ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISATION OF VERY HIGH PRESSURE Ar/H2 LOW CURRENT ARC DISCHARGE

The characterisation of low current - high pressure tip-tip arc discharges in hydrogen - argon mixtures is presented. Main investigated parameters are : inter-electrode gap, mean arc current, H-2/Ar mixture ratio and pressure. This was comprised between 0.1 MPa to 15 MPa. Mean arc voltage increases with pressure, H-2/Ar mixture ratio and inter-electrode gap. The V - I curves shows typical non-thermal behaviour of the discharge. The high pressure seems having only poor influence on the non-thermal regime arc transition.