Where's the Plasma in Plasma Cutting

So my kid asked me over dinner last night "where's the plasma in plasma cutting?". I have no idea. I don't even know if a plasma cutter really involves actual fully ionized matter or if the word is just hype. Are there any web sites out there that explain this, or can someone tell me?

Thanks.

Reply to
Tim Wescott
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A plasma is an ionized gas that is conducting electricity.

In a modern plasma cutter, dry compressed air is forced through the torch head between the central electrode and the outer cup. Since there is a potential charge between the 2 the compressed air becomes ionized. As it exits through the small hole in the outer cup the air stream is formed into a jet of ionized gas that will now conduct electricity between the inner electrode and the base metal. When this circuit is completed the jet becomes a plasma at around

24,000degF which will vaporize any metal.

What allows modern plasma cutters to use compressed air rather than pure nitrogen, is the Hafnium button in the center of the electrode.

A lightning bolt is a plasma. A potential charge builds up between the earth and the sky. The air becomes ionized and ZAP, the lightning grounds between the 2.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Thanks Ernie.

I knew what a plasma is, but until now all I knew about plasma cutters is that air and electricity goes in one end, and metal cutting comes out he other (well, and that I want to get one some day to replace the cutting torch).

Do you know any websites with pretty pictures of the action, so I can show my kid?

Reply to
Tim Wescott

These guys have the most information on the process.

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Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

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