The role of cavitation in submicron aerosol dispersion

Abstract

Here we discuss the problem of atomizing submicron aerosols by special design atomizers enabling the cavitation regime. The formation of submicron aerosol was studied using an impulse atomizer model powered by a high-energy material and an atomizer model with a special spray nozzle generating countercurrent flows. For these atomizers, the role played by cavitation in producing submicron liquid aerosols is demonstrated herein. A mathematical model is also suggested to describe the aerosol cloud genesis. The cavitation development critical pressure, outflow velocity, and the resulting droplet sizes were evaluated. The aerosol particle size and concentration were experimentally measured by optical methods. The measured disperse parameters of aerosols during the origination and propagation of the aerosol cloud resulted from the cavitation-assisted atomization of liquids are reported: the intrinsic particle diameter of water aerosol is 10…30 μm depending on the features of the atomizer designs and their operating regimes.