A predictive model for gas tungsten arc heat source

Gas tungsten arcs are used as heat sources in production processes such as welding and metal deposition.However, the most advanced of the existing gas tungsten arc models still lack predicting the arc temperature observed experimentally, unless imposing a priori the extent of the cathode arc attachment.Possible causes of this problem were investigated. It was concluded that the physical state of the arcing gas tungsten cathode was too simplified by the existing models. This oversimplification results in an overestimation of the cathode arc attachment area and an underestimation of the arc temperature field.An improved model was developed based only on physical criteria. It was tested by comparison with experimental measurements available in the literature. Good agreement with the temperature measured on the cathode surface and within the arc were obtained