TURBULENT COAGULATION OF AEROSOLS IN A STIRRED TANK

Abstract

Turbulent coagulation of aerosol particles was studied experimentally by observing the time-dependent changes in particle number concentration and size distribution of aerosol for various intensities of stirring in a stirred tank, using the ultramicroscopic size analysis. From the observed data on the decrease in particle number concentration of aerosol, the rate constants of turbulent coagulation were evaluated and compared with some of the most representative theories, and were found in good agreement with Saffman and Turner''s theory. Further, the changes in particle size distribution observed were confirmed by those obtained by numerically solving the equation of coagulation for polydisperse aerosol, the so-called population balance equation.