This paper is dedicated to the calculation of the radiative properties of 82%argon-18%CO2 thermal plasmas with the addition of metallic vapors (iron, in the present case, due to workpiece and wire erosion), this mixture being representative of metal active gas (MAG) arc welding processes. These radiative properties are obtained in the frame of the net emission coefficient (NEC) theory, using the recent and accurate “line by line” method. All significant radiative contribution mechanisms are taken into account in the calculation: atomic lines, atomic continuum (radiative attachment, radiative recombination, and bremsstrahlung), molecular bands for diatomic and polyatomic molecules, and molecular continuum. Broadening phenomena (Doppler and pressure effects) are also carefully treated for bound-bound transitions (atomic lines and molecular bands). Regarding 82%Ar-18%CO2 plasma, the results obtained demonstrate the key role of molecular bands at low temperatures (T < 4 kK), whereas the atomic line and continuum prevailed at intermediate and high temperatures. With the addition of a few percentages of iron vapor, it was shown that the total NEC is significantly increased (especially at low temperatures) and that the atomic and ionic lines become dominant in all the studied temperature ranges (3−30 kK). This theoretical study will constitute a groundwork to build a diagnostic method (based on the calculation of partial NECs for accurately chosen spectral intervals) for the determination of plasma temperature and iron vapor concentration in welding arcs.
Keywords: Ar-CO2-Fe plasmas; metal active arc welding; metal vapor; molecular emission; radiative properties.