Plasma cutting system with efficient components

US9908195B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Hypertherm, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jesse A. Roberts · Colchester, US
• Shreyansh Patel · Lebanon, US
• Stephen T. Eickhoff · Hanover, US
• Justin Gullotta · Brownsville, US
• Qinghua Liu · Houston, US
• Dennis M. Borowy · Hanover, US
• Zheng Duan · Hanover, US
• Ashok V. Retnaswamy · Humble, US
• Sung Je Kim · Beaverton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 30, 2015
• Grant date: Mar 6, 2018
• Expiry date: Feb 4, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05H2245/60
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A plasma cutting system is provided. The system includes a power source configured to generate a plasma arc, and a plasma arc torch connected to the power source for delivering the plasma arc to a workpiece. The plasma arc torch defines a multi-function fluid flow path for sustaining the plasma arc and cooling the plasma arc torch such that the plasma cutting system has a power-to-gas flow ratio of at least 2 kilowatts per cubic feet per minute (KW/cfm). The power-to-gas flow ratio comprises a ratio of power of the generated plasma arc to a total gas flow supplied to the plasma arc torch.