Plasma arc bulk air heating apparatus

Abstract

A plasma arc heating apparatus is disclosed which is adapted for heating large quantities of air for commercial and industrial uses, and which comprises a housing including an elongate heating chamber, a tubular front electrode mounted at one end of the housing, and a plasma arc torch mounted at the other end of the housing. The torch is mounted for movement toward and away from the front electrode and a power supply system is provided for establishing an arc which extends from a rear electrode in the torch through the heating chamber and to the front electrode at the opposite end of the housing. Structure are also provided for introducing a gas to be heated into the chamber between the torch and the front electrode, and such that the gas is heated by the arc and flows outwardly through the front electrode. To increase the heating capacity of the apparatus, the torch is withdrawn from the front electrode, thereby extending the length of the arc and thus the power available for heating the gas delivered into the chamber. Also, the mass flow rate of the gas entering the heating chamber may be varied as dictated by the heating requirements.