CALCULATION OF PLASMA PARAMETERS IN A RF ICP TORCH BY NON-EQUILIBRIUM MODEL OF AR PLASMA

A calculation of plasma parameters in RF ICP torch was made using a non-equilibrium model. The RF ICP torch for spectrochemical analysis works at a frequency of 28 MHz; the plasma power is 1 kW; the inner diameter of the torch is 24 mm and the plasma gas is argon. The plasma torch has three axial gas flows: the transport gas flow is G₁=3.4 l/min, the plasma gas flow is G₂=2.4 l/min, the sheath gas flow is G₃=20 l/min.
Two cases were calculated: without and with the transport gas flow. The results calculated using the Saha and Potapov equations were compared. The results of calculation from an equilibrium (LTE) model are also given for comparison.