Shock tube measurements of submicron droplet evaporation

The evaporation rate of submicron droplets has been studied behind incident shock waves in the temperature range 400-500 K at initial droplet Knudsen numbers of 0.1-0.8 by measuring the particle size decrease in the post-shock relaxation zone. Laser light scattering simultaneously measured under several angles together with Mie theory has been used to determine the time dependent droplet radius. By comparison with an analytical description of the transfer processes of a single particle in a gas continuum, a physical interpretation of the measurements can be given and a first order correction term of the mass flux in the transition region could be confirmed.