| The general problem of atomization of high speed (more than 100 m/s) jets and sheets of liquid is studied from the experimental and theoretical points of view. The general mechanisms proposed in the last hundred years are reviewed and experiments are designed to test them individually, or to generate a database useful for a theoretical analysis. The main measurements are discharge coefficient and spray angle, according to several definitions. Empirical correlations are directly derived from the data, approximating the measurements within an uncertainty of about 10%. A physical model is built on the accumulated observations of this work, and those of other authors, to predict the variations of spray angle and jet breakup length over a more extended domain. A new atomization mode, characterized by the generation of flat liquid sheets by a simple cylindrical orifices, is presented, and its causes analyzed. In addition to the theoretical discussion on the physics of atomization, recommendations are made on improving the performance of practical atomizers, with a particular emphasis on diesel fuel injectors. |
