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 method comprising: generating electric arc with thermal and mechanic action on a material, being formed between electrodes of a generating device in a spark gap characterized in that the electrical arc is shaped and guided by an action of a magnetic field, composed of an external magnetic field and of an electric field of the electric arc, and hydro-mechanical forces, which are created by an interaction of a smoothly expanding working medium with the electric arc, on the electrical arc generated between the electrodes forming an axially symmetrical electrode assembly, in such manner that: a substantial part of the electric arc acts directly and areally on conductive material, non-conductive material, or a combination thereof to be disrupted, a substantial part of a heat flow from the electric arc is directed into the conductive material or the non-conductive material to be disrupted, at least part of the electric arc is formed into a shape of a spiral, wherein a pair of electric arc roots are moved on the electrodes of the generating device.

2. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the electrical arc is shaped and guided in such manner that, by interaction of the magnetic field and the hydro-mechanical forces, a substantial part of the electric arc is moved and is directed and pushed outside the space of the generating device towards a rock to be disrupted.

3. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that at least one of the electrodes having the shape of the diffuser provides an increase of an area through which the working medium flows and thus a heat-exposed surface of the electrodes on which roots of the electric arc move is increased.

4. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the magnetic field and the hydro-mechanical forces are set by their characteristic parameters in such a manner that a part of the electric arc is stabilized near an axis of the device in the vicinity of a cathode.

5. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that distribution and orientation of the magnetic field allows an increased effect of force action on the electric arc in a narrowed part of at least one of the electrodes by the magnetic field located before a region where a cathode narrows by curving or an axial part of the magnetic field has an orientation opposite to orientation of an axial part of the magnetic field in the diffuser.

6. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that increased level of intensity of the magnetic field in interaction with the hydro-mechanical forces generates intensive force action in the spark gap (7) and thereby the electric arc is spun and pushed out of the spark gap (7) and thus the spark gap (7) is protected against melting.

7. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the magnetic field acts on the electric arc in such manner that an arc root on the electrodes moves in a circular path.

8. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that part of the electric arc shaped as a spiral rotates in a discoid space and can be moved in axial direction.

9. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the electric arc is moved along a surface shaped as a circular ring comprising a first symmetry axis, wherein the device comprises a second symmetry axis, wherein the first symmetry axis is identical to the second symmetry axis.

10. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that a power pulse is fed into the electric arc in operation mode working in a gaseous medium or an aqueous medium to generate a pressure shock wave, wherein the electric arc is induced into contraction prior to the introduction of power pulse.

11. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that a radiation component of the heat flow directed into the device is reflected from reflection surfaces with high degree of reflection and heat resistance and thereby increases energy flow towards the conductive material or non-conductive material to be disrupted, in the direction in which the electric arc is transferred.

12. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that following passage of a pressure shock wave initiated by an electro-hydraulic phenomenon, a reduction in density of the working medium occurs in the vicinity of the electric arc, wherein working medium comprises an original density, wherein the original density is subsequently restored by further input of the working medium.

13. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that characteristic parameters of the magnetic field and the hydro-mechanical forces are set in such a manner that, by their interaction with the electric arc, a part of the electric arc situated near a cathode is stabilized in such a manner that an axis of symmetry of the part of the electric arc is parallel to an axis of the device, so as to widen an active, spiral part of the electric arc over a surface of the material to be disrupted.

14. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that concurrent action of the magnetic field and hydro-mechanical forces a root of the electric arc near an anode to an outer edge of the anode so as to widen an active part of the electric arc.

15. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the electric arc shaped as a spiral rotating under the influence of the magnetic field and the hydro-mechanical forces acts by centrifugal forces also on a disrupted material located in the space between the device and the material to be disrupted, and thus the disrupted material is removed from this area.

16. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that a cooling medium is supplied to a surface of the electrodes to protect the electrodes from heat.

17. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the magnetic field is amplified by a magnet situated on a cathode.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the spiral of the electric arc exhibits a speed of rotation, further comprising increasing the magnetic field intensity to thereby increase the speed of rotation and the centrifugal forces on the disrupted material.

Description

OVERVIEW OF FIGURES IN DRAWINGS

(1) 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:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the device for generating an electric arc,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the device for generating an electric arc with combination of magnets and electromagnets,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a front view of the device for generating an electric arc.

EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION EMBODIMENTS

Example 1

(5) 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.

(6) 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

(7) 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.

(8) 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.

(9) 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.

(10) 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

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