US3914575A - Power supplying device for the operation of a gas discharge container - Google Patents

Power supplying device for the operation of a gas discharge container Download PDF

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Publication number
US3914575A
US3914575A US439872A US43987274A US3914575A US 3914575 A US3914575 A US 3914575A US 439872 A US439872 A US 439872A US 43987274 A US43987274 A US 43987274A US 3914575 A US3914575 A US 3914575A
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United States
Prior art keywords
operating voltage
discharge
power supplying
supplying device
container
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Expired - Lifetime
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US439872A
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English (en)
Inventor
Walter Eichler
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Elektrophysikalische Anstalt Bernhard Berghaus
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Elektrophysikalische Anstalt Bernhard Berghaus
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
    • H01J37/32009—Arrangements for generation of plasma specially adapted for examination or treatment of objects, e.g. plasma sources
    • H01J37/32018—Glow discharge
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
    • H02M7/00—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output; Conversion of DC power input into AC power output
    • H02M7/02—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output without possibility of reversal
    • H02M7/04—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters
    • H02M7/12—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
    • H02M7/145—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a thyratron or thyristor type requiring extinguishing means
    • H02M7/155—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a thyratron or thyristor type requiring extinguishing means using semiconductor devices only
    • H02M7/162—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a thyratron or thyristor type requiring extinguishing means using semiconductor devices only in a bridge configuration
    • H02M7/1623—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a thyratron or thyristor type requiring extinguishing means using semiconductor devices only in a bridge configuration with control circuit
    • H02M7/1626—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a thyratron or thyristor type requiring extinguishing means using semiconductor devices only in a bridge configuration with control circuit with automatic control of the output voltage or current

