Effect of the droplet surface tension correction on nucleation condensing water vapor flow

Condensing flow in nozzle and stationary blades of steam turbine has always been the subject of many studies. Due to the lack of precise relationship between surface tension and small droplet radius, the radial dependence of surface tension has been ignored in calculations and surface tension of flat surface instead of droplet surface tension is used. Gibbs-Tolman-Koenig-Buff equation expressing the radial dependence of surface tension that Kalova provides as a relationship of changes in surface tension versus radius of the surface by fitting response from the exact solution of GTKB equation. The aforementioned relationship is known as Kalova surface tension equation. The present study considers the effect of the Kalova surface tension correction on nucleation and droplet growth in condensing flows in an ultrasonic Laval nozzle. Since Tolman coefficient (δ) is an important parameter in Kalova surface tension equation, by fitting response from Tolman equations a correlation for Tolman coefficient temperature changes suggested for the first time. Kalova Surface tension in addition to the direct impact of the droplets crisis radius, to obtain droplet free energy crisis is also impressive that the impact of both them in the modified classical nucleation equation have been studied for the first time. The results of analytical modeling one-dimensional adiabatic supersonic flow with applying the Kalova surface tension correction and using the proposed equation for Tolman coefficient temperature changes indicate an improvement to the 12% in radius of the droplets and 5% in pressure distribution in the region of condensation shock.