Numerical Simulation of Arc Initiated Jet Flow*

Arc discharges under atmospheric pressure are often used for nanomaterial synthesis (e.g. boron nitride/carbon nanotubes or fullerenes). Feedstock for nanomaterial synthesis is produced by ablation of the arc electrodes, creating a jet that propagates from the inter-electrode gap into the ambient background gas [1]. Flow patterns in the jet were obtained analytically using boundary layer theory. Theoretical limits were verified via comparison to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. These simulations were based on a full set of Navier-Stokes equations and were, in turn, validated via comparison to experimental data [1]. For this research, the effects of gas density variation (caused by gas cooling and feedstock condensation) on the flow pattern were studied both analytically and numerically. Additionally, the jet shape distortion caused by free convection of the surrounding gas (heated by the electrodes) was studied.

[1] S. Yatom et. al, "Synthesis of nanoparticles in carbon arc: measurements and modeling", MRS. Comm. (2018), published online, doi:10.1557/mrc.2018.91.