A thin-film fluidic atomization device and method

Abstract

The application discloses a thin film jet atomization device and method, which comprises an atomization container and an aerosol outlet into which a solution to be atomized is injected, and an atomization tube with an elliptical cross section. A partition is arranged on the plane where the short axis of the atomization tube is located. The atomization tube below the partition is arranged in the atomization container and is immersed in the solution to be atomized. The part above the partition is arranged in the atomization container and is exposed outside the solution to be atomized. Micro-holes are arranged on the atomization tube above and below the partition. The partition divides the atomization tube into two spaces, i.e. an upper space and a lower space. The two ends of the upper space are connected to a second compressed gas source, and the two ends of the lower space are connected to a first compressed gas source. The second compressed gas source is used for increasing the jet impact momentum, and the first compressed gas source is used for bubble generation. By constructing the elliptical atomization tube with multiple rows of micro-holes and a closed surface, the atomization tube is lowered relative to the circular tube form to move the gas injection position below the liquid surface, so that larger-sized bubbles are obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of high-viscosity submicron aerosol atomization, specifically a thin-film jet atomization device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Atomization technology has a wide range of applications in social production and daily life. In the energy sector, liquid fuels used in various combustion devices need to be atomized before combustion to achieve better combustion results and improve fuel utilization. In the field of spraying, technologies such as textile technology and thermal spraying atomize adhesives or other liquid coatings, causing the atomized droplets to move in an airflow and eventually collide with a substrate to form a thin film. Furthermore, it has been widely applied in atomized drying and dust suppression, atomized cooling, fire extinguishing, agricultural irrigation, pharmaceuticals, powder and particle preparation, inkjet printing, and spray cleaning.

[0003] With the development of industrial technology, many new requirements have emerged for the application of atomized jet technology. Fuels used in production and daily life have evolved from low-viscosity gasoline to high-viscosity heavy oil; the liquid media involved in the preparation of advanced materials are no longer single-phase, low-viscosity fluids, but mostly high-viscosity fluids. However, in most existing atomization devices for high-viscosity fluids, pressure atomization or ultrasonic atomization is typically used to generate submicron-sized atomized droplets. In these cases, the smaller nozzle size may lead to reduced droplet velocity and high energy consumption; it also cannot meet the requirements for atomization at larger flow rates, resulting in a wide droplet size distribution range, significantly reducing flexibility and controllability. Furthermore, some sensitive atomization materials, such as organic pharmaceuticals and biological materials, may be damaged by high temperature, high pressure, electromagnetic fields, and ultrasound, thus making it impossible to generate aerosols through traditional pressure atomization or ultrasonic atomization.

[0004] A foreign patent, US10384218 B2, discloses an atomizing jet device that utilizes multiple micropores with closed surfaces, combined with compressed gas, to achieve atomization of smaller droplet sizes. However, this device still has many drawbacks. First, the closed tube (i.e., the atomizing tube) of the device is supplied with gas from only one side, resulting in significant flow loss at each micropore, which reduces the gas jet velocity of subsequent micropores. This leads to varying bubble sizes and a wide distribution range of aerosol particle size after breakup. Furthermore, when using a straight atomizing tube, the gas jet velocity at the end of the closed tube decreases, causing the droplets generated after liquid film breakup to exhibit a wide particle size distribution, thus compromising atomization quality. Second, since the jet breaking gas and the filling gas are in the same pipe, there is a strong correlation between the jet and bubble size, greatly reducing the controllability of atomization quality. Third, after the compressed gas is discharged from the bottom of the annular bend of the device, the pressure change on the bubbles is small, causing them to rise to the surface for jet breakup only within a very short time. This results in excessively small bubbles with a small specific surface area, a thick liquid film, and a fixed and insufficient aerosol flow rate. Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, it is necessary to propose an atomization device and method for high viscosity fluids that can adjust the flow rate and obtain submicron-sized aerosols. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to propose a thin film jet atomization device and method.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the aforementioned technical problem is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a thin-film jet atomization device, comprising an atomizing container into which a solution to be atomized is injected and an aerosol outlet. The device further comprises an atomizing tube having an elliptical cross-section, wherein a partition is provided on the plane of the minor axis of the atomizing tube, the portion of the atomizing tube below the partition being placed in the atomizing container and immersed in the solution to be atomized, and the portion above the partition being placed in the atomizing container and exposed to the outside of the solution to be atomized; the major axis of the atomizing tube is perpendicular to the liquid surface.

