INTERLABORATORY COMPARISON OF PHASE DOPPLER MEASUREMENTS IN A RESEARCH SIMPLEX ATOMIZER SPRAY

Phase Doppler interferometry is providing detailed information about t he structure of sprays. Such information is attractive to those develo ping numerical models that predict spray behavior. However, the inhere nt complexity of sprays and advanced diagnostics warrants the developm ent of a reference point for measurements. Hence, a ''standard'' spray is evaluated in the current study which can be used to evaluate instr ument and operator performance and, once sufficient data sets are gene rated, can provide a benchmark data set for modeling challenges. A com prehensive set of mean and variation in rive sets of measurements is p rovided. In general, the results reveal reasonable reproducibility, es pecially in quantities which are dependent solely upon the number of d rops (e.g., mean velocities). It is also shown that statistics derived from individual drop sizes reveal less variability than those derived from the entire spray population. Finally, it is observed that quanti ties which depend upon drop volume and/or sample volume area (e.g., Sa uter mean diameter, volume flux) are subject to the greatest variabili ty.