LIQUID JET BREAKUP IN QUIESCENT ATMOSPHERE: A REVIEW

Breakup of liquid jets issuing from converging (cone-up type) nozzles in a quiescent atmosphere is reviewed in the present paper This review reveals that, in fact, very little is known about the influence of various factors on the disintegration of the jet. General disregard of nozzle geometry and internal flow in the classic literature are the main reasons for the presence of confusion, and the lack of a coherent body, of information on the subject. Characteristics of jet breakup depend on a variety of factors such as turbulence, velocity profiles, nozzle geometry, and the physical states of the liquid and gas. Disintegration mechanisms are characterized by, dominance of one or more of the aforementioned factors. While the general process of jet breakup, turbulence, and ambient effects are fairly well comprehended, the effects (and the interplay) of various other parameters are poorly understood. In particular the recent literature suggests that nozzle geometry, internal flow, and cavitation play a profound role in the breakup.