Definitions

  • the power supplying device further comprises a de- 315/111.1, 111.2,111.3,111.4, 111.5, vice monitoring the discharge and in response to 111.6, 111.7, 111.8, 111.9, 136, 127, 119; which the ignition control device further serves as a 323/123, 9, 20, 4; 321/40 quick-action switch interrupting the discharge during a number of periods.
  • An inductance is located in the [56] References Cited primary circuit having such design that the increase of UNITED STATES PATENTS the operating voltage following every zero passage is 2 508 954 5/1950 Latour et al 32) X retarded.
  • the present invention relates to a power supplying device for the operation of a gas discharge container for thetreatment of metallic workpieces, particularly for the operation of an ionitriding furnace, comprising a transformer and'rectifiers for the provision of theopcrating voltage from the alternating or three-phase current supply," with a continuously operating regulating devicefor the operating voltage, a monitoring device for the discharge process during the process, and with a quick-acting 'switch for'the brief interruption of operation when the monitoring device responds.
  • the monitoring device there described is only one of the many known systems for monitoring the operating condition of gas and glow' discharge processes, and further types of such monitoring devices which have provided satisfactory and are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,029.
  • the present current supplying device in which the alternating currentis rectified to provide the operating voltage constitutes a particularly simple and .inexpensive design 'which'employs the effect of the-brief interruptionof the discharge atevery zero' passage of the rectified operating voltage while avoiding the-aforementioned disadvantages.
  • a a I The power supplying device according to the invention is characterized by the combination of:
  • F IG. 1 shows a simplified circuit schema of the power supplying device supplying an ionitriding furnace
  • FIG. 2 shows the diagram of the curve of the operating voltage plotted against time.
  • a metallic underpressure container 10 with a gas inlet 11 and a gas outlet 12 accommodates the workpiece 13 which is e.g. to be ionitrided by means of a glow discharge in a nitrogenous atmosphere.
  • the metallic workpiece 13 is connected, via a metallic coupling member 14, to the inner conductor of an insulated current lead-in 15 shown diagrammatically and of which the exterior connection 16 represents the negative pole of the power supplying device.
  • the other pole 17 of the power supplying device is connected to the metallic container 10 and ground.
  • the operating voltage U is applied between the connections 16 and 17 of which the variation in time is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 2.
  • the voltage U is applied via the voltage divider formed by the resistances l8, 19 to the monitoring device 20. Also the voltage drop at the series resistance 21- in the supply line to the connection 17 is applied to the device 20.
  • the function of this monitoring device requires no detailed explanation since it is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,029.
  • a control unit 22 which determines, in accordance with the known phase shifting method, the switch on point of the thyratron or thyristor rectifiers 28, 29, 30, 31 during each half period. This point can be manually set by the regulator 23 diagrammatically indicated.
  • the rectifiers 28, 29, 30, 31 constitute a full-wave rectification for the alternating voltage of the secondary side 27 of the transformer 26.
  • This device which is known in itself functions as follows: As soon as the monitoring device 20 responds because of a major irregularity in the glow discharge on the workpiece 13, the control unit 22 receives a control impulse. Thereupon the control unit 22 causes the alternating voltage in the secondary circuit to remain interrupted after the zero passage next following during the time of a predetermined number of periods as mentioned before. The starting is effected again only by a second control impulse which is automatically supplied by the monitoring device 20 after a delay time which can there be adjusted.
  • an inductance for example an iron choke coil 24, in the primary circuit 25 of the transformer 26, between the transformer and the power supply.
  • Filtering or suppression means for suppressing high-frequency interference by the rectifiers 28, 29, 30, 31 may be used in addition. The action of the inductance 24 will be described below,
  • the power supplying device according to FIG. 1 described above would be entirely suitable, also without the iron choke coil, for the perfect operation of a glow and gas discharge process of the type described since the monitoring device' 20, the control unit 22 and the adjustable rectifiers 28, 29, 30, 31 ensure that, when disturbances in the discharge process occur, the operating voltage U remains off after the next zero passage during the time of a predetermined number of half-waves until the rectifiers 28, 29, 30, 31 ignite again depending on the adjusting of the monitoring device 20.
  • the number of arising disturbances is so high, particularly during the starting process at the beginning of the ionitriding operation, that this process may extend over many hours owing to the frequency disconnections.
  • the utilization of the ionitriding furnace involved is undesirably reduced by the greatly extended starting period, which necessitates the installation of additional ionitriding facilities where an ionitriding operation has a predetermined capacity.
  • the present power supplying device with the control unit 22 and the inductance 24 provided in the primary circuit removes this undesirably high extension of the starting process without involving defects in the workpieces treated.
  • the discharge process is discontinued at point 33 before the zero passage of the operating voltage U, after the discharge ignition voltage U is negatively exceeded.
  • This discharge process will normally start again as the operating voltage U increases after reaching the ignition voltage U of the discharge at point 34.
  • the period t, of discharge interruption at the zero passage of the operating voltage U normally lasts only a millisecond or less and is too brief to enable defects on the workpiece surfaces to decay so that, when the operating voltage U has passed the point 34, such defects remain active and will result in the response of the monitoring device 20 and thus in said predetermined number of periods of disconnection of the discharge container 10.
  • inductance 24 in the primary circuit 25 makes it possible that the increase of the operating voltage U after the zero passage occurs later.
  • an inductance causes a change of the phase position of the voltage, in the present embodiment of the voltage applied to the rectifiers 28 to 31, which effects a retardation of the reincrease of the operating voltage U,,.
  • the ignition of the discharge occurs now only at point 35, so that a discharge interruption time is results instead of the smaller interruption time t, if no such an inductance is provided.
  • the discharge interruption time 1 may be adjusted to the degree of purity of the workpiece surface by means of a suitable design of the inductance in combination with the monitoring device 20 and the control unit 22.
  • a starting process of up to 5 hours isfrequently observed.
  • an inductance 24 is included in the primary circuit which is in this embodiment an iron choke coil having 3, 2 mHy and 20 kVA power dissipation, the starting process for the same type of workpieces may be reduced to about k to 2 hours.
  • the saving of 2 to 3 hours starting time constitutes a substantial improvement of the efficiency of the nitriding furnace involved since the amount of products to be nitrided is increased by about 25 to 40 per cent if the facility is operated continuously.
  • the interruption time t is adjusted during the starting process in accordance with the power requirements for heating the workpieces and kept not lower than about 6 or 7 ms. With increasing degrees of purity I, may then be reduced until about t, 2 ms is reached in normal operating condition. This value should not be negatively exceeded.
  • a power supplying device for the operation of a gas discharge container particularly an ionitriding container, containing metallic workpieces to be treated, said device being supplied from an alternating-current power source, comprising a transformer, the primary circuit of which is connected to said power source, a rectifying device comprising controlled rectifiers, the input of said rectifying device being connected to the secondary circuit of said transformer, the output of said rectifying means providing direct operating voltage between said workpieces and the housing of said container, a monitoring device connected between said workpieces and said container for monitoring said operating voltage and the operating current, the output of said monitoring device being connected to the input of a regulating and switching device for said operating voltage, the output of said regulating and switching device being connected with said rectifying device in combination, the improvement comprising:
  • said rectifying device comprising a fullwave bridge having four controlled rectifier elements
  • the inductance is an iron choke coil.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Solid-Phase Diffusion Into Metallic Material Surfaces (AREA)
  • Arc Welding Control (AREA)
  • Discharge Heating (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
  • Generation Of Surge Voltage And Current (AREA)
US439872A 1973-02-19 1974-02-06 Power supplying device for the operation of a gas discharge container Expired - Lifetime US3914575A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH235773A CH561285A5 (en)) 1973-02-19 1973-02-19

