Probe measurements in argon plasma jets operated in ambient argon

Measurements of local enthalpies and velocities have been performed in plasma jets generated by a DC plasma spray torch, using an enthalpy probe. The torch has been operated in an argon confined atmosphere at different currents and argon flow rates.⁽¹⁾ The validity of the measured enthalpy and velocity profiles has been checked by performing energy flux and mass flux balances, which show reasonable agreement between the input quantities, measured independently, and those obtained by integrating over the experimental profiles. The data are compared with those obtained by operating the same torch in ambient air. The results show that temperatures and velocities measured in pure argon are substantially higher than those in air, and consequently, the jets in argon appear wider and substantially longer.     

Some perspectives on the modeling of plasma jets

A mathematical representation is developed describing the temperature and the velocity profiles and mixing in a plasma jet discharging into ambient air. In the model, realistic allowance is made for turbulent behavior, the temperature-dependent property values, and also for the boundary conditions, including entrainment. The more precise definition of the boundary conditions, mixing, and entrainment are thought to be important novel features of this work. The theoretical predictions were found to be in good agreement with measurements reported by Vardelle regarding the behavior of a nitrogen plasma, but the agreement was less satisfactory for an argon plasma jet. Possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed.Notation C ₁,C ₂,C _D constants inK- turbulence model - h enthalpy - H ₁ length of integration region - H ₂ width of integration region - K turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass - m mass concentration of plasma - Q _f mass flow rate of plasma gas for flat inlet profiles - Q _P mass flow rate of plasma gas for parabolic inlet profiles - P _w torch power - r radial coordinate - R ₀ internal radius of torch exit - S source term for dependent variable - S _R radiation loss per unit volume of plasma - T _a ambient temperature - T _m maximum temperature - T _t torch tip temperature - u velocity inz-direction - u _{C 1} velocity at and in the direction of the symmetry axis of the flow - u _m velocity of plasma atr=0 andz=0 (maximum velocity) - u axial direction velocity difference across the width of the mixing region - v velocity in r direction - Y radial width of the mixing region - z axial coordinate - density - , _e, _t molecular, effective, and turbulent viscosities, respectively - dissipation rate of turbulence energy - thermal efficiency of plasma torch - Prandtl/Schmidt number forh, K, , andm Visiting Fulbright Scholar and Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, on leave from the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Punjab University, Lahore-20, Pakistan.     

Identification of the laminar-turbulent transition process in a plasma plume

This paper illustrates the complete dynamics of the laminar-turbulent transition process in a plasma plume using a simple measurement of the magnation-point heat flux correlated with acoustic, optical, and voltage drop fluctuations. In the laminar flow regime a steady jet is produced and the heat fluxes are accurately predicted hr laminar correlations. The initial stage of transition is characterized by the formation of axisymmetric structures and velocity fluctuations which increase the heat flux over laminar correlations. This is followed by a rapid decrease in heat flux as the vortex structures become more intense and rapidly entrain external air into the plume. The plume oscillations (acoustical and voltage drop) become most intense and are identical in frequency at the point of minimum heat flux. The transition is complete which the transition to small-scale turbulence in the exiting boundary layer which results in dec reased entrainment and increased heat flux.     

Determination of the arc-root position in a DC plasma torch

The behavior of an arc operated in the nontransferred mode with a conical-shaped cathode and a nozzle-shaped anode is studied by applying general tyro-dimensional conservation equations and auxiliary relations for the simulation of arc channel flows. The position of the arc-root attachment at the anode surface is determined by using Steenbeck's minimum principle, which postulates a minimum arc voltage for a given current and certain given boundary conditions. The overall effects of the anode-arc root on the plasma flow are, studied by comparing the results with those of the transferred mode of operation. Specific arc-channel diameters are chosen in the simulation in order to verify flit, numerical model through comparisons with experimental results. The results show that Steenbeck's minimum principle is useful for determining the position of the arc-root attachment at the anode surface. Application of this method for control of the arc-anode attachment may be valuable in the design and operation of plasma spray torches to avoid jet instabilities.     

Fast deposition of amorphous hydrogenated carbon films using a supersonically expanding arc plasma

Experiments concerning the growth rate and quality of an amorphous hydrogenated carbon film deposited in a reactor based on the supersonic expansion of an arc plasma are reported. In order to be able to calculate the deposition rate, an existing flow model has been completed with chernical reaction rate equations. The methane gas that is injected in the arc appears to be dissociated and ionized completely. The calculated deposition rates agree well with the experimental values obtained within-situ ellipsometry. The growth rates are an order of magnitude larger than those reported in the literature. Still, the film quality, expressed in terms of refractive index, optical bandgap, and hardness, is similar to those obtained by other authors.     

