Abstract: Method of controlling the wear of at least one of the electrodes of a plasma torch including two electrodes having the same main axis, and being separated by a chamber designed to receive a plasma-generating gas, and at least one element for generating a magnetic field placed locally to the at least one electrode for which the control of wear is sought, in which the arc root is made to sweep longitudinally over a portion of the surface of this electrode from an initial position until the arc root reaches a defined final position of the portion, the longitudinal progression of the arc root being defined by a function dependent on at least the time, f(t), which is fixed.

Abstract: Method of controlling the wear of at least one of the electrodes of a plasma torch including two electrodes having the same main axis, and being separated by a chamber designed to receive a plasma-generating gas, and at least one element for generating a magnetic field placed locally to the at least one electrode for which the control of wear is sought, in which the arc root is made to sweep longitudinally over a portion of the surface of this electrode from an initial position until the arc root reaches a defined final position of the portion, the longitudinal progression of the arc root being defined by a function dependent on at least the time, f(t), which is fixed.

Abstract: Treating a synthesis gas includes generating a plasma jet from a non-transferred arc torch having a main axis, the jet having a propagation axis that is substantially collinear with the main axis of the torch. The plasma torch is mounted on a feed enclosure. The syngas is received at an inlet port of the feed enclosure, the inlet port being downstream from he plasma torch and feeding the syngas so the flow encounters the plasma jet to mix the syngas and plasma jet. The mixture is propagated in an elongate reactor placed downstream from the inlet port to convert the syngas into an outlet gas. The reactor is in communication in its upstream portion with the feed enclosure and has a longitudinal axis that is substantially collinear with the propagation axis of the plasma jet. The outlet gas is extracted via an outlet port.