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A Novel Radio-Frequency Inductively Coupled Plasma Torch for Material Processing

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A Correction to this article was published on 04 October 2021

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Abstract

A novel radio frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF-ICP) torch has been designed for powder processing with a significant improvement in performance and throughput. The torch features a unique conical geometry which leads to reduced gas and power consumption. Computer simulations in ANSYS Fluent were conducted to model the injection of powder particles into the plasma discharge produced by the RF-ICP torch. The results were used to optimize the conical torch and compare its performance to a conventional RF-ICP torch. It was found that the new conical torch achieves particle spheroidization ratios up to 2 times higher than the conventional torch, due to higher temperatures and an induction zone closer to particles. Additionally, the torch runs at 42% lower gas consumption and can achieve industrially acceptable spheroidization ratios at half the power level of the conventional torch. The results were found to be in good agreement with previous works. This novel design has the potential to provide significant monetary savings and increased productivity to industries currently using RF torches, and potentially attract new industries which can benefit from this technology.

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Acknowledgements

A U.S. patent application (US 63/088,170) has been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on the torch described in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Advanced Coating Technologies, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King’s College Road, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G8, Canada

    Patrick Mirek, Sina Alavi & Javad Mostaghimi

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  1. Patrick Mirek
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  2. Sina Alavi
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  3. Javad Mostaghimi
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Correspondence to Javad Mostaghimi.

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Mirek, P., Alavi, S. & Mostaghimi, J. A Novel Radio-Frequency Inductively Coupled Plasma Torch for Material Processing. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 41, 1547–1566 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-021-10200-8

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