Study of the electrode erosion in powerful, single-chamber, three-phase alternating-current plasma torches

The paper compares two types of alternating-current (AC) plasma torches of different power and application that fundamentally differ in the design of the electrodes and operate with plasma-forming gases such as air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, helium, etc. The work experimentally studies the processes of the erosion of the material of the plasma torch electrodes intended for the heating of various gases (air, nitrogen, etc.) at pressures up to $8$ MPa and up to average temperatures of $6000$ K with a thermal efficiency of $60$–$85\%$.