Abstract

The paper reviews the investigation of plasma arc-heaters developed for technological purposes by IMP PAN over the period of last ten years.

The results presented concerns:

• the investigations of electrical and thermal characteristics, 
• the analysis of limiting conditions in the flow of gas with the addition of heat as well as with ionization, 
• the analysis and experimental research of swirl flow through a lozzle, 
• the investigations of the influence of design parameters on the arc-heater characteristics, 
• the preliminary investigations of introducing and heating macroscopic solid particles in a high temperature gas stream,
• the preliminary investigations of extended, gas-stabilized, arc discharge, 
• the application of spectroscopic diagnostic methods for determining the temperature in the plasma torch jet.