Liquid jet dispersion after impact on a highly curved surface

A liquid jet impacting on a wire mesh is a phenomenon that occurs in such industrial applications as rotating packed beds or agricultural spraying. To derive a fundamental understanding of the behaviour of a dispersion generated by the whole mesh, a simple geometric case needs to be studied. This paper focuses on the dispersion of a liquid jet impacting on a single stainless steel rod studied with a high-speed visualisation. It is found that two liquid sheets are formed with sheet characteristics described by a dispersion angle & alpha;e, a sheet velocity vs, and a breakup length Lb. Three stages of the angular development of the dispersion are observed based on the liquid flow rate and the exit orifice diameter. A correlation for the dispersion angle growth is proposed based on the experimental results. Perforated, segmented and wave-assisted sheet breakup regimes are found in the recorded images with their presence dependent on the impact velocity. A correlation for the breakup length is proposed for the sheets based on similarities with flat fan nozzle theory.

Automated summary

This paper focuses on the dispersion of a liquid jet impacting on a single stainless steel rod studied with high-speed visualization. Two liquid sheets are formed, and the dispersion angle and breakup length are related to the liquid flow rate and orifice diameter. Multiple breakup regimes are observed in the recorded images, depending on the impact velocity.