Measurement of Some Arc Characteristics at 1000 Atmospheres Pressure

Abstract

By an oscillographic method the total arc voltage e is measured as a function of arc current i at high pressure in a 1500-volt d.c. circuit in which i (in the 1–7 ampere range) is independent of changes in e. The e-i characteristics are taken for copper electrodes in nitrogen up to 1275 atmospheres pressure, with the result that e increases two times at p=100 atmos. and five times for p=1000 atmos. The pressure effect in helium is similar to nitrogen. Attempts to obtain measurements in hydrogen showed a striking instability of the hydrogen arc at high pressure.