Attenuation of laser radiation by the flame of burning hydrocarbons and efficiency of remote cutting of metals

Mobile laser technological complex MLTC-20 with radiation power 20 kW and radiation wavelength 1.07 μm created in SRC RF TRINITI on the base of a three cw fiber Yb lasers is used successfully at remote cutting of the metalworks at carrying out of the emergency-reduction works on the out of control gas wells. In this work the results of the investigation of the possibility and the efficiency of laser radiation application for remote cutting of metals on the emergency oil wells have been presented. Measurements of the mean absorption coefficient of the radiation of a cw fiber Yb laser under its propagation in a flame of burning oil in dependence on radiation intensity have been carried out. It was shown that at the intensity ~104 W/cm2 the absorption coefficient traverses the maximum where its value is equal to ~0.1 cm−1, and at the intensity increasing to the values 105 − 106 W/cm2 it stabilizes on a small level ~510−3 − 10−2 cm−1. It is established that the maximal velocity and the efficiency of remote cutting of the steel plates with a thickness up to 10 mm by the radiation with the intensity 106 W/cm2 exceed these factors at the intensity 104 W/cm2. The possibility of the efficient remote cutting of steel plate with a thickness of 60 mm by laser radiation having the power 7.5 kW and the intensity 105 W/cm2 has been demonstrated.