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Preface:
The first edition of this book, published in 1977. included an extended discussion of aerosol
dynamics, the study of the factors that detennine the distribution of aerosol properties with
respect to particle size. The distributions change with position and time in both natural and
industrial processes. The ability 10 predict and measure changes in the distribution function
are of cenlraJ importance in many applications from air pollution \0 thecommercial synthesis
of powdered materials. The aerosol dynamics approach makes it possible to integrate a broad
sel of topics in aerosol science usually treated in an unconnected manner. These include
stochastic processes. aerosol transport, coagulation. format ion of agglomerates, classical
nucleation theory, and the synthesis of ultrafine solid particles.
I had started writing the first edition after participating in ACHEX, the first large
scale atmospheric aerosol characterization experiment which took place in California in the
early seventies. K. T. Whitby had shown the power of the new in~lruments that had been
developed for the rapid determination of particle size distributions including the si ngle
particle optical counter and electrical mobility analyzer. I realized thai this instrumentation
provided enough information to warrant a new treatment of aerosol dynamics linked to
improved experimental capabilities. (An earlier ground-breaking book on The Dynllmics of
Aerocolloidaf Systems had been published in 1971 by G. M. Hidy and J. R. Brock.)
In the approach adopted in my fir~t edition, the derivation and use of the general
dynamic equalion for the particle size distribution played acentral role. This special form of a
population balance equalion incorpor.ned the Smoluchowsk.i theory of coagulation and gasto-
particle conversion through a Liouville term with a set of special growth laws; coagulation
and gas-to-particle conversion are processes that take place within an elemental gas volume.
Brownian diffusion and external force fields transport particles across the boundaries of
the elemental volume. A major limitation on the formu lation was the assumption that the
particles were liquid droplets that coalesced instantaneously after collision.
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