Thermophysical properties of carbon–argon and carbon–helium plasmas

Abstract

The calculated values of thermodynamic and transport properties of mixtures of carbon and argon, and carbon and helium, at high temperatures are presented in this paper. The thermodynamic properties are determined by the method of Gibbs free energy minimization, using standard thermodynamic tables. The transport properties including electron diffusion coefficients, viscosity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity are evaluated using the Chapman–Enskog method expanded up to the third-order approximation (second order for viscosity). Collision integrals are obtained using the most accurate cross-section data that could be located. The calculations, which assume local thermodynamic equilibrium, are performed for atmospheric pressure plasmas in the temperature range from 300 to 30 000 K for different pressures between 0.1 and 10 atm. The results are compared with those of previously published studies. Good agreement is found for pure argon and helium. Larger discrepancies occur for carbon and mixtures of carbon and argon, and carbon and helium; these are explained in terms of the different values of the collision integrals that were used. The results presented here are expected to be more accurate because of the improved collision integrals employed.