Two-fluid spray atomisation and pneumatic nozzles for fluid bed coating/agglomeration purposes: A review

In fluid bed processing in the chemical, food or pharmaceutical industries, pneumatic nozzles are typically used to convert binder or coating liquids into droplets. Producing fine droplets from liquids in a gas phase is termed atomisation, and it involves complex phenomena which are not yet fully understood. This paper provides a systematic and up-to-date review of two-fluid nozzle designs and principles together with a presentation of nozzle fundamentals introducing basic nozzle theory and thermodynamics. Correlations for the prediction of mean droplet diameters are reviewed, compared and accompanied by a discussion of their use.     

Coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization toward large scale production of core‐shell structured microparticles

In this work, a double‐nozzle coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization (CEHDA) system was designed as an instructive case toward large‐scale production of core‐shell microspheres. The effect of nozzle‐to‐nozzle distance was investigated to reveal that the interference between neighboring nozzles significantly affect the product quality in terms of morphology and core‐shell structure. Optimal spacing indicated that ～3000 nozzle/m² packing density may be achieved with minimum interference of electric field from neighboring nozzle by adjusting the nozzle‐to‐nozzle distance greater than 0.018 m. The proposed multi‐scale model also showed that the X‐component of electric field strength (E_x) at the region near side nozzles increases with increasing nozzle number, and the bending of jets/sprays at the side may be reduced by using dummy nozzle at the edge side. The model could guide the design of multi‐nozzle CEHDA system for production of core‐shell microparticles in large‐scale. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 5303–5319, 2017     

Microchannel Emulsification Using Stainless‐Steel Chips: Oil Droplet Generation Characteristics

The first stainless‐steel microchannel (MC) emulsification chips with grooved MC arrays, each consisting of uniform‐sized parallel channels and a terrace, were developed. These chips enabled successful spontaneous‐transformation‐based generation of uniformly sized droplets of soybean oil and silicone oil. As for the influence of the dispersed‐phase velocity in a channel, the critical velocity below which uniform‐sized droplets were obtained from the channels depended on the interfacial tension between two phases. The maximum productivity of uniform‐sized oil droplets for the stainless‐steel MC emulsification chips was estimated to be several milliliters per hour. An adapted capillary number that considers the wettability of the dispersed phase of two different oils could be useful for understanding the flow state of the dispersed phase during droplet generation.     

Simulation of Droplet Generation by Mixing Nozzles

In various chemical processes thorough homogeneous mixing is of great importance. Due to their small characteristic dimensions, micromixers have a great potential to achieve fast and uniform mixing. However, in the field of powder synthesis from precipitation processes the use of standard micromixers is severely limited because of rapid clogging of the microchannels. As an alternative, mixing nozzles which are less susceptible to fouling can provide a sufficient mixing quality. The flow field and fluid distribution inside multi‐fluid droplets during droplet formation is simulated. Depending on the geometry and flow rates, complex velocity fields and flow distributions are found and the impact on the mixing efficiency is qualitatively deduced. Furthermore, we point out how the tendency of fouling can be further reduced with the help of improved nozzle geometries.     

Production of Highly Monodisperse Millimeter‐Sized Double‐Emulsion Droplets in a Coaxial Capillary Device

An innovative coaxial capillary device with a size‐comparable outlet channel was designed to meet the challenges for controllable production of highly monodisperse millimeter‐sized double‐emulsion droplets by one‐step dripping. The technique of two angled junctions, coaxial capillaries, and compound channel geometry was introduced to convert the millifluidics to microfluidic hydrodynamic features. The relevant nondimensional numbers for a typically regular dripping in this kind of millifluidic flows were similar to those in common microfluidic devices. Effects of the rival forces due to the fluid factors on droplet formation were clarified to explain the dynamic behaviors of double‐emulsion formation and to establish the mechanism of droplet breakup. The results helped to understand the coaxial flow pattern for obtaining a more precise droplet size control and to develop high‐throughput setups for chemistry, physics, and biology.     

Electrostatic Spray Deposition of Copper–Indium Thin Films

Electrostatic spray deposition is an innovative coating technique that produces fine, uniform, self-dispersive (due to Coulombic repulsion), and highly wettable, atomized droplets. Copper–indium salts are dissolved in an alcohol-based solvent; this precursor is then electrostatically sprayed onto a moderately heated, molybdenum-coated substrate. Precursor flowrates range from 0.02 to 5 mL/h under applied voltages of 1–18 kV, yielding droplet sizes around a few hundred nanometers. Comparing scanning electron microscope images of the coated samples showed that the substrate temperature, applied voltage, and precursor flowrate were the primary parameters controlling coating quality. Also, the most stable electrostatic spray mode that reliably produced uniform and fine droplets was the cone-jet mode with a Taylor cone issuing from the nozzle.     

