Atomization Quality of Twin Fluid Atomizers for Gas Turbines
A detailed investigation of the effect of nozzle/needle diameter ratio, normal fuel area, swirler degree, air pressure, fuel pressure on flow number, cone angle and droplet size distribution of external mixing twin fluid atomizers is given in this paper. Forty atomizers have been constructed to prevent mutual effect of various parameters. Flow number and cone angle are found to increase with nozzle/diameter ratio, and to decrease with the increase of air pressure. Optimum fuel flow is obtained at swirler angle 30-deg, while cone angle increases with increase of swirler angle. Sauter mean diameter decreases with the increase of air pressure and decrease of fuel pressure. Suitable functions are derived for droplet size distribution, Sauter mean diameter, and flow number. They are suitable to predict the geometry of the atomizer and to be used also in a prediction model for the calculation of fuel concentration and heat release.