Effective ionization coefficients and transport parameters in binary and ultradilute SF6–Ar mixtures using Boltzmann equation analysis

Abstract

The effective ionization coefficients and transport parameters such as electron mean energy drift velocity and transverse diffusion coefficient in binary and ultradilute SF6–Ar gas mixtures have been calculated for density reduced electric field strength E/N values from 10 to 400 Td. These calculations have been performed by using the two-term spherical harmonic expansion to obtain the numerical solution of the Boltzmann transport equation based on the finite element method under steady-state Townsend condition. In order to confirm the model and code developed in this study, the Reid ramp model has been used as a benchmark test and then effective ionization coefficients and transport parameters have been evaluated for SF6 contents of 1%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 70% and 100% in the binary mixture. Finally SF6 contents in the ultradilute mixtures of 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5% and 0.7% are taken into account with the evaluated effective ionizations and transport parameters of electron mean energy, drift velocity and transverse diffusion coefficients.