Experimental Investigations of Flow Field and Atomization Field Characteristics of Pre-Filming Air-Blast Atomizers

Flow field, atomization field characteristics, and liquid film breakup behaviors of a pre-filming air-blast atomizer are investigated using PIV (Particle Imaging Velocimetry), PLIF (Fuel Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence), and high-speed shadowgraph technique under different air mass rates (ma), fuel mass rates (mf), and fuel temperatures (T). The influence of structures constituting the pre-filming air-blast atomizer on the flow field organization and atomization field organization are investigated too. The results illustrate that air-blast atomizer structures have a great difference on the flow fields and atomization fields. Air-blast atomizer structures have great differences on the liquid film breakup processes too. Flow field structure and atomization structure are mainly determined by the swirler structure, whereas there are seldom influences of air mass rate and fuel mass rate on them. The results of the mechanisms of flow field organization and atomization field organization in this study can be used to support the design of new low-emission combustor.