Deviation from local thermal equilibrium in SF/sub 6/ post-arc channel exposed to transient recovery voltage

Summary form only given. This paper describes the influence of applied electric field on properties of a SF/sub 6/ post-arc channel. First, electrical conductivity, enthalpy and mass density of electron and heavy particles in a SF/sub 6/ plasma were calculated as a functions of T/sub e/ and T/sub g/. Secondly, using this data, time variations in T/sub e/ and T/sub g/ were computed in an SF/sub 6/ plasma to which high electric field was applied. The calculated results revealed that applied electric field increased T/sub e/ and caused deviation from local thermal equilibrium. Finally, time evolution of electrical conductivity /spl sigma/ of SF/sub 6/ plasma exposed to electric field was also calculated. It was found that /spl sigma/ was enhanced by increasing T/sub e/ particularly at initial temperature ranges 3000-3500 K and 5500-6500 K.