Spray Characteristics of an Internal-Mix Airblast Atomizer

Abstract

Detailed characterisation of spray atomization of an injector is important for combustor design and modelling. In this paper, the effects of air/fuel mass ratio on the spray characteristics of an internal-mix airblast atomizer were examined. Distribution of the spatial mean droplet axial velocity and size were measured simultaneously using a phase Doppler anemometry (PDA). In general, small droplets are distributed at the center of the spray with maximum velocity. The droplet size increases with increasing radial distance from the spray centreline, but the drop velocity decreases to a minimum at the spray edge. Increasing the atomizing air/fuel mass ratio reduces fuel droplet size due to increased shear.