Energy Considerations in Twin-Fluid Atomization

With certain types of prefilming airblast atomizers, the manner in which the atomizing air impinges on the liquid sheet prohibits the wave formation that normally precedes the breakup of a liquid sheet into drops. Instead, the liquid is shattered almost instantaneously into drops of various sizes. This prompt atomization process is characterized by a broad range of drop sizes in the spray and by a lack of sensitivity of mean drop size to variations in liquid viscosity, atomizing air pressure, and initial liquid sheet thickness. Evidence is presented to show that which of these two different modes of atomization will occur in any given flow situation is largely dependent on the angle at which the atomizing air impinges on the liquid sheet. An equation for mean drop size, derived from the assumption that the main factor controlling prompt atomization is the ratio of the energy required for atomization to the kinetic energy of the atomizing air, is shown to provide a good fit to experimental data acquired from atomization studies on water and heating oil, carried out over wide ranges of air velocity, air/liquid ratio, and ambient air pressure.