Influence of nozzle outlet diameter on the atomization process of zirconia dry granulation

Abstract

In order to predict the atomization characteristics of the atomization process of zirconia dry granulation accurately, the influence of nozzle outlet diameter on the atomization characteristics of the atomization process of zirconia dry granulation is analyzed. The VOF method and RNG k-ε turbulence model are applied to numerically analyze the flow field of pressure-swirl nozzles with different outlet diameters of the atomization process of zirconia dry granulation, and the effects of outlet diameters on the spray cone angle, liquid film thickness, pressure distribution and velocity distribution are analyzed. The result shows that when the outlet diameter is increased from 3 to 4 mm, the diameter of air core and the outlet velocity of atomized liquid are increased, the spray cone angle is increased from 30.5° to 59.7° while the liquid film thickness is decreased, but when the outlet diameter is increased to 5 mm, the diameter of air core and the outlet velocity of atomized liquid are decreased, the spray cone angle is decreased to 27.6°, while the thickness of liquid film is decreased. The spray cone angle, moisture content of zirconia particles corresponding to nozzles with different outlet diameters are measured by the design of atomization experiment platform and the microstructure of zirconia particles are observed, which verifies the correctness of numerical analysis. Taking the atomization performance of nozzle into consideration, the pressure-swirl nozzle with the outlet diameter of 4 mm is better suitable for the atomization process of zirconia dry granulation.