Transient spray patternator

A device for measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the measuring device comprising:

• a mounting platform for mounting a spray nozzle along a spray axis;
• a collection means having a plurality of collection tubes arranged in a single row, the collection tubes each having an open mouth portion to receive the spray from the spray nozzle and a reservoir for accumulating the received spray, the collection means being positioned below the mounting platform for collecting the liquid spray from the nozzle;
• a shutter mechanism operatively positioned below the mounting platform and above the collection means;
• a controller in communication with the nozzle and the shutter mechanism, the controller operating the nozzle in timed relation to the shutter mechanism;
• and
• wherein the shutter mechanism selectively isolates a portion of the spray pattern such that only the isolated portion of the spray pattern reaches the collection means.

A device for measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the measuring device comprising:

• a mounting platform for mounting a spray nozzle along a spray axis;
• a collection means positioned below the mounting platform for collecting the spray from the nozzle;
• a shutter mechanism operatively positioned below the mounting platform and above the collection means, the shutter mechanism having a pair of open areas separated by a pair of solid shutters;
• a controller in communication with the nozzle and the shutter mechanism, the controller operating the nozzle in timed relation to the shutter mechanism;
• and
• wherein the shutter mechanism selectively isolates a portion of the spray pattern such that only the isolated portion of the spray pattern reaches the collection means.

A method of measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a spray nozzle above a collection means such that a spray pattern may be emitted from the nozzle along a spray axis;
• positioning a movable shutter mechanism between the spray nozzle and the collection means;
• operating the shutter mechanism and the spray nozzle in timed relation to each other, such that the shutter mechanism operates to isolate a portion of the spray pattern;
• controlling the amount of spray isolated by the shutter mechanism by monitoring the position of the shutter mechanism;
• generating a signal indicative of said position and activating the spray nozzle for a predetermined amount of time in response to said signal;
• collecting the isolated portion of the spray pattern in the collection means;
• and
• measuring the portion of spray collected in the collection means.

A device for measuring the characteristics of a liquid spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the measuring device comprising:

• a movable mounting platform for securely mounting a spray nozzle along a spray axis;
• a plurality of collection tubes each having an open mouth portion and a reservoir, the plurality of collection tubes being positioned below the mounting platform;
• a shutter mechanism comprising a rotatable disk, the disk having at least one open area and at least one solid shutter, the shutter mechanism positioned below the injector platform and above the plurality of collection tubes;
• a controller in communication with the spray nozzle and the shutter mechanism, the controller operating the spray nozzle in timed relation to the position of the shutter mechanism;
• wherein the controller actuates the spray nozzle for a predetermined amount of time to release the liquid spray pattern based on the position of the rotating shutter mechanism such that the shutter mechanism selectively isolates a portion of the liquid spray pattern and only the isolated portion of the liquid spray pattern reaches the collection tubes.

A method of measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from an injector having a spray nozzle, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a spray nozzle on a movable platform above a plurality of collection tubes;
• positioning a rotating disk having at least one open area and at least one solid shutter between the spray nozzle and the plurality of collection tubes and along a spray axis;
• generating an electronic signal corresponding to the position of the rotating disk;
• generating an injector signal in a controller, such that the injector signal is generated based on the position of the rotating disk;
• operating the injector upon the generation of the injector signal, such that the shutter contained on the rotating disk isolates a selected portion of the spray pattern;
• collecting the isolated portion of the spray pattern in the plurality of collection tubes;
• measuring the portion of spray collected in the collection tubes;
• and
• moving the injector platform to adjust the distance between the injector and the collection tubes, such that a plurality of measurements can be made to determine the mass flux distribution in the spray pattern at a plurality of distances from the injector nozzle.

A device for measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the measuring device comprising:

• a movable mounting platform for securely mounting a spray nozzle along a spray axis;
• a plurality of collection tubes arranged in a single row aligned normal to the spray axis passing through the spray nozzle, each collection tube having an open mouth portion and a reservoir, the plurality of collection tubes being positioned below the mounting platform;
• a shutter mechanism comprising a rotatable disk, the disk having at least one open area and at least one solid shutter, the shutter mechanism positioned below the injector platform and above the plurality of collection tubes;
• a controller in communication with the spray nozzle and the shutter mechanism, the controller operating the spray nozzle in time relation to the position of the shutter mechanism;
• wherein the controller operates the spray nozzle in timed relation to the position of the rotating shutter mechanism such that the shutter mechanism selectively isolates a portion of a spray pattern and only the isolated portion of the spray pattern reaches the collection tube.

