Fluidic spray control

Kuo-Tung Tseng, Purdue University

Abstract

An original fluidic control method in an axisymmetric spray orifice is investigated using both experiments and existing CFD. Cavitation images, droplet size measurements, discharge coefficient, unsteadiness measurements and CFD are incorporated to find out the causes resulting in small droplets. A flow rig delivering pressurized water flow to an orifice is constructed. A secondary flow is introduced through an annular slot in the orifice wall to control the cavitation, and thus the spray, at pressures up to 550 kPa driving pressure difference. The orifice used is nominally axisymmetric with a diameter 0.81 mm and length 5.08 mm. Two types of orifices are made. Orifice 1 has the slot located 0.81 mm below the orifice inlet, and the slot orientation is angled at 67.5° to the hole axis. Orifice 2 has the slot situated at 0.41 mm below the orifice inlet, and the slot orientation is angled at 15° to the hole axis. Devices, including a CCD camera, a particle-sizer and a He-Ne laser system, were utilized for flow visualization and relevant measurements. The cavitation and spray were photographed with a high resolution CCD digital camera. Droplet size measurements were made with a laser diffraction particle-sizer. Moreover, the cavitation frequencies were explored using a He-Ne laser along with a photodiode and an oscilloscope. CFD codes developed by Chen and Heister were used to model the internal flow. 54 cases were run, including 5 slot locations, 5 slot orientations, and 4 secondary flow rates. Compared with the experimental results, the agreement between CFD and experimental results is good except for hydraulic flip. Generally the high pressure region upstream of the slot, the large high pressure variation over time, and the long cavitation length are the favorable conditions for creating small droplets. The CFD together with experimental measurements correlate the flow structures with droplet sizes. Understanding the relationship between flow structures and droplet sizes can help to design orifices to create desired droplet sizes.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Collicott, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Aerospace materials

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