Reassessment and reevaluation of rainout and drop size correlation for an aerosol jet

Abstract A number of aerosol rainout experiments were conducted in Oklahoma in 1989 and in Nevada in 1990 using five superheated, flashing liquids. Since some of these liquids were relatively volatile, the rained out liquid was imperfectly captured; evaporation from the capture pans was evident. This paper describes an approach to correct the rainout data for reevaporation using a model of all the pertinent phenomena involved. Corrected rainout fractions are provided for chlorine, methylamine, and cyclohexane. The model used requires adjusting only two variables, solubility for capture in aqueous solution, and the initial mean drop size. Adjusting the mean drop size for each experiment provides a set of drop sizes which can then be tested against alternative drop size correlation variables. Desirable correlations force overlap between all five materials tested and have the correct behavior with overpressure. Acceptable correlations are found between drop size and superheat, partial expansion energy, and an extended flash fraction. With two different slopes bubble growth rate also provides a good correlation. Unacceptable correlation occurred using Jacob number, flash fraction, and expansion energy.