Process of dispersing a molten jet by an annular stream of high-pressure water. I. Hydrodynamic model of molten jet transformation into droplets

Abstract

A theoretical model is constructed for dispersion based on analyzing processes of hydrodynamics, instability, and heat exchange of a molten jet under the action of a high pressure stream of water. It includes description of successively proceeding transformations of the original jet into microjets and droplets. A dependence is obtained which established a correlation of atomized droplet size with the physical characteristics of water and melt (density, viscosity, and specific surface energy) as well as with such atomization parameters as melt flow rate, water stream velocity, and jet diameter. It is shown that it is necessary to supplement the model with empirical factors which consider relative melt and water flow rate, the attack angle, and the slot width of an annular atomizer nozzle.