Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1218395
--1--
The present invention relates to an atomizer for
atomizing liquid, usable for combustors, internal~combus-
tion engines, humidifiers or other air conditioning equip-
ments, sprayers for spraying agricultural chemicals,
powder driers, sprayers for paints and so forth. More
particularly, the invention is concerned with an atomizer
capable of improving the performance of the apparatus
mentioned above through the generation of liquid fine
particles. More specifically, the invention pertains to
an atomizer improved to obtain spray having a smaller
liquid particle diameter, which is naturally excellent in
floatability and evaporation speed, thereby to make it
possible to improve the intrinsic characteristics of the
above-mentioned apparatus.
Hitherto, various methods have been devised as
means for atomizing liquid. The invention is intended
to improve the atomizer of impingement atomization type,
which is the simplest in construction. Although the
impingement atomization type atomizer has been partly put
into practical use, it has not been widely spread due to
the following reasons. Firstly, the particle diameter of
the liquid atomi~ed by the impingement atomization type
atomizer is larger than that atomized by the air blast
atomization type atomizer (employing a high-speed air
flow, e.g., carburetors, industrial burners, etc), which
is representative of atomizers; and secondly, it is
difficult to atomize all the liquid to be atomized, since
some of the liquid adheres to a solid impingement body.
Due to the above-mentioned disadvantages, the
impingement atomization type atomizer has been regarded
as unsuitable for practical use in spite of advantages
thereof, i.e., simple construction, an efficient
atomization with a smaller power, etc.
The present invention provides an atomizer
having an injector with a tip for injecting a liquid jet,
an impingement body having an impingement surface, and
means for mounting the impingement body with the impingement
? "
~ ~Z18395
--2--
surface facing the liquid jet in order to expand the
liquid jet into a liquid film and produce broken-up
fine particles at the extremeties of the liquid film, the
liquid pressure P of the injector being set within a
range where the relationship between the liquid pressure
P and the outside diameter D of the liquid film satisfies
dD/dP<0 , and the means for mounting comprising a rod-
like support having a cross-sectional area that is greater
than the area of the impingement surface
The invention will be more readily apparent
from the following description of embodiments thereof
when taken in connection with the accompanying dra~in~Js
in which;
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a first
embodiment of the atomizer in accordance with the
inven-tion;
Figure 2 is a characteristic chart showing the
relationship between the liquid pressure and the liquid
film diameter;
Figures 3 and 4 schematically illustrate the
atomization mechanism of the first embodiment;
Figure 5 is a characteristic chart showing the
relationship between the liquid pressure and the break-
up length;
Figures 6 and 7 schematically illustrates liquid
jets and the atomization mechanism of a second embodiment
of the atomizer in accordance with the invention,
respectively;
Figures 8 and 9 schematically illustrate the
atomization mechanisms of third and fourth embodiments
of the atomizer in accordance with the inven-tion,
respectively, and
Figures 10 and 11 show fifth and sixth
embodiments of the atomizer in accordance with the
invention, respectively.
12~839S
-3-
Preferred embodiments of the invention will be
described hereinunder in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Referring to Figure 1, a liquid is injected
toward an impingement body 3 from a nozzle 2 of an injector
1. The nozzle 2 has an inside diameter of 100 ~, while
the impingement body 3 has an outside diameter of 500 ~.
Moreover, kerosene is employed as the liquid.
Under the above-mentioned conditions, as the
liquid is pumped to the injector 1 by means of a pres-
surizing pump 6, the liquid linearly flows out from the
nozzle 2 and impinges upon the center of the impingement
body 3 which is sufficiently ground as to have a mirror
surface.
After the impingement, the liquid spreads so
as to form a disk-shaped thin film and then breaks up at
the radial ends of the liquid film. There are also cases
where, when the liquid pressure is extremely low, the radial
ends of the disk-shaped liquid film bend toward the
center thereof again to form a spherical liquid film. The
diameter D (the maximum outside diameter of the liquid
film) of such a liquid film enlarges with the increase
in the liquid pressure P in the region where the velocity
V of the injected liquid, i.e., the liquid pressure P is
low (Figure 2 shows the relationship between the liquid
film diameter D and the liquid pressure P). In such a
region, the liquid film diameter D increases in proportion
to the square of the velocity V of the liquid jet. In
addition, since the liquid jet velocity V is proportional
to the square root of the liquid pressure P, the liquid
film diameter D increases in proportion to the liquid
pressure P.
