FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL LIQUID DISTRIBUTION FROM PRESSURE-SWIRL ATOMIZERS

Measurements of circumferential liquid distribution are carried out ov er ranges of injection pressure from 0.34 to 1.72 MPa (50 to 250 psi) using five different simplex nozzles to achieve variations in the disc harge orifice length/diameter ratio from 0.5 to 4.0. Two additional si mplex nozzles of the same flow number are also examined in order to as certain the effect of variations in the number of swirl chamber feed s lots on circumferential liquid distribution. Mixtures of water and gly cerine are used to provide a twelve to one variation in liquid viscosi ty. The results obtained show that spray uniformity improves markedly at higher injection pressures. Increase in liquid viscosity also has a beneficial effect on spray uniformity. The most uniform circumferenti al liquid distributions are obtained with nozzles having a discharge o rifice length/diameter ratio of between 11/2 and 2.