FORMATION OF IRREGULAR PARTICLES BY COAGULATION AND SINTERING - A 2-DIMENSIONAL SOLUTION OF THE POPULATION BALANCE EQUATION

A two-dimensional distribution model is developed to trace the evolution of both the size and shape characteristics of aerosol particles during gas phase powder production. In addition to the coagulation term, the governing population balance equation includes a coalescence contribution based on sintering law. Using volume and surface area as the two particle dimensions, the aerosol dynamic equations are solved by extending a one dimensional sectional technique to the two-dimensional space. The predicted evolution of the particle volume and surface area distribution leads to a direct characterization of morphology as well as the average size and polydispersity of the powders.