A large volume discharge produced by a stable 12-phase alternating current (AC) arc plasma is preferable to melt the granulated glass materials for time and energy saving. The discharge behaviour and the high-temperature region of the plasma system can be controlled by the electrode configurations. In this study, the spatial characteristics of the arc discharge were examined by image analysis with a high-speed camera. The melting characteristics of alkali-free glass particles were investigated by microscope and X-ray diffractometry. Results show the arc existence area is strongly related to the electrode configuration. Distributions of in-flight powders and the spatial characteristics of arc are important factors when using multiphase AC arc for in-flight melting. This study provides information of efficient particle treatment according to the electrode configuration.
