On the Principle, Design, and Performance of an Expansion—Shock Tube for Nucleation Studies

Abstract

A new expansion—shock tube for homogeneous condensation experiments, using the nucleation pulse technique, is described. The nucleation pulse is created by reflections of a shock wave at a local widening. Droplet sizes and concentrations are measured with a 90° Mie—scattering technique and a light—extinction method. Droplet growth rates and nucleation rates of water and n—nonane have been measured. The nucleation experiments of water cover a temperature range from 197 K up to 260 K. Nucleation rates vary from 10¹³ m⁻³s⁻¹ up to 10¹⁷ m^-3s^-1 and are in agreement with Classical Nucleation Theory within two orders of magnitude over the whole range of temperatures. Results of nucleation experiments of n—nonane are in accordance with experimental data found in literature.