GENERATING ELECTRIC ARC, WHICH DIRECTLY AREALLY THERMALLY AND MECHANICALLY ACTS ON MATERIAL, AND DEVICE FOR GENERATING ELECTRIC ARC

Abstract

A generating electric arc is disclosed herein, which thermally and mechanically acts on a material in such a manner that the electrical arc is shaped and guided by the action of a magnetic field and hydro-mechanical forces on the electrical arc. Generally, a substantial part of the electric arc acts directly and areally on a conductive and/or non-conductive material to be disrupted, a substantial part of the electric arc's heat flow is directed into the material to be disrupted, both electric arc roots move on the electrodes of a generator, and the electric arc has preferably a shape of a spiral. A device is also provided herein for generating an electric arc with thermal and mechanic action on a material containing axially symmetrical electrodes, i.e. an anode (4) and a cathode (6), a spark gap (7), nozzles (5) for the working medium flow, cooling media inlet and outlet (12), electric power supply (14), and ring-shaped magnets (9) whose section has the shape of a triangle. Typically, the anode (4) has the shape of the diffuser with an angular span from 5 to 130.

Claims

1. A device for generating an electric arc with thermal and mechanic action on material, wherein the device comprises an axially symmetrical electrode assembly comprising an anode (4) having an angular span from 5 to 130; a cathode (6); nozzles (5) for a working medium flow; a cooling media inlet and an outlet (12); an electric power supply comprising a spark gap (7) in a narrowed part of a diffuser; and ring-shaped magnets (9) having a triangular cross-section.

2. The device for generating the electric arc according to claim 1 characterized in that the device further contains permanent magnets (11), wherein the magnets (9) and the permanent magnets (11) are situated in the anode (4) and the cathode (6).

3. The device for generating the electric arc according to claim 1 characterized in that the device further contains electromagnets (16, 17) designed to create time-variable component of the magnetic field.

4. The device for generating the electric arc according to claim 1 characterized in that at least a part of an inner surface (8) of the anode (4), the cathode (6), or a combination thereof is covered with a layer of reflective material.

5. The device for generating the electric arc according to claim 1 characterized in that thermally exposed parts (8) of the anode (4) and the cathode (6) are made of porous ceramics.

6. The device for generating the electric arc according to claim 1 characterized in that the device further contains cooling medium inlets (12) into the anode (4) and the cathode (6) made of layered porous structures through which a cooling medium penetrates surfaces of the anode (4) and the cathode (6) and creates a protective film on the surfaces of the anode (4) and the cathode (6), thereby providing the anode (4) and the cathode (6) with protection and cooling.

7. The device for generating the electric arc according to claim 1 characterized in that parts of the anode (4) and the cathode (6) are made of composite materialscomprising CuW.

Description

OVERVIEW OF FIGURES IN DRAWINGS

[0112] The nature of invention is further clarified in examples of its embodiment which are disclosed in the on the basis of attached drawing, which show:

[0113] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the device for generating an electric arc,

[0114] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the device for generating an electric arc with combination of magnets and electromagnets,

[0115] FIG. 3 shows a front view of the device for generating an electric arc.

EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION EMBODIMENTS

Example 1

[0116] Example of embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 Electric discharge is initiated in the spark gap 7, with the ignition voltage on the power supply 14 ranging from 0 to 10 kV. A spark gap 7 is positioned so that it is possible by means of working medium 13 to overcome the magnetic forces and push out the discharge 1, 2 into the device diffuser chamber. Electric arc 1, 2: consisting of the spiral active part 1 and an axial part 2, is stabilized in the device diffuser by two dominant forces. Lorentz force, due to presence of magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets 9, 11. The size and direction of the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets causes movement of the arc in tangential direction, while also stabilizing electric arc roots 3 on the edge of the anode 4 as well as the cathode 6. Force induced by the fluid flow 13 amplifies the tangential movement that induced by Lorentz force, but mainly causes movement of the electric arc 1, 2 in an axial direction. Geometry of the cathode 6 is designed such that the fluid flow 13 consisting of the working medium causes reduction in pressure at the edge of the cathode 6, whereby like the magnetic field it stabilizes the root 3 of the electric arc 1, 2, which is thus moving in a circle at the edge of the cathode 6. Axial part of the electric arc 2 is stabilized near the axis of the device in the vicinity of the cathode 6. The anode geometry 4 allows the flowing medium to achieve relatively high speeds near the surface 10 of the anode 4. By interaction of the flowing medium and the electric arc 1 the arc discharge is pushed out to the edge of the anode 4 towards the treated material 15. The root 3 of the electric arc moves in a circle along the extended part of the anode 4.

