Models - Plasma.icp Torch
Models - Plasma.icp Torch
Models - Plasma.icp Torch
ICP Torch
Introduction
Thermal plasmas have nowadays a large range of industrial applications including:
cutting, welding, spraying, waste destruction and surface treatment. Thermal plasmas
are assumed to be under partial to complete local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE)
conditions. Under LTE, the plasma can be considered a conductive fluid mixture and
therefore, be modeled using the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations. This
model shows how to use the Equilibrium Inductively Coupled Discharge interface to
simulate the plasma generated in an inductively coupled plasma torch.
Figure 1: Geometry of an inductively coupled plasma torch. The torch is composed of three
concentric quartz tubes in which gas are injected from the bottom and exit from the top
the torch. In this model, a fixed power of 11 kW is transfered to the plasma by a three turn
coil operating at 3MHz.
Note: This application requires the Plasma Module and AC/DC Module.
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Model Definition
This model is based on the work presented in Ref. 1 and uses the following
assumptions:
Figure 2: Schematic of the ICP torch. Flow enters from the base (v1, v2 and v3) and leaves
out the top. The dimensions of the different part of the model are given in the Modeling
Instructions section.
In this model excitation is provided to a three turns coil at 3 MHz. The gas flowing in
the sheath tube (plasma confinement tube) is then ionized by Joule heating.
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conductivity builds up. Steady-state is reached when the coil current stabilized to its
nominal value.
In this model the three different gas stream velocities (v1 for the carrier tube, v2 for
the central tube and v3 for the sheath tube) are composed of pure argon. The
temperature dependent argons physical properties are loaded from the material library
under Equilibrium Discharge. Note that the temperature range of the physical
properties span from 500 K to 25 000K. Note also that a minimum electrical
conductivity has been used to initiate the plasma. The latter has been set to 1 S/m.
Figure 6 displays the magnetic flux norm at steady state (0.1 s). Note that the electrical
conductivity of the plasma screens the magnetic flux as a consequence of the skin
effect.
Figure 7 shows the coil current as a function of the simulation time. The steady state
is reached when the current stabilizes, i.e. around t=0.1 s.
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Figure 6: Norm of the magnetic flux. Note the effect of the resistivity on the penetration of
the field (skin effect).
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Figure 7: Coil current as a function of time for a fixed excitation power. Note the
stabilization of the current density as the system reach the steady state.
Reference
1. S. Xue, P. Proulx and M.I. Boulos, Extended-field electromagnetic model for
inductively coupled plasma, J. Phys. D. 34, 1897, 2001
Modeling Instructions
From the File menu, choose New.
NEW
1 In the New window, click Model Wizard.
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MODEL WIZARD
1 In the Model Wizard window, click 2D Axisymmetric.
2 In the Select physics tree, select Plasma>Equilibrium Discharges>Equilibrium
Inductively Coupled Plasma.
3 Click Add.
4 Click Study.
5 In the Select study tree, select Preset Studies for Selected Physics
Interfaces>Frequency-Transient.
6 Click Done.
ROOT
Select the mm units.
GEOMETRY 1
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) click Geometry 1.
2 In the Settings window for Geometry, locate the Units section.
3 From the Length unit list, choose mm.
GLOBAL DEFINITIONS
Parameters
1 On the Home toolbar, click Parameters.
2 In the Settings window for Parameters, locate the Parameters section.
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GEOMETRY 1
Rectangle 1 (r1)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Settings window for Rectangle, locate the Size and Shape section.
3 In the Width text field, type r_3.
4 In the Height text field, type L_3.
Define the carrier tube.
Rectangle 2 (r2)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Settings window for Rectangle, locate the Size and Shape section.
3 In the Width text field, type d_1.
4 In the Height text field, type L_0.
5 Locate the Position section. In the r text field, type r_1.
Define the central tube.
Rectangle 3 (r3)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Settings window for Rectangle, locate the Size and Shape section.
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Rectangle 4 (r4)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Settings window for Rectangle, locate the Size and Shape section.
3 In the Width text field, type d_3.
4 In the Height text field, type L_3.
5 Locate the Position section. In the r text field, type r_0.
Define the coils.
Circle 1 (c1)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Circle.
2 In the Settings window for Circle, locate the Size and Shape section.
3 In the Radius text field, type d_c/2.
4 Locate the Position section. In the r text field, type r_c.
5 In the z text field, type L_1.
Circle 2 (c2)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Circle.
