Measurement and modeling of planar airblast spray flux distributions

A liquid sheet breaks up into drops by fast air streams at airblast type atomizers, which are widely utilized for jet engines. Fuel spray flux in space directly determines the local mass ratio of fuel to air inside a combustion chamber. However, it has been difficult to measure the quantitative spatial distribution of spray flux using laser techniques and mechanical patternators. Therefore, in the present study, we have developed a new shape of 3D printed patternator applicable to the measurement of spray flux distribution by a planar airblast atomizer, and quantitative data are presented at the conditions of gas velocity up to 100 m/s with changing atomizer configuration and liquid species as water and kerosene. Laser technique of Phase Doppler Anemometer and high-speed visualization are complementary conducted with theoretical investigation. The experimental results of spray flux distributions are consistently normalized by the proposed dimensionless injection condition based on the square root of momentum ratio of spreading drops to gas stream. The applicable limit of the present modeling framework is given by Weber number based on the ratio of inertia of gas stream to liquid surface tension.