Thermophoretic motion of large heated aerosol spherical particles

Abstract

The stationary motion of a large spherical aerosol particle in the external field of a temperature gradient in zero gravity is theoretically described using the Stokes approximation and the assumption that the average temperature of the particle surface differs considerably from the temperature of the surrounding gaseous medium. The gas dynamics equations are solved taking into account the power-law temperature dependence of the molecular transport coefficients (viscosity, thermal conductivity) and the density of the gaseous medium. Numerical estimates show that the dependence of the thermophoretic force and velocity on the average temperature of the particle surface is nonlinear.