Why use plasma coolant?

Why must Plasma Coolant be used in plasma cutting?
Plasma cutting relies on an electric arc with a temperature ranging from 15,000°C to 30,000°C to melt metal, but the equipment itself also faces severe challenges: 
Overheating and deformation of the copper nozzle: After continuous cutting for 10 minutes without cooling, the nozzle orifice expands, causing the arc to spread and the cutting accuracy to decline. 
Electrode ablation acceleration: Tungsten electrodes evaporate at high temperatures. Insufficient cooling can reduce their lifespan from 8 hours to 1.5 hours. 
Power system outage: For every 10℃ increase in the temperature of the IGBT power module, the failure rate doubles. 
Experimental data shows that installing a cooling system can extend the life of the cutting head by 3 to 8 times. (Data source: Hypertherm technical white paper)

The three core functions of plasma cutting coolant
1. Direct heat dissipation
Through a closed-loop circulation system (pump → cutting head → radiator → water tank), the temperature at the nozzle is kept below 80℃. 

2. Ionization Protection
Adding anti-electrolytic agents (such as molybdate) to the plasma cutting coolant forms a protective film on the metal surface, reducing the corrosion of the electrode/nozzle by the electric arc. 

3. Impurity Filtration
Capture metal dust generated during cutting (especially aluminum and stainless steel) to prevent clogging of the 0.8-1.2mm micro cooling channels.

Three Key Tips for Maintaining the Cooling System
1.Regularly monitor the conductivity 

When the electrical conductivity of water exceeds 200 μS/cm, it needs to be replaced (the enrichment of metal ions will accelerate corrosion). 

2.Clean the filter screen every month. 

Use a 50μm precision stainless steel filter screen to prevent alumina particles from clogging the pipeline. 

3.Winter anti-freezing treatment 

The concentration of ethylene glycol should be adjusted according to the lowest temperature (35% concentration is needed for -10℃, and 50% for -25℃).

Plasma cutting coolant is by no means an "optional accessory", but rather a key factor for ensuring cutting quality and reducing overall costs. Selecting an appropriate cooling solution can enhance the equipment's efficiency by over 30%.