Atomizing nozzle

Claim 2

An atomizing nozzle for atomizing liquid within a gas, comprising: a fluid flow guide surface; means for directing a high velocity flow of gas along said guide surface; means for ejecting liquid under pressure through said guide surface into the gas flow at a substantial angle with respect to the gas flow direction for atomizing the liquid within the gas; means for diverting the fluid boundary layer that is along said guide surface to increase the fluid velocity gradient, as measured from said guide surface, above what would normally be obtained without said diverting means and said diverting means further including means for ejecting gas through said guide surface downstream from said means for ejecting liquid to divert the gas-liquid boundary layer away from said guide surface toward the main gas flow.

Claim 3

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 1, including common means for supplying gas under pressure to both said means for directing gas and said meaNs for ejecting gas.

Claim 4

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 2, wherein said common means includes an air passage defined at least in part by said guide surface; and bleed passage means extending into said air passage up stream from said liquid ejecting means for bleeding at least the gas boundary layer that would otherwise form along said guide surface and supplying it to said means for ejecting gas.

Claim 5

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 3, wherein said gas directing means includes an annular array of blades to project the gas flow in a whirling cone; and said bleed passage means is upstream from said blades.

Claim 6

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 3, wherein said gas directing means includes an annular array of blades to project the gas in a whirling cone; and said bleed passage means is between said blades.

Claim 7

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 2, including a nozzle body having a central downstream conical surface forming at least in part said guide surface, a downstream opening annular recess concentrically inwardly of said conical surface, and a downstream projecting central member at least in part forming said annular recess; said nozzle body further having a second conical surface oppositely directed from said first-mentioned conical surface and extending between said first-mentioned conical surface and said annular recess; a spacer sleeve surrounding said projecting member within said annular recess for only a portion of the axial extent of said projecting member; and a nozzle tip surrounding the remaining portion of said projecting member and tightly abutting said spacer sleeve; said nozzle tip having a conical surface complementary to and spaced from said nozzle body second conical surface to form therebetween an annular passage extending from said annular recess through said guide surface; and said common means including said annular recess.

Claim 8

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 6, wherein said gas directing means includes a generally annular gas whirler mounted on said nozzle body to form therebetween an annular gas chamber, and having an annuar array of blades to project the gas flow in a whirling cone terminating at least closely adjacent said first mentioned nozzle body conical surface; a cap member surrounding said annular array of blades and being outwardly spaced from the remainder of said gas whirler and said nozzle body to form therebetween a main gas passage leading to the downstream end of said blades, which gas passage forms in part said common means; said common means further including gas passage means extending between said main gas passage and said annular gas chamber.

Claim 9

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 7, including a high pressure liquid passage within said nozzle body for supplying liquid to said liquid ejecting means.

Claim 10

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 7, including threaded means between said gas whirler and said nozzle body; said gas whirler and nozzle body having complementary seal surfaces immediately adjacent the downstream end of said blades and upstream from said liquid ejecting means, and said seal surfaces having an interference fit and extending generally parallel to the axis of said threaded means.

Claim 11

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 7, wherein said gas whirler and nozzle body have complementary stepped seal surfaces forming a tortuous fluid path therebetween and immediately adjacent the downstream end of said blades and immediately upstream of said liquid ejecting means to isolate said annular gas chamber from the flow immediately upstream of said liquid ejecting means.

Claim 12

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 6, including a generally annular gas passage at least in part formed by at least one of said nozzle body and nozzle tip to form a second means for ejecting gas through said guide surface downstream from said means for ejecting liquid and spaced from said first-mentioned means for ejecting gas in the direction of main gas flow.

Claim 13

An atomizing nozzle for atoMizing liquid within a gas, comprising: a fluid flow guide surface; means for directing a high velocity flow of gas along said guide surface; means for ejecting liquid under pressure through said guide surface into the gas flow at a substantial angle with respect to the gas flow direction for atomizing the liquid within the gas; means for diverting the fluid boundary layer that is along said guide surface to increase the fluid velocity gradient, as measured from said guide surface, above what would normally be obtained without said diverting means; an air passage, at least partially defined by said guide surface, for supplying air under pressure to said means for directing gas; said means for diverting including bleed passage means extending into said gas passage for removing at least a substantial portion of the adjacent gas boundary layer upstream from said means for ejecting liquid, which boundary layer would otherwise flow along said guide surface immediately across said means for ejecting liquid.

Claim 14

An atomizing nozzle for atoMizing liquid within a gas, comprising: a fluid flow guide surface; means for directing a high velocity flow of gas along said guide surface; means for ejecting liquid under pressure through said guide surface into the gas flow at a substantial angle with respect to the gas flow direction for atomizing the liquid within the gas; means for diverting the fluid boundary layer that is along said guide surface to increase the fluid velocity gradient, as measured from said guide surface, above what would normally be obtained without said diverting means; an air passage, at least partially defined by said guide surface, for supplying air under pressure to said means for directing gas; said means for diverting including bleed passage means extending into said gas passage for removing at least a substantial portion of the adjacent gas boundary layer upstream from said means for ejecting liquid, which boundary layer would otherwise flow along said guide surface immediately across said means for ejecting liquid.

Claim 15

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 12, wherein said gas directing means includes an annular array of blades to project the gas flow in a whirling cone along said guide surface upstream from said liquid ejecting means; said bleed passage means removing the boundary layer upstream of said blades.

Claim 16

The atomizing nozzle according to claim 12, wherein said gas directing means includes an annular array of blades to project the gas flow in a whirling cone along said guide surface upstream from said means for ejecting liquid; and said bleed passage means extending between said blades.

Claim 17

An atomizing nozzle for atomizing liquid within a gas, comprising: a fluid flow guide surface; means for directing a high velocity flow of gas along said guide surface; means for ejecting liquid under pressure through said guide surface into the gas flow at a substantial angle with respect to the gas flow direction for atomizing the liquid within the gas; means for divering the fluid boundary layer that is along said guide surface to increase the