[0008] The atomizing tube has a closed surface and multiple rows of micropores, and micropores are provided on both the atomizing tubes above and below the partition.

[0009] The partition divides the atomizing tube into two spaces: an upper space and a lower space. The two ends of the upper space are connected to a second compressed air source, and the two ends of the lower space are connected to a first compressed air source.

[0010] The second compressed air source is used to increase the jet impact momentum, and the first compressed air source is used for bubble generation.

[0011] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for thin-film jet atomization, implemented using the aforementioned apparatus. A first compressed gas is discharged from a micropore submerged below the liquid surface in an atomizing tube, continuously and stably generating microbubbles of similar size. The microbubbles rise along the surface of the atomizing tube and continuously expand and grow. After escaping the interface, a large number of interfacial bubbles are generated in the upper half of the atomizing tube. At the two-phase interface, the solution to be atomized forms a thin film covering the micropores in the form of bubbles or liquid films. A second compressed gas is discharged from a micropore exposed above the liquid surface in the atomizing tube. Due to the intense shearing and decomposition between the thin liquid film and the gas jet, the surface of the liquid film is disturbed and becomes unstable, ultimately causing the liquid film to be squeezed and broken into submicron-sized aerosol particles, which form an aerosol spray with the discharged gas.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0013] 1. This invention constructs an elliptical atomizing tube with multiple rows of micropores and a closed surface, thereby shifting the gas injection position below the liquid surface relative to a circular tube, thus obtaining larger bubbles.

[0014] 2. The device of the present invention adopts a dual-sided gas supply method, which increases the working pressure and gas velocity, thereby changing the size of the generated bubbles and making the bubbles detach from the liquid more quickly. At the same time, it reduces the pressure drop caused by the gas discharge in the traditional single-sided gas supply channel, ensures the uniformity of the generated bubble size, and further controls the aerosol particle size, enabling the generation of submicron-sized aerosols within a narrow range.

[0015] 3. The atomizing tube in the device of the present invention adopts a dual-gas-source atomizing tube. The elliptical atomizing tube is divided into upper and lower spaces by a middle partition layer, which can supply different types of compressed gas respectively. The mass of the bubble and the mass of the jet gas (such as air and nitrogen) can be controlled separately to meet the different gas requirements for bubble generation and jet-induced breakage, thereby increasing the mass of the bubble and the impact momentum of the jet.

[0016] 4. In this invention, the pore sizes of the multiple rows of micropores are different, and the specific values ​​are determined based on the gas source pressure. After gas injection, the elastic micropores achieve a uniform pore size under the action of the local gas pressure, thereby controlling the flow rate of gas entering the atomizing solution through each micropore to be uniform, thus achieving uniform bubble size and laying the foundation for the uniformity of atomized droplet particle size. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of a thin-film jet atomization method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a partial schematic diagram of the micropores in the atomizing tube of the device of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of one embodiment of the thin-film jet atomization device of the present invention.

[0020] In the diagram: 1-Upper micropores, 2-Separator, 3-Lower micropores, 4-Lower micropore outlet bubble, 5-Bubble near the tube wall, 6-Aerosol particles; 101-Atomizing container, 102-Atomizing tube, 103-Laser generator, 104-Laser receiver, 105-Supply unit, 106-First compressed air source, 107-First pressure regulating valve, 108-First mass flow meter, 109-Second compressed air source, 110-Second pressure regulating valve, 111-Second mass flow meter. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Specific embodiments of the present invention are given below. These specific embodiments are only used to further illustrate the present invention and do not limit the scope of protection of the claims of this application.

[0022] This invention provides a thin-film jet atomization apparatus, which includes the following components:

[0023] The atomizing solution is injected into the atomizing container and the aerosol outlet connected to the outlet of the atomizing container;

[0024] An atomizing tube with a closed surface and multiple rows of micropores has an elliptical cross-section with a length-to-short axis ratio ranging from 2:1 to 3:1. It has an internal air source separation layer and is connected to different compressed air sources. The elliptical tube is placed in an atomizing container and partially submerged below the solution to be atomized, with its major axis perpendicular to the liquid surface.

