An electric arc in a helium flow in a high-current plasmatron

Experimental studies of an electric arc in a helium flow are described. A generalized dependence of the electric field on the determining criteria has been obtained on the basis of the experimental data, and a plasmatron has been designed on the basis of the technique developed. Its thermal efficiency is 0.68–0.74, and the mass-averaged temperature of the helium flow is T = 3700–4200 K. The plasmatron can be used in various technological processes involving energy conversion.