Three-phase arc heater

Claim 1

A three-phase heater system as a high energy heat source, comprising an arc heater having two axially spaced, substantially cylindrical electrodes forming a first intermediate gap therebetween, one electrode comprising a downstream electrode and the other electrode comprising an upstream electrode, a thrid electrode disposed upstream of the intermediate gap, a second intermediate gap between the upstream the electrode and the third electrode, first and second means spacing an elecrically insulating the downstream and upstream electrodes and the upstream and third electrodes, respectively, and comprising means for channeling gas to be heated at a high velocity to the gaps, a three-phase delta-connected power source comprising one conductor for each phase and connected separately to the electrodes, a ground conductor connected to the downstream electrode, a ground conductor connected to the dowsntream electrode, and a gas inlet port disposed at the exit end of the arc heater and having a plurality of peripherally spaced gas inlets extending tangentially to the periphery of a product material flowing from the arc heater, whereby a swirling movement is imparted to the product material.