SIMULATION OF POTASSIUM CONDENSATION BY D SMC METHOD

The evaporation and condensation phenomena of alkali metals are not co rrectly described by the analysis using the continuum equations, becau se discontinuity of physical quantities such as temperature at the vap or-liquid interface occurs in the phase change process. The authors ap ply the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method, which is based on the molecular gas dynamics, to the problem of potassium condensation. The simulation results are found to be in excellent agreement with th e experimental results previously reported by two of the authors, when the condensation and evaporation coefficients are set to unity. It is also confirmed that a slight shift of evaporation and condensation co efficients from unity considerably changes the simulation result so th at it disagrees with the experimental data. The authors conclude from these results that the direct simulation Monte Carlo method is very us eful to predict the phase change problems of alkali metals.