We consider the nucleation and growth of MgO from a vapor consisting of a dilute mixture of magnesium and oxygen in a cooling

Almtrae t -Numencal calculaUons are presented in which homogeneous nucleation and growth of M g O particles in a thermal plasma reactor is simulated. The physical environment revolves cont inuous cooling from very high temperatures The numerical model involves a solution of the aerosol general dynamic equation coupled to a gas phase chemical kinetics calculation for generauon of M g O monomers . The results m&cate that the number of particles nucleated is a function of lnmal Mg concentration and of coohng rate in the nucleation region The results are httle affected if the assumed chemical rate constants are within one order of magni tude of upper-bound esUmates. If, however, the rate constants are a factor of 100 lower than the estimates a large change is observed in the final results. In that case surface reactions are likely to play a prominent role in particle growth