LAUSR

Abstract The present study was experimentally examines the primary atomization processes in a newly developed atomizer, similar to effervescent atomizer concept, at low pressures and low gas-to-liquid ratios (GLR). Several experimental and post-processing techniques are applied to investigate the spray spatial evolution. The near-nozzle area is captured by a high-speed camera with a long-distance microscope. Further, characteristics of the developed spray are investigated by a phase-Doppler analyser (PDA). The high-speed recordings are processed by the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). The frequency analysis of examined phenomenon is done by the fast Fourier transformation (FFT) at selected positions in the images. The POD enables to sort out data according to the importance of characteristic shapes occurring in the recordings. The velocity and dimensions of discharging liquid are measured in images by a point-tracking method. Dimensionless criteria are estimated to describe the atomization principles where several new findings are found comparing the previous studies. The spatial spray evolution is described by the processed PDA data. A simplification, based on the Stokes number, is used to estimate a gas motion in the spray. This approach enables to investigate the interaction between the spray and ambient atmosphere. The combination of experimental and post-processing techniques confirms the previous findings of the improved effervescent atomizer. In other words, the atomizer operates inherently in annular two-phase flow regime which, however, leads to a specific atomizing mechanism, i.e. bubble bursts, the same as in the effervescent spraying process. However, an importance of the interaction between the two following bubble bursts is highlighted as driving atomization mechanism. This specific behaviour is the reason why the atomizer can be operated at low consumption of gas and low-pressure regimes. Moreover, the applied experimental and post-processing techniques indicate a potential for further advanced data post-processing of the stochastic processes of liquid atomization.