Non-equilibrium plasma modeling of Gas Tungsten Arc in middle current range

Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA) is Suitable as a heat source device for many applications because it call stabilize high temperature arc plasma easily by employing shielding gas. In many cases, MHD simulation model assuming the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) is utilized for analyzing property of GTA. Although the LTE assumption is effective to evaluate high temperature region in the arc column, it is difficult to apply it to low temperature region such as the fringe of the arc column or the sheath regions closed to the electrodes due to decrease of energy exchange. In order to consider the effect of chemical reaction between the arc plasma and the material surface, we have developed a simulation model of GTA assuming chemical and thermal non-equilibrium. In this paper, as a first step of the study, heat source property of argon GTA employing a water-cooled copper anode was simulated.