Surface & Coatings Technology: Jianzhong Lin, Lijuan Qian, Hongbin Xiong, Tat Leung Chan
Surface & Coatings Technology: Jianzhong Lin, Lijuan Qian, Hongbin Xiong, Tat Leung Chan
Surface & Coatings Technology: Jianzhong Lin, Lijuan Qian, Hongbin Xiong, Tat Leung Chan
a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t
Article history: A comprehensive model based on the Navier–Stokes equation and particle tracking method is used to study
Received 18 August 2008 the effervescent atomization impinging spray, and another model is used to establish the relationship
Accepted in revised form 6 January 2009 between the droplet velocity near the plate and the different operating conditions. The models and
Available online 15 January 2009
numerical code are validated by comparing the numerical results with the published experimental results.
The effects of air-to-liquid ratio, nozzle diameter, liquid mass flow rate, and the position of impinging plate
Keywords:
Atomization impinging spray
on the Weber number and K number as well as the droplet deposition onto the plate are discussed. The
Droplet deposition results show that the droplet velocity near the plate increases with increasing air-to-liquid ratio and liquid
Operating conditions mass flow rate, and with decreasing nozzle diameter and axial distance from the nozzle exit to the plate. The
Numerical simulation droplet diameter near the plate increases with increasing axial distance from the nozzle exit to the plate, and
with decreasing air-to-liquid ratio. As a function of the nozzle diameter and liquid mass flow rate, the
variation of droplet diameter is not monotonous and the effect of liquid mass flow rate on the droplet
diameter is insignificant. In the studied operating conditions, it is difficult for the droplet to rebound off the
plate when impinging on the plate but it is easier for the droplet to splash. In order to create a condition
which can benefit the droplet deposition when impinging on the plate, the suggested ways are to reduce the
air-to-liquid ratio and liquid mass flow rate, increase the nozzle diameter, and select a suitable range of axial
distance from the nozzle exit to the plate.
© 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction particular attention had been devoted to the prediction of the maxi-
mum diameter reached by an impinging droplet at the end of the
Spray impingement onto a solid surface is an important funda- spreading phase. Han et al. [3] investigated the effects of spray
mental process in a variety of applications. For impacting on a surface, conditions on coating formation by the kinetic spray process. They
three main outcomes are expected, i.e., droplet rebound, splash or found that increasing particle temperature provides an additional
deposition onto the surface. In the interest of obtaining better paste means that can effectively enhance the coating formation by the
intensity, for instance, coating the different polymeric membranes kinetic spray process. Kang [4] developed a semi-empirical methodol-
onto the textile surface to produce a variety of functional chemical ogy for predicting three-dimensional deposits by the plasma spray
textile materials, the atomized droplet impinging onto the plate is process. The deposition volumes and thicknesses for different
expected to stick or deposit onto the surface without causing substrate inclinations with good agreement to experimentally sprayed
rebounding or splashing. deposits were predicted.
There are some investigations devoted to the spray impingement In order to confirm the outcomes of deposition, several transition
and deposition onto a solid surface. Van Steenkiste et al. [1] produced criteria are used to restrict the dimensionless numbers within a certain
coatings by entraining metal powders in an air flow which is range. Firstly, the rebound-deposition criterion: the rebound regime
accelerated by a de Laval type of nozzle. A threshold behavior was occurs when the impinging droplet bounces off the plate when the
observed for coating deposition as a function of nozzle inlet air impinged energy is low. The transition criterion between deposition
temperature. Garbero et al. [2] investigated the paint deposition and rebound is given as Weber number, We = ρldlvl2 / σl where ρl is the
process by spraying by means of computational fluid dynamics, and droplet density, dl is the droplet diameter, vl is the droplet normal
incidence velocity, and σl is the surface tension. In the deposition
⁎ Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Transmission and
regime, Weber number is larger than 5 [5]. Secondly, the deposition-
Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, PR China. Tel.: +86 571 86836009. splash criterion: the dimensionless number is able to specify the
E-mail address: [email protected] (J. Lin). transition between the deposition and splashing regimes for both the
0257-8972/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.surfcoat.2009.01.009
1734 J. Lin et al. / Surface & Coatings Technology 203 (2009) 1733–1740
where p is the gas pressure, ρg is the gas density, vg is the gas velocity.
