A SIMPLE-MODEL FOR THE EVOLUTION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AGGREGATE PARTICLES UNDERGOING COAGULATION AND SINTERING

A simple model describing the evolution of particle morphology, size, and number concentration by coagulation and sintering is presented tha t neglects the spread of the polydispersity of aggregate and primary p articles. The influence of irregular/fractal structure on the collisio n kernel is accounted for, from the free molecular to the continuum re gime. The model predictions compare well to those of a detailed two-di mensional sectional model of nonspherical particle dynamics. After a t heoretical evaluation of the main sintering mechanism, the proposed mo del was applied to laser synthesis of silicon in an aerosol reactor.