[0025] Different compressed air sources are supplied with air from both sides of the pipeline;

[0026] Gas supply flow and pressure monitoring device and control module.

[0027] The atomizing tube is partially immersed in the liquid. The upper and lower layers of the atomizing tube are connected to different compressed air sources to generate bubbles of uniform size. The center point of the micropores is arranged at an angle of 70° / 45° with the direction of the minor axis of the ellipse. The axis of the micropores is perpendicular to the tangent of the cross section of the elliptical tube. The diameter and number of micropores are adjusted to control the required aerosol size and flow rate.

[0028] The micropore size can be selected based on different application requirements through fluid dynamics calculations, including the number of micropore rows, the number of micropores per row, the surface micropore density, and the pore size. The pore sizes of the multi-row micropores vary, and the pore size setting is determined based on the gas source pressure. After gas injection, the elastic micropores achieve a uniform pore size under the local pressure of the gas. Simultaneously, different types of compressed gas sources are selected for the upper and lower layers of the atomizing tube to meet the gas requirements for different functions such as bubble generation and jet-induced breakup. The upper layer gas has a higher viscosity to increase the jet impact momentum and achieve more thorough breakup; for example, air is used. The lower layer gas uses pure gas to improve bubble quality; for example, nitrogen or carbon dioxide is used.

[0029] The atomizing tube uses a dual-sided gas supply to connect to the compressed gas source, reducing pressure loss during gas discharge and minimizing atomization quality degradation. The atomizing tube is made of an elastic material compatible with the atomized liquid, with an elastic modulus in the range of 0.05-1.2 GPa, such as rubber, platinum-cured silicone rubber, or polytetrafluoroethylene. This elastic modulus range enhances and regulates the discharge of compressed gas through the micropores, preventing liquid backflow and avoiding micropore blockage when atomizing high-viscosity liquids. In the application example of this invention, the atomizing tube is made of an elastic material.

[0030] The device of this invention also includes a replenishment unit for monitoring the height of the liquid level to be atomized and automatically replenishing the atomizing solution, adjusting the relative position between the atomizing tube and the two phases in real time to ensure the number and height of the micropores in the immersion portion. The replenishment unit includes a liquid level sensor, a control module, and a replenishment module. The liquid level sensor is installed inside the atomizing container and uses technologies such as pressure sensors, capacitive sensors, or optical sensors to achieve liquid level sensing and accurately monitor changes in the liquid level. The control module is connected to the liquid level sensor, receives sensor signals, and performs judgment and control operations based on preset thresholds.

[0031] The replenishment module includes a liquid reservoir, a pump, and a delivery pipeline. The pump is electrically connected to the control module. When the liquid level sensor detects a drop in the liquid level, the control module triggers the pump to draw atomized solution from the liquid reservoir and replenish it to the atomizing container through the delivery pipeline. By setting a threshold, initiating the replenishment operation, and monitoring the signal from the liquid level sensor, the replenishment unit can stably maintain the liquid level in the atomizing container.

[0032] The device of this invention can be assembled to the size of a small aerosol sprayer, or further expanded to any industrial size; the compressed air source can be supplied to the device from an external air source of any size. In an example of this invention, the experimental apparatus is a small aerosol sprayer, with other dimensions compatible with this device.

[0033] A method for thin-film jet atomization, the method comprising the following:

[0034] 1) Place the solution to be atomized into an open container.

[0035] 2) Immerse the lower part of the specially shaped elliptical atomizing tube into the solution and connect it to the compressed air source.

[0036] 3) The first compressed gas is discharged from the micropores of the atomizing tube submerged below the liquid surface, continuously and stably generating microbubbles of similar size. The microbubbles rise along the surface of the atomizing tube and continuously expand and grow. After escaping the interface, a large number of interface bubbles are generated in the upper half of the atomizing tube. At the interface between the two phases, the solution to be atomized forms a thin film covering the micropores in the form of bubbles or liquid films. The second compressed gas is discharged from the micropores of the atomizing tube exposed above the liquid surface. Due to the intense shear decomposition between the thin liquid film and the gas jet, the surface of the liquid film is disturbed and becomes unstable, eventually causing the liquid film to be squeezed and broken into submicron-sized aerosol particles, which form an aerosol spray with the discharged gas.

