Investigation of the Properties of a Two-Jet Arc Plasma Torch to Obtain a Metal Powder

The article describes the main characteristics of an arc plasma torch designed for the production of metal powders, such as voltage, current, plasma-forming gas flow rate, plasma flow temperature. On the basis of experimental data and theoretical calculations, mathematical models are constructed to refine the determining characteristics, as well as visualize the process. The mathematical model contains a spray chamber, an electrode rotation mechanism, a gas mixture supply unit, a plasma heating source, a water cooling system of the chamber walls. The method of a rotating electrode with plasma heating (PREP) was used. In this method, a rotating electrode is fed into the spray chamber, where a liquid metal film is formed at the end of the electrode as a result of melting by a plasma arc. The main difference between the described technology lies in the multi-jet execution of the plasma torch, which at the output increases the power of the installation and its productivity.