Method of moments solutions for a laminar flow aerosol reactor model

Abstract

This study compares the capabilities of the conventional and quadrature methods of moments to describe condensational growth in a well-known laminar flow aerosol reactor model. Governing equations for energy, lower order radial moments of the particle size distribution, and vapor transport are written for a two-dimensional model using both approaches. Conventional and quadrature techniques to obtain closure of the moment equations are applied and compared. The conventional method requires certain approximations to the growth law. These include assumptions that the Kelvin effect is negligible and that the particle growth rate function is linear in particle size. In contrast, restrictive constraints of the conventional method of moments to obtain closure are avoided by applying the quadrature method. Numerical results for the laminar flow aerosol reactor model are obtained for a six moment formulation of the seed particle distribution to illustrate application of the quadrature method to continuous polydisperse distributions. We present the first calculations with the new quadrature method of moments to a two-dimensional aerosol transport and growth model.