Combined with the state equation, Eq. (1) can be integrated as:
: !2
1 ml ALR
RT ln ρg RT + = constant; ð2Þ
2 ρg πrg2
where ρl is the liquid density, C is the experimental coefficient. The A ρg e
interface velocity slip ratio and void fraction has the following + jd ρg eug = −pjd ug −jdq + ρg e + Q; ð10Þ
At
relationship:
where ρl is the liquid density, µl is the viscosity and σl is the surface where αg is the fraction of gas in the computational cell, Vcell is the cell
tension. The movement of the sheet is not considered in Eq. (5) which volume, Np is the number of the droplets in this parcel, and Fp is the
is approximately correct only in the case of long wave disturbances. force acting on each droplet, Qp is heat flux at each droplet surface,
Therefore, a more accurate solution [14] is used here. The growth rate and ul is the droplet velocity.
of surface disturbances for the sinusoidal mode is given by:
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 2.1.2.2. Droplet phase modeling. The liquid droplets are discretely
2
2μ k2 tanhðkhÞ 4μ 2l k4 tanh ðkhÞ−Q 2 V 2 k2 −½tanhðkhÞ + Q ð−QV 2 k2 + σ l k3 =ρl Þ treated in a Lagrangian manner. Computational droplets are generated
ω=− l +
tanhðkhÞ + Q tanhðkhÞ + Q at the points of injection and tracked throughout their flight. Assume
ð6Þ that only drag force and gravity affect the momentum transfer of
droplet significantly, the momentum transfer between the droplet and
where k is the wave number given by k = 2π / λ, h is the half-thickness atomization jet can be given by:
of sheet h = δ / 2, Q is the density ratio of gas/liquid, V is the velocity of
liquid sheet. Here, the value of the velocity of liquid sheet is assumed dul πrl2 ρl CD
to be the same as the relative velocity difference of the gas and the F p = ml = jug −ul j ug − ul g; ð13Þ
dt 2
liquid at the nozzle exit. The breakup wavelength λ is determined by
the wave number k where the maximum growth rate ω occurs in the dxl
curve calculated by Eq. (6). Assuming that each fragment is stabilized = ul ; ð14Þ
dt
to one droplet, the Sauter mean diameter (SMD) of the droplet size can
then be calculated from the conservation of mass:
where Fp is the force exerted on droplet, ml is the mass of droplet, rl is
1=3 the radius of droplet, g is the gravity force, and CD is drag coefficient
3
SMD = δ3 λ : ð7Þ and can be expressed as:
2
2.1.2. Mean droplet size downstream from the secondary breakup where rl is the particle radius, ρg and µg are the mean density and
In the secondary breakup model, the Navier–Stokes equation for viscosity of gas phase around the particle, respectively. In the present
the gas phase coupled the standard k–ε turbulence model is solved study, Rel is less then 100, therefore, Eq. (15) can be used.
with interaction between the droplet and gas phase taken into
consideration. The dispersed droplet phase is modeled using the 2.1.2.3. Droplet distortion. To model the droplet secondary breakup,
Lagrangian method, which has taken into consideration the collision a cascade atomization and drop breakup model [15] is utilized. The
and coalescence, momentum and heat transfer processes. droplet distortion is described by a forced, damped and harmonic
oscillator where the forcing term is given by the aerodynamic droplet/
2.1.2.1. Gas phase modeling. The gas flow is turbulent, and the con- gas interaction, the damping is caused by liquid viscosity, and the
servation equations of mass, momentum and energy are written as restoring force is supplied by the surface tension.