[0037] 4) Aerosol particles are discharged and collected from the narrow opening at the top of the open container, thus achieving aerosol atomization.

[0038] Traditional liquid atomization technologies typically generate droplets by breaking down millimeter-sized liquid flows, such as hydraulic nozzles, two-fluid nozzles, rotary atomizers, and ultrasonic atomizers. These methods consume significant energy when processing high-viscosity, small-particle-size aerosols at a given flow rate. In contrast, the thin-film jet atomization method described in this invention atomizes liquids by acting on micrometer-sized atomization targets (approximately 1 μm thick bubble films). This results in smaller average droplet diameters and requires significantly less energy than traditional liquid atomization technologies.

[0039] This invention provides a thin-film jet atomization device and method that utilizes a special elliptical elastic atomizing tube located on both sides of the liquid-atmosphere interface to release two different compressed gases into the liquid through micropores, thereby atomizing a high-viscosity solution to generate submicron-level aerosols. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the principle of the thin-film jet atomization method of the present invention. The lower micropore outlet bubble 4, formed in the micropores below the liquid surface, moves towards the space above the two-phase interface and forms a thin film covering the upper micropores. This film further forms new bubbles 5 near the tube wall in the atmospheric environment. These near-tube wall bubbles break under the induction of the second compressed gas discharged from the upper micropores 1, thereby generating a large number of film droplets, forming aerosol particles 6, achieving the atomization effect.

[0040] This invention is particularly applicable to high-viscosity fluids, preferably, the kinematic viscosity of the high-viscosity fluid is 50-150 cPs.

[0041] In this invention, the atomizing container can be cylindrical, frustum-shaped, cuboid, etc. The atomizing container has a constricted atomizing outlet, which is connected to an L-shaped tube so that the aerosol particles generated by atomization can flow out horizontally.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] The thin-film jet atomization device of this embodiment includes an atomizing tube 102 with an elliptical cross-section. Two rows of micropores, referred to as upper micropores 1, are symmetrically arranged on the wall of the atomizing tube above the liquid surface. A row of lower micropores 3 is symmetrically arranged on the wall of the atomizing tube below the liquid surface. The lower micropores 3 of the atomizing tube are immersed in the liquid to be atomized, while the top is exposed to the atmosphere. A partition 2 is horizontally arranged inside the atomizing tube, along the short axis of the atomizing tube. The partition 2 divides the atomizing tube into upper and lower spaces, each containing different types of compressed gas. The atomizing tube can be made of a material adapted to the liquid to be atomized and has a certain degree of elasticity. Different first compressed gas sources 106 and second compressed gas sources 109 (e.g., air and carbon dioxide) are respectively connected to the upper and lower spaces of the atomizing tube. When the compressed gas comes into contact with the micropores, the compressed gas gradually increases its discharge speed from the micropores as the pressure increases until the pressure matches the external environment. The atomizing tube is made of a material with a certain degree of elasticity, which is used to regulate the amount of compressed gas released through the micropores, prevent liquid backflow, and avoid clogging of the orifice, thus effectively atomizing suspensions and high-viscosity liquids.

[0044] Example 2

[0045] The structural diagram of the device in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 3 As shown. The atomizing container 101 is a transparent acrylic container with dimensions of 140mm (length) × 100mm (width) × 120mm (height). A circular outlet with a diameter of 41mm is located on the upper horizontal wall of the atomizing container 101. A 150mm long L-shaped tube is connected to the circular outlet of the atomizing container 101, allowing the aerosol particles 6 generated by atomization to flow out horizontally. Inside the atomizing container 101, the atomizing tube 102 is fixed inside the container via a through-plate gas connector. The upper and lower layers of gas sources inside the atomizing tube are connected from both sides to a first compressed gas source 106 (air) and a second compressed gas source 109 (nitrogen) with pressures ranging from 0.5MPa to 0.55MPa. The lower limit of this pressure range is chosen to provide sufficient aerosol flow rate for image characterization based on droplet size distribution and flow rate. The upper limit of this pressure range is chosen to prevent mechanical damage to the atomizing tube 102. Furthermore, in a specific embodiment, it was observed that the relevant characteristic parameters of the aerosol particles 6 generated by the device reached a steady state value before reaching the upper pressure limit, and the increase in atomization pressure exceeding the upper pressure limit did not have a new impact on the aerosol characteristics.

