Effects of ambient gas density on the structure of pressure-atomizedsprays

Abstract

A theoretical and experimental study of the dense-spray region of pressure-atomized nonevaporating sprays is described, emphasizing effects of ambient gas density in the atomization breakup regime. Mean liquid volume fraction distributions were measured for 9.5 mm diameter water jets in still air at pressures of 1-8 atm. Mixing was strongly affected by the gaslliquid density ratio and the degree of flow development at the jet exit, with the largest gadliquid density ratio and fully-developed turbulent pipe flow yielding the fastest mixing rates. Predictions based on the locally homogeneous flow approximation, where relative velocities between the phases are assumed to be small in comparison to mean flow ve!ocities, were in good agreement with measurements, including representation of effects of gashiquid density ratio and flow development at the jet exit.