Langmuir probe diagnostics of an atmospheric pressure, vortex–stabilized nitrogen plasma jet
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2012-09-19
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Abstract
Langmuir probe measurements in an atmospheric pressure direct current (dc) plasma jet are
reported. Sweeping probes were used. The experiment was carried out using a dc non–transferred
arc torch with a rod–type cathode and an anode of 5mm diameter. The torch was operated at a
nominal power level of 15kW with a nitrogen flow rate of 25 Nl min 1. A flat ion saturation region
was found in the current–voltage curve of the probe. The ion saturation current to a cylindrical
probe in a high–pressure non local thermal equilibrium (LTE) plasma was modeled. Thermal
effects and ionization/recombination processes inside the probe perturbed region were taken into
account. Averaged radial profiles of the electron and heavy particle temperatures as well as the
electron density were obtained. An electron temperature around 11 000 K, a heavy particle
temperature around 9500K and an electron density of about 4 1022m 3, were found at the jet
centre at 3.5mm downstream from the torch exit. Large deviations from kinetic equilibrium were
found throughout the plasma jet. The electron and heavy particle temperature profiles showed good
agreement with those reported in the literature by using spectroscopic techniques. It was also found
that the temperature radial profile based on LTE was very close to that of the electrons. The
calculations have shown that this method is particularly useful for studying spraying–type plasma
jets characterized by electron temperatures in the range 9000–14 000 K. VC 2012 American Institute
of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4752886]
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atmospheric pressure, vortex–stabilized nitrogen plasma jet
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