Numerical Simulation of Inductively Coupled Air Plasmas

Detailed magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of plasma flows in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) heater are performed with air as working gas. The plasma flows are numerically solved by axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations coupled with Park’s two-temperature models and Dunn-Kang’s chemical kinetic models to take into account thermal and chemical non-equilibrium, while induction heating in plasmas is incorporated by solving time-averaged MHD induction equations. Computations are done by changing operating conditions such as input power and background pressure to examine how plasma properties and wall heat fluxes inside discharge chamber depend on these parameters. Numerical results are compared with those of spectroscopic measurement. Good agreement is obtained in downstream region where the flow is in local thermal equilibrium, however, discrepancy of electronic temperature between the simulation and the experiment is found in the discharge chamber where Joule heating is significant.