OPTIMIZATION OF CONVERGENT-DIVERGENT LAVAL NOZZLE TO PRODUCE NANO PARTICLES

This research work provides detailed information on numerical modeling of
nucleation and condensation based on classical nucleation theory and computational
fluid dynamic simulation of heat transfer coefficient of the nozzle wall. The first
objective is modeling of condensation of water and mercury vapor in a Laval nozzle,
using the liquid drop nucleation theory. Influence of nozzle geometry, pressure and
temperature on the average drop size is reported. A MATLAB based computer
program was used to calculate the nucleation and condensation of water vapor in the
nozzle. The simulation results were validated with the experimental data available in
the literature for steam condensation. The model reveals that the average drop size is
reduced by increasing the divergent angle of the nozzle.