采用高压静电雾化法制备W/O乳化液的实验研究

采用静电雾化方法进行了W/O玉米油乳化液制备的实验研究,在雾化流量2.8~15 mL/min、电极施加电压5.2~11 kV的条件下,用Winner99颗粒图像测试仪测试了所制乳化液的离散相滴径,分析了施加电压及雾化流量对平均滴径及滴径分布的影响. 结果表明,静电雾化法可制备离散相滴径比搅拌法更均匀的乳化液,离散液滴平均滴径约为28 mm且绝大多数液滴直径为20~40 mm,其稳定性明显优于搅拌法所制乳化液. 乳化液离散相滴径与施加电压及雾化流量密切相关,电压增大、雾化电流增大,乳化液离散相滴径急剧减小,滴径分布变窄. 流量增大,单位时间内液滴携带及输运的电量增大,故雾化电流增大;但液滴荷积比随流量增大而减小,故滴径变大,滴径分布变宽. 高电压、低流量有助于获得稳定性更好的乳化液.     

液液静电雾化特性

对水静电雾化弥散于玉米油的液-液雾化过程进行了实验研究。通过拍照对雾滴形态进行了观察。观察表明,不同电压下液-液雾化会呈现出滴状和云状雾化两种较为典型的雾化形态,在两种形态下液滴具有不同的形貌和运动特点,本文给出了两种雾化形态的出现条件及特征描述。通过Winner99颗粒图像分析仪及雾滴尺寸的分布理论,对不同静电电压下雾滴直径的分布规律进行了定量分析。研究结果表明,液-液静电雾化中雾滴的直径分布服从Rosin-Rammler分布规律。随着电压的升高,雾滴直径分布趋向均匀,雾化细度得到改善。与在空气中雾化有所不同,液-液雾化中雾滴分布的概率密度曲线峰值两边呈现出显著的不对称性,小液滴数尺寸分布较窄而大雾滴数的尺寸分布较宽。随着电压的升高,大雾滴尺寸分布有所变窄,概率密度曲线趋近对称。     

转炉一次除尘新OG系统高效喷淋塔喷嘴雾化特性的模拟

利用离散相模型对转炉一次除尘新OG系统高效喷淋塔内喷嘴的雾化特性进行模拟,分析了喷射角度、喷射压力、喷射流量及喷嘴水平间距等因素对雾化场索太尔平均直径(SMD)和蒸发效率的影响. 结果表明,在一定范围内随喷射角度增加,液滴在雾化场中的覆盖面增大,液滴驻留时间变长,蒸发效率增加,雾化场SMD减小,喷射角度大于60o时,SMD值减小缓慢. 随喷射压力增大,液滴蒸发效率增加,雾化场SMD减小,压力大于1.0 MPa时对SMD的影响较小. 随喷射流量增加,液滴蒸发效率减小,雾化场SMD增加,流量小于0.15 kg/s时,SMD增加幅度偏小. 两喷嘴水平间距越大,液滴分布面积越大,但对雾化场SMD影响较小. 在一定条件下,喷嘴间距约为800 mm时,截面速度分布较均匀.     

受限空间内空心锥形喷雾-横流掺混规律

在自建的冷态横流-旋流喷雾两相掺混系统实验台上,采用PIV测量了掺混通道内气液两相掺混过程中液滴群的运动特性,获得了掺混流场中不同位置的液滴分布图像与流场结构特性。实验段结构为方腔（横截面尺寸为95 mm×95 mm）,喷嘴采用空心锥形雾化喷嘴。对影响掺混效果的主要参数（横流速度、喷嘴雾化压力、喷嘴雾化粒径）进行了详细研究,绘出了最佳掺混效果下各参数关系曲线。掺混过程主要受不同尺度的旋涡结构影响,液滴多富集于旋涡边缘,稳定的大尺度涡不利于掺混。提高掺混效果的途径即是避免流场中出现稳定的大尺度旋涡结构,采用喷嘴前倾布置、增加喷嘴个数、确定合适的横流速度均是提高掺混效果的有效途径。分析方法与研究结果为工程实际应用中掺混室结构的设计及掺混性能的改进提供了依据和参考。     

Stabilization of Water Droplets in an Oily Matrix Exclusively by Gel Formation

As droplets in emulsions are thermodynamically unstable, surfactants are required for their stabilization. However, these additives often are unwanted due to legal restrictions and possible health threats. Gelling of the aqueous phase poses one promising alternative. Only droplet‐forming processes like microfluidic devices are known to successfully work so far for stabilization by gelling. As these processes are hard to scale‐up and tend to foul, a technical alternative based on commonly used high‐pressure homogenization is investigated. A nozzle was adapted by adding a micromixer directly behind the orifice outlet. This allowed gelling and stabilizing the droplets by feeding a cold oil stream immediately after droplet breakup. Up to 40 wt‐% droplets with Sauter mean diameters down to the micrometer range could be successfully stabilized.     

