ENERGY TRANSFER PROCESSES IN A PARTIALLY IONIZED GAS
Abstract
Section I deals with an analysis of the transport properties of a partially ionized gas subject to the constraint that the average random energy of all constituent particles is exactly equal (equipartition of energy). The analysis indicates that the electron and ion diffusion velocities are more closely coupled than the equations of Chapman and Cowling show. It is shown that the only part of the thermal conductivity that can be influenced by a magnetic field is that part of the energy carried by the diffusion of the charged particles. For this reason, magnetic fields, in general, cannot be nearly as effective in reducing heat transfer rates as was previously thought. Section II deals with the development of a similarity solution for axially symmetric electric discharges. The solution is evaluated for a discharge in argon gas at one atmosphere pressure in which the temperature on the axis of the discharge varies from 6,000 K to 19,000 K. Section III is concerned with the mechanisms of energy transfer in arc jet devices. The various possible electrode configurations are discussed in detail and compared. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 15, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0263784
Entities
People
- Gordon L. Cann
Organizations
- California Institute of Technology