• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.1736-1741
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• 2003

The characteristics plasma flow of an atmospheric plasma torch used for thermal plasma processing is studied. In general, it is produced by the arc-gas interactions between a cathode tip and an anode nozzle. The performance of non-transferred plasma torch is significantly dependent on jet flow characteristics out of the nozzle. In this work, the distribution of gas flow that goes out to the atmosphere through a plenum chamber and nozzle is analyzed to evaluate the performance of atmospheric plasma torch. Numerical analysis is carried out with various angles of an inlet flow which can create different swirl flow fields. Moreover, the size of plasma plume is experimentally depicted.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2003

The atmospheric pressure plasma is regarded as an effective method for surface treatments because it can reduce the period of process and doesn't need expensive vacuum apparatus. The performance of non-transferred plasma torches is significantly depended on jet flow characteristics out of the nozzle. In order to produce the high performance of a torch, the maximum discharge velocity near an annular gap in the torch should be maintained. Also, the compulsory swirl is being produced to gain the shape that can concentrate the plasma at the center of gas flow. In this work, the distribution of gas flow that goes out to atmosphere through a plenum chamber and nozzle is analyzed to evaluate the performance of atmospheric pressure plasma torch which can present the optimum design of the torch. Numerical analysis is carried out with various angles of an inlet flow velocity. Especially, three-dimensional model of the torch is investigated to estimate swirl effect. We also investigate the stabilization of plasma distribution. For analyzing the swirl in the plenum chamber and the flow distribution, FVM (finite volume method) and SIMPLE algorithm are used for solving the governing equations. The standard k-model is used for simulating the turbulence.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.889-892
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• 2009

A microwave plasma torch at the atmospheric pressure by making use of magnetrons operated at the 2.45 GHz and used in a home microwave oven has been developed. This electrodeless torch can be used to various areas, including industrial, environmental and military applications. Although the microwave plasma torch has many applications, we in the present work focused on the microwave plasma torch operated in pure steam and several applications, which may be used in future and right now. For example, a high-temperature steam microwave plasma torch may have a potential application of the hydrocarbon fuel reforming at one atmospheric pressure. Moreover, the radicals including hydrogen, oxygen and hydroxide molecules are abundantly available in the steam torch, dramatically enhancing the reaction speed. Also, the microwave plasma torch can be used as a high-temperature, large-volume plasma burner by injecting hydrocarbon fuels in gas, liquid, and solid into the plasma flame. Lastly, we briefly report an underway research, which is remediation of soils contaminated with oils, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, etc.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2009

A microwave plasma torch at the atmospheric pressure by making use of magnetrons operated at the 2.45 GHz and used in a home microwave oven has been developed. This electrodeless torch can be used to various areas, including industrial, environmental and military applications. Although the microwave plasma torch has many applications, we in the present work focused on the microwave plasma torch operated in pure steam and several applications, which may be used in future and right now. For example, a high-temperature steam microwave plasma torch may have a potential application of the hydrocarbon fuel reforming at one atmospheric pressure. Moreover, the radicals including hydrogen, oxygen and hydroxide molecules are abundantly available in the steam torch, dramatically enhancing the reaction speed. Also, the microwave plasma torch can be used as a high-temperature, large-volume plasma burner by injecting hydrocarbon fuels in gas, liquid, and solid into the plasma flame. Finally, we briefly report treatment of soils contaminated with oils, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, etc., which is an underway research in our group.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.10
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• pp.1895-1902
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• 2011

This work was carried out for the measurement of vibration and rotation temperature using the optical emission spectroscopy of nitrogen second positive system in the small plasma torch. Among emissions $N_2$ SP systems, the emission of $N_2$ SP(0-0) was so strong. Emission peaks of SP system increased until the position of 12.5[mm] from the end of plasma torch, after that it decreased. However, vibration temperature decreased from 1540[K] to 1000[K] at the position of 12.5[mm]. In addition, rotational temperature was about 400[K] at the position of 10[mm] and it increased a little as much of 420[K] at 12.5[mm]. Consequently, the plasma torch discussed in this work is possible to apply in the surface treatment process under the low temperature.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.835-839
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• 2011

