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Three-dimensional simulation of primary break-up in a close-coupled atomizer

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Abstract

Until now much of the modelling activity around close-coupled gas atomization has been mainly focused on gas-only flow with discrete phase interaction using Lagrangian-based models. However, this approach is unable to supply valuable information regarding the primary break-up mechanism of the melt being injected. Furthermore, much of existing numerical work is based on two-dimensional axisymmetric geometries, and therefore suffers the absence of three-dimensional flow features. In order to overcome these aspects the authors have carried out an analysis using a three-dimensional geometry by means of an Eulerian, Volume of Fluid, model to accurately present the early stages of melt stream behaviour at the atomizer’s melt inlet. The study investigates the mechanisms associated with primary break-up, and the results obtained highlight three modes under which a close-coupled atomizer may operate.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the EU FP7 SIMUSPRAY (Grant No. 230715) and ECOFUEL (Grant No. 246772) Projects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK

    N. Zeoli, H. Tabbara & S. Gu

  2. Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 111 Renai Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu Province, 215123, PR China

    S. Gu

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  1. N. Zeoli
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  2. H. Tabbara
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  3. S. Gu
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Correspondence to S. Gu.

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Zeoli, N., Tabbara, H. & Gu, S. Three-dimensional simulation of primary break-up in a close-coupled atomizer. Appl. Phys. A 108, 783–792 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-6966-7

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