A Numerical Study of Both Internal and External Two-Phase Flows of a Rotating Disk Atomizer

Abstract

In this paper, a numerical study has been carried out to model and simulate the air-liquid two-phase flows both inside and around a rotating disk atomizer, which is fitted with multiple spray nozzles. The physical problem was simulated with an Eulerian multiphase model in a single computational domain. The realizable two-equation turbulence model was used for the turbulent flow. The governing equations were solved with a finite-volume-based numerical method. The rotary frame method was used for the spinning disk. Numerical simulation was conducted in a rotational disk speed range of 1000 to 10000 rpm and a liquid feed flow rate range of 100 to 175 gpm for the liquid feeder. Both uniform and non-uniform liquid distribution conditions were considered. Detailed results about flow velocity and volume fraction fields inside and outside of the atomizer are presented and discussed. It was found that when liquid is nonuniformly distributed through the distributors, some of the nozzles could reach flooding conditions at lower rotational disk speeds and liquid feed volume flow rates, as compared to uniform distribution cases.