EFFECT OF THE PRESENCE OF IRON VAPORS ON THE VOLUMETRIC EMISSION OF AR FE AND AR/FE/H2 PLASMAS/

The net volumetric emission coefficient was calculated using the escap e factor method for Ar/Fe and Ar/H-2/Fe plasmas, at atmospheric pressu re, over the temperature range from 3000 K to 30,000 K The calculation involved 712 lines for Ar I, Ar II, and Ar III, 3481 lines for Fe I, Fe II, and Fe III, and 230 lines for H in the Ar/H-2/Fe case. A semiem pirical method was used for the determination of line profiles and lin e broadening. The results show a strong influence of the presence of e ven traces of iron vapors at low temperatures where the volumetric emi ssion increases by several orders of magnitude. Special attention is g iven to self-absorption of the argon resonance lines which prevents th e radiation from escaping within a few millimeters from the emission s ource.