Computational modelling of thermal plasmas for industry

Abstract

Thermal plasma processes are widely used in industrial applications, including arc welding, plasma cutting, plasma spraying, waste treatment and particle spheroidisation. Computational modelling of such processes is widely used by academic researchers and is increasingly used in industry. This paper considers different ways in which academic researchers can assist industry with their modelling requirements. Three case studies based on the author’s work are presented. The first concerns the arc plasma formed in high-voltage circuit breakers. In this case, the thermophysical properties of the plasmas formed from several gas mixtures were calculated and provided to a company for use in their own model. The results obtained played an important role in designing a high-voltage circuit breaker using a gas mixture containing (CF3)2CFCN to replace the standard SF6 gas. In the second case, a model of a plasma waste treatment process was developed and run, and the results of the model were provided to industrial collaborators. The model solved a critical problem in the destruction of ozone-depleting substances by predicting that adding steam to the ozone-depleting substance prevented the formation of other ozone-depleting substances in the process. In the final case, an in-house computational model of arc welding was extended to industrially relevant welding geometries, packaged as Windows software, and then transferred to industrial users. The requirements of each case are considered, and the benefits to the academic researcher and industry are discussed.