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A Lagrangian approach to droplet condensation in atmospheric clouds

Phys. Fluids 21, 106603 (2009); doi:10.1063/1.3244646

Published 23 October 2009

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Ryan S. R. Sidin,1 Rutger H. A. IJzermans,2 and Michael W. Reeks2
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
2School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Newcastle University, Stephenson Building, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
The condensation of microdroplets in model systems, reminiscent of atmospheric clouds, is investigated numerically and analytically. Droplets have been followed through a synthetic turbulent flow field composed of 200 random Fourier modes, with wave numbers ranging from the integral scales [[script O](102  m)] to the Kolmogorov scales [[script O](10−3  m)]. As the influence of all turbulence scales is investigated, direct numerical simulation is not practicable, making kinematic simulation the only viable alternative. Two fully Lagrangian droplet growth models are proposed: a one-way coupled model in which only adiabatic cooling of a rising air parcel is considered, and a two-way coupled model which also accounts for the effects of local vapor depletion and latent heat release. The simulations with the simplified model show that the droplet size distribution becomes broader in the course of time and resembles a Gaussian distribution. This result is supported by a theoretical analysis which relates the droplet surface-area distribution to the dispersion of droplets in the turbulent flow. Although the droplet growth is stabilized by vapor depletion and latent heat release in the two-way coupled model, the calculated droplet size distributions are still very broad. The present results may provide an explanation for the rapid growth of droplets in the coalescence stage of rain formation, as broad size distributions are likely to lead to enhanced collision rates between droplets. ©2009 American Institute of Physics
History: Received 24 February 2009; accepted 19 August 2009; published 23 October 2009
Permalink: http://link.aip.org/link/?PHFLE6/21/106603/1
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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords
PACS
  • 47.55.df
    Breakup and coalescence (drops and bubbles)
  • 64.70.fm
    Thermodynamics studies of evaporation and condensation
  • 92.60.Jq
    Water in the atmosphere
  • 92.60.hk
    Convection, turbulence, and diffusion in meteorology
  • 47.27.tb
    Turbulent diffusion
  • 47.11.-j
    Computational methods in fluid dynamics
  • YEAR: 2009

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PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN:
1070-6631 (print)   1089-7666 (online)
Publisher:
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