FLOW CHARACTERISTICS OF SWIRL (CENTRIFUGAL) SPRAY PRESSURE NOZZLES WITH LOW VISCOSITY LIQUIDS

A study has been made of the mechanics of flow of low viscosity liquids through swirl spray nozzles. Discharge coefficients and spray angles have been measured for a series of nozzles designed to systematically determine dimensional effects not predicted by frictionless theory, in particular the effect of the ratios of swirl chamber diameter to orifice diameter and of orifice length to orifice diameter. It was found that a unique relationship exists between discharge coefficient and spray angle dependent only upon the value of the orifice length/diameter ratio. This result has been explained on the basis of an ideal flow theory extended to take into account the frictional decay of the vortex motion. A general expression has been derived which permits correlation of the flow characteristics of nozzles covering a wide range of designs. Copyright © 1969 American Institute of Chemical Engineers