follows: The droplet distortion is described by the deformation parameter,
ζ = 2x / r where x is the radial cross-section change from its equilibrium
Aρg position and r is the original radius of the droplet. The deformation
+ jd ρg ug = 0; ð8Þ equation in terms of the normalized distortion parameter, ζ is cal-
At
culated by:
A ρg ug
2 :: 5μ l : 8σ l 2ρg jUj2
+ jd ρg ug ug = −j p + ρg k + jd ½σ s + F; ð9Þ f+ f+ f= ; ð16Þ
At 3 ρl a2 ρl a 3 3ρl a2
1736 J. Lin et al. / Surface & Coatings Technology 203 (2009) 1733–1740
where U is the relative droplet-gas velocity, a is the volume fraction of temperature of the two colliding droplets, and f(γ) is a function of the
gas. Droplet breakup occurs when the normalized droplet distortion, radius ratio as f(γ) = γ2 − 2.4γ2 + 2.7γ with γ = r2 / r1 ≥ 1 [17].
ζ(t) exceeds the critical value of 1.
The creation of the product droplets is derived by using the 2.2. Relationship between the operating conditions and droplet velocity
principles of the population dynamics. For each breakup event, it is
assumed that the number of product droplets is proportional to the For predicting the droplet velocity profile in effervescent spray, a
number of critical parent droplets, where the proportionality constant one-dimensional model developed by Panchagnula and Sojka [8] is
depends on the drop breakup regime. The rate of droplet creation in used to determine the droplet velocity in terms of the operating
conjunction with the principle of mass conservation between the parameters (i.e., liquid mass flow-rate and ALR) and the density of the
parent and product droplets, leads to the basic cascade breakup law: liquid, atomizing gas, and ambient gas. They modeled the spray as a
variable-density and single-phase turbulent jet, and used an expres-
d sion for the velocity profile.
m ðt Þ = −3ωbu m ðt Þ; ð17Þ
dt Firstly, an equation of velocity profile in the self-preserving
_ turbulent jet is used to obtain a two-parameter description of the
where m (t) is the mean mass of the product droplet distribution, and
the breakup frequency ωbu depends on the drop breakup regimes. As velocity distribution. Based on the theory of White [18], Gortler [19]
suggested by Reitz [16], three breakup regimes are classified with took the boundary layer approximation to the exact Navier–Stokes
respect to increasing gas Weber number into the bag breakup, strip- equation with the appropriate boundary conditions to yield the
ping breakup regime and catastrophic breakup regime. In the present following similarity solution of the velocity profile:
study, the gas Weber number is mostly less than 80, which falls into
2
the bag breakup regime. Breakup frequency, ωbu = 0.05ωos as 2
u = Umax ; ð21Þ
suggested by O'Rourke and Amsden [17] is used. The droplet oscil- eη + e−η
lation frequency, ωos is given by:
8σ l 25μ 2l x
ω2os = − ð18Þ η=β ; ð22Þ
ρl r03 4ρ2l r04 y
where r0 is the radius of parent droplet. It should be noted that the sffiffiffiffiffi
actual size distribution of the product droplet is not specified yet J 1
Umax = b ; ð23Þ
except for the mean mass m(t). A uniform product droplet size dis- ρe y
tribution is assumed and Eq. (17) becomes:
r where ū is the mean axial velocity at a point in the jet, Umax is the
= e−ωbu tbu ; ð19Þ
r0 maximum centerline axial velocity, J is the jet momentum rate, ρe is
the entrained gas density, β and b are the empirical constants, x is the
where r is the radius of the product droplet, and tbu is the breakup radial distance measured from the centerline of the jet, and y is the
time (i.e., the time taken until the normalized deformation ζ(t) from axial position measured downstream of the jet exit orifice. White [18]
the solution of Eq. (16) exceeds the value of 1). compared the predictions based on Eqs. (21)–(23) with the measured
data of velocity profile given by Wygnanski and Fiedler [20] and found
2.1.2.4. Droplet collision modeling. Collision and possible coales- excellent agreement. Eqs. (21)–(23) are therefore chosen for the
cence among the droplets are modeled through a collision Weber velocity profile in the present study. Because the solution of Eqs. (21)–
number. Collisions between the droplets can result in bouncing, (23) is for a free jet injected into the quiescent air, Eq. (21) needs
permanent coalescence or coalescence followed by separation. Most modification for applying to a two-phase effervescent spray. This is
studies have defined the collision parameters such as collision Weber accomplished by introducing the two-phase momentum rate for J and
number, Wel, and impact parameter, χ/(r1 + r2) where χ is the distance the entrained gas density ρe:
between the center of two neighboring droplets, and the relative
velocity vector, r1 and r2 which are the radii of small and large : :
J = ml ul + mg ug ; ð24Þ
droplets, respectively. Two droplets are assumed to collide if they
touch each other, and collision is treated as an instantaneous event.
