Kinetics of Growth and Evaporation of Droplets and Ice Crystals

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Kirkaldy (1958) has raised objections to the usual quasi-stationary analysis (QS) of evaporation and condensation processes. Fuchs’ (1959) attempt to study the validity of QS is marred by a number of errors (which are identified in the present work). This paper presents a critical examination of QS, largely based on mathematical methods capable of establishing the accuracy of QS in cases where the exact solution is unavailable. Exact similarity solutions for n-dimensional condensation (zero initial radius) are presented. These, and an exact solution for diffusion about a spherical body of constant radius, provide points of departure for the development of two simple and powerful approximate methods, a perturbation method and a continuity-preserving quasi-stationary analysis (CPQS). The perturbation method provides an apparently highly accurate means of using the relevant known exact solutions; but it is less versatile than CPQS. Under a wide range of circumstances, CPQS, which satisfies the diffu... Abstract Kirkaldy (1958) has raised objections to the usual quasi-stationary analysis (QS) of evaporation and condensation processes. Fuchs’ (1959) attempt to study the validity of QS is marred by a number of errors (which are identified in the present work). This paper presents a critical examination of QS, largely based on mathematical methods capable of establishing the accuracy of QS in cases where the exact solution is unavailable. Exact similarity solutions for n-dimensional condensation (zero initial radius) are presented. These, and an exact solution for diffusion about a spherical body of constant radius, provide points of departure for the development of two simple and powerful approximate methods, a perturbation method and a continuity-preserving quasi-stationary analysis (CPQS). The perturbation method provides an apparently highly accurate means of using the relevant known exact solutions; but it is less versatile than CPQS. Under a wide range of circumstances, CPQS, which satisfies the diffu...

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: