A mean field model for brownian and turbulent coagulation of polydispersed aerosols

Abstract

A mean field model for Brownian and turbulent coagulation of polydispersed aerosols is proposed. This model is based on a discrete balance equation that gives the rate of change for the number density of particles with diameters within a given range in terms of the rates of formation and loss of particles in all other diameter ranges. A monomer structure for the particles is not considered in this model, differing in this sense from the Smoluchowsky theory. Instead, it uses a probabilistic estimate of formation or loss of particles which depends on the diameters ranges of the colliding particles. To test this model, five aerosol coagulation experiments, carried out by Kim et al. [1], Rooker and Davies~[2], and Okuyama et al. [3] were used to try to reproduce the results. The computer simulation results were found in good agreement with the experimental data.