G0600-8-2 Removal of Oxide Layer on Inside Surface of Cylindrical Metallic Pipe with Vacuum Arc Discharge

Abstract

As a substitute method for oxide layer removal of metal surface by conventional chemical or mechanical ones, an application of vacuum arc has been studied, hi this method, the oxide layer of metal surface is removed by cathode spots which appear on the cathode surface in low pressure arc. It has been confirmed that flat surface oxide layer can be successfully stripped. In this research, an application of the vacuum arc for the oxide layer removal from a closed surface was investigated, which is entirely different case from the opened surface so far. A cylindrical metallic pipe was chosen for a cleaning object. A cylindrical copper anode was set coaxially in the cylindrical pipe and the removal of oxide layer from the inner surface of the pipe was attempted. Because the distance between the anode and the cathode surface was constant everywhere in this case, very efficient removal of oxide layer from the whole of inside of the metallic pipe can be expected.