The characteristics of torch-type atmospheric pressure plasma and its sterilization effects have been analyzed. The length of plasma flame was varied with the level of applied voltage and the mixture gases composed of argon and oxygen. The effect of plasma flame on the temperature increase of surface treated was limited to $43^{\circ}C$ as a maximum temperature under exposing time of 10 min. The sterilization for E. coli was strongly affected by the applied voltage, the oxygen ratio in the mixture gas and the treatment time. At a high concentration of ozone, the increase of treatment time under the direct contact with plasma flame yields to maximize the effect of the sterilization on E. coli.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.287-296
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• 2013

To decompose carbon dioxide, which is a representative greenhouse gas, a plasma torch was designed and manufactured. To examine the characteristics of carbon dioxide decomposition via plasma discharge, a case wherein pure carbon dioxide was supplied and a case wherein methane and/or $TiCl_4$ were injected as additives were investigated and compared. The carbon dioxide and methane conversion rate, energy decomposition efficiency, produced gas concentration, carbon monoxide and hydrogen selectivity, carbon-black and $TiO_2$ were also investigated. The maximum carbon dioxide conversion rate was 28.9% when pure carbon dioxide was supplied; 44.6% when $TiCl_4$ was injected as am additive; and 100% percent when methane was injected as an additive. Therefore, this could be explained that the methane injection showed the highest carbon dioxide decomposition. Furthermore, the carbon-black and $TiO_2$ were compared with each commercial materials through XRD and SEM. It was found that the carbon-black that was produced in this study is similar for commercial materials. It was found that the $TiO_2$ that was produced in this study is suitable for photocatalyst and pigment because it has mixed anataze and rutile.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.371-378
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• 1996

An RF inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch has been developed as a typical thermal plasma generator and reactor. It has been applied to various materials processings such as plasma flash evaporation, thermal plasma CVD, plasma spraying, and plasma waste disposal. The RF ICP reactor has been generally operated under one atmospheric pressure. Lately the characteristics of low pressure RF ICP is attracting a great deal of attention in the field of plasma application. In our researches of RF plasma applications, low pressure RF ICP is mainly used. In many cases, the plasma generated by the ICP torch under low pressure seems to be rather capacitive, but high density ICP can be easily generated by our RF plasma torch with 3 turns coil and a suitable maching circuiit, using 13.56 MHz RF generator. Plasma surface modification (surface hardening by plasma nitriding and plasma carbo-nitriding), plasma synthesis of AIN, and plasma CVD of BN, B-C-N compound and diamond were practiced by using low pressure RF plasma, and the effects of negative and positive bias voltage impression to the substrate on surface modification and CVD were investigated in details. Only a part of the interesting results obtained is reported in this paper.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2002.02a
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• pp.177-177
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• 2002

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.268-268
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• 2012

Atmospheric pressure microwave induced plasmas are used to excite and ionize chemical species for elemental analysis, for plasma reforming, and for plasma surface treatment. Microwave plasma differs significantly from other plasmas and has several interesting properties. For example, the electron density is higher in microwave plasma than in radio-frequency (RF) or direct current (DC) plasma. Several types of radical species with high density are generated under high electron density, so the reactivity of microwave plasma is expected to be very high [1]. Therefore, useful applications of atmospheric pressure microwave plasmas are expected. The surface characteristics of SUS304 stainless steel are investigated before and after surface modification by microwave plasma under atmospheric pressure conditions. The plasma device was operated by power sources with microwave frequency. We used a device based on a coaxial transmission line resonator (CTLR). The atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) in the case of microwave frequency (880 MHz) used Ar as plasma gas [2]. Typical microwave Pw was 3-10 W. To determine the optimal processing conditions, the surface treatment experiments were performed using various values of Pw (3-10 W), treatment time (5-120 s), and ratios of mixture gas (hydrogen peroxide). Torch-to-sample distance was fixed at the plasma edge point. Plasma treatment of a stainless steel plate significantly affected the wettability, contact angle (CA), and free energy (mJ/$m^2$) of the SUS304 surface. CA and ${\gamma}$ were analyzed. The optimal surface modification parameters to modify were a power of 10 W, a treatment time of 45 s, and a hydrogen peroxide content of 0.6 wt% [3]. Under these processing conditions, a CA of just $9.8^{\circ}$ was obtained. As CA decreased, wettability increased; i.e. the surface changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. From these results, 10 W power and 45 s treatment time are the best values to minimize CA and maximize ${\gamma}$.