Fluid dynamic modelling of electric arcs for industrial applications

Abstract

This paper presents recent developments on fluid dynamic computations performed at Electricité de France in the frame of industrial applications of arcs, like steel making electric arc furnaces, metal bath heating by a transferred arc plasma torch installed for tundish or ladle heating, and also high voltage circuit breakers in SF6. The simulations have been carried out using our numerical tools, Mélodie, ESTET and N3S codes. The attention has been paid on modelling of radiative transfer, using partial characteristics for SF6 and discrete transfer for air or argon .