Kinetics of Hydrometeor Growth from a Vaper-Spherical Model

Abstract

A new growth equation for pure water and solution droplets with radii?1µm has been developed which features discrete vapor and temperature fields at the surface of growing droplets. The discrete fields are created by the condensation and thermal accommodation coefficients in order to maintain steady state in the vapor and heat transfers. The newly derived equation is compared with previous theories, and their differences and ranges of applicability are clarified. It is shown that the newly derived equation includes some of the previous equations as special cases. The new equation is numerically evaluated and graphically examined for the case of pure water droplets. The results show a spreading tendency in size distribution of formed droplets at the start of their growth. The present theory and equations may also be applied to the evaporation of a droplet and the growth of an ice particle where the shape can he assumed to he spherical.