In this case, the liquid fi]m is smooth or flat
and hardly has turbulency in the flow within the film. If
the liquid had no surface tension, the liquid film would
spread infinitely (although this is impossible in practice).
Actually, the surface tension of the liquid acts in the
direction opposite to the direction of movement of the
~;~î8;~9s
liquid film. In other words, the surface tension of the
liquid works so as to bring back the liquid film toward
the point of impingement.
The liquid film diameter is determined by the
balance of -the spreading force of the liquid film to -the
surface tension of the liquid. ~ore specifically, the
momentum of the jet in scattering does not change with the
increase in the liquid film diameter (since the quantity
of the liquid which continuously flows is constant with
respect to the liquid film diameter D, and since also
the flow velocity of the liquid is conserved within -the
liquid film and hence does not change). On the other hand,
the surface tension increases as the liquid film diameter
D becomes larger, since the film area naturally enlarges
with the increase in the liquid film diameter D.
The relationship between the liquid pressure P
and the liquid film diameter D is explained by the relation-
ship between such two forces.
Within the region, i.e., the smooth or flat
liquid film region where dD/DP , 0 is satisfied, the
liquid losing in velocity at radidl extremities of the
liquid film breaks away from the liquid film, producing
particles having a relatively large diameter.
The mechanism for generating the large diameter
particles is considered as follows through observation.
The liquid film having lost its radial velocity at an
extremity thereof is concentrated in the form of a string
extending radially from the extremity thereof under the
surface tension acting circumferentially. Then, the string-
shaped liquid breaks up into gigantic particles ( see Figure3).
Examples of the conventional impingement atomiza--
tion type atomizer employing this smooth or flat liquid
film region include an atomizer in which a high-speed air
flow is adapted to break up the liquid film.
In the embodiment, it has been found that as
the liquid pressure P is further raised, the liquid film
il395i
--5--
diameter D gradually lowers the rate of change dD/dP, and
finally a region of dD/dP = 0 is reached, i.e., a region
in which the liquid film diameter D does not change with
the increase in the liquid pressure P. Also a region of
dD/dP < 0 has been discovered, i.e. J a region in which the
liquid film diameter D decreases with the increase in the
liquid pressure P. In addition, it has been confirmed
that the fine particle diameter is minimized in the region
of dD~dP '0.
In such a region, unlike the above-mentioned
smooth or ~lat film, the liquid film is a wavy turbulent
film having a high-frequency vibration.
Although the scattering velocity of the liquid
` film increases in proportion to the increase in the liquid
jet velocity V, the liquid film becomes turbulent
when the liquid jet velocity exceeds a certain value.
Therefore, the liquid film starts to break up at a smaller
radius before the above-described two forces balance with
each other. The increase in the liquid jet velocity makes
the turbulency larger. For this reason, the region of
dD/dP < 0 is finally reached.
In this turbulent film region, the extremity
of the liquid film breaks up substantially in the form of
a ring, which continues spreading while stil~ maintaining
the radial velocity and then breaks up into particles
(see Figure 4).
The ring immediately before the breakup has
a thickness smaller than that of the string-shaped
liquid produced at the extremity of the above-described
smooth or flat liquid film. This is because the latter is
formed by the liquid film concentrated into a string-
shaped liquid, while the former is produced by the breakup
of the liquid film itself. Accordingly, the fine particle
diameter in the turbulent film region is small.
Moreover, it often happens that the above-
mentioned ring is not a perfect ring but is constituted
by a group of split arcs. In addition, such a phenomenon
occurs near the region of dD/dP = 0 and is more clearly
~LZ18395
--6--
observed in the region of dD/dP< 0. Further, the diameter
of the impingement body 3 and that of the nozzle 2 have
large effects on obtaining such a region of dD/dP < 0.
This point will be described hereinunder.
First of all, the liquid jet flows from the
nozzle 2 toward the impingement body 3 and circumferentially
spreads thereon. The liquid jet largely loses its velocity
on the impingement body 3 by means of friction. Accordingly,
the smaller the diameter of the impingement body 3,
the higher the scattering velocity of the liquid film.
The scattering velocity of the liquid film
governs the turbulency as described above. Therefore,
when the diameter of the impingement body 3 is smaller,
the turbulent film region can be obtained at a lower
liquid jet veloc;ty V.
