism for arc jets and MPD thrusters. In this study, a free burning arc experiment was operated at pressures and current densities similar to those in arc jets and MPD thrusters in an attempt to identify the physics controlling this loss mechanism. Use of a free burning arc allowed for the isolation of independent variables controlling anode power deposition and provided a convenient and flexible way to cover a broad range of currents, anode surface pressures, and applied magnetic field strengths and orientations using an argon gas. Test results showed that anode power deposition decreased with increasing anode surface pressure up to 6.7 Pa (0.05 torr) and then became insensitive to pressure. Anode power increased with increasing arc current while the electron number density near the anode surface increased linearity. Anode power also increased with increasing applied magnetic field strength due to an increasing anode fall voltage. Applied magnetic field orientation had an effect only at high currents and low anode surface pressures, where anode power decreased when applied field lines intercepted the anode surface. The results demonstrated that anode power deposition was dominated by the current carrying electrons and that the anode fall voltage was the largest contributor. Furthermore, the results showed that anode power deposition can be reduced by operating at increased anode pressures, reduced arc currents, and applied magnetic field strengths and with magnetic field lines intercepting the anode.

Investigation on Plasma Jet Flow Phenomena During DC Air Arc Motion in Bridge-Type Contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Guofu; Bo, Kai; Chen, Mo; Zhou, Xue; Qiao, Xinlei

2016-05-01

Arc plasma jet flow in the air was investigated under a bridge-type contacts in a DC 270 V resistive circuit. We characterized the arc plasma jet flow appearance at different currents by using high-speed photography, and two polished contacts were used to search for the relationship between roughness and plasma jet flow. Then, to make the nature of arc plasma jet flow phenomena clear, a simplified model based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory was established and calculated. The simulated DC arc plasma was presented with the temperature distribution and the current density distribution. Furthermore, the calculated arc flow velocity field showed that the circular vortex was an embodiment of the arc plasma jet flow progress. The combined action of volume force and contact surface was the main reason of the arc jet flow. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51307030, 51277038)

Explosion of thin aluminum foils in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baksht, R.; Pokryvailo, A.; Yankelevich, Y.; Ziv, I.

2004-12-01

An inductive-based power supply (240μH, 50kA) was used for the investigation of the foil explosion process in the time range of 0.05ms