Progress in Plasma Processing of Materials, 1999

ISBN Print: 1-56700-126-2

INVESTIGATIONS OF THE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE PLASMATRON WITH THE EXPANSION CHANNEL AS ELECTRODE

DOI: 10.1615/ITPPC-1998.30
pages 13-18

Abstract

In many modern plasma-technology units: plasmatrons, circuit breakers, plasma torches, plasma furnaces, most processes are closely connected with some non-steady irregularities or plasma turbulent phenomena. The term "plasma turbulence" may denote a considerably broader spectrum of non-steady random processes than the classical turbulence. The mechanisms of the hydrodynamic classical turbulence in non-electrically conducting gases or perfectly conducting liquids might not be applicable in low temperature plasma flows, especially in plasmas with chemical and ionization reactions and Joule heat release. In this work problems associated with the origin of the turbulence in low temperature strongly collisional plasmas produced in plasmatrons are discussed. The main goals of this discussion are: 1) the experimental investigation of voltage and electric current fluctuations in the plasmatron with the expansion channel as the outlet electrode, 2) the nature of fluctuations and their connection with instabilities in plasmatrons.