Method and apparatus for generating a mist

An apparatus for generating a mist comprising:

• a conduit disposed about a longitudinal axis, the conduit having a mixing chamber and an exit;
• and a means for creating a dispersed droplet flow regime in which a substantial portion of the droplets have a size of less than 20 micrometers, said means comprising:
• an annular working fluid nozzle in fluid communication with said conduit to introduce a working fluid into the conduit;
• and an annular transport fluid nozzle adjacent the annular working fluid nozzle and in fluid communication with the conduit to introduce a transport fluid into the mixing chamber and a knife edge separation between the transport nozzle and the working fluid nozzle;
• wherein the transport nozzle includes a convergent divergent portion therein to provide for the generation of high velocity flow of the transport fluid the convergent-divergent portion having a throat region between the convergent and divergent portions, the throat region having a cross-sectional area less than that of the convergent or divergent portions;
• and wherein the transport nozzle and conduit have a relative angular orientation at the mixing chamber for the introduction of transport fluid flow from the transport nozzle into working fluid flow from the conduit and for shearing of the working fluid by the transport fluid so that the transport fluid concurrently atomizes and mixes with the working fluid in the passage;
• wherein each of the annular working fluid nozzle and the transport fluid nozzle comprise an annular nozzle that circumscribes the conduit.