Experimental quantification of the transient heat flux transferred to the electrodes in a carbon nanotubes synthesis reactor

The aim of this work was to determine the energy exchange between the plasma and the electrodes in a carbon nanotubes synthesis reactor by applying an inverse method. Argon was used as plasma gas and the cylindrical electrodes were made of graphite. A space-marching method was used to recover the transient temperature profile in the electrodes and then to quantify the applied heat flux at their surfaces. Due to the high emissivity of graphite, lateral radiation of the electrodes was taken into account in the inverse model. The estimated heat flux deduced from the inverse method was validated by measuring the arc radiation losses obtained with radiant flux sensors. This approach provided power balance in the system. More than 60% of the power injected was transferred to the electrodes.