Numerical Simulation of Plasma-Dynamical Processes in the Technological Inductively Coupled RF Plasmatron with Gas Cooling

• Main Authors: Yu. M. Grishin, L. Miao
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: MGTU im. N.È. Baumana 2016-01-01
• Series: Nauka i Obrazovanie
• Subjects: ICP; parameters of plasma; structure of streamflow; vortex
• Online Access: http://technomag.edu.ru/jour/article/view/864

<p>The electrodeless inductively coupled RF plasmatron (ICP) torches became widely used in various fields of engineering, science and technology. Presently, owing to development of new technologies to produce very pure substances, nanopowders, etc., there is a steadily increasing interest in the induction plasma. This generates a need for a broad range of theoretical and experimental studies to optimize the design and technological parameters of different ICP equipment.</p><p>The paper presents a numerical model to calculate parameters of inductively coupled RF plasmatron with gas-cooling flow. A finite volume method is used for a numerical solution of a system of Maxwell's and heat transfer equations in the application package ANSYS CFX (14.5). The pseudo-steady approach to solving problems is used.</p><p>A numerical simulation has been computed in the application package ANSYS CFX (14.5) for a specific design option of the technological ICP, which has a three-coils inductor and current amplitude in the range J к = 50-170 A (3 MHz). The pure argon flows in the ICP. The paper discusses how the value of discharge current impacts on the thermodynamic parameters (pressure, temperature) and the power energy in discharge zone. It shows that the ICP can generate a plasma stream with a maximum temperature of about 10 kK and an output speed of 10-15 m/s. The work determines a length of the plasma stream with a weight average temperature of more than 4 kK. It has been found that in order to keep the quartz walls in normal thermal state, the discharge current amplitude should not exceed 150 A. The paper shows the features of the velocity field distribution in the channel of the plasma torch, namely, the formation of vortex in the position of the first coil. The results obtained are important for calculating the dynamics of heating and evaporation of quartz particles in the manufacturing processes for plasma processing of quartz concentrate into high-purity quartz and polycrystalline silicon.</p>