Arc voltage fluctuations in a direct current （DC） non-transferred arc plasma generator are experimentally studied, in generating a jet in the laminar, transitional and turbulent regimes. The study is with a view toward elucidating the mechanism of the fluctuations and their relationship with the generating parameters, arc root movement and flow regimes. Results indicate that the existence of a 300 Hz alternating current （AC） component in the power supply ripples does not cause the transition of the laminar plasma jet into a turbulent state. There exists a high frequency fluctuation at 4 kHz in the turbulent jet regime. It may be related to the rapid movement of the anode attachment point of the arc.
Stable and axi-symmetrical DC high-intensity transferred arcs with a coaxial water-cooled constrictor tube have been used to study the arc characteristics for many years. All the previous modeling studies concerning the high-intensity transferred arcs were restricted to the near-anode region. Modeling results are presented in this paper concerning the characteristics of the whole high-intensity transferred arc, referring to a recent experiment. It is shown that the computed flow and temperature fields for different flow rates of the working gas are overall similar, but a fully developed flow regime can only be achieved in the water-cooled constrictor tube at low working-gas flow rates. The predicted radial profiles of plasma temperature at the cross section near the constrictor-tube exit compare favorably with available experimental data, but corresponding comparison about the plasma axial-velocity profiles shows appreciable difference, revealing that there may exist considerable errors in the plasma velocity measurements using a sweeping Pitot tube.