One droplet replaces two colliding droplets in a coalescence event, where ṁl and ul are the liquid-phase mass flow rate and velocity,
while the bouncing droplets simply change velocity. Separation-type respectively, ṁg and ug are the gas-phase mass flow rate and velocity,
collisions result in an instantaneous replacement of the colliding respectively. By substituting Eq. (24) into Eq. (23) and substituting ALR
droplets with a collection of smaller satellite droplets. Such case by ṁg/ṁl and sr for ug/ut, Eq. (23) can then be expressed as:
happens only when the relative velocity of droplets is very large,
which is not considered in the present study. The balance between the sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
:
surface, kinetic and internal energy determines the collision regime. ml ul ð1 + ALR×srÞ 1
Umax = b : ð25Þ
Coalescence occurs when the surface energy dominates, while ρe y
bouncing occurs when the kinetic energy dominates. The criteria,
χcr determines the transition points between the different regimes
(e.g., droplets coalescence when χ ≤ χcr and bounces when χ N χcr). From the liquid-phase continuity:
The criteria χcr can be expressed as follows:
:
4 ml
f ðγ Þ ul = ð26Þ
χ2cr 2
= ðr1 + r2 Þ min 1:0; 2:4 ; ð20Þ πd20 ρl ð1−α Þ
Wel
_ _
where Wel = ρl|U|r_1 / σl(T d), σl(T d) is the surface tension at the average where d0 is the orifice diameter of atomizer exit, and α can be expressed
temperature of T d = (r1T1 + r2T2) / (r31 + r32) where T1 and T2 are the
3 3
as shown in Eq. (4). Substituting Eqs. (26) and (4) into Eq. (25) and
J. Lin et al. / Surface & Coatings Technology 203 (2009) 1733–1740 1737
Fig. 4. Comparison of numerical and experimental results of mean droplet velocity profile.
1738 J. Lin et al. / Surface & Coatings Technology 203 (2009) 1733–1740
Fig. 5. Effect of air–liquid flow ratio (ALR) on the mean droplet velocity, SMD, Weber number and K number. (Atomized liquid: water; Liquid flow rate: 90 kg/h; Nozzle diameter:
0.3 cm; Axial distance of the impinging plate: 150 mm).
means the increase of gas flow rate when the liquid mass flow rate 3.3. Effect of nozzle diameter on the droplet deposition onto the plate
remains constant, which results in an increase in the momentum of the
spray, consequently enhances the drag force of the gas on the liquid. On The effect of nozzle diameter on the mean droplet velocity, SMD,
one hand, this force increases the droplet velocity obviously. On the Weber number and K number is shown in Fig. 6. With the increase of
other hand, it accelerates the droplet distortion and breakup. As the nozzle diameter, the mean droplet velocity decreases sharply at first,
velocity of air flow increases in the impacting spray, the droplet then tends to be steady. In the numerical simulation, the nozzle diameter
distribution becomes more scattered, and the probability of droplet has influence on the primary atomization. Larger the nozzle diameter,
collision and coalescence decreases, so the droplet mean diameter larger the droplet mean diameter from the primary atomization. While
becomes smaller. Fig. 5(b) shows that We number and K number this effect is deeply weakened by the secondary atomization at the
increase with the increase of ALR. When ALR is too low (e.g., ALR = 0.02) downstream of the spray. Therefore the droplet mean diameter at the
and We number is less than 5, the outcome of droplet impacting on the downstream of the spray is quite similar and does not change with the
plate would be rebound. When ALR is too high (e.g., ALR N 0.06), the nozzle diameter monotonously, which conforms to the characteristics of
droplet impacting on the plate will probably splash. effervescent atomization nozzle. In Fig. 6(b), We number and K number
Fig. 6. Effect of nozzle diameter on the mean droplet velocity, SMD, Weber number and K number. (Atomized liquid: water; Liquid flow rate: 100 kg/h; ALR: 0.08; Axial distance of the
impinging palte:150mm).