According to an experiment, the liquid pressure
required to obtain the region of dD/dP = 0 by employing
the nozzle 2 having a diameter of 100 ~ was 12 to
15 kgf/cm2 for a diameter of the impingement body 3 of
1 mm; 5 to 6 kgf/cm for a diameter of 0.5mm; and 4
to 5 kgf/cm for a diameter of 0.2 mm.
Thus, it has been proved that as the diameter of
the impingement body 3 is smaller, the liquid jet velocity
V is more effectively converted into a liquid film scatter-
ing velocity and moreover, the turbulent film can be
produced at a lower liquid pressure. It is of course
apparent that any impingement body 3 smaller than the
diameter of the nozzle 2 cannot be an impingement body.
Moreover, the relationship between the liquid
pressure and the diameter of the impingement body 3
also varies in accordance with the diameter of the nozzle
2. As the diameter of the nozzle 2 becomes smaller, the
momentum of the liquid decreases, and also the momentum
of the liquid film decreases. Therefore, the impingement
body 3 having a smaller diameter must be selected to
obtain the region of dD/dP < 0.
As will be apparent from the above description,
~Z18395
--7--
there is a certain relationship between the three, i.e.,
the diameter of the nozzle 2, the liquid pressure and the
diameter of the impingement body 3. It is, however,
possible to form a turbulent film and s~ra~ a predetermined
amount of fine particles by determining the diameter of
the nozzle 2 and the liquid pressure according to the
desired amount of spray and the delivery pressure of the
pump 6 and then by experimentally selecting the diameter
of the impingement body 3 corresponding to the region
of dD/dP < 0 with respect to the diameter of the nozzle
2 and the liquid pressure. The selection of the diameter
of the impingement body 3, as a matter of course,
differs in accordance with the kind of the liquid to
be atomized.
Since the conditions for obtaining the region of
dD/dP < 0 differ in accordance with not only the liquid
pressure, the diameter of the nozzle 2 and the diameter
of the impingement body 3 but also the kind of the liquid,
it is impossible to numerically specify the relationship
therebetween. It is, however, a common fact that the
region of dD/dP < 0 exists regardless of the kind of
liquid and moreover, the atomization characteristics
are excellent in that region.
E'urther, in carrying out the invention, it is
extremely important to ensure the relative positional
relationship between the injector 1 and the impingement
body 3. Means therefor will be described hereinunder.
As has been described in the above embodiment,
the diameter of the impingement body 3 is less than ten
times as large as that of the nozzle 2 at most. Moreover,
it is necessary to make the jet impinge upon the center
of the impingement body 3. The reason is that if the
jet impinges upon a point off the center, the atomization
becomes nonuniform and moreover, the velocity of the liquid
film scattering from the impingement body 3 becomes uneven,
resulting in a partial smooth or flat film, which is apt
to produce gigantic particles.
8395
--8--
In order to eliminate such a drawback, in the
embodiment, the impingement body 3 is directly mounted
relative to the injector 1 through a support 4.
The suppor-t 4 has a U-sha~ed confiquration with
one end thereof secured to the injector 1 and the other
end secured to the impingement body 3. The ~-shaped con-
figuration allows the support 4 to avoid contact with
the liquid film.
Moreover, in order to avoid the vibrations
caused by the pressure of the jet, the support 4 employs
a material having a diameter larger than that of the
impingement body 3 so as to obtain a rigidity larger than
that of the latter.
In addition, the support 4 has at a portion
thereof a regulator 5 for regulating the relative posi-
tions of the nozzle 2 and the impingement body 3. By
such a construction, the positions of the nozzle 2 and
the impingement body 3 are accurately regulated,
and it is possible to make the positional relationship
therebetween stable and not easily disordered.
Further, in case of employing the invention for
an apparatus generating heat of high temperature, such
as a spray combustor or the like, if a material of low
thermal expansion coefficient, such as ceramic material or
crystallized glass, is employed for the support 4 for
th~ impingement body 3, it is possible to stabilize the
relationship between the nozzle 2 and the impingement
body 3.
Figure 5 is a characteristic chart for deter-
mining a liquid pressure region in a second embodimentof the atomizer in accordance with the invention.
