Droplet characterization of a novel orifice spray nozzle

An experimental study of a novel atomizing nozzle is presented. The novelty of the nozzle lies in the incorporation of a self-driven, hydraulic turbine, which provides improved atomization performance. The inclusion of this rotating component promotes smaller particle sizes within the plume for a given pressure and flow rate. Two versions of the nozzle are presented and a comparison of their respective atomization performances is given. The second version of the nozzle was shown to operate consistently at lower pressure and produce increased homogeneity within the droplet plume. The Sauter mean diameter (SMD) was found to vary within the range 60-140 mu m. The observed droplet size distributions suggest that the nozzle produces a spray similar to that produced by a pressure atomizer, or a two-phase atomizer in the central core of the spray plume, whereas the distribution found in the outer region of the plume resembled that produced by spinning-disk atomizers.