2 In the Settings window for Circle, locate the Size and Shape section.
3 In the Radius text field, type d_c/2.
4 Locate the Position section. In the r text field, type r_c.
5 In the z text field, type (L_1+L_2)/2.
Circle 3 (c3)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Circle.
2 In the Settings window for Circle, locate the Size and Shape section.
3 In the Radius text field, type d_c/2.
4 Locate the Position section. In the r text field, type r_c.
5 In the z text field, type L_2.
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DEFINITIONS
Ramp 1 (rm1)
1 On the Home toolbar, click Functions and choose Global>Ramp.
Set the slope of the ramp function such that the steady state values are reached over
a short interval of time, e.g. one excitation cycle. The steady state values are reached
when the ramp function is equal to unity. Check the cutoff box and make sure the
value of the cutoof is set to 1 in order to limit the value of the ramp function to one.
2 In the Settings window for Ramp, locate the Parameters section.
3 In the Slope text field, type freq.
4 Select the Cutoff check box.
Define the different domain type for easy selection.
Explicit 1
1 On the Definitions toolbar, click Explicit.
2 In the Model Builder window, right-click Explicit 1 and choose Rename.
3 In the Rename Explicit dialog box, type Air in the New label text field.
4 Click OK.
5 Select Domain 5 only.
Explicit 2
1 On the Definitions toolbar, click Explicit.
2 In the Model Builder window, right-click Explicit 2 and choose Rename.
3 In the Rename Explicit dialog box, type Plasma in the New label text field.
4 Click OK.
5 Select Domain 1 only.
Explicit 3
1 On the Definitions toolbar, click Explicit.
2 In the Model Builder window, right-click Explicit 3 and choose Rename.
3 In the Rename Explicit dialog box, type Quartz in the New label text field.
4 Click OK.
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Explicit 4
1 On the Definitions toolbar, click Explicit.
2 In the Model Builder window, right-click Explicit 4 and choose Rename.
3 In the Rename Explicit dialog box, type Coils in the New label text field.
4 Click OK.
5 Select Domains 68 only.
Add the different materials used in the model using the material library.
MATERIALS
On the Home toolbar, click Windows and choose Add Material.
ADD MATERIAL
1 Go to the Add Material window.
2 In the tree, select Built-In>Air.
3 Click Add to Component in the window toolbar.
MATERIALS
Air (mat1)
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Materials click Air (mat1).
2 In the Settings window for Material, locate the Geometric Entity Selection section.
3 From the Selection list, choose Air.
4 On the Home toolbar, click Windows and choose Add Material.
ADD MATERIAL
1 Go to the Add Material window.
2 In the tree, select AC/DC>Copper.
3 Click Add to Component in the window toolbar.
MATERIALS
Copper (mat2)
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Materials click Copper
(mat2).
2 In the Settings window for Material, locate the Geometric Entity Selection section.
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ADD MATERIAL
1 Go to the Add Material window.
2 In the tree, select AC/DC>Quartz.
3 Click Add to Component in the window toolbar.
MATERIALS
Quartz (mat3)
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Materials click Quartz
(mat3).
2 In the Settings window for Material, locate the Geometric Entity Selection section.
3 From the Selection list, choose Quartz.
4 On the Home toolbar, click Windows and choose Add Material.
ADD MATERIAL
1 Go to the Add Material window.
2 In the tree, select Equilibrium Discharge>Argon.
3 Click Add to Component in the window toolbar.
MATERIALS
Argon (mat4)
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Materials click Argon
(mat4).
2 In the Settings window for Material, locate the Geometric Entity Selection section.
3 From the Selection list, choose Plasma.
Adjust the selection and features of each physics composing the model.
The magnetic field interface is used over the whole computational domain. The
Single-Turn Coil feature is used here to transfer the excitation power to the plasma.
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3 In the Settings window for Magnetic Fields, click to expand the Discretization
section.
4 From the Magnetic vector potential list, choose Linear.
Single-Turn Coil 1
1 On the Physics toolbar, click Domains and choose Single-Turn Coil.
2 In the Settings window for Single-Turn Coil, locate the Domain Selection section.
3 From the Selection list, choose Coils.
4 Locate the Single-Turn Coil section. Select the Coil group check box.
5 From the Coil excitation list, choose Power.
6 In the Pcoil text field, type Pext.
The heat transfer in the air is neglected in this model.
H E A T TR A N S F E R I N F L U I D S ( H T )
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) click Heat Transfer in Fluids
(ht).
2 Select Domains 1 and 4 only.
Initial Values 1
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Heat Transfer in Fluids (ht)
click Initial Values 1.
