  Thermal plasma characteristics inside an atmospheric pressure Radio-Frequency
Argon plasma torch have been studied by numerically solving axis-symmetric 2-D
Magnetohydrodynamics equations, energy transport equations and species
conservation equation coupled with 2D Maxwell equations in the vector potential
form. A renormalization group k - epsilon model was employed to study the
turbulence within the torch. Helium is mixed with Argon for injection as the
sheath gas, and its effect on the control characteristics of the torch has been
studied. A control volume approach and semi-implicit pressure linked equations
revised (SIMPLER) algorithm was used to solve the above set of equations to
obtain the flow, temperature, turbulence and EM source fields within the torch.
Finally, a comparison of the results obtained in our present calculation has
been made with other works of similar nature. The torch geometry, flow rates
and power dissipation values used in the present calculation are similar to the
standard ones available in literature.

Plasma Physics