Numerical Simulation of Arc Properties in Argon and Helium Plasmas

The software of ANSYS was used to simulate the argon arc and helium arc. By pre-processing, solution, after treatment, the arc shape of argon and helium was simulated. The comparison of the distribution of temperature field between argon and helium arcs shows that the helium arc is more constricted than the argon arc in the radial distance. The numerical results show that:the helium arc does not have the bell shape typical of argon TIG arcs, it is spherical; while the maximum temperature of helium arc is lower than that of argon arc, but the average temperature of helium arc is higher than that of argon arc. The results are explained by referring to the thermodynamic and transport properties of the argon and helium plasmas.