Cluster generation in expansions of pure water vapour and of mixtures with carbon dioxide

The condensation of pure superheated water vapour and of a mixture with carbon dioxide in a supersonic jet behind a sonic nozzle has been investigated by the nozzle molecular beam method. The relation of source temperature, pressure, and nozzle diameter necessary for fully developed condensation has been determined for the pure vapour. By using the retarding potential technique, the cluster size distribution function and the dependence of the mean cluster size on the nozzle source conditions have been obtained. Mass-spectrometric measurements of the beam composition in a mixture expansion have revealed the presence of both homogeneous and heterogeneous clusters. The fully developed condensation in CO₂-H₂O mixture was found to begin at a smaller total source pressure than in pure water vapour or carbon dioxide.