[0117] Stabilized electric arc 1, shaped as a spiral, rotates in close proximity to the material to be disrupted 15. But the heat transfers from the electric arc into components of the device are because of significantly larger distances smaller on the order of magnitude than the heat transfers into the material to be disrupted. The arc spiral 1 works at the same time as a centrifugal pump and removes the evaporated and melted fragments of the disrupted rock in the radial direction out of the device working area. The entire device is cooled with a layered structure of the anode 4 and the cathode 6 and the device casing with parallel supply of cooling media 12. Plasma medium 13 is supplied centrally into the spark gap 7 using nozzles 5.

Example 2

[0118] This example realization is shown in FIG. 2. An electric discharge is initiated in a spark gap 7, with the ignition voltage on the power supply 14 ranging from 0 to 10 kV. The spark gap 7 is positioned so that it is possible by means of working medium 13 to overcome the magnetic forces and push out the electric arc 1, 2 into the device diffuser chamber. Both parts of the electric arc 1, 2, are stabilized in the device diffuser by two dominant forces. The Lorentz force, induced by the presence of a magnetic field generated by permanent magnets 9, 11 and electromagnets 16, 17. The size and direction of the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets causes movement of the arc in tangential direction, while stabilizing the electric arc roots 3 on the edge of the anode 4 as well as the cathode 6. Force induced by the fluid flow 13 amplifies the tangential movement induced by the Lorentz force, but mainly moves the electric arc 2 in an axial direction. The geometry of the cathode 6 is designed such that the fluid flow of the working medium 13 causes a reduction in pressure at the edge of the cathode 6, whereby like the magnetic field it stabilizes the electric arc root 3, which thus moves in a circle at the edge of cathode 6. The anode 4 geometry allows the flowing medium to achieve relatively high speeds near the surface 10 of the anode 4. By interaction between the flowing medium and the conductive channel the electric arc 1 is pushed out to the edge of the anode 4 towards the treated material 15. The electric arc's root 3 moves in a circle along the widened part of the anode 4.

[0119] The arc 1, 2 can be moved in an axial direction by action of the magnetic field generated by electromagnets 16, 17. Components of the magnetic field generated by electromagnets 16, 17 are not constant over time and the fed in power pulses allow relatively rapid changes in direction and size of the total magnetic field intensity. Disclosed changes in the magnetic field cause rapid changes in the movement of the electric arc 2 and thus contribute to the formation of pressure shock wave through electro-hydraulic phenomenon and thereby contribute to the process of disintegration and removal of disrupted rock outside the device space. To enhance the action, the electric arc is brought into contraction prior to the introduction of power pulse. The passage of pressure shock wave initiated by electro-hydraulic phenomenon causes in the vicinity of electric arc reduction in density of the working medium, but its presence at the original density is then renewed by feeding in the new working medium 13.

[0120] Stabilized electric arc 1, shaped as a spiral, rotates in close proximity to the material to be disrupted 15. But the heat transfers from the electric arc into components of the device are because of the significantly larger distances smaller on the order of magnitude than the heat transfers into the material to be disrupted. The arc spiral 1 works at the same time as a centrifugal pump and removes the evaporated and melted fragments of the disrupted rock in the radial direction from the device working area. The entire device is cooled with a layered structure with parallel power supply 12. Plasma medium 13 is supplied centrally using nozzles 5.

[0121] Both electrodes of the generator: the anode 4 and the cathode 6 are made of porous ceramics which performs a protective function by supplying coolant supply and creating protective water film on the surface of the electrodes 8. Electrode surface also contains shape and design features that create reflective surfaces that reflect and direct the heat flow towards material to be disrupted 15. The anode 4 and the cathode 6 are at the edges where the root 3 of the electric arc 1, 2 moves and is stabilized, and the electrodes are made of a CuW composite for better heat resistance and directed thermal conductivity during their cooling, which helps to prolong their life.

THE LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0122] 1. Spiral active part of the electric arc [0123] 2. Axial part of the electric arc [0124] 3. Roots of the electric arc [0125] 4. Anode/its composite part highlighted by dashed line/ [0126] 5. Nozzles for the working medium [0127] 6. Cathode [0128] 7. Spark gap and input channel for the working medium [0129] 8. Protective and reflecting surface of the electrode [0130] 9. Permanent magnet of the anode [0131] 10. Inner distributing wall of the anode [0132] 11. Magnet of the cathode [0133] 12. Coolant inputs and outputs [0134] 13. Working plasma medium/steam/ [0135] 14. Power supply for an device generating electric arc [0136] 15. Material to be disrupted/treated material [0137] 16. Electromagnet of the anode [0138] 17. Electromagnet of the cathode [0139] 18. Composite (CuW)