Petr Synek, Adam Obrusník, Lenka Zajíčková, Simon Hübner, Sander Nijdam
On the interplay of gas dynamics and the electromagnetic field in an atmospheric Ar/H2 microwave plasma torch
Plasma Sources Science and Technology 24 (2015) 025030
A numerical model describing complex gas dynamics and the electromagnetic field in an atmospheric-pressure microwave plasma torch is presented. The torch operates either in pure argon or in a mixture of argon and hydrogen. The electromagnetic field and gas dynamics models are coupled in a novel way and the gas temperature calculated from the model is validated against Rayleigh scattering measurements. The work also contains relatively extensive spatially-resolved Stark broadening measurements of the electron density in Ar/H2 plasma since the electrondensity is required as the experimental input to the numerical model. One of the most notable conclusions drawn from the model is the non-monotonic change in the gas temperature and hydrogen dissociation degree with hydrogen flow rate. These quantites are important for the material depositions in the MPT. In addition, the model shows that the power absorption profile in the plasma has two distinct maxima. This provides an interesting insight into the plasma sustainment mechanism.
This article may also be available to you online
DOI: 10.1088/0963-0252/24/2/025030
You can also contact one of the authors: synek@physics.muni.cz, adamobrusnik@physics.muni.cz, lenkaz@physics.muni.cz