Simulation of nanoparticle coagulation under Brownian motion and turbulence in a differential–algebraic framework: Developments and applications

•An efficient method of moments for modeling nanoparticle coagulation is proposed.•A realistic coagulation kernel including fractal dimension of aggregates is described.•The model agrees with experiments involving Brownian motion and turbulence.•The influence of the fractal parameters on the coagulation kinetics is highlighted.

This paper is devoted to the modeling of the dynamics of nano-aerosols under Brownian motion and turbulence effects. An Eulerian point of view is considered through a population balance equation which is solved in a differential–algebraic framework (DAE-QMOM). This choice is supported by making a brief comparison with reference numerical methods. In order to evaluate the physical insights of the model, a comparison with five available experiments is carried out. The present results reveal the necessity to take into consideration the Brownian and turbulence effects together in the coagulation kernel and also highlight the need to introduce the fractal dimension of aggregates.