Correlation of radius of cathode spot of vacuum arc of metals on the size of generated droplets

The simple relation to estimate the cathode spot radius of a vacuum arc of pure metals is obtained. On its basis, is established between the cathode spot radius and the size of droplets generated by the cathode spot a correlation. This enables to find ways to reduce droplets in the plasma flow, which forms coatings by the vacuum electric arc method. The paper presents the results of experimental study of the droplet sizes depending on the vacuum arc current iд. The size and amount of the droplets on an area of 1 mm2 of the coating surface are determined using the ImageSP program. As the initial data, the microstructures of the coatings are used with an increase of: ç100, ç200, ç500, ç1000, ç1500. The droplets have been generated by a cathode spot of a vacuum arc for the alloy of the composition, at.%: 68Al–8Cr–4Nb–20Si. It is established that the number of droplets with a diameter of < 2 μm is generated most of all, and the number of droplets with a diameter > 10 μm is generated least of all. The number of generated droplets with a diameter from 2 to 10 μm slightly depends on the arc current iд. It is noted that the diameter of the alloy droplet is smaller than the diameter of the droplets generated by the cathode spot on its components due to the fact that the radius of the cathode spot on the alloy is smaller than the radius of the cathode spot on its pure components.

Study of ion separation mechanism in the multi-component vacuum arc discharge

The separation phenomenon of light and heavy ions was widely observed experimentally in the vacuum arc discharge with multi-component composite cathode. In this work, a two-dimensional axisymmetric multi-fluid model is used to study the separation mechanism in the multi-component composite cathode vacuum arc. The multi-component vacuum arcs are simulated as a whole which includes separate cathode spot jets, the mixing region, and common arc column. The results show that the plasma jets originated from the separate cathode spot mix together to form a common arc column after a certain distance from the cathode. Due to the rapid increase of ion temperature dozens of times in mixing region of cathode spot jet, the effect of pressure gradient becomes far greater than that of the collisions between light and heavy ions. This leads to a shift in the predominant ion motion mechanism from ion-ion collision (single cathode spot jet region) to pressure expansion (the mixing region). Finally, the light ions gain higher velocities under pressure expansion. In addition, the effect of thermal conductivity and viscosity leads to the wider high temperature regions for light ions, thus making a wider distribution of corresponding ion flux. The numerical results are qualitatively consistent with the experimental results. This paper provides an insight into ion separation mechanism in the multi-component vacuum arc.

Simulation of thermal processes on the electrode of a miniature protective spark gap

The article discusses the issues that arise when determining the temperature in the region of the cathode spot in miniature protective spark gaps. The modeling principle is used to study the temperature field on the spark gap electrode. A mathematical model of the process is compiled on the basis of the balance of power entering the cathode spot and its removal inside the cathode due to thermal conductivity. A numerical solution of the obtained nonlinear heat equation with inhomogeneous boundary conditions by the finite-difference method is presented. The authors compared the found temperatures in the cathode spot for metals of the fourth and fifth groups of the Mendeleev's Periodic Table with the corresponding melting points of the selected metals. A complete correlation was obtained between these temperatures. Simulation of thermal processes in the region of the cathode spot on the electrode made of 42NA-VI alloy has been carried out. The results are presented in the form of diagrams.