Abstract
This paper provides data of temperature distribution of low-current (5-15A) DC arcs burning through polyethylene (PE) tubes (inner diameter: 2, 4mm). First, the emission coefficient of integrated band head spectra (516.5-516.7nm) of C2 molecule Swan system is calculated as a function of temperature. Secondly, the self-absorption of C2 Spectra in the arc is experimentally evaluated using a Xenon lamp located behind the arc. The emission intensity is also measured across the arc. Then, the emission coefficient is calculated through the Abel's inversion method in which the absorption is taken into account. Finally, the radial temperature distribution of the arc is obtained by comparing the measured emission coefficient with the calculated emission coefficient. As a result, the temperature of the arc at off-axis is found to be 2, 500-5, 000K. This is very low compared with the temperatures of wall-stabilized-air-arcs struck under the same conditions. It is also found that the temperature has a tendency to increase as the inner diameter of tube decreases and/or the arc current increases.