[0046] Following the first compressed air source 106 (air) and the second compressed air source 109 (nitrogen), there are corresponding first pressure regulators 108 (air) and 111 (nitrogen), as well as first mass flow meters 107 (air) and 112 (nitrogen). The gas flow rate is between 10 and 100 L / min, and the average velocity of the aerosol particles 6 generated at the outlet of the atomizing container 101 is 0.1 to 1 m / s. The gas mass flow rate is recorded using the first mass flow meter 107 and the second mass flow meter 110. During atomization, the volume change of the atomized solution in the atomizing container is obtained using the supply unit 105, and the average volumetric flow rate of the atomized solution is determined in conjunction with a timer. The liquid flow rate (average volumetric flow rate) and aerosol flow rate (measured by laser generator 103 and laser receiver 104) are measured separately. After each operation of the device for 1-3 minutes, the atomizing container 101 is refilled with atomizing solution through the replenishment unit 105, so that the liquid level is at the middle position of the cross-section of the atomizing tube 102 (i.e., the position of the partition 2), and the liquid volume in the atomizing container 101 is restored.

[0047] A 0.6mm diameter drill bit is used to drill holes on both the top and bottom sides of the atomizing tube. Four rows of micropores are arranged at different angles on the upper layer of the atomizing tube, and two rows are arranged on the lower layer, with the same number of holes in each row. The number of holes is 2 to 5 per centimeter. The atomizing tube is 10cm to 30cm long, with an outer diameter of 11mm or 12mm along its minor axis and an inner diameter of 9mm to 10mm along its minor axis. Under local pressure, the micropores on the atomizing tube can be considered as small nozzles with a length of 2mm and an outer diameter of 600μm, capable of both gas injection and gas bubbling. Due to the elasticity of the atomizing tube material, the micropores close when the pressure difference between the gas inside the atomizing tube and the external environment is zero; the diameter of the micropores increases with the increase of the gas pressure inside the atomizing tube. When bubbles generated by the micropores in the lower layer of the atomizing tube rise to the liquid surface, the rapid airflow near the micropores, under the Venturi effect, causes a local pressure drop. The gas jet attracts the bubbles to form a thin liquid film with a submicron thickness on the surface of the atomizing tube. This liquid film is then broken down into droplets by the gas jet in the upper layer of the atomizing tube, generating aerosol particles 6. In this embodiment, a high-viscosity solution prepared from E-1310 (isotridecyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether) solution with a viscosity range of 50 to 150 cps is selected. The aerosol particles 6 formed in the atomizing container 101 gradually rise to the outlet located between the laser generator 103 and the laser receiver 104 of the Malvern Spraytec laser diffraction unit, and their parameters are measured. The ambient temperature in this case implementation is 25°C.

[0048] According to measurements from the Malvern Spraytec laser diffraction unit, the thin-film jet atomization device in this example can produce aerosol particles with very small diameters, of which 90%-99% are less than 1 μm. The gas-liquid ratio (GLR) in the device depends on the length of the atomizing tube and the number of micropores in the tube.

[0049] Schematic diagram of the micropores in the atomizing tube is shown below. Figure 2 For the atomizing tube 102 made of an elastic material (such as platinum-cured silicone tubing or polytetrafluoroethylene tubing), the size of the micropores and the gas flow rate depend on the pressure of the compressed gas source: the higher the pressure, the larger the micropore size, and vice versa. Furthermore, due to the pressure difference between the inner and outer sides of the atomizing tube 102, the inner portion of the micropore 11 in contact with the compressed gas has a larger size than the outer portion in contact with the liquid or environment. Therefore, the micropore 11 is approximately conical in shape, which can accelerate the discharge and flow of compressed gas, enhancing the atomization process. Additionally, the elasticity of the atomizing tube allows the micropores to act as check valves, preventing backflow of liquid and atmosphere when there is no compressed gas supply: due to the elastic expansion of the atomizing tube material, if there is no compressed gas at the set working pressure inside, the micropores will close due to the elasticity of the rubber. If the micropores are blocked, during operation, the atomizing tube 102 can expand the micropore size by providing compressed gas at a pressure higher than the working pressure, further clearing the blockage.