It will be apparent from Figure 2 showing the
relationship between the liquid film diameter D and the
liquid pressure P described above that although within
the region of dD/dP< 0, as the liquid pressure increases,
the turbulency intensity becomes larger and the atomized
liquid particle diameter becomes .smaller, the liquid
film diameter suddenly decreases near a liquid pressure
of 15 kgf/cm in the Figure. This is because the
~218395
relationship between the length of the smooth jet shown in
Figures 6A and 6B and the liquid pressure P changes in the
region of DQ/dP_O as shown in Figure 5 owing to the fact
that the vibration wave jet obtained in such a region impin-
ges upon the impingement body 3.
This phenomenon and effect thereof will be de-
scribed hereinunder in detail.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6A, 6B the jet injected
from the single hole injector 1 is firt a smooth jet but
gradually becomes a vibrating nonlinear jet and then breaks
up as the vibration develops. The break-up length Q, which
is a length of the smooth jet from the nozzle 2 to a point at
which the smooth jet becomes the vibration wave jet, changes
with the liquid pressure P. The break-up length Q becomes
longer with the increase in the liquid pressure to a certain
liquid pressure range (dQ/dP ~ O). However, as the liquid
pressure exceeds a certain value, the break-up length Q
gradually decreases (dQ/dP_ O). In addition, although the
break-up length Q differs in accordance with the kind of
liquid, the nozzle diameter and configuration of the nozzle,
the tendency of change of the break-up length Q wi-th respect
to the liquid pressure P is completely the same.
The time T (T = KQ/i~: K is a constant) required
from the smoo-th jet to become the vibration wave jet is given
by the equation T = KQ/~:, when K is a constant. The con-
stant K may have a value 6.4 sec. m 2.kgl/2 when kerosine
having a specific weight ratio of 0.8xlO3kg/m3 is used. In
this case the value of T falls in a range of 1 to 2xlO 3sec.
The time T is substantially constant independently of the
liquid pressure in the region where the relationship be-
tween the break-up length Q and the liquid pressure P
satisfied DQ/dP ~ O, i.e., the region of low liquid pressure.
The time, however, rapidly decreases in the region of
dQ/dP_ O. This means that the jet starts to have a strong
turbulency when the relationship between the break-up length
Q and the liquid pressure P enters the region of dQ/dP_O.
According to photographic observation, it has been
~2~3395
- 9a -
found that the shape of the vibration wave jet of the liquid
jet wlthin the region of dQ/dP > O tends to be
~21839S
--1.0--
such as shown in Figure 6A, while the shape oE the vibration
wave jet of the liquid jet within the region of dQ/dP<0
tends to be such as shown in Figure 6B. The difference
between the vibration wave jet shape is mainly attributable
to the difference in turbulency intensity between the
jets.
In addition, the turbulency generated in such a
jet has an extremely short wavelength. Although the
wavelength is not always constant, it is mainly composed
of wavelengths three to five times as much as the diameter
of the nozzle. For example, if a Jet of ~ s No. 1
kerosene having a flow velocity of 50 m/s is produced from
a noæzle having a diameter of 0.1 mm, then the jet vibrates
at a frequency of about 150 to 250 kHz, which is an
ultrasonic region.
In the case where a jet having a high-frequency
deformation vibration as described above is made to
impinge upon the impingement body 3, the liquid film
produced is naturally subjected to the vibration of the
jet itself and spreads in the form of a disk while
vibrating with the same wavelength as that of the jet.
In the first embodimen~ described hereinbefore,
the liquid film is a wavy turbulent film the vibration
of which develops as the film gradually spreads toward
the outer periphery as shown in Figure 4. Accordingly,
in this case, the liquid film is broken up in the form
of a substantial ring at a portion having a relatively
large liquid film diameter. At this portion, -the liquid
film has a decelerated flow velocity. Therefore, the ring-
shaped liquid produced becomes large in thickness owingto the surface tension as well as is apt to break up into
gigantic particles. In other words, since the kinetic
energy required for the ring to expand in the ring shape
is small, the surface tension acts sd as to bring back
the ring.
In the second embodiment, however, unlike the
first embodiment, the vibration of the liquid film
` ~21~3~5
--11--
scattering from the impingement body 3 is extremely
large owing to the deformation vibration of the je-t itse]f
as shown in Figure 7, and hence, the liquid film is
broken up in tlle form of ring immediately after leaving
the impingement body 3.
