Enhancement of the droplet nucleation in a dense supersaturated Lennard-Jones vapor
The vapor–liquid nucleation in a dense Lennard-Jones system is studied analytically and numerically. A solution of the nucleation kinetic equations, which includes the elementary processes of condensation/evaporation involving the lightest clusters, is obtained, and the nucleation rate is calculated. Based on the equation of state for the cluster vapor, the pre-exponential factor is obtained. The latter diverges as a spinodal is reached, which results in the nucleation enhancement. The work of critical cluster formation is calculated using the previously developed two-parameter model (TPM) of small clusters. A simple expression for the nucleation rate is deduced and it is shown that the work of cluster formation is reduced for a dense vapor. This results in the nucleation enhancement as well. To verify the TPM, a simulation is performed that mimics a steady-state nucleation experiments in the thermal diffusion cloud chamber. The nucleating vapor with and without a carrier gas is simulated using two different thermostats for the monomers and clusters. The TPM proves to match the simulation results of this work and of other studies.
- OSTI ID:
- 22657993
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 18 Vol. 144; ISSN JCPSA6; ISSN 0021-9606
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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