Low Drift Flat Fan Spray Nozzle With Splitter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flat-jet spray nozzles struggle to produce larger droplets that are less sensitive to wind, while maintaining uniform distribution and opening angle, which leads to inefficiency and potential harm from drifting spray products.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a splitter with two axial through-orifices and a blade in the working chamber to recombine fluid streams and impinge on the outlet slot, creating a flat jet with increased droplet size and reduced wind sensitivity, allowing for larger droplets and improved drift reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the nozzle uses conventional design with increasing cross-section passage, then the nozzle structure is simple, but the droplet size is limited to below 500 micrometers
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle passage is segmented into multiple sections: a first section with increasing cross-section, a second section with substantially constant cross-section, and a third section with increasing cross-section. This segmentation allows the liquid stream to undergo multiple acceleration and mixing phases, producing larger droplets (800 micrometers) while maintaining a relatively simple overall nozzle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Air is introduced as an intermediary substance into the passage at the point of smallest cross-section. This air injection creates a Venturi effect that enhances liquid atomization and droplet formation. The air acts as a mediator between the liquid stream and the surrounding environment, enabling droplet sizes to exceed 500 micrometers without significantly complicating the nozzle design.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the nozzle produces smaller droplets, then the spray distribution is uniform, but the droplets are highly sensitive to wind and drift beyond the target area
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle design changes the physical parameters of the spray by producing larger droplets (800 micrometers) while maintaining a controlled flat fan spray pattern. The multi-section passage geometry and air injection work together to achieve droplet sizes that are less sensitive to wind, thereby reducing drift without completely sacrificing spray distribution uniformity through the flat fan geometry.
3Quantity of substance
If the nozzle passage cross-section increases continuously, then the droplet size increases, but the opening angle and cumulative distribution uniformity cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The passage is divided into distinct sections with different cross-section profiles. The second section with substantially constant cross-section acts as a transition zone that maintains the opening angle and spray pattern geometry while the first and third sections contribute to droplet size increase. This segmented approach allows simultaneous achievement of large droplet size and controlled spray shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The passage geometry alternates between increasing and constant cross-section sections, creating periodic variations in flow conditions. This periodic structure allows the liquid stream to experience alternating phases of acceleration and steady flow, which helps maintain the flat fan spray pattern and opening angle while progressively increasing droplet size through the passage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves a 50% increase in mean drop diameter to 800 μm, ensuring effective drift reduction and operation at higher pressures, while maintaining uniform distribution and flow rate, thus enhancing nozzle performance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a core, internally defining a passage, of increasing cross-section, in communication with the outside substantially at the point of its smallest cross-section, resulting in a Venturi effect
Implementation Method 2
a splitter comprising two axial through-orifices, each forming a fluid passage, on either side of a radial plane, such that the two streams passing through the orifices of the splitter combine and then impinge the surface of the outlet slot
Data Source
AI summary
The spray nozzle includes a body, which has a fluid inlet region and a fluid outlet orifice, and which houses:a core, internally defining a passage, of increasing cross-section, in communication with the outside substantially at the point of its smallest cross-section, resulting in a Venturi effect,an insert, provided with an outlet slot defining the opening angle of the nozzle, the core and the insert being at a distance from one another and forming therebetween a working chamber.The nozzle further includes a splitter, housed in the working chamber, arranged to form an obstacle to the flow of the fluid, the splitter having two axial orifices, each forming a fluid passage, on either side of a radial plane, such that the two streams passing through the orifices of the splitter combine and then impinge the surface of the outlet slot of the insert, ultimately generating a flat jet.