On statistical mechanical equations of state for simple fluids: Effective hard spheres and quantum corrections

Abstract

Nordholm, S., Greberg, H. and Penfold, R., 1991. On statistical mechanical equations of state for simple fluids. Effective hard spheres and quantum corrections. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 90: 307-332. A comparison is made of the mean field generalised van der Waals theory, based on a variationally determined hard sphere diameter, with the recent equation of state proposed by Song and Mason incorporating a temperature-dependent hard sphere diameter and correlation effects through the second virial coefficient. The simple cell theory ansatz of the former is less accurate but permits a wide range of applications including the estimation of quantum effects on the bulk properties of light fluids at low temperatures. Results for the critical parameters of 3He, 4He, H 2, Ne, CH 4 and Ar are examined. The relevance to the corresponding theory of non-uniform fluids is noted.