Nozzle with exposed vent passage

A nozzle for a plasma torch comprising:

• a body having an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a void defined by the interior surface of the body;
• a liner completely disposed within a first portion of the void and adjacent the interior surface of the body;
• and
• at least one plasma gas vent hole extending from the interior surface of the body to the exterior surface of the body, wherein the at least one plasma gas vent hole is directly exposed to a second portion of the void, the at least one vent hole disposed between the proximal end of the body and the proximal end of the liner.

A nozzle for a plasma torch comprising:

• a body having a proximal end, a distal end and an exit orifice disposed at the distal end;
• a liner having a proximal end, a distal end and an exit orifice disposed at the distal end of the liner and adjacent the exit orifice of the body;
• a plasma gas vent channel defined at least in part by a portion of the body and the liner;
• at least one plasma gas vent hole formed in the body, the at least one vent hole disposed between the proximal end of the body and the proximal end of the liner;
• and
• a cavity having a first end corresponding to the proximal end of the body and a second end corresponding to a feature of the liner, wherein the length of the first end of the cavity to the second end of the cavity is at least ⅓ the length of the proximal end of the body to an entrance of the exit orifice of the body.

A swirl ring for a plasma torch that includes a plasma chamber defined by a nozzle and an electrode, the swirl ring comprising:

• a body having a proximal end and a distal end and an exterior surface and interior surface;
• an inner gas chamber formed within the body and defined at least in part by the interior surface of the body;
• a proximal inlet gas opening that provides a gas to the inner gas chamber;
• and
• at least one distal outlet gas port that provides a gas from the inner gas chamber to the plasma chamber and generates a substantially swirling gas flow in the plasma chamber.

A swirl ring for a plasma torch, the swirl ring configured to mate within a portion of a vented nozzle, the swirl ring comprising:

• a body;
• an interior surface of the body defining at least a portion of an inner gas chamber;
• at least one outlet gas port in fluid communication with the inner gas chamber, wherein the at least one outlet gas port provides a swirling plasma gas during operation of the torch;
• and
• an exterior surface of the body defining a portion of a venting channel for vented plasma gas during operation of the torch.

A plasma arc torch comprising:

• an electrode having a distal end face, a proximal end and an exterior surface;
• a nozzle having an outer component, an inner component disposed within the outer component, and at least one plasma gas vent passage formed in the outer component;
• a plasma chamber defined at least in part by the distal end face of the electrode and the nozzle;
• a swirl ring having an exterior surface, an interior surface and at least one swirl hole at a distal end and in fluid communication with the plasma chamber;
• an inner gas chamber defined at least in part by the interior surface of the swirl ring and the exterior surface of the electrode;
• and
• a venting channel that directs a plasma gas to the at least one plasma gas vent passage of the nozzle, a first portion of the venting channel defined at least in part by an interior surface of the outer component of the nozzle relative to the exterior surface of the swirl ring and a second portion of the venting channel defined at least in part by the interior surface of the outer component of the nozzle and an exterior surface of the inner component of the nozzle.