Droplet‐Shooting and Size‐Filtration (DSSF) Method for Synthesis of Cell‐Sized Liposomes with Controlled Lipid Compositions

We report a centrifugal microfluidic method, droplet‐shooting and size‐filtration (DSSF), for the production of cell‐sized liposomes with controlled lipid compositions. This involves the generation of large and small droplets from the tip of a glass capillary and the selective transfer of small droplets through an oil‐water interface, thus resulting in the generation of cell‐sized liposomes. We demonstrate control of the microdomain formation as well as the formation of asymmetric lipid bilayer liposomes of uniform size by the control of lipid composition. The DSSF method involves simple microfluidics and is easy to use. In addition, only a small volume (0.5–2 μL) of sample solution is required for the formation of hundreds of cell‐sized liposomes. We believe that this method can be applied to generate cell‐sized liposomes for a wide variety of uses, such as the construction of artificial cell‐like systems.     

Zerstäuben von Flüssigkeiten

Atomization of liquids . The process of droplet formation can be represented quite clearly with the aid of dimensionless factors. Thus, clear distinction can be made between dripping, spluttering and atomization for the flow of a liquid through nozzles. In the first two cases laminar flow dominates; droplets of a definite size are formed. Atomization, on the other hand, is conversion of a jet in a turbulent state of flow into a fine spray of droplets covering a wide size range. The most commonly used atomization apparatus include one-and two-substance jets, rotation atomizers, and special purpose jets.     

The effect of electric field on droplet formation and motion in a viscous liquid

The formation and initial motion of distilled water droplets injected into a viscous oil were studied in the absence of an electrical field and under the influence of a high voltage (up to 10 kV) field. The droplets were formed at a stainless steel nozzle in a rectangular cell (38 × 10 × 10 cm) equipped with grounded parallel plate electrodes along two sides of the cell. As the voltage applied to the nozzle was increased, the formed droplets were reduced in size and showed repulsion and some upwards scattering; the droplet velocity near the nozzle was greatly increased by the field, with the droplets decelerating as they moved away from the nozzle. Droplet formation and motion with and without electric field have been compared with predictive models, showing qualitative agreement and partial quantitative agreement.     

Coalescence dynamics of two droplets of different viscosities in T-junction microchannel with a funnel-typed expansion chamber

The coalescence behavior of two droplets with different viscosities in the funnel-typed expansion cham-ber in T-junction microchannel was investigated experimentally and compared with droplet coalescence of the same viscosity.Four types of coalescence regimes were observed:contact non-coalescence,squeeze non-coalescence,two-droplet coalescence and pinch-off coalescence.For droplet coalescence of different viscosities,the operating range of non-coalescence becomes narrowed compared to the droplet coalescence of same viscosity,and it shrinks with increasing viscosity ratio η of two droplets,indicating that the difference in the viscosity of two droplets is conducive to coalescence,especially when 1 ＜ η＜ 6.Furthermore,the influences of viscosity ratio and droplet size on the film drainage time (Tdr) and critical capillary number (Cac) were studied systematically.It was found that the film drainage time declined with the increase of average droplet size,which abided by power-law relation with the size dif-ference and viscosity ratio of the two droplets:Tdr ～ (ld)0.25±0.04 and Tdr ～ (η)-0.1±002.For droplet coales-cence of same viscosity,the relation of critical capillary number with two-phase viscosity ratio and dimensionless droplet size is Cac =0.48λ0.26l-2.64,while for droplet coalescence of different viscosities,the scaling of critical capillary number with dimensionless average droplet size,dimensionless droplet size difference and viscosity ratio of two droplets is Cac =0.11 η-0.07ls-2.23ld0.16.     

