Beatrice Lang
An electric arc is a device where an electric current flows between two points called electrodes. The electric arc is the visible plasma between the two electrodes that is caused when the electrical current ionizes gases. Electric arcs can be used in welding, lighting, and plasma cutting. In this paragraph, we will explore the meaning of an electric arc, its applications, and its significance in various industries.
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What You'll Learn
Electric arc welding
Arc welding is a type of fusion welding that can be used to join two or more metals of varying types, thicknesses, and shapes. It is a versatile process that can produce strong and reliable welds, making it a common technique in manufacturing and assembling products and infrastructure. The method is widely used in various industries, including automotive, shipbuilding, construction, and aerospace.
The arc is formed between the electrode and the base material, with the electrode acting as either a consumable or non-consumable component. In consumable electrode processes, the electrode itself melts and becomes part of the weld. In contrast, in non-consumable electrode methods, the electrode solely conducts the current without melting. The electrode can be made of a material compatible with the base material and is often covered in a flux coating that provides a shielding gas and slag to protect the weld area from contamination.
Arc welding can be performed manually, semi-automatically, or fully automatically. The process can be powered by either direct (DC) or alternating (AC) currents, with the current and voltage affecting the heat input and arc length, respectively. Constant current power supplies are commonly used for manual welding, while constant voltage power supplies are typically employed for automated welding processes.
Different types of arc welding include shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW or MIG welding), tungsten inert gas welding (TIG welding), and submerged arc welding (SAW). Each method has unique characteristics, such as the use of shielding gas or flux-filled electrodes, that make it suitable for specific applications.
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Electric arc lamps
An electric arc is a device where an electric current flows between two electrodes, creating visible plasma. This plasma is caused when the electrical current ionizes gases. Electric arcs can be used in welding, lighting, and plasma cutting. They are also used in lamps, where they produce a significant amount of light.
The carbon-arc lamp was one of the first electric lights, but its harsh, intense output usually limited its use to lighting large areas. It was discovered that unenclosed carbon-arc lamps produced large amounts of infrared and harmful ultraviolet radiation not found in sunlight. However, by encasing the arc in a glass globe, many of these invisible rays could be blocked.
Despite these improvements, carbon-arc lamps were soon displaced by safer, more efficient, versatile, and easier-to-maintain incandescent and gas-discharge lamps. Today, carbon-arc lamps are primarily used in applications that require a close approximation of sunlight, such as testing materials, paints, and coatings for wear, fading, or deterioration.
One example of an arc lamp is the Yablochkov candle, invented by Russian engineer Paul Yablochkov. This lamp was used for street lighting in Paris and other European cities from 1878.
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Electric arcs in nature
An electric arc is a device where an electric current flows between two points called electrodes. The electric arc is the visible plasma between the two electrodes that is caused when the electrical current ionizes gases in the air. Electric arcs produce a significant amount of light and heat, and they can be used in lamps, welding, and other forms of lighting.
Electric arcs occur in nature in the form of lightning. They can also be created by humans for use in welding, lighting, and plasma cutting. The first continuous arc was discovered in 1802 by a Russian scientist named Vasily V. Petrov, who was experimenting with a copper-zinc battery consisting of 4200 discs. In the late 19th century, electric arc lighting was widely used for public lighting. However, the tendency of these arcs to flicker and hiss was a problem that was later explained by Hertha Marks Ayrton in 1895.
An electric arc is formed by increasing the current through a normally non-conductive medium such as air, which produces a plasma that may emit visible light. The breakdown voltage of the electrode gap depends on the pressure, distance between electrodes, and type of gas surrounding the electrodes. When an arc forms, its terminal voltage is lower than a glow discharge, but the current is higher. Arcs in gases near atmospheric pressure are characterized by visible light emission, high current density, and high temperature.
The process of creating an electric arc involves initiating a breakdown of the gas between the electrodes, which can be done through thermionic or field emission. Once the arc is formed, it relies on the thermionic emission of electrons from the electrodes supporting it. The heat generated by the electric arc can be used to melt and join metals in welding. The arc can also be used to transport the molten metal to the workpiece from the tip of the electrode.
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Electric arcs and circuit breakers
An electric arc is a device where an electric current flows between two electrodes. The arc is the visible plasma between the two points, caused when the electrical current ionizes gases. Electric arcs can be used in welding, lighting, and plasma cutting. They can also be used in lamps and other forms of lighting due to the significant amount of light produced.
In the context of circuit breakers, an arc can occur between separating contacts under load, maintaining current flow until quenched. This phenomenon is an extremely complex electro-thermo-hydrodynamic process. During normal circuit breaker operation, the arc is continually changing. It is dynamically lengthened, heated, and cooled. The dynamic changes in the arc's physical and thermal state also lead to changes in its electrical state.
Arcing faults can pose challenges to traditional current-based protection methods, resulting in delayed protection and increased risks to workers and equipment. To address this, arc fault circuit breakers, or arc fault circuit interrupters, are used to detect and interrupt the circuit when loose electrical arcs are identified. These sensors detect low-level dangerous arcing currents and shut off the circuit before an electrical fire can start.
The design of a circuit breaker must consider the dynamic behaviour of the arc, including the interaction between the breaker and the electrical network. The main design criteria for a circuit breaker is to provide appropriate arc-quenching technology to ensure quick and safe current interruption. This involves understanding the ionization and deionization processes of the gas between the contacts, as well as employing various pressure and cooling methods to manage the arc media.
In summary, electric arcs are conductive paths of electricity that can occur in circuit breakers, and arc fault circuit breakers are essential safety devices to prevent electrical faults and fires caused by arcing.
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Electric arc furnaces
An electric arc is a device where an electric current flows between two points called electrodes. The electric arc is the visible plasma between the two electrodes that is caused when the electrical current ionizes gases. Electric arcs produce a significant amount of light and heat and are therefore used in welding, lighting, and plasma cutting.
EAFs differ from induction furnaces, where the charge is heated by eddy currents. In an EAF, the charged material is directly exposed to an electric arc, and the current from the furnace electrodes passes through the charged material. Technological developments have increased the power and productivity of EAFs, making them extremely efficient and flexible.
EAFs are capable of melting different charge mixes, from 100% scrap to 100% DRI/HBI, and all combinations in between. They are widely used in steelmaking and were especially important during World War II for the production of alloy steels. EAFs have a low capital cost, allowing them to compete with larger steel mills.
To produce one ton of steel in an EAF, approximately 400 kilowatt-hours (1.44 gigajoules) per short ton or about 440 kWh (1.6 GJ) per tonne are required. A modern EAF can produce 80 tonnes of liquid steel in approximately 50 minutes, while a basic oxygen furnace can produce 150-300 tonnes in 30-40 minutes.
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Frequently asked questions
An electric arc is a visible plasma discharge between two electrodes, caused by an electrical current ionizing gases in the air.
Electric arcs produce a significant amount of light and heat. They can have different colours depending on the type of material they are made from.
Electric arcs can be created manually or mechanically, and they occur in nature as lightning. They are also used in various industrial processes, such as welding, lighting, and plasma cutting.
Electric arcs are used in welding to create intense heat (around 6500°F) to melt and join metals. The arc can be created with either a consumable or non-consumable electrode, using either direct (DC) or alternating (AC) currents.