The influence of side groups and polarity of polymers on the kind and effectiveness of their surface modification by air plasma action

The changes of contact angle (θ) and surface free energy (γ_S) under low-temperature air plasma in the polymers of different chemical structure and polarity (polyethylene, PE; polypropylene, PP; poly(ethylene terephtalate), PET and poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA) pointed out to the greater effect of short-time plasma action (5-15 s) on these parameters as compared to longer times of exposure.The non-reversion effect of θ changes caused by plasma in PE and PP suggests that the oxidation processes mainly decide about values in nonpolar polymers. The significantly greater θ changes in PE than those in PP indicate that the side groups present in the main chains impede oxidation of such a polymer by plasma.The reversion of θ changes in PET and in PMMA, and return of these values to almost the initial ones after 10 min storage proves that the main reason for θ changes in polar polymers is a certain alteration of the chain conformation.These changes, taking place after longer plasma treatment, suggest that the side ester groups in PMMA retard the above-mentioned conformational transformations. Then, in both kinds of polymers (polar and nonpolar) the structure of macrochain decides about the efficiency of reaction caused by plasma, and at the same time the side groups retard not only the oxidation processes but the conformational changes as well.     

In-tube solid-phase microextraction based on hybrid silica monolith coupled to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for automated analysis of ten antidepressants in human urine and plasma

A rapid, sensitive and automated in-tube solid-phase microextraction-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (in-tube SPME/LC-MS) method was developed for the analysis of ten antidepressants in urine and plasma. A hybrid organic-inorganic silica monolith with cyanoethyl functional groups was prepared and used as a sorbent for in-tube SPME. Integration of the sample extraction, LC separation and MS detection into a single system permitted direct injection of the diluted urine or plasma after filtration. Under the optimized conditions, good extraction efficiencies for the targets were obtained with no matrix interference in the subsequent LC-MS. Automation of the sampling, extraction and separation procedures was realized under the control of a program in this study. The total process time was 30 min and only 30 μL of urine or plasma was required in one analysis cycle. Good linearities were obtained for ten antidepressants with the correlation coefficients (R) above 0.9933. The limits of detection (S/N=3) for ten antidepressants were found to be 0.06-2.84 ng/mL in urine and 0.07-2.95 ng/mL in plasma. The recoveries of antidepressants spiked in urine and plasma were from 75.2% to 113.0%, with relative standard deviations less than 16.5%. The developed method was successfully used to analyze urine sample from ageing patients undergoing therapy with antidepressants.     

Multielement trace determination in SiC powders: assessment of interlaboratory comparisons aimed at the validation and standardization of analytical procedures with direct solid sampling based on ETV ICP OES and DC arc OES

The members of the committee NMP 264 “Chemical analysis of non-oxidic raw and basic materials” of the German Standards Institute (DIN) have organized two interlaboratory comparisons for multielement determination of trace elements in silicon carbide (SiC) powders via direct solid sampling methods. One of the interlaboratory comparisons was based on the application of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry with electrothermal vaporization (ETV ICP OES), and the other on the application of optical emission spectrometry with direct current arc (DC arc OES). The interlaboratory comparisons were organized and performed in the framework of the development of two standards related to “the determination of mass fractions of metallic impurities in powders and grain sizes of ceramic raw and basic materials” by both methods. SiC powders were used as typical examples of this category of material. The aim of the interlaboratory comparisons was to determine the repeatability and reproducibility of both analytical methods to be standardized. This was an important contribution to the practical applicability of both draft standards. Eight laboratories participated in the interlaboratory comparison with ETV ICP OES and nine in the interlaboratory comparison with DC arc OES. Ten analytes were investigated by ETV ICP OES and eleven by DC arc OES. Six different SiC powders were used for the calibration. The mass fractions of their relevant trace elements were determined after wet chemical digestion. All participants followed the analytical requirements described in the draft standards. In the calculation process, three of the calibration materials were used successively as analytical samples. This was managed in the following manner: the material that had just been used as the analytical sample was excluded from the calibration, so the five other materials were used to establish the calibration plot. The results from the interlaboratory comparisons were summarized and used to determine the repeatability and the reproducibility (expressed as standard deviations) of both methods. The calculation was carried out according to the related standard. The results are specified and discussed in this paper, as are the optimized analytical conditions determined and used by the authors of this paper. For both methods, the repeatability relative standard deviations were <25%, usually ~10%, and the reproducibility relative standard deviations were <35%, usually ~15%. These results were regarded as satifactory for both methods intended for rapid analysis of materials for which decomposition is difficult and time-consuming. Also described are some results from an interlaboratory comparison used to certify one of the materials that had been previously used for validation in both interlaboratory comparisons. Thirty laboratories (from eight countries) participated in this interlaboratory comparison for certification. As examples, accepted results are shown from laboratories that used ETV ICP OES or DC arc OES and had performed calibrations by using solutions or oxides, respectively. The certified mass fractions of the certified reference materials were also compared with the mass fractions determined in the interlaboratory comparisons performed within the framework of method standardization. Good agreement was found for most of the analytes.