Boundary layer on a vaporizing surface

The article discusses the laminar boundary layer on the vaporizing surface of liquid hydrogen over which there is a flow of molecular hydrogen. The pressure p in the boundary layer corresponds to the saturation temperature of the oxygen T₀, which is lower than the temperature of the oncoming flow T, but higher than the temperature of the surface of the liquid hydrogen. Under such conditions, within the boundary layer there is condensation of oxygen in the volume, which leads to the formation of drops of liquid oxygen of different sizes. It is proposed in the article that, with the condensation of gas in the volume, drops of one size are formed. Drops of a chosen mean size are regarded as molecules of a heavy gas. The gas drop is a third component present in the boundary layer.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 48–53, September–October, 1973.The author thanks G. I. Petrov for his interest in and direction of the work.