The scattering velocity of the broken-up ring
is close to the velocity of the liquid jet itself~ so
that the ring is expanded at a high velocity. As the
expanding force, i.e., the force by means of the kinetic
energy expands the ring against the surface tension, the
ring becomes smaller in thic]cness and then is broken up
by means of tl~e turbulency newly caused in the ring. In
addition, since, as described above, the intensity of
turbulency of the jet in the case where a vibration wave
jet obtained in the region of dQ/dP<0 is made to impinge
is larger than that in the case where a vibration wave
jet obtained in the region of dQ/dP > 0 is made to impinge,
the above-described phenomenon makes it possible to obtain
fine particles distinctively and more effectively. In
this case, since the turbulency is strong, the diameter
of the liquid film produced is only slightly larger than
that of the impingement body. The liquid film becomes
so small that it is almost invisible to the naked eye.
Moreover, the region of dD/dP < 0 inevitably includes
the region of dQ/dP<0. This is because the liquid film
becomes turbulent at a lower liquid pressure than the
liquid jet, since the latter is more stable in construc-
tion than the former. It is a matter of course thatalso in the second embodiment, it is possible to obtain
the conditions for attaining the region of dD/dP<0
obtained in the first embodiment. In addition, the region
of dD/dP<0 can be obtained by even applying a vibration
wave jet obtained in the region of dQ~dP > 0 to the
impingement body. However, in such a~ case, the effect
offered by the vibration of the liquid jet is not
satisfactory. Employing the region satisfying both dD/dP<0
and dQ/dP<0 permits the liquid film to be most effectively
broken up into fine spray particles.
839S
-12-
In addition, the above~described effect of the
vibration wave jet obtained in the region of dQ/dP<0 is
not damaged, whether the liquid jet is continuous or
broken up.
Figure 8 shows a third embodiment of the
atomizer in accordance with the invention.
In the first and second embodiments, the
velocity of the liquid jet is converted into the radial
velocity (of the liquid film and the ring) by means of
the impingement body 3, and as the converted velocity
becomes higher, the liquid film becomes more unstable
and more easily becomes turbulent, or the ring produced
is expanded at a higher speed and more easily becomes
small in thickness.
Accordingly, the third embodiment relates mainly
to the construction of the impingement body 3 for
effectively spreading the velocity of the liquid jet
radially.
It is necessary to conserve the momentum of
the fuel jet on the impingement body 3 as much as possible.
Therefore, the impingement surface is mirror-finished in
order to decrease the friction at the surface of the
impingement body 3. However, when flying out to space
from the periphery of the impingement body 3, the liquid
film spreading on the impingement body 3 is forced to
reduce its radial velocity by the affinity between the
side surface of the impingement body 3 and the liquid fuel
and also wets the side surface of the impingement body 3.
For this reason, the liquid film formed becomes undesirably
large in thickness, so that it is impossible to make the
particle diameter of the produced spray sufficiently small.
Moreover, all the liquid fuel injected from the nozzle 2
cannot be atomized, and some of the liquid fuel adheres
to the side surface of the impingemenit body 3.
The third embodiment has attained improvement
in the atomization characteristics and the atomization
efficiency by reforming the configuration of the impinge-
9~
-13-
ment body, thereby to overcome the above-mentioned
disadvantages.
The impingement body 3 is circular and mirror-
finished similarly to -the conventional impingement body.
However, the distal end of the impingement body 3 is
formed into an inverted cone, and the impingement surface
and an impingement body side surface 3a adjacent thereto
make an acute angle at the periphery of the impingement
body 3. Consequently, the liquid fuel expanded into a
liquid film on the impingement body 3 contacts only a
sharp edge portion 7 when flying out into space. For this
reason, unlike the conventional columnar impinyement body,
the impingemen-t body in accordance with this embodiment
permits the reduction in the radial velocity of the liquid
film to an extremely small value. Moreover, such a
configuration allows the surface tension of the liquid
fuel to overcome the affinity between the liquid fuel
and the impingement body side surface 3a, so that there
is no possibility that the liquid fuel wets the impinge-
ment body side surface 3a. In consequence, the radialvelocity of the liquid jet within the liquid film is
conserved substantially as it is. Accordingly, the
liquid film formed becomes small in thickness, so that
extremely small spray particles are produced and moreover,
it is possible to atomize almost all the fuel injected
from the nozzle.
Figure 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the
atomizer in accordance with the invention.
The fourth embodiment has the same object as the
third embodiment.
