KINETICS OF CONDENSATION FROM THE VAPOR PHASE.

Abstract

The theory of homogeneous nucleation was reexamined. It was concluded that Kuhrt's theory for cluster formation in monoatomic vapor, which conserves degrees of freedon during nucleation, is procedurally correct. The Kuhrt approach was extened to polyatomic vapors, giving correction factors to the classical rate of nucleation of about 10 to the 4th, 6th, and 9th powers for a monoatomic, linear, and nonlinear polyatomic condensing molecule, e.g., argon, nitrogen, and water, respectively. The theoretical rate of condensation of water vapor was examined in detail. An experimental study of the rate of nucleation of MgO particles from Mg vapor and O2 was unsuccessful because the rate of condensation was much faster than the rate of mixing of the two vapors. Recent work has been oriented toward (1) comparing the theoretical rate of condensation of water with experimental pressure-time data previously obtained in a cloud chamber and (2) measuring the experimental rate of water condensation in the rarefaction zone in a shock tube. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1964
Accession Number
AD0434286

Entities

People

  • Welby G. Courtney

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chambers
  • Cloud Chambers
  • Condensation
  • Kinetics
  • Molecules
  • Nitrogen
  • Nucleation
  • Particles
  • Phase
  • Rarefaction
  • Shock Tubes
  • Vapor Phases
  • Vapors
  • Water Vapor

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics