Oxidation resistant induction devices
Certain embodiments described herein are directed to induction devices comprising an oxidation resistant material. In certain examples, the induction device comprises a coil of wire that is produced from the oxidation resistant material. In some examples, the oxidation resistant induction device can be used to sustain an inductively coupled plasma in a torch.
1. A method of generating a plasma comprising:
introducing a gas into a torch body;
providing radio frequency energy to the torch using an induction device comprising an oxidation resistant material, in which the induction device is configured as a helical induction coil comprising a plurality of coil turns coupled to each other, in which the coil turns comprise an effective amount of the oxidation resistant material to permit a plasma to be sustained in the torch body for at least ten hours without substantial oxidation of the helical induction coil;
igniting the gas in the torch body to generate the plasma; and
sustaining the plasma in the torch body for at least ten hours without substantial oxidation of the helical induction coil.
2. The method of claim 1 , in which the helical induction coil comprises a non-coated oxidation resistant material.
3. The method of claim 1 , in which the helical induction coil consists essentially of an aluminum alloy.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sustaining the plasma in the torch body for at least one hundred hours without substantial oxidation forming on the helical induction coil.
5. A method of generating a plasma comprising:
introducing a gas into a torch body;
providing radio frequency energy to the torch using an induction device comprising an oxidation resistant paramagnetic material, in which the induction device is configured as a helical induction coil comprising a plurality of coil turns coupled to each other, in which the coil turns comprise an effective amount of the oxidation resistant paramagnetic material to permit a plasma to be sustained in the torch body for at least ten hours without substantial oxidation of the helical induction coil;
igniting the gas in the torch body to generate the plasma; and
sustaining the plasma in the torch body for at least ten hours without substantial oxidation of the helical induction coil.
6. The method of claim 5 , in which the helical induction coil comprises a non-coated oxidation resistant paramagnetic material.
7. The method of claim 5 , in which the helical induction coil consists essentially of an aluminum alloy.
8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising sustaining the plasma in the torch body for at least one hundred hours without substantial oxidation forming on the induction device.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the helical induction coil device to comprise one and one half turns to ten turns.
10. The method of claim 9 , in which the helical induction coil comprises at least 97% by weight of the oxidation resistant material.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the helical induction coil to comprise two and one half turns.
12. The method of claim 11 , in which the helical induction coil comprises at least 97% by weight of the oxidation resistant material.
13. The method of claim 5 , further comprising configuring the helical induction coil to comprise one and one half turns to ten turns.
14. The method of claim 13 , in which the helical induction coil comprises at least 97% by weight of the oxidation resistant paramagnetic material.
15. The method of claim 5 , further comprising configuring the helical induction coil to comprise two and one half turns to six turns.
16. The method of claim 15 , in which the helical induction coil comprises at least 97% by weight of the oxidation resistant paramagnetic material.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising externally cooling the helical induction coil with argon and air.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising internally cooling the helical induction coil with argon.
19. The method of claim 5 , further comprising externally cooling the helical induction coil with argon and air.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising internally cooling the helical induction coil with argon.