A device for measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the measuring device comprising:

• a movable mounting platform for securely mounting a spray nozzle along a spray axis,
• a plurality of collection tubes each having an open mouth potion, a reservoir, and a gas relief opening positioned between the open mouth portion and the reservoir, the plurality of collection tubes being positioned below the mounting platform;
• a shutter mechanism comprising a rotatable disk, the disk having at least one open area and at least one solid shutter, the shutter mechanism positioned below the injector platform and above the plurality of collection tubes;
• a controller in communication with the spray nozzle and the shutter mechanism, the controller operating the spray nozzle in time relation to the position of the shutter mechanism;
• wherein the controller operates the spray nozzle in timed relation to the position of the rotating shutter mechanism such that the shutter mechanism selectively isolates a portion of a spray pattern and only the isolated portion of the spray pattern reaches the collection tubes.

A device for measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the measuring device comprising:

• a movable mounting platform for securely mounting a spray nozzle along a spray axis;
• a plurality of collection tubes each having an open mouth portion and a reservoir, the plurality of collection tubes being positioned below the mounting platform;
• a shutter mechanism comprising a rotatable disk, the disk having at least one open area and at least one solid shutter, the shutter mechanism positioned below the injector platform and above the plurality of collection tubes;
• a controller in communication with the spray nozzle and the shutter mechanism, the controller operating the spray nozzle in time relation to the position of the shutter mechanism;
• a spray particle sizer mounted above the plurality of collection tubes to determine droplet size of the spray and spray velocity, the spray particle sizer comprising a plurality of laser discriminators, each laser discriminator positioned above the open mouth of a corresponding collection tube, and each laser discriminator generating an electronic signal corresponding to the size of the spray droplets entering each of the collection tubes;
• wherein the controller operates the spray nozzle in timed relation to the position of the rotating shutter mechanism such that the shutter mechanism selectively isolates a portion of a spray pattern and only the isolated portion of the spray pattern reaches the collection tubes.

A device for measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the measuring device comprising:

• a movable mounting platform for securely mounting a spray nozzle along a spray axis;
• a plurality of collection tubes each having an open mouth portion and a reservoir, the plurality of collection tubes being positioned below the mounting platform;
• a shutter mechanism comprising a rotatable disk, the disk having a pair of open areas separated by a pair of shutters, the pair of open areas and the pair of shutters are of equal distance along the circumference of the disk, the shutter mechanism positioned below the injector platform and above the plurality of collection tubes;
• a controller in communication with the spray nozzle and the shutter mechanism, the controller operating the spray nozzle in time relation to the position of the shutter mechanism;
• wherein the controller operates the spray nozzle in timed relation to the position of the rotating shutter mechanism such that the shutter mechanism selectively isolates a portion of a spray pattern and only the isolated portion of the spray pattern reaches the collection tubes.

A device for measuring the characteristics of a spray pattern from a spray nozzle, the measuring device comprising:

• a movable mounting platform for securely mounting a spray nozzle along a spray axis;
• a plurality of collection tubes each having an open mouth portion and a reservoir, the plurality of collection tubes being positioned below the mounting platform;
• a shutter mechanism comprising a rotatable disk, the disk having at least one open area and at least one solid shutter, the shutter having a leading edge having a tapered upper surface and a tapered lower surface, the shutter mechanism positioned below the injector platform and above the plurality of collection tubes;
• a controller in communication with the spray nozzle and the shutter mechanism, the controller operating the spray nozzle in time relation to the position of the shutter mechanism;
• the spray particle sizer comprises a plurality of laser discriminators, each laser discriminator positioned above the open mouth of a corresponding collection tube, and each laser discriminator generating an electronic signal corresponding to the size of the spray droplets entering each of the collection tubes;
• wherein the controller operates the spray nozzle in timed relation to the position of the rotating shutter mechanism such that the shutter mechanism selectively isolates a portion of a spray pattern and only the isolated portion of the spray pattern reaches the collection tubes.