EFFECTS OF CAVITATION AND INTERNAL FLOW ON ATOMIZATION OF A LIQUID JET

The purpose of this investigation is to clarify atomization mechanism of a high-speed liquid jet issuing from a single-hole nozzle. In previ ous research, it was believed that atomization of the liquid jet was c aused by the interfacial forces existing between the issuing jet and t he surrounding gas. However, it has been determined that the strong tu rbulence in the nozzle hole due to cavitation phenomena contributes gr eatly to the disintegration of the liquid jet. In order to reveal the mutual relationships, experiments were performed under conditions rang ing from decompression to high ambient pressures by using acrylic nozz les with various length-to-hole diameter ratios L/D and different inle t shapes of the nozzle hole, close to the hole diameter of an actual n ozzle. As a consequence of this study, it has been determined that the primary factor in atomization of the liquid jet is the disturbance of the liquid flow resulting from cavitation phenomena.