Kinetic Boundary Condition at a Vapor-Liquid Interface

By molecular dynamics simulations, the boundary condition for the Boltzmann equation at a vapor-liquid interface is found to be the product of three one-dimensional Maxwellian distributions for the three velocity components of vapor molecules and a factor including a well-defined condensation coefficient. The Maxwellian distribution for the velocity component normal to the interface is characterized by the liquid temperature, as in a conventional model boundary condition, while those for the tangential components are prescribed by a different temperature, which is a linear function of energy flux across the interface. The condensation coefficient is found to be constant and equal to the evaporation coefficient determined by the liquid temperature only.