A plasma cutter is a tool which uses the accelerated jet of hot plasma to cut through many kinds of materials. It creates highly precise, quick cuts, and its efficiency even increases with complicated, curved, and angled cuts. The materials for cutting include aluminum, stainless steel, conductive metals, and some other kinds.
So you may imagine partially the temperature of a plasma cutter when it can work well on most conductive materials. But exactly How hot is a plasma cutter and how do researchers measure its temperature? Let’s figure it out now!
What is Plasma?
Did you know that, behind gas, plasma is the second-highest state of matter? Solid matter transforms into liquid, gas, and finally plasma. The temperature that each stage achieves is the primary distinction between them.
Depending on the temperature, the molecules in the first three states move further apart, from being packed closely together as a solid to floating apart as a gas. The electrons separating from the molecules in plasma advance the process of separation. By creating an electrical force in the process, it does this and, unlike gas, unites the molecules into a single entity.
As the electrons split off, a powerful electrical force keeps them all together to create the searing state of matter known as plasma.
DO YOU NEED GAS FOR A PLASMA CUTTER?
For a plasma cutter to function and produce plasma, gas is required.
The most often used gases are, as already noted, oxygen, nitrogen, or argon. A few plasma cutter systems include multi-gas capabilities, allowing a range of gases to be employed for various purposes.
Depending on the type of metal you are cutting, different gases are employed.
Due to its ability to cut steel at the quickest rate of any plasma gas, oxygen has come to be the standard gas used for cutting steel.
When it comes to cutting aluminum and stainless steel, nitrogen is the greatest option since it can produce exceptional cut quality.
When it comes to cutting aluminum and stainless steel, nitrogen is the greatest option since it can produce an exceptional cut quality.
Argon is the hottest burning plasma, making it perfect for cutting thick stainless steel and aluminum.
Clean, dry shop air is suggested as a more affordable option since it can cut through mild, stainless, and aluminum steel.
What Does the Future Hold for Plasma Cutting?
High-end plasma cutters can consume metal plates at a pace of 200 inches per minute while producing heat of 40,000° F, although some scientists have observed plasma reaching temperatures of about 10 trillion degrees F. Even though it’s doubtful anyone would want to utilize that heat to cut a metal plate, this demonstrates the potential of revolutionary plasma technology. The potential for using this extraordinary state of matter is enormous.
The plasma cutter’s current drawback is that it leaves dross, or molten metal residue, on the cut corners of the material. On the other hand, laser and water cutting devices provide a clean-cut surface, requiring little to no finishing work after usage. To make such precise cuts, many welders surely wish they had a laser or water cutter in their operations. These cutters, however, cost a lot more money, are not portable, and cut three to one hundred times more slowly than plasma cutters. Although they are used by many manufacturers, these characteristics make them unsuitable for the normal workplace.
However, with the advent of the laser and the clean finish of the water cutter in the engineering world, the use of plasma cutters in this field of technology will undoubtedly advance. Their efficiency will be unmatched by the other machines that are emerging if they can generate smoother cuts at the same or a quicker rate.
HOW HOT DOES A PLASMA CUTTER GET?
An amazing 25,000 degrees Celsius is the maximum temperature that a plasma cutter’s heat can attain. It is hotter than the surface of the sun, which is a pleasant 5,505 degrees Celsius, to put this into perspective.
When utilizing a plasma cutter, safety must always come first. The flame may cause severe eye damage if you look directly into it, and it can swiftly sever skin, muscle, and bone. To maintain employee safety, it’s crucial that you choose the proper PPE for the job, which may include helmets, safety boots, gloves, eye protection, and respiratory protective equipment.
Remember that it is frequently unnecessary to operate a plasma cutter’s highest heat setting, and doing so will consume a considerable quantity of electricity. If at all possible, keep it on the lowest heat setting, and avoid leaving it on for too long. For the sake of your safety and the health of your power bill, just use the machine briefly.
Find Answers for Question: How Hot Is a Plasma Cutter?
How Is the Temperature of the Plasma Cutter Flame?
The temperature of the flame from the plasma cutter is estimated to be around 25,000 degrees Celsius or 45,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
To imagine the terrific temperature of the plasma flame, just compare it to the heat from the Oxy-fuel machine. Commonly, that kind of machine can generate the flame with 5,000 degrees Celsius or 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Now you can see the plasma’s flame is about 5 times as hot as that of Oxy-fuel’s flame. What a huge number!
This fact explains why a plasma cutter can work much more precisely and quickly than any other metal cutting machines. There is also a strict notice that all users must wear protective clothing, especially for eyes, when working with the plasma cutter. Your eyes can get hurt if you look directly at the plasma’s flame with bare eyes.
To produce such a high temperature, the plasma cutter needs to consume the relative amount of electricity. Therefore, your electricity bill will cost a fortune if you don’t use the tool wisely!
Is It Hotter than the Temperature of the Sun?
The Sun is the hottest planet in the universe, but is it hotter than a plasma cutter? The answer is NO. Scientists have measured the temperature of both the surface and the atmosphere around the Sun and estimated that it is around 5505 degrees Celsius and 9941 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the meantime, a plasma’s flame can reach the temperature of 25,000 degrees Celsius or 45,000 degrees Fahrenheit. So, the Sun can “do” nothing in this competition with the plasma’s flame. There must be five Suns altogether to get equal heat to that of plasma’s flame.
Can it Compare to the Temperature of the Earth’s Core?
The Earth’s core is proved to be hotter than the Sun, but can it compare to that of the plasma cutter? Though the Earth’s core is hotter than the Sun, which is about 6000 degrees Celsius (10,800 degrees Fahrenheit), it’s not enough to compare with the plasma cutter.
You may think there is nothing hotter than the Sun or the Earth’s core on Earth, but now you know one thing – plasma.
Conclusion – Plasma Is the Hottest Thing Ever
The answer to the question: “how hot is a plasma cutter” is now revealed. The plasma is the hottest thing ever, which is even hotter than the Sun and the Earth’s core.
Because of the extremely high heat of plasma, make sure to wear all kinds of safety equipment before working with the plasma cutter.
The heat that the plasma cutter creates makes it a terrible risk for anyone who isn’t careful, despite how entertaining and practical it is for cutting metal. If you burn the plasma over your finger, a plasma cutter will probably not melt your finger off. Due to the intense heat that travels beneath the metal being cut, it would cause serious harm if your finger were underneath the metal you were cutting.
Think about the 40,000° F you have available to you the next time you use a plasma cutter. It’s really hot indeed. Please feel free to post any comments or inquiries below.