The impingement body 3 is constituted by a
circular thin plate and is supported by the support ~
having a diameter smaller than that of the impingement
body 3, being connected at its rear side to the support
4. The impingement body and the support are conventionally
formed into one body, and the impingement surface is
conventionally formed by mirror-finishing the impingement
8;~95
-14-
body end surface on the grounds of the atomization
characteristics. By employing such a construction as that
in this embodiment, however, the thin plate may be made
from a material having a mirror surface; hence, it
becomes unnecessary to specially mirror-finish the
impingement body surface, so that the production cost is
greatly reduced. Moreover, since the impingement body 3
is generally required to have wear resistance, it is
conventionally necessary to employ an expensive hard
material for the impingement body 3, including also the
support portion. In the present embodimen-t, however, it
is only necessary to employ a wear-resistant material only
for the impingement body 3, and the support 4 is not re-
quired to have such a property and may be made, for example,
from a synthetic resin or the like. Accordingly, also
the material cost is reduced.
Further, constituting the impingement body 3
by a thin plate makes it possible to minimize the adverse
effect of the side surface of the impingement bod`y 3 on
atomization. More specifically, when flying out into
space, the liquid fuel expanded into a liquid film on
the impingement body 3 contacts only the edge portion 7
at the periphery of the impingement body. Therefore, the
reduction in the radial velocity of the liquid jet
within the liquid film is lessened, unlike the conventional
co]umnar impingement body. Moreover, the surface tension
of the liquid fuel overcomes the affinity between the
liquid fuel and the impingement body side surface, so that
there is no possibility that the liquid fuel wets the
impingement body side surface. In other words, the radial
velocity of the liquid jet within the liquid film is
conserved substantially as it is. Thereby, the liquid
film formed becomes small in thickness, so tha-t extremely
small spray particles are produced a~d, moreover, it is
possible to atomize almost all the liquid fuel injected
from the nozzle 2.
Referring now to Figure 10 in this embodiment,
. ~
39S
the liquid pressurized by the pump 6 for pressurizing
liquid is injected as a linear liquid jet from the single
hole injec~or 1 toward the impingement surface of the
impingement body 3. The liquid jet injected so as to
impinge upon the impingement body 3 spreads as a radial
liquid film, producing fine particles at the radial ends
of the liquid film. The support 4 is formed integrally
with the impingement body 3. The end portion of the
support 4 including the impingement body 3 which is
positioned within the spray region is downward obliquely
disposed in the spray region.
Referring now to Figure 11 showing a sixth
embodiment of the invention, the impingement body 3 and
the injector 1 are provided horizontally facing each other,
and the end portion of the support 4 including the impinge-
ment body 3 which is positioned within the spray region
is obliquely disposed in the spray region.
The advantages of the constructions of Figures
10 and 11 will be described hereinunder with reference
to Figure 10.
The fine particles produced at the radial ends
of the liquid film adhere to the impingement body 3 and the
support 4 for supporting the same and become droplets 8.
The droplets 8 drop onto the rear surface of the liquid
film by their own weights or by the negative pressure
produced by the fine particles flying off from the
impingement body 3.
The droplets 8 which drop onto the rear surface
of the liquid film are scattered again as substantially
uniform fine particles by the action of the liquid film
radially formed on the impingement body 3.
On the other hand, as in the case of the embodi-
ment shown in Figure 11, the droplets!8 resulting from
the accumulation of the fine particles having adhered to
the support 4 flow into the negative pressure portion at
the rear surface of the liquid film as well as drop from
the impingement body 3 onto the rear surface of the
3395
-16-
liquid film. The droplets 8 having dropped onto the rear
surface of the liquid film are scattered again as
substantially uniform fine particles by the action of the
liquid film.
As described above, by the atomizer in accordance
with these embodiments, it is possible to scatter the
droplets again as substantially uniform fine particles,
since the liquid pressurized by the pump 6 is injected
as a linear liquid jet toward the impingement body 3 to
form a radial liquid film as well as produce broken-up
fine particles at the radial ends of the liquid film,
and since the droplets 8 having adhered to the impingement
body 3 and the support 4 for the same and accumulated
thereon are made to drop onto -the rear surface of the
liquid film.
Accordingly, the atomization amount is not
practically reduced by the existence of the support
and the impingement body.
Although the invention has been described
through specific terms, it is to be noted here that the
described embodiments are not exclusive and various
changes and modifications may be imparted thereto without
departing from the scope of the invention which is limited
solely by the appended claims.