2 In the Settings window for Initial Values, locate the Initial Values section.
3 In the T text field, type T0.
Add a heat transfer in solids feature for the solid part of the heat transfer model
(tubes and coils).
Temperature 1
1 On the Physics toolbar, click Boundaries and choose Temperature.
2 Select Boundary 17 only.
3 In the Settings window for Temperature, locate the Temperature section.
4 In the T0 text field, type T0.
The single phase flow is only applied to the plasma.
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1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) click Laminar Flow (spf).
2 In the Settings window for Laminar Flow, locate the Physical Model section.
3 From the Compressibility list, choose Compressible flow (Ma<0.3).
4 Locate the Domain Selection section. From the Selection list, choose Plasma.
5 Click to expand the Equation section. From the Equation form list, choose Stationary.
6 In the Model Builder windows toolbar, click the Show button and select Stabilization
in the menu.
7 Click to expand the Inconsistent stabilization section. Locate the Inconsistent
Stabilization section. Find the Navier-Stokes equations subsection. Select the Isotropic
diffusion check box.
8 In the id text field, type 10-10*tanh(1000*(t-0.08)).
Inlet 1
1 On the Physics toolbar, click Boundaries and choose Inlet.
Add the inlets with their proper velocities. Note the presence of the ramp function.
The later is used to ramp the velocities from their initial values to the steady state.
2 Select Boundary 2 only.
3 In the Settings window for Inlet, locate the Velocity section.
4 In the U0 text field, type v1*rm1(t[1/s]).
Inlet 2
1 On the Physics toolbar, click Boundaries and choose Inlet.
2 Select Boundary 8 only.
3 In the Settings window for Inlet, locate the Velocity section.
4 In the U0 text field, type v2*rm1(t[1/s]).
Inlet 3
1 On the Physics toolbar, click Boundaries and choose Inlet.
2 Select Boundary 13 only.
3 In the Settings window for Inlet, locate the Velocity section.
4 In the U0 text field, type v3*rm1(t[1/s]).
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Outlet 1
1 On the Physics toolbar, click Boundaries and choose Outlet.
2 Select Boundary 3 only.
3 In the Settings window for Outlet, locate the Pressure Conditions section.
4 Clear the Suppress backflow check box.
The Lorentz force can be neglected in this model. Neglecting this force also makes
the model much easier to solve.
MULTIPHYSICS
In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Multiphysics right-click
Lorentz Force 1 (lf1) and choose Disable.
MESH 1
Size 1
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) right-click Mesh 1 and
choose Edit Physics-Induced Sequence.
2 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Mesh 1 click Size 1.
3 In the Settings window for Size, locate the Element Size section.
4 From the Predefined list, choose Extra fine.
Size 2
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Mesh 1 click Size 2.
2 In the Settings window for Size, locate the Element Size section.
3 From the Predefined list, choose Extra fine.
Boundary Layers 2
1 In the Model Builder window, right-click Mesh 1 and choose Boundary Layers.
2 Right-click Boundary Layers 2 and choose Move Up.
3 In the Settings window for Boundary Layers, locate the Domain Selection section.
4 From the Geometric entity level list, choose Domain.
5 Select Domains 68 only.
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STUDY 1
1 In the Model Builder window, click Study 1.
2 In the Settings window for Study, locate the Study Settings section.
3 Clear the Generate default plots check box.
Step 1: Frequency-Transient
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Study 1 node, then click Step 1:
Frequency-Transient.
2 In the Settings window for Frequency-Transient, locate the Study Settings section.
3 In the Times text field, type range(0,0.05,1)*0.1.
4 In the Frequency text field, type freq.
Change some solver settings.
Solution 1 (sol1)
1 On the Study toolbar, click Show Default Solver.
2 In the Model Builder window, expand the Solution 1 (sol1) node.
3 Right-click Time-Dependent Solver 1 and choose Segregated.
4 Right-click Study 1>Solver Configurations>Solution 1 (sol1)>Time-Dependent Solver
1>Segregated 1 and choose Lower Limit.
5 In the Settings window for Lower Limit, locate the Lower Limit section.
6 In the Lower limits (field variables) text field, type comp1.T 300.
7 Right-click Segregated 1 and choose Segregated Step.
8 In the Settings window for Segregated Step, locate the General section.
9 Under Variables, click Add.
10 In the Add dialog box, In the Variables list, choose Pressure (comp1.p) and Velocity
field (comp1.u).
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11 Click OK.
12 In the Settings window for Segregated Step, click to expand the Method and
termination section.
13 Locate the Method and Termination section. From the Jacobian update list, choose On
every iteration.
