Numerical simulation of particle-laden plasma flow in a pipe under an RF electromagnetic field

The present study is conducted to provide various fundamental data for torch and reactor designs, furthermore optimum operating conditions of plasma particle processing. A plasma jet is described by an Eulerian approach and each injected particle is described by a Lagrangian approach respectively, taking into account the compressibility, variable transport properties and plasma particle interactions coupled with Maxwell's equations. The effects of an applied radio-frequency electromagnetic field, nozzle angles, particle sizes, operating pressures, particle injection velocities and the injection locations on particle characteristics are clarified by numerical simulation as a parametric study. It is concluded that the particle trajectory and the particle velocity are influenced effectively by operating pressures and nozzle angles. Furthermore, the particle temperature can be controlled strongly by applying a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the nozzle.