The coagulation rate of charged aerosols in ionized gases
- Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
The charging of aerosols occurs by natural or artificial means in many systems, for example, in electrostatic precipitators and radioactive ionizers, in flames and glow discharges, in ambient air, and in outer space. The author obtains analytical expressions for the coagulation rate of aerosols in ionized gases taking into account the statistical distribution of the aerosol charge due to the random nature the charging process. Depending on the asymmetry of the ionic environment, the charge distribution may be bipolar (symmetric charging) or unipolar (highly asymmetric charging). In symmetric charging the attraction between opposite charges is almost exactly counterbalanced by repulsion between like charges and the net effect is a slight increase in the overall coagulation rate. In asymmetric charging all particles carry charges of the same polarity, interparticle interactions are repulsive, and the rate of coagulation decreases. However, the effect of the charge distribution in these systems is to increase the rate of coagulation above the rate that would be obtained if all particles carried the mean charge. This increase is substantial for larger particles in highly asymmetric ionic environments.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Petroleum Research Fund (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 483811
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 187, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: 15 Mar 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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