Plasmatreat Tech-Tips #1 – Nozzle and Electrode life

I thought I would produce a series of blog entries outlining some of the most common technical questions I receive regarding Plasmatreat equipment. 

The internal electrode in the plasma jet and the nozzle at the tip of the jet are wear items.  The plasma arc begins at the inner electrode and ends at the nozzle and because of this, over time, some material is removed from both. 

In addition to the above wear, the nozzle experiences the plasma stream blasting through the opening at end of it and this causes the nozzle orifice to increase in diameter.

The normal life of each of these components is approximately 3000-5000 hours depending upon the amount of plasma energy being used and the quality of the air being fed to the system. 

Plasmatreat has developed an ingenious method for monitoring this wear and indicating to the operator or maintenance staff that the nozzle is in need of replacement.  The air pressure developed inside of the plasma jet will drop as the diameter of the exit orifice on the nozzle increases.  By monitoring this pressure and comparing its value against predetermined limits, a warning can be displayed indicating nozzle wear. 

So by keeping the air supply to the Plasmatreat equipment clean and dry, (three stage filtering to 0.3 um is sufficient), you can obtain the maximum life out of both electrode and nozzle. And by incorporating the pressure feedback option, you can have the system indicate to you when it is time to change the nozzle. 

 

 

 

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