J. Lin et al. / Surface & Coatings Technology 203 (2009) 1733–1740 1739
Fig. 7. Effect of liquid mass flow rate on the mean droplet velocity, SMD, Weber number and K number. (Atomized liquid: water; ALR: 0.08; Nozzle diameter: 0.3 cm; Axial distance of
the impinging palte:150mm).
decrease with the increase of nozzle diameter. In these cases, all We constant. As shown in Fig. 7(b), the value of We number is larger than
numbers are larger than 5. When nozzle diameter is larger than 0.35 and 5, and K number is less than 57.7 when the liquid mass flow rate is less
K number is less than 57.7, the droplet deposition criterion is complied. than 80, which means that the liquid mass flow rate should be less
that 80 in order to meet the droplet deposition condition.
3.4. Effect of liquid mass flow rate on the droplet deposition onto the plate
3.5. Effect of axial distance from the nozzle exit to the impinging plate on
Fig. 7 shows that the mean droplet velocity increases steadily with the droplet deposition
increasing liquid mass flow rate. When ALR remains constant, in-
creasing liquid mass flow rate means the gas mass flow rate also Fig. 8 shows the relationship between the axial distance from the
increases, which results in the enhancement of the drag force of the nozzle exit to the impinging plate and mean droplet velocity, SMD,
gas on the liquid. Although the increase of gas mass flow rate will Weber number and K number. It can be seen from Fig. 8(a) that the
make the droplet size smaller, the increase of liquid mass flow rate will mean droplet velocity decreases with an increase of axial distance
lead to the enhancement of the probability of droplet collision and from the nozzle exit to the impinging plate, while the case for SMD is
coalescence and cause the mean droplet diameter becoming larger. on the contrary. The reason is that the gas momentum decreases, and
These two forces are offset. Therefore, the effect of liquid mass flow the probability of droplet collision and coalescence increase as the
rate on the mean droplet diameter is not obvious when ALR remains axial distance from the nozzle exit to the impinging plate increases, so
Fig. 8. Effect of axial distance from the nozzle exit to the impinging plate on the mean droplet velocity, SMD, Weber number and K number. (Atomized liquid: water; Liquid flow rate is
140 kg/h; ALR: 0.15; Nozzle diameter: 0.3 cm).
1740 J. Lin et al. / Surface & Coatings Technology 203 (2009) 1733–1740
the droplet velocity decreases and droplet diameter increases. Fig. 8 150 mm. It is easier for the droplet to splash than rebound when
(b) shows that both We number and K number decrease as the axial impinging the plate. In order to create a condition which can benefit
distance from the nozzle exit to the impinging plate increases. Values the droplet deposition onto the plate when impinging on the plate, the
of all We number are larger than 5 for all axial distances. K number is suggested ways are to reduce the air-to-liquid ratio and liquid mass
less than 57.7 when the axial distances are beyond of 150 mm where flow rate, increase the nozzle diameter, and select a suitable range of
the deposition criterion is satisfied. axial distance from the nozzle exit to the plate.
4. Conclusions Acknowledgement
A comprehensive three-dimensional model based on the Navier– This work was supported by the Major Program of the National
Stokes equation and particle tracking method is used to study the Natural Science Foundation of China with Grant No 10632070, and the
effervescent atomization spray with an impinging plate. Another one- National Natural Science Foundation of China with Grant No. 10602052.
dimensional model is used to establish the relationship between the
droplet velocity near the plate, and the different operating conditions References
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