Vortical Ejector Atomizer for Fine Aerosol Generation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol devices struggle to produce fine aerosols with particles smaller than 1 µm that can effectively treat surfaces uniformly, especially with liquids of high viscosity and heterogeneous mixtures, due to inefficiencies in dispersion processes and nozzle blockages.
Innovation Solution
A device with a two-stage dispersion process using a vortical ejector atomizer, where droplets are mixed with a turbulent air jet and dehumidified in the first stage, and further dehydrated and separated in the second stage, with the ejector nozzle oriented along a chord within a cylindrical container to ensure tangential vortical motion and prolonged aerosol particle circulation for size reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If hydraulic atomizers are used for large area treatment, then the treatment area is increased, but the droplet diameter increases to 200-500 μm resulting in poor spraying quality
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the atomization process into two distinct stages: first stage atomization produces coarse droplets for coverage, while second stage atomization through the ejector nozzle produces fine aerosol particles (1-10 μm) for precision. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of large treatment area and fine droplet size.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes pneumatic principles by introducing compressed air through the ejector nozzle to create a two-phase gas-liquid flow. The high-velocity air stream atomizes the liquid into fine droplets, achieving droplet diameters of 1-10 μm while maintaining large treatment area capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If pneumatic atomizers with small flow area nozzles are used to achieve fine aerosol, then droplet size is reduced, but nozzle blockage occurs with typical admixtures
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the atomization function into two stages: the first stage nozzle handles liquid delivery with larger openings resistant to blockage, while the second stage ejector nozzle (with opening 0.2-1.0 mm) performs fine atomization. This segmentation protects the fine atomization nozzle from blockage by admixtures.
Solution Approach 2:
The first stage atomization performs preliminary liquid breakup into larger droplets before the second stage. This preliminary action reduces the load on the ejector nozzle, preventing blockage by reducing the amount of liquid and admixtures that reach the fine atomization stage.
3Manufacturing precision
If internal mixing atomizers with curvilinear pipeline are used, then spray quality is improved, but friction losses increase and air-liquid mixture flow becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mixing air and liquid in a curvilinear pipeline (which causes friction losses), the invention inverts the approach by using a straight ejector nozzle where liquid is injected perpendicular to the high-velocity air stream. This direct injection method achieves stable atomization without the friction losses and flow instability associated with curvilinear mixing.
4Stability of the object's composition
If centrifugal aerosol generators rotate at high speed to minimize air influence, then aerosol stability is improved, but productivity decreases to several ml per minute
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses pneumatic atomization through the ejector nozzle to achieve fine aerosol generation at high productivity rates. The compressed air stream provides the energy for atomization without requiring high-speed rotation, eliminating the productivity limitation of centrifugal generators while maintaining aerosol stability through controlled two-phase flow.
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 device achieves a high fraction of aerosol particles with sizes of 1 µm and less, maintaining solution quality over time, and efficiently handles various liquid compositions, including emulsions and suspensions, with adjustable settings for optimal particle size reduction and device efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
droplets are mixed with a turbulent air jet
Implementation Method 2
vortical ejector atomizer
Implementation Method 3
droplets are mixed with a turbulent air jet and dehumidified
Implementation Method 4
ejector nozzle oriented along a chord within a cylindrical container to ensure tangential vortical motion and prolonged aerosol particle circulation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to the devices intended for atomization of liquids with the purpose of obtaining fine aerosol. The proposed device is intended for aerosolization of labile liquids, it includes 1 or several ejector atomizers arranged with possibility of their rotation with respect to a horizontal plane. The atomizer contains the chamber with the nozzle, in which the branch pipes for supplying of liquid material to be atomized and air are introduced, at that the air supply branch pipes are tangentially arranged in the chamber, and the sizes of the branch pipes openings and of the nozzle are related by the equation Do=(0,÷0,7)D2c/Dk, wherein Do is the diameter of liquid supply branch pipe, Dc is the diameter of the outlet nozzle, Dk is the diameter of the air inlet channel, and the atomizers themselves are arranged in the cylindrical container above the liquid surface in such a way that the jet coming out therefrom is chordwisely oriented with respect to the walls of the cylindrical container, at that the projection of the central axis of the aerosol spray on the cylinder walls doesn't cross the top edge of the walls during at least one turn at motion of the aerosol particles. The results of the conducted tests showed, that the declared device allows to obtain stable fine aerosol of liquids with properties varying in the wide range.