Investigation of tetrafluoromethane as a plasma gas in a very high pressure/low current dc batch reactor by means of 3D MHD modelling

Abstract : This paper deals with 3D MHD modelling of the behaviour of a tetrafluoromethane (CF4) plasma arc in a batch reactor under peculiar conditions of low current (0.35 A) and very high pressure (50 atm). The first part of the manuscript presents results for a horizontal configuration of the reactor, as is undertaken experimentally. The model has led to the understanding of the instabilities observed experimentally for such unusual operating conditions. The curved shape of the arc and the sliding of the anodic arc root along the electrode have been revealed to be the source of the experimental instabilities. The latter part of the manuscript investigates the effect of two vertical configurations of the reactor; with a cathode at the top and cathode at the bottom to overcome the instabilities. In these reactor configurations, the arc is much more stable and stays centred in the middle of the electrodes. These configurations are more suitable for the stability of the arc discharge, but have to be verified experimentally