Particle concentrations and transport properties of a partially ionized Ar plasma in a two-temperature reaction kinetic approach

Abstract

The population density of a partially ionized Ar plasma has been calculated in a two-temperature reaction kinetic approach under steady-state condition, and at elevated electron temperatures (5000-20 000 K) and pressures (200-1000 Torr) with the ratio of electron temperature (Te) to heavy particle temperature (Th) ranging from 1 to 3. The methodology adapted here for population density calculation considered 11 chemical reactions, taking into account several excited states including the metastable state. Using the calculated population density data, the transport properties, which include viscosity, mass density, electrical and thermal conductivity, specific heat at constant pressure and enthalpy, have been computed hereafter for electron temperatures in the range 5000-20 000 K based on the modified Chapman-Enskog's first-order approximation of Boltzmann's equation. The effects of heavy particle temperature, pressure and the ratio of Te/Th upon the population density as well as transport properties have been elucidated.