Method and apparatus for atomizing a liquid, particularly a highly viscous liquid, with the aid of at least one auxiliary gas

A method for atomizing a liquid, with the aid of at least one auxiliary gas, comprising the steps of:

• passing said liquid through a plurality of primary channels, thereby forming in each primary channel a core stream of said liquid, the outlet end of each primary channel defining an atomization orifice, and
• injecting, under pressure, at least one auxiliary gas into each liquid core stream contained within each of the respective primary channels, from at least two secondary channels associated with each primary channel, each of the secondary channels intersecting an associated primary channel at locations upstream of said atomization orifice
• wherein the axis of the closest of the secondary channels connected to an associated primary channel intersects the axis of said primary channel at an upstream location which is at a distance from the atomization orifice along the axis of the primary channel of at least about 0.5 millimeters to about 1.0 centimeter.

A method for atomizing a liquid, with the aid of a least one auxiliary gas, comprising the steps of:

• passing said liquid through a plurality of primary channels, thereby forming in each primary channel a core stream of said liquid, the outlet end of each primary channel defining an atomization orifice, and
• injecting, under pressure, at least one auxiliary gas into each liquid core stream contained within each of the respective primary channels, from at least two secondary channels associated with each primary channel, each of the secondary channels intersecting an associated primary channel at locations upstream of said atomization orifice
• wherein the distance between the furthest separated points of intersection of the axes of the respective secondary channels along the axis of the thus associated primary channel ranges from 0 to 6 millimeters and at least two of said secondary channels intersect the primary channels on opposing sides.

A method for atomizing a liquid, with the aid of at least one auxiliary gas, comprising the steps of:

• passing said liquid through a plurality of primary channels, thereby forming in each primary channel a core stream of said liquid, the outlet end of each primary channel defining an atomization orifice, and
• injecting, under pressure, at least one auxiliary gas into each liquid core stream contained within each of the respective primary channels, from at least two secondary channels associated with each primary channel, each of the secondary channels intersecting an associated primary channel at locations upstream of said atomization orifice
• wherein the liquid, having a viscosity well in excess of 20 mm.sup.2 /s is at atomization temperatures, is atomized by auxiliary gases under a pressure of less than 10.sub.6 pascals, at the exit of each atomization orifice, to give a Sauter mean droplet diameter of about 35 microns, with at least ninety percent of said droplets having a droplet diameter of less than 120 microns and at least ninety-nine percent of said droplets having a droplet diameter of less than 290 microns.

An apparatus for atomizing a liquid, with the aid of at least one auxiliary gas, comprising;

• a plurality of primary channels each having an inlet end connected to a high pressure source of liquid and having an outlet end defining an atomization orifice, and at least two secondary channels associated with each said primary channel, each secondary channel having an inlet end being connected to at least one source of auxiliary gas and an outlet end, with said outlet end of each of the secondary channels intersecting into their commonly associated primary channel at locations upstream of the respective atomization orifice with the primary channels each being of uniform diameter at least between the intersection locations and the atomization orifice, and wherein the liquid, having a viscosity well in excess of 20 mm.sup.2 /s is at atomization temperatures, is atomized by auxiliary gases under a pressure of less than 10.sup.6 pascals, at the exit of each atomization orifice, to give a Sauter mean droplet diameter of about 35 microns, with at least ninety percent of said droplets having a droplet diameter of less than 120 microns and at least ninety-nine percent of said droplets having a droplet diameter of less than 290 microns.

An apparatus for atomizing a liquid, with the aid of at least one auxiliary gas, comprising:

• a plurality of primary channels each having an inlet end connected to a high pressure source of liquid and having an outlet end defining an atomization orifice,
• and at least two secondary channels associated with each said primary channel, each secondary channel having an inlet end being connected to at least one source of auxiliary gas and an outlet end, with said outlet end of each of the secondary channels intersecting into their commonly associated primary channel at locations upstream of the respective atomization orifice
• wherein the axis of the closest of the secondary channels connected to an associated primary channel intersects the axis of said primary channel at an upstream distance from the atomization orifice along the axis of the primary channel of at least about 0.5 millimeters to about 1.0 centimeter.

An apparatus for atomizing a liquid, with the aid of at least one auxiliary gas, comprising:

• a plurality of primary channels each having an inlet end connected to a high pressure source of liquid and having an outlet end defining an atomization orifice,
• and at least two secondary channels associated with each said primary channel, each secondary channel having an inlet end being connected to at least one source of auxiliary gas and an outlet end, with said outlet end of each of the secondary channels intersecting into their commonly associated primary channel at locations upstream of the respective atomization orifice
• wherein the distance between the furthest separated points of intersection of the axes of the respective secondary channels along the axis of the their associated primary channel ranges from 0 to 6 millimeters.