Non-equilibrium kinetics in nitrogen discharges: a comparative analysis of two theoretical approaches

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Abstract
A comparison of two different theoretical approaches reported in the literature to model kinetic processes in N2 discharges is presented and discussed. One of these approaches is directly concerned with steady-state conditions and the other analysis with the evolution of the properties of the medium from a cold gas situation up to nearly equilibrium conditions as time evolves. Both approaches are based on solutions to the coupled system of the electron Boltzman equation and the kinetic equations for the N2(X,v) vibrational levels, but they differ by the approximations used to model atomic recombination processes and by the choice of collisional data. The conclusions drawn from both models are qualitatively in agreement as to the important role of the coupling between the electron and the vibrational kinetics. However, due to the different data and recombination models used different results are obtained for equilibrium conditions, namely for that concerning the rate of dissociation, the degree of vibrational excitation, and the electron rate coefficients. In particular, the present analysis shows that a deeper knowledge of atomic recombination processes is necessary in order to improve the reliability of both models.