T型微流控芯片中微液滴破裂的数值模拟

利用VOF模型对T型结构微流控芯片中微液滴的三维破裂过程进行了数值模拟,获得了液滴发生破裂和不会破裂两种流型。一定轴向长度的微液滴对应着一个临界毛细数,当主流流体的毛细数大于此临界毛细数时,微液滴发生破裂并分别流向T型结构两侧;否则不会发生破裂,微液滴流向任意一侧。通过多个工况的计算,拟合了临界毛细数与微液滴相对轴向长度的关系,探讨了黏度比对微液滴破裂的影响。发现黏度比越小,微液滴越易发生破裂。     

An atomization model for splash plate nozzles

A model for the atomization and spray formation by splash plate nozzles is presented. This model is based on the liquid sheet formation theory due to an oblique impingement of a liquid jet on a solid surface. The continuous liquid sheet formed by the jet impingement is replaced with a set of dispersed droplets. The initial droplet sizes and velocities are determined based on theoretically predicted liquid sheet thickness and velocity. A Lagrangian spray code is used to model the spray dynamics and droplet size distribution further downstream of the nozzle. Results of this model are confirmed by the experimental data on the droplet size distribution across the spray. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010     

Experimental research of drop‐on‐demand droplet jetting 3D printing with molten polymer

Three‐dimensional (3D) printing technology has become an effective method for parts manufacturing and got a certain application in many fields. Now, drop‐on‐demand droplet jetting 3D printing appears as a new method of manufacturing technology which has a proven research progress for metal, colloid, and liquid resin materials. However, there are hardly any researches of droplet jetting 3D printing with molten polymer. So, considering molten polymer as the jetting material with droplet jetting method is an explorative direction. In order to attain the molten polymer droplets and achieve droplet jetting 3D printing with molten polymer, the 3D printing technology of differential melt (3DPDM) is developed independently. According to 3DPDM, a complete set of drop‐on‐demand droplet jetting 3D printer have been developed. In this work, PP (6820) was chosen as the experimental material. Under the different print parameters such as the rotation speed of screw, nozzle diameter, mechanical impact frequency, heating temperature, the space between nozzle and platform, the form, and deposition of droplets were studied. Furthermore, the optimal print parameters were summarized. By printing models with the optimal print parameters, it turned out that the 3DPDM is able to achieve drop‐on‐demand droplet jetting 3D printing with molten polymer. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45933.     

Modeling of Gravitational Wet Scrubbers with Electrostatic Enhancement

Conventional gravitational wet scrubbers, which generally perform removal of fine particles with low efficiency, cannot meet new standards for pollution emissions. One way of improving the collection efficiency of fine particles is to impose additional electrostatic forces upon particles by means of particle‐charging, or droplet‐charging, or even opposite‐charging of particles and droplets. A Monte Carlo method for population balance modeling is presented to describe the particle removal processes of gravitational wet scrubbers with electrostatic enhancement, in such a way that the grade collection efficiency and particle size distribution are calculated quantitatively. Numerical results show that, the grade collection efficiency of submicron particles is only ca. 5 % in conventional wet scrubbers. However, it reaches ca. 25 % in particle‐charging wet scrubbers, ca. 70 % in droplet‐charging wet scrubbers, and even above 99 % in opposite‐charging wet scrubbers. Furthermore, population balance modeling is used to optimize the operational parameters of the droplet‐charging wet scrubbers by means of the quantitative comparison of the grade collection efficiency. It is found that the operational parameters that are beneficial to the high‐efficiency removal of fine particles are faster gas velocity, slower droplet velocity, larger liquid‐to‐gas flow ratio, larger charge‐to‐mass ratio of droplets, smaller geometric mean diameter and smaller geometric standard deviation of droplets.     

Droplet formation of H2SO4/alkane system in a T‐junction microchannel: Gravity effect

A special system of concentrated sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and n‐hexane was used to study the droplet formation in a glass T‐junction microchannel with H₂SO₄ as the continuous phase. The effects of capillary number, flow ratio, and viscosity ratio on the droplet formation were investigated. The effect of gravity was explored by changing the flow direction in the microchannel. Results showed that the formation of transition flow pattern from squeezing to dripping is much easier for this special system compared with common aqueous/organic systems. This phenomenon is due to the considerably higher viscosity of H₂SO₄ than that of common aqueous phase and the higher density difference of the system compared with those of common systems. In addition to capillary number and flow ratio, gravity evidently affects the formation of droplets and flow patterns. The droplet size is smaller than that during the horizontal flow when the flow direction is consistent with gravity. By contrast, flow direction contrary to that of gravity results in larger droplet size than that at horizontal flow. This phenomenon provides guidance on the operation of these special systems in microchannels. Finally, mathematical models of droplet size at different flow patterns have been established, and these models can predict droplet size very well. This study could be helpful to extend the application of microreactors to new working systems. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 4564–4573, 2016