A NOVEL ATOMIZER FOR OIL-FIRED BURNER COMBUSTION APPLICATIONS

A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A NOVEL ATOMIZER AND ITS ATOMIZATION PROCESS FOR OIL-FIRED BURNER COMBUSTION APPLICATION IS BEING CARRIED OUT. THE ATOMIZER USES THE EFFERVESCENT ATOMIZATION PROCESS TO ACHIEVE GOOD ATOMIZATION WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF AIR. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING EFFORTS: (1) DESIGN CONSIDERATION OF THE NOVEL ATOMIZER; (2) THE EVALUATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ATOMIZER DESIGNS UNDER NON-REACTING FLOWS OVER A RANGE OF FLOW CONDITIONS; (3) INVESTIGATION OF THE ATOMIZATION MECHANISM OF THE ATOMIZER; AND (4) FEASIBILITY STUDY OF ONE SELECTED ATOMIZER IN REACTING FLOWS IN A LABORATORY BURNER. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, A NOVEL ATOMIZER IS BEING STUDIED, EVALUATED, AND DEVELOPED. THE RESEARCH ALSO PROVIDES AN INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF EFFERVESCENT ATOMIZATION PROCESS. THIS UNDERSTANDING WILL BE USEFUL FOR SCALING UP THE ATOMIZER FOR PRACTICAL BOILER COMBUSTION APPLICATIONS.