Spray characteristics of conventional and electrostatic pressure-swirl nozzle

English

Spray characteristics of conventional and electrostatic pressure-swirl nozzles demonstrated on oil burner have been studied. Conventional nozzles use other means of energy to disintegrate liquid into droplet sizes without charging the drops during application. Charge injection mechanism was adopted for the electrostatic nozzle, where the specific charge density, breakup length, spray angle and sauter mean diameter were measured parameters. Three nozzles with orifice diameters of 0.256, 0.308 and 0.333 mm at injection pressures of 0.7, 0.9, 1.1 and 1.3 MPa were used to study the spray characteristics. For the electrostatic nozzle, voltages ranging from 5 to 12 kV were applied using a high voltage source with a negative polarity. Comparison of the spray characteristics between the conventional and electrostatic nozzles indicated that the electrostatic nozzle was superior to the conventional nozzle, due the effect of voltage on the surface tension of the liquid being sprayed.

Laryea, G.N.