14 In the Model Builder window, under Study 1>Solver Configurations>Solution 1
(sol1)>Time-Dependent Solver 1>Segregated 1 click Segregated Step.
15 In the Settings window for Segregated Step, locate the General section.
16 In the Variables list, choose Pressure (comp1.p) and Velocity field (comp1.u).
17 Under Variables, click Delete.
18 Locate the Method and Termination section. From the Jacobian update list, choose On
every iteration.
19 In the Model Builder window, under Study 1>Solver Configurations>Solution 1 (sol1)
click Time-Dependent Solver 1.
20 In the Settings window for Time-Dependent Solver, click to expand the Time
stepping section.
21 Locate the Time Stepping section. From the Steps taken by solver list, choose
Intermediate.
22 Select the Nonlinear controller check box.
23 On the Study toolbar, click Compute.
RESULTS
2D Plot Group 1
1 On the Home toolbar, click Add Plot Group and choose 2D Plot Group.
2 In the Model Builder window, right-click 2D Plot Group 1 and choose Rename.
3 In the Rename 2D Plot Group dialog box, type Temperature in the New label text
field.
4 Click OK.
Temperature
1 Right-click Temperature and choose Surface.
2 In the Settings window for Surface, locate the Expression section.
3 In the Expression text field, type T.
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Temperature 1
1 Right-click Temperature and choose Duplicate.
2 In the Model Builder window, under Results right-click Temperature 1 and choose
Rename.
3 In the Rename 2D Plot Group dialog box, type Velocity in the New label text field.
4 Click OK.
Velocity
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Velocity node, then click Surface 1.
2 In the Settings window for Surface, locate the Expression section.
3 In the Expression text field, type spf.U.
4 On the Velocity toolbar, click Plot.
Duplicate the figure to display the electrical conductivity.
Velocity 1
1 In the Model Builder window, right-click Velocity and choose Duplicate.
2 Right-click Velocity 1 and choose Rename.
3 In the Rename 2D Plot Group dialog box, type Electrical conductivity in the
New label text field.
4 Click OK.
Electrical conductivity
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Electrical conductivity node, then
click Surface 1.
2 In the Settings window for Surface, locate the Expression section.
3 In the Expression text field, type mf.sigmarr*(dom==1).
4 On the Electrical conductivity toolbar, click Plot.
Duplicate the figure to display the norm of the magnetic flux. Note the effect of the
plasma conductivity on the skin depth.
Electrical conductivity 1
1 In the Model Builder window, right-click Electrical conductivity and choose Duplicate.
2 Right-click Electrical conductivity 1 and choose Rename.
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3 In the Rename 2D Plot Group dialog box, type Magnetic flux in the New label text
field.
4 Click OK.
Magnetic flux
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Magnetic flux node, then click
Surface 1.
2 In the Settings window for Surface, locate the Expression section.
3 In the Expression text field, type mf.normB.
4 On the Magnetic flux toolbar, click Plot.
Display the coil current as a function of time. Note the time it takes to get the steady
state (constant current in the coils).
1D Plot Group 5
1 On the Home toolbar, click Add Plot Group and choose 1D Plot Group.
2 In the Model Builder window, right-click 1D Plot Group 5 and choose Rename.
3 In the Rename 1D Plot Group dialog box, type Coil current in the New label text
field.
4 Click OK.
Global 1
On the Coil current toolbar, click Global.
Coil current
1 In the Settings window for Global, locate the y-Axis Data section.
2 In the table, enter the following settings:
Revolution 2D 1
On the Results toolbar, click More Data Sets and choose Revolution 2D.
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Data Sets
1 In the Settings window for Revolution 2D, click to expand the Revolution layers
section.
2 Locate the Revolution Layers section. In the Start angle text field, type -90.
3 In the Revolution angle text field, type 225.
Then create the 3D plot.
3D Plot Group 6
1 On the Results toolbar, click 3D Plot Group.
2 In the Model Builder window, right-click 3D Plot Group 6 and choose Rename.
3 In the Rename 3D Plot Group dialog box, type Temperature 3D in the New label text
field.
4 Click OK.
Temperature 3D
1 Right-click Temperature 3D and choose Volume.
2 In the Settings window for Volume, locate the Expression section.
3 In the Expression text field, type T.
4 On the Temperature 3D toolbar, click Plot.
5 Click the Go to Default 3D View button on the Graphics toolbar.
Set the figure as a model thumbnail by clicking on the root folder in the model
builder than expand the model thumbnail section and click on set model thumbnail.
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