[0050] When compressed gas is released from the lower micropores 3 immersed in the atomizing liquid, bubbles are generated, namely the lower micropore outlet bubbles 4. These bubbles rise and expand along the tube wall, and meet the compressed gas released from the upper micropores 1. The gas jet released from the upper micropores breaks the thin-walled bubble liquid film, causing it to break into very small aerosol particles and drive them through the atomization outlet to form a spray.

[0051] The micropores in the atomizing tube 102 are divided into two groups: one group is located at the top of the atomizing tube, exposed to the atmospheric environment, and the other group is located at the bottom of the atomizing tube, immersed in the atomizing solution. The number and spacing of micropores in each group, as well as the diameter of each micropore opening, are adapted to the required compressed gas pressure and flow rate. Based on this method, technicians can easily design suitable micropore configurations according to specific needs. The diameter of the micropores in the atomizing tube and the height immersed in the solution to be atomized determine the size of the atomized droplets. An additional atomizing tube (an additional atomizing tube with multiple rows of micropores but no partitions, filled with gas from the first compressed gas source) can be completely immersed in the liquid to be atomized to increase the number of bubbles generated in the lower group of pores (referring to the case where the number of micropores in the lower layer of the atomizing tube with an elliptical cross-section is small). In this case, the additional atomizing tube does not need to have a partition; it only needs to be connected to the first compressed gas source 106.

[0052] In addition, the atomizing solution and compressed gas inside the atomizing tube can be heated by adding a heating component. Heating elements such as heating chips are selected and installed near the outer wall of the atomizing container, maintaining an appropriate distance from the atomizing tube. A PID temperature controller is used to monitor and adjust the temperature of the heating element, including a temperature display, adjustment buttons or knobs, and a switch to start / stop heating. Appropriately increasing the temperature of the atomizing solution and compressed gas inside the atomizing tube can reduce the viscosity of the solution to be atomized, increase the diffusion rate of the liquid film, and thin the liquid film thickness on the bubble surface, resulting in smaller aerosol particle sizes. Simultaneously, increasing the viscosity of the compressed gas increases the impact momentum of the gas jet, enhancing the atomization process.

[0053] Based on the implementation results of the case, the atomizing tube can be made of elastic composite material or carbon-based material. A series of parallel atomizing tubes can be used to achieve solution atomization at higher flow rates, enhancing atomization capability. Regardless of the shape of the special elliptical atomizing tube, the desired liquid atomization effect can be achieved. Generally, a straight tube type (with gas flowing through both ends) or a ring-shaped tube type (where the entire atomizing tube is bent into a ring with openings at both ends of the same diameter for gas supply from both sides) can achieve better atomization results. This atomizing container only requires a pipe to accommodate the compressed gas flow and a properly designed micro-orifice configuration, thus allowing for various shapes to adapt to different application needs. This device and method can be applied to liquid atomization applications in various fields, such as sprayers, medical devices, agricultural spraying, air fresheners, and coating technologies. For the aerosol generation of high-viscosity liquids, controllable particle size and flow rate can be achieved.

[0054] In summary, this invention provides a thin-film jet atomization device and method that uses a special double-layer, dual-gas-source elliptical atomizing tube to release pressurized gas into a liquid, achieving low-cost, easy-to-operate, and easy-to-maintain liquid atomization. This device is flexible, controllable, and economical; its size, materials, and parameters can be adjusted as needed. It is suitable for atomization applications of various high-viscosity liquids, adaptable to different application requirements, and provides additional functions to further improve the atomization effect.

[0055] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0056] Any aspects not covered in this invention are applicable to existing technologies.

