Sprayer Shear-Mixing Nozzle for Fine Particle Spray Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spray-drying apparatuses are unable to produce small-particle-size granular powder materials due to their reliance on centrifugal atomization, which is primarily influenced by the rotating speed of the atomization disc.
Innovation Solution
A sprayer design that includes a liquid material nozzle and gas nozzle for shear-mixing, where the liquid material is fragmented and atomized into micro mist droplets, which then evaporate and dry into small-diameter spherical granules due to surface tension and hot gas flow, facilitated by a dispersing member that divides the liquid material channel into sub-channels and a nozzle member that enhances the atomization process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If centrifugal atomization method is used with high-speed rotating atomization disc, then granulation efficiency is improved, but particle size cannot be reduced below a certain limit
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid material channel is divided into multiple sub-channels by the dispersing member, creating multiple liquid material nozzles that spray liquid material in different directions. This segmentation allows for better distribution and smaller droplet formation compared to a single large nozzle, enabling production of small-particle-size granular powder materials while maintaining high granulation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Gas is sprayed through the gas nozzle to physically fragment and atomize the liquid material sprayed from the liquid material nozzle. This pneumatic atomization process forms micro mist droplets with small particle sizes, overcoming the limitation of centrifugal atomization and enabling production of fine granular powder materials while maintaining high productivity
2Manufacturing precision
If gas nozzle is added for shear-mixing and atomization, then particle size is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas nozzle is integrated at the liquid material nozzle, with both nozzles working together in a coordinated manner. The gas nozzle utilizes the liquid material channel as its mounting structure, and both nozzles spray their respective materials in a unified spatial arrangement to achieve shear-mixing and atomization. This merging approach reduces device complexity compared to having separate, independent nozzle systems
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid material channel serves multiple functions: it transports liquid material to the liquid material nozzle and also provides the structural mounting for the gas nozzle. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing device complexity while still achieving the desired particle size reduction through the combined nozzle system
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
This approach allows for the production of small-diameter spherical granular powder materials by effectively fragmenting and drying the liquid material into smaller droplets, overcoming the size limitations of traditional centrifugal atomization methods.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid material sprayed out of the liquid material nozzle and gas sprayed out of the gas nozzle are shear-mixed at the liquid material nozzle, such that the liquid material is physically fragmented and atomized by the gas to form micro mist droplets
Implementation Method 2
The micro mist droplet forms a spherical shape under the action of surface tension
Implementation Method 3
moisture is quickly evaporated and dried under the action of hot gas flow, finally resulting in a dry spherical granular powder material with a small diameter through shrinkage
Data Source
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AI summary
This application discloses a sprayer (10), a spray-drying apparatus (100), and a spray-drying system (400) and a control method therefor. The sprayer (10) includes a sprayer body (11). The sprayer body (11) is provided with a liquid material inlet (12), a liquid material nozzle (13), a gas inlet (14), a gas nozzle (15), a liquid material channel (16), and a gas channel (17). The liquid material nozzle (13) and the liquid material inlet (12) both communicate with the liquid material channel (16), the gas nozzle (15) and the gas inlet (14) both communicate with the gas channel (17), and the gas nozzle (15) is provided at the liquid material nozzle (13). A dispersing member (20) is provided in the liquid material channel (16), the dispersing member (20) is disposed at the liquid material nozzle (13), and the dispersing member (20) divides the liquid material channel (16) into multiple sub-channels (160) communicating with the liquid material nozzle (13). Granular powder materials produced using such sprayer (10) can have a particle size meeting the specification requirements.