Abstract
Heterogeneous condensation of gases has been shown to be an important process in determining the size distribution of urban aerosols. The rate of condensation depends on the gas phase concentration of the condensing species. The effect of turbulent gas phase concentration fluctuations on the rate of growth of an aerosol by heterogeneous condensation is considered. First, a simulation of heterogeneous condensation growth of an aerosol in a spatially homogeneous system in which local gas phase concentration fluctuations exist is performed. It is found that the fluctuations lead to a size distribution that is broader than that obtained in the absence of fluctuations. Then, an extension of the Prandtl mixing length theory is developed for the term accounting for the turbulent contribution to condensation growth in the equation governing the mean aerosol size distribution function.
Published Version
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