INTERPHASE MATTER TRANSFER, THE CONDENSATION COEFFICIENT AND DROPWISE CONDENSATION

cannot be used to determine the condensation coefficient accurately. It is shown that, when recent data for dropwise condensation of steam are re-evaluated, taking account of polyatomicity of the water molecule in the calculation of the interface temperature difference, an upper limit for the value of the condensation coefficient is found to be 0.93 rather than 0.6, as reported earlier. In view of the approximate nature of the polyatomicity correction and uncertainties in the general theory of dropwise condensation, it is considered that these data do not show conclusively that the condensation coefficient is less than unity.