Concerning the Velocity of Evaporation of Small Droplets in a Gas Atmosphere

The evaporation velocity of liquid droplets under various conditions is theoretically calculated and a number of factors are investigated which are neglected in carrying out the fundamental equation of Maxwell. It is shown that the effect of these factors at the small drop sizes and the small weight concentrations ordinarily occurring in fog can be calculated by simple corrections. The evaporation process can be regarded as quasi-stationary in most cases. The question at hand, and also the equivalent question of the velocity of growth of droplets in a supersaturated atmosphere, is highly significant in meteorology and for certain industrial purposes. Since the literature concerning this is very insufficient and many important aspects either are not considered at all or are reported incorrectly, it seems that a short discussion is not superfluous. A special consideration will be given to the various assumptions and neglections that are necessary in deriving the fundamental equation of Maxwell. The experimental work available, which is very insufficient and in part poorly dependable, can be used as an accurate check on the theory only in very few cases.