Claims

1. A thin-film jet atomization device, comprising an atomizing container into which a solution to be atomized is injected and an aerosol outlet, characterized in that, The device also includes an atomizing tube with an elliptical cross-section. A partition is provided on the plane of the minor axis of the atomizing tube. The part of the atomizing tube below the partition is placed in the atomizing container and immersed in the solution to be atomized, while the part above the partition is placed in the atomizing container and exposed to the outside of the solution to be atomized. The major axis of the atomizing tube is perpendicular to the liquid surface. The atomizing tube has a closed surface and multiple rows of micropores, and micropores are provided on both the atomizing tubes above and below the partition. The partition divides the atomizing tube into two spaces: an upper space and a lower space. The two ends of the upper space are connected to a second compressed air source, and the two ends of the lower space are connected to a first compressed air source. The second compressed air source is used to increase the jet impact momentum, and the first compressed air source is used for bubble generation; The ratio of the major and minor axes of the elliptical cross-section is 2:1 to 3:

1. The center point of the micropore opening is arranged at an angle of 70° or 45° with the direction of the minor axis of the ellipse, and the axis of the micropore is perpendicular to the tangent of the elliptical tube section. The atomizing container is connected to an L-shaped tube at its atomizing outlet, allowing the aerosol particles generated by atomization to flow out horizontally. The atomizing tube is fixed inside the atomizing container via a through-plate gas connector, and compressed air sources are connected to both ends of the atomizing tube. The atomizing tube is made of an elastic material compatible with the atomized liquid.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic modulus of the elastic material is 0.05 GPa to 1.2 GPa, and includes elastic composite materials or carbon-based materials.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic material is at least one of rubber, platinum vulcanized silicone, or polytetrafluoroethylene.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second compressed air source is air; the first compressed air source is nitrogen or carbon dioxide; the pressure range of the two compressed air sources is 0.5MPa~0.55MPa, and the gas flow rate range is 10L / min~100L / min.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first and second compressed air sources are equipped with a pressure regulator and a mass flow meter on the pipelines connecting them to the atomizing tube. The mass flow meter is used to record the gas mass flow rate value, and the pressure regulator is used to ensure the gas supply balance at both ends when the same gas source in the atomizing tube is supplied from both sides. The device also includes a replenishment unit, which monitors the height of the liquid level to be atomized and automatically replenishes the atomizing solution, and adjusts the relative position between the atomizing tube and the two phases at any time to ensure the number and height of the micropores in the immersion part. The replenishment unit includes a liquid level sensor, a control module, and a liquid replenishment module. The liquid level sensor is installed inside the atomizing container to monitor changes in the liquid level. The liquid level sensor is implemented using a pressure sensor, a capacitance sensor, or an optical sensor. The control module is connected to the liquid level sensor, receives sensor signals, and performs judgment and control operations according to preset thresholds. The replenishment module includes a liquid storage tank, a pump, and a delivery pipeline. The pump is electrically connected to the control module. When the liquid level sensor detects a drop in the liquid level, the control module triggers the pump to draw the atomized solution from the liquid storage tank and replenish it to the atomizing container through the delivery pipeline.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device is used for thin-film jet atomization of high-viscosity liquids with a viscosity range of 50 to 150 cps; the solution to be atomized is prepared from isomeric tridecyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether E-1310.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pore sizes of the multiple rows of micropores are different, and the pore size setting is determined by calculation based on the gas source pressure. After gas injection, the elastic micropores achieve a uniform pore size under the action of local gas pressure.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device is also equipped with an additional atomizing tube, which has a closed surface and multiple rows of micropores, and the additional atomizing tube is placed inside the solution to be atomized; The device also includes a heating component for heating the atomized solution and the compressed gas inside the atomizing tube; the heating component includes a temperature display, an adjustment button or knob, and a switch to start / stop heating, and uses PID control for temperature monitoring and adjustment.

9. A thin-film jet atomization method, characterized in that, The device described in any one of claims 1-8 is used to achieve the following: First compressed gas is discharged from micropores in the atomizing tube submerged below the liquid surface, continuously and stably generating microbubbles of similar size. The microbubbles rise along the surface of the atomizing tube and continuously expand and grow. After escaping the interface, a large number of interface bubbles are generated in the upper half of the atomizing tube. At the interface between the two phases, the solution to be atomized forms a thin film covering the micropores in the form of bubbles or liquid films. Second compressed gas is discharged from micropores in the atomizing tube exposed above the liquid surface. Due to the intense shearing and decomposition between the thin liquid film and the gas jet, the surface of the liquid film is disturbed and becomes unstable, eventually causing the liquid film to be squeezed and broken into submicron-sized aerosol particles, which form an aerosol spray with the discharged gas.

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