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Riga 23:
===Crystallization dynamics===
As said above, a '''crystal''' is formed following a well-defined pattern, or structure, dictated by forces acting at molecular level. As a consequence, during its formation process the [[crystal]], shall be in an environment where the solute [[concentration]] reach a certain critical value, before changing status. [[Solid]] formation, impossibile below the [[solubility]] threshold, at the given [[temperature]] and [[pressure]] conditions, may then take place at a concentration higher than the theoretical solubility level. The difference between the actual value of the solute concentration at the crystallization limit and the theoretical (static) solubility threshold is called [[supersaturation]] and is a fundamental factor in crystallization dynamics.
Once the first, small crystal, called [[nucleus]], this acts as a convergence point if unstable (due to supersaturation) [[molecules]] of solute touching - or coming neart to - the crystal so that it increases its own dimension in successive layers, something like an onion, as shown in the picture, where each colour shows the same mass of solute; this mass creates increasingly thin layers due to the increasing surface of the growing crystal. The supersaturated solute mass the original nucleus may ''capture'' in a time unit is called ''growth rate'' expressed in kg/(m<sup>2</sup>*h), and is a constant specific to the process: it is influenced by several phisical factors, such as [[surface tension]] of solution, [[pressure]], [[temperature]], relative crystal [[velocity]]in the solution, [[Reynolds number]], etcetera.
▲[[Image:Crystal_growth.PNG|frame|right|Accrescimento del cristallo]]
The main values to control are therefore:
*Supersaturation value, as an index of the quantity of solute available for the growth of the crystal;
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*tempo di stazionamento, in quanto indice della probabilità che una molecola di soluto entri in contatto con la superficie del cristallo;
*regime idraulico, in quanto indice della probabilità che la molecola di soluto venga fissata al cristallo (maggiore in [[regime laminare]], minore in [[regime turbolento]], ma la relazione è inversa relativamente alla probabilità di contatto).
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