Spray Tip Atomizing Viscous Fluids via Dual Orifice Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid spraying systems struggle to effectively atomize thick, viscous fluids like epoxies into a spray fan, as they require high pressures and are inefficient in material usage and coating control.
Innovation Solution
A spray tip design featuring a pre-orifice piece and a tip piece with an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice, respectively, where the cross-sectional area of the inlet orifice is less than the outlet orifice, forming a turbulating chamber that facilitates fluid shear and atomization at lower pressures, allowing for efficient spraying of thick fluids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional spray tips are used for thick viscous fluids, then high pressure is required to achieve atomization, but this increases energy consumption and reduces spraying efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The spray tip is divided into multiple functional sections: an inlet orifice for fluid entry, a turbulating chamber for flow disruption and mixing, and an outlet orifice for spray discharge. This segmentation allows each section to perform a specific function that collectively achieves effective atomization of viscous fluids at lower pressures
Solution Approach 2:
The turbulating chamber acts as an intermediary element between the inlet and outlet orifices. It receives high-pressure fluid from the inlet, creates turbulence and mixes the fluid, then delivers it to the outlet orifice for atomization. This intermediary chamber enables pressure reduction while maintaining atomization effectiveness
2Quantity of substance
If high pressure is used to spray thick fluids, then atomization can be achieved, but material waste increases and coating control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the orifices, specifically making the outlet orifice larger than the inlet orifice. This parameter change, combined with the turbulating chamber design, enables effective atomization at lower pressures, improving material utilization and coating control
3Temperature
If the outlet orifice is made smaller to improve atomization, then spray quality improves, but flow rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional orifice size relationship by making the outlet orifice larger than the inlet orifice. This inversion, combined with the turbulating chamber that creates intense mixing and pressure equalization, allows the system to maintain high flow rates while achieving superior atomization quality
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 design enables efficient atomization of thick fluids at lower pressures, reducing material waste, improving coating thickness control, and allowing for cost-effective and efficient spraying processes with less solvent usage.
Implementation Method 1
The two smallest flow area portions of the fluid path are an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice. A cross-sectional area of the inlet orifice is less than a cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice... facilitates fluid shear and atomization
Implementation Method 2
forming a turbulating chamber that facilitates fluid shear and atomization at lower pressures
Data Source
AI summary
A spray tip is configured to atomize thick, viscous fluids. The spray tip includes a pre-orifice piece having an inlet orifice that defines a first restriction in a fluid path through the spray tip. The spray tip also includes a tip piece having an outlet orifice that defines a second restriction in the fluid path. The first and second restrictions are the portions of the fluid path having the smallest flow areas. A cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice is greater than a cross-sectional area of the inlet orifice.