TEMPERATURES OF METALLIC AND AR ATOMS IN AR ARC PLASMA ON MELTING OF METAL

In order to examine the effect of metallic vapor on temperature of Ar plasma, graphite, pure iron and Fe-5mass%Mn alloy were melted in Ar ar e plasma as an anode material. The high speed and high sensitive multi -channel monochromator was used for measurement of intensity of spectr al lines. Based on these intensities, distribution of temperatures of metallic and Ar atoms were calculated. Measured temperature of metalli c atom was different from that of Ar atom, and local thermal equilibri um was not established. The temperatures bf Ar atom in the center of a re column were about 9000K, 11000K and 9000K for graphite, pure iron a nd Fe-5mass%Mn alloy, respectively. This is due to the different plasm a current density and electric conductivity of plasma. The details of configuration of plasma column and plasma current characteristic were discussed.