One-dimensional analysis of the wall region for a multiple-temperature argon plasma

The present analysis is restricted to the wall region for a confined gas plasma and applied specifically to an argon plasma. The wall may be either positive or negative in potential with respect to the plasma, and the electric current may flow either parallel or normal to the wall. Estimates of the Debye shielding distance and the mean free path of various components are made to obtain the range of validity of the analysis, in addition to the situation where the wall acts like a cathode, an anode, or an electrical insulation. Analysis is for a one-dimensional case with an outer boundary, where the plasma temperature is specified. The computational domain is split into a continuum region, where both equilibrium compositions for a two-temperature plasma and a chemically reacting plasma are studied, and a free-fall region. The results allow a quantitative assessment of temperature nonequilibrium and electrical potential distribution in the free-fall region.