Acoustic stabilization of electric arc instabilities in nontransferred plasma torches

Electric arc instabilities in dc plasma torches lead to nonhomogeneous treatments of nanosized solid particles or liquids injected within thermal plasma jets. This paper shows that an additional acoustic resonator mounted on the cathode cavity allows reaching a significant damping of these instabilities, particularly the Helmholtz mode of arc oscillations. The acoustic resonator is coupled with the Helmholtz resonator of the plasma torch limiting the amplitude of arc voltage variations. It is also highlighted that this damping is dependent on friction effects in the acoustic resonator.