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US3914575A true US3914575A (en) 1975-10-21

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US (1) US3914575A (en))
JP (1) JPS49113242A (en))
AT (1) AT335014B (en))
BE (1) BE810982A (en))
BR (1) BR7401198D0 (en))
CA (1) CA1002613A (en))
CH (1) CH561285A5 (en))
DD (1) DD107192A1 (en))
DE (1) DE2346053A1 (en))
ES (1) ES423369A1 (en))
FR (1) FR2218687B1 (en))
GB (1) GB1463557A (en))
IT (1) IT1006250B (en))
LU (1) LU69416A1 (en))
NL (1) NL7402226A (en))
PL (1) PL90222B1 (en))
RO (1) RO68758A (en))

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2657078A1 (de) * 1975-12-29 1977-07-07 Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd Einrichtung zur ionennitrierung
US4035603A (en) * 1976-03-31 1977-07-12 Union Carbide Corporation Fault detector system for starting plasma arc working apparatus
US4330700A (en) * 1980-03-25 1982-05-18 Peter Jagieniak Plasmaburner with contact protection
FR2497038A1 (fr) * 1980-12-19 1982-06-25 Frager Jean Generateur de courant asservi en puissance, notamment pour processus de decharge dans une atmosphere rarefiee
DE3123214A1 (de) * 1981-06-05 1983-01-05 Evgenij Leizerovič Agres Verfahren und einrichtung zum steuern einer chemischthermischen behandlung von werkstuecken in einer glimmentladung
US4476373A (en) * 1978-10-06 1984-10-09 Wellman Thermal Systems Corporation Control system and method of controlling ion nitriding apparatus
US4853046A (en) * 1987-09-04 1989-08-01 Surface Combustion, Inc. Ion carburizing
US5127967A (en) * 1987-09-04 1992-07-07 Surface Combustion, Inc. Ion carburizing
US5241152A (en) * 1990-03-23 1993-08-31 Anderson Glen L Circuit for detecting and diverting an electrical arc in a glow discharge apparatus
US20080203087A1 (en) * 2005-10-14 2008-08-28 E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau Gmbh Method for operating an induction heating device
US20090078686A1 (en) * 2007-09-25 2009-03-26 Rayzr, Llc Plasma arc ignition using a unipolar pulse

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4103324A (en) * 1976-12-22 1978-07-25 Airco, Inc. Saturable reactor-type power supply
BG29362A1 (en) * 1979-03-11 1980-11-14 Minchev Apparatus for chemical- thermal processing of matal articles in the condition of electrical smouldering charge
FR2471079A1 (fr) * 1979-11-28 1981-06-12 Frager Jean Generateur de courant a haute puissance auto-stabilisee, notamment pour l'alimentation de processus faisant intervenir une decharge dans une atmosphere gazeuse rarefiee
DE3316742C2 (de) * 1983-05-07 1985-05-30 Horst Dipl.-Ing. Linn (FH), 8459 Hirschbach Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Behandlung von Oberflächen und oberflächennahen Schichten von Werkstücken, insbesondere für zahntechnische und medizinische Zwecke, aus elektrisch leitendem Material
DE3330702A1 (de) * 1983-08-25 1985-03-07 Vsesojuznyj naučno-issledovatel'skij, proektno-konstruktorskij i technologičeskij institut elektrotermiČeskogo oborudovanija, Moskva Verfahren zur chemisch-thermischen behandlung von erzeugnissen mit hilfe einer glimmentladung und anlage zu deren durchfuehrung
DE3514690A1 (de) * 1985-04-24 1986-10-30 Aeg-Elotherm Gmbh, 5630 Remscheid Gleichspannungsquelle fuer anlagen zur oberflaechenbearbeitung von werkstuecken, insbesondere fuer eine ionitrierhaertanlage

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2508954A (en) * 1943-02-03 1950-05-23 Merlin Gerin Electric discharge device with auxiliary electrode
US3189747A (en) * 1962-06-05 1965-06-15 Hunt Electronics Company Circuit for controlling thyratron type devices either individually or as a group
US3205426A (en) * 1962-06-27 1965-09-07 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Regulated power supply
US3270272A (en) * 1961-06-24 1966-08-30 Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co Ltd Rectifying apparatus for producing constant voltage
US3579029A (en) * 1966-11-08 1971-05-18 Berghaus Elektrophysik Anst Monitoring circuit for a high-intensity glow discharge for metallurgical processes
US3582755A (en) * 1968-10-09 1971-06-01 Asea Ab Control system for converters
US3593105A (en) * 1969-09-03 1971-07-13 Allis Louis Co Phase sequence insensitive firing circuit
US3737763A (en) * 1972-04-13 1973-06-05 Gen Electric Voltage distortion detection and control for hvdc converter
US3746966A (en) * 1971-02-02 1973-07-17 Asea Ab Current converter control system
US3781508A (en) * 1970-09-18 1973-12-25 Messer Griesheim Gmbh Apparatus for plasma welding

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1255321A (en) * 1968-03-11 1971-12-01 Lucas Industries Ltd Surface diffusion processes using electrical glow discharges

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2508954A (en) * 1943-02-03 1950-05-23 Merlin Gerin Electric discharge device with auxiliary electrode
US3270272A (en) * 1961-06-24 1966-08-30 Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co Ltd Rectifying apparatus for producing constant voltage
US3189747A (en) * 1962-06-05 1965-06-15 Hunt Electronics Company Circuit for controlling thyratron type devices either individually or as a group
US3205426A (en) * 1962-06-27 1965-09-07 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Regulated power supply
US3579029A (en) * 1966-11-08 1971-05-18 Berghaus Elektrophysik Anst Monitoring circuit for a high-intensity glow discharge for metallurgical processes
US3582755A (en) * 1968-10-09 1971-06-01 Asea Ab Control system for converters
US3593105A (en) * 1969-09-03 1971-07-13 Allis Louis Co Phase sequence insensitive firing circuit
US3781508A (en) * 1970-09-18 1973-12-25 Messer Griesheim Gmbh Apparatus for plasma welding
US3746966A (en) * 1971-02-02 1973-07-17 Asea Ab Current converter control system
US3737763A (en) * 1972-04-13 1973-06-05 Gen Electric Voltage distortion detection and control for hvdc converter

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2657078A1 (de) * 1975-12-29 1977-07-07 Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd Einrichtung zur ionennitrierung
US4035603A (en) * 1976-03-31 1977-07-12 Union Carbide Corporation Fault detector system for starting plasma arc working apparatus
US4476373A (en) * 1978-10-06 1984-10-09 Wellman Thermal Systems Corporation Control system and method of controlling ion nitriding apparatus
US4330700A (en) * 1980-03-25 1982-05-18 Peter Jagieniak Plasmaburner with contact protection
US4446560A (en) * 1980-12-19 1984-05-01 Jean Frager High power electric generator, especially adapted for powering processes involving discharge in a rarified atmosphere
DE3151241A1 (de) * 1980-12-19 1982-08-05 Frager Jean Leistungsgesteuerter stromgenerator
FR2497038A1 (fr) * 1980-12-19 1982-06-25 Frager Jean Generateur de courant asservi en puissance, notamment pour processus de decharge dans une atmosphere rarefiee
DE3123214A1 (de) * 1981-06-05 1983-01-05 Evgenij Leizerovič Agres Verfahren und einrichtung zum steuern einer chemischthermischen behandlung von werkstuecken in einer glimmentladung
US4853046A (en) * 1987-09-04 1989-08-01 Surface Combustion, Inc. Ion carburizing
US5127967A (en) * 1987-09-04 1992-07-07 Surface Combustion, Inc. Ion carburizing
US5241152A (en) * 1990-03-23 1993-08-31 Anderson Glen L Circuit for detecting and diverting an electrical arc in a glow discharge apparatus
US20080203087A1 (en) * 2005-10-14 2008-08-28 E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau Gmbh Method for operating an induction heating device
US8415594B2 (en) * 2005-10-14 2013-04-09 E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau Gmbh Method for operating an induction heating device
US20090078686A1 (en) * 2007-09-25 2009-03-26 Rayzr, Llc Plasma arc ignition using a unipolar pulse
US7982159B2 (en) 2007-09-25 2011-07-19 Kaliburn, Inc. Plasma arc ignition using a unipolar pulse

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1463557A (en) 1977-02-02
JPS49113242A (en)) 1974-10-29
NL7402226A (en)) 1974-08-21
IT1006250B (it) 1976-09-30
AT335014B (de) 1977-02-25
BE810982A (fr) 1974-05-29
FR2218687B1 (en)) 1977-06-10
PL90222B1 (en)) 1977-01-31
ATA126874A (de) 1976-06-15
ES423369A1 (es) 1976-06-01
BR7401198D0 (pt) 1974-10-29
RO68758A (ro) 1981-09-24
CH561285A5 (en)) 1975-04-30
CA1002613A (en) 1976-12-28
DE2346053A1 (de) 1974-09-05
DD107192A1 (en)) 1974-07-12
LU69416A1 (en)) 1974-05-29
FR2218687A1 (en)) 1974-09-13

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