DETERMINATION OF THE DROP SIZE AND DISTRIBUTIONS IN SWIRL INJECTION IN CROSS FLOWS, IMPINGING, AND EFFERVESCENT INJECTORS

Abstract

We have extended the primary atomization analysis to swirl injection in cross flows, impinging, and effervescent injectors. Using the integral form of the conservation equations, the drop size can be expressed in terms of injection and fluid parameters, the main variable being the liquid and gas velocities. Using the measured velocities as inputs to this <i>D</i><sub>32</sub>-equation, good agreements with experimental data are found for the drop size in the three spray geometries. Underlying physical mechanisms for the drop formation are also revealed from the analysis. The aerodynamic interaction between the swirl spray and cross flow results in reduction in momentum, with a corresponding decrease in kinetic energy that appears as surface tension of energy of many small droplets. Similarly, cancellation of the lateral momentum in impinging jets and internal deceleration in effervescent injectors are the key primary atomization routes. The use of the analytical drop size-velocity correlation has also been demonstrated for swirl sprays in cross flows. Therefore, this approach can be used to predict the drop size and distributions in different spray geometries, with appropriate changes in the velocity input terms and fluid properties.