Investigation of In-Flight Glass Melting by Controlling the High-Temperature Region of Multiphase AC Arc Plasma

A large volume discharge produced by a stable 12‐phase alternating current (AC) arc plasma is preferable to melt the granulated glass materials for time and energy saving. The discharge behavior and the high‐temperature region of the plasma system can be controlled by the electrode configurations. In this study, the spatial characteristics of the arc discharge were examined by image analysis with a high‐speed camera. The melting characteristics of alkali‐free glass particles were investigated by microscope and X‐ray diffractometry. This is the first time to investigate the relationship between spatial characteristics of plasma and glass particle property. Results show the arc existence area is strongly related to the electrode configuration. Distributions of in‐flight powders and the spatial characteristics of arc are important factors when using multiphase AC arc for in‐flight melting. This study provides information of efficient particle treatment according to the electrode configuration.