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A thermal plasma flow is regarded as a multifunctional fluid with high energy density, high chemical reactivity, variable properties, and controllability by electromagnetic fields. Especially a radio frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF-ICP) flow has a large plasma volume, long chemical reaction time, and a high quenching rate. Besides, it is inherently clean because it is produced without internal electrodes. An RF-ICP flow is, therefore, considered to be very useful for nanoparticle synthesis. However, nanoparticle synthesis using an RF-ICP flow includes complicated phenomena with field interactions. In the present study, numerical analysis was conducted to investigate the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles using an advanced RF-ICP reactor. An advanced RF-ICP flow is generated by adding direct current (DC) discharge to a conventional RF-ICP flow in order to overcome the disadvantages of a conventional one. The objectives of the present work are to clarify the formation mechanism of metallic nanoparticles in advanced RF-ICP flow systems and to detect effective factors on required synthesis. A two-dimensional model as well as a one-dimensional model was introduced for nanoparticle growth to investigate effects of spatial distributions of thermofluid fields in RF-ICP flows on synthesized nanoparticles. In an advanced RF-ICP flow, a characteristic recirculation zone disappears due to a DC plasma jet. Larger numbers of nanoparticles with smaller size are produced by using an advanced RF-ICP flow. Thermofluid fields in RF-ICP flows can be controlled by applied coil frequency by means of skin effect. Larger numbers of nanoparticles with smaller size are produced near the central axis. Dispersion of particle size distributions can be suppressed by higher applied coil frequency through control of RF-ICP flows. Applied coil frequency can be a remarkably effective factor to control nanoparticle size distribution.

This paper presents a numerical investigation of characteristics and processes in the worldwide unique type of thermal plasma generator with combined stabilization of arc by argon flow and water vortex, the so-called hybrid-stabilized arc. The arc has been used for spraying of ceramic or metallic particles and for pyrolysis of biomass. The net emission coefficients as well as the partial characteristics methods for radiation losses from the argon–water arc are employed. Calculations for 300–600 A with 22.5–40 standard litres per minute (slm) of argon reveal transition from a transonic plasma flow for 400 A to a supersonic one for 600 A with a maximum Mach number of 1.6 near the exit nozzle of the plasma torch. A comparison with available experimental data near the exit nozzle shows very good agreement for the radial temperature profiles. Radial velocity profiles calculated 2 mm downstream of the nozzle exit show good agreement with the profiles determined from the combination of calculation and experiment (the so-called integrated approach). A recent evaluation of the Mach number from the experimental data for 500 and 600 A confirmed the existence of the supersonic flow regime.

The spreading of water drops impinging on structured rough surfaces is studied experimentally. The rough surfaces are specially prepared with a regular pattern of surface asperities. The arrangement of the square-shaped surface asperities creates channel-like grooves on the surface. A video microscope along with a controlled light exposure system is used to construct the image sequences of the spreading process. The images are digitally analyzed to measure the temporal variation of the spreading drop diameter 2R. Results are obtained for three rough surfaces with varying asperity heights in the range of 100-500 m and for different impact drop conditions with Weber number We in the range of 35-225. The results on the temporal variation of 2R show that, on the structured rough surfaces, the spreading occurs simultaneously both inside and above the texture pattern of the surfaces. For a given surface geometry, the volume of liquid flowing inside the grooves of the surface increases with increasing We. Consequently, the values of 2R measured inside the texture pattern are larger than those measured above the texture pattern, and their difference increases with increasing We. The arrangement of the surface asperities influences the spreading pattern of an impacting drop spreading axisymmetrically. For the texture geometry used in the present study, the spreading pattern resembles a regular rhombus shape for the impact of low We drops and becomes complex at high We. The spreading distances, measured both inside and above the texture pattern of the structured rough surfaces, are nearer to the measurements recorded on the smooth surface if the asperity height of the rough surface is smaller than the thickness of the spreading liquid lamella; however, the surface asperities influence the spreading pattern drastically and create a liquid splash.