Non-thermal plasma at atmosphere was generated through glidarc discharge driven by magnetic field and observed by using a high speed charge coupled device （CCD） and photo multiplier tube （PMT）. The arc diameter projecting in the direction of arc motion （front-viewed diameter） and the diameter projecting in the perpendicular direction of arc motion （side-viewed diameter） were measured. The effect of both the arc current and the magnetic field was analysed. The front-viewed diameter was compared with the side-viewed one. Simultaneously the electricfield intensity was measured directly and analysed by considering the effect of the external magnetic field and arc current.
A 3-phase a.c. arc plasma reactor with large volume plasma has been developed for the synthesis of new carbon nano-structures. One of the main characteristics of the plasma system is related to the absence of a fixed neutral point. This gives rise to a rich and complex phenomenology related to instabilities and arc motion since the arcs are ＂burning＂ freely in the gas flow between the three electrodes. This paper is dedicated to the analysis of the behavior of such a system under typical conditions using argon and nitrogen as plasma gases. A classification of are configuration, arc commutating, arc interaction, arc motion and arc instabilities are discussed based on ultra high-speed cine camera analysis. A simple model describing the time evolution of the system is also presented and compared with the experimental measurements. The results show that an adequate control could allow the improvement of the overall system.
夏维东Laurent FULCHERIJose GONZALEZ-AGUILAR李辉Thomas M. GRUENBERGER
