TIME-LAG FOR ATTAINMENT OF THE SELF-PRESERVING PARTICLE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION BY COAGULATION

The time needed (time-lag) for aerosols and hydrosols to reach the sel f-preserving state by coagulation is investigated. A discrete-sectiona l model is used to calculate new, accurate, self-preserving distributi ons in the free-molecular and continuum regimes. Correlations for the corresponding time-lags for arbitrary broad, initially log-normal dist ributions are presented in dimensionless form and compared with litera ture data. Practical applications are given indicating that industrial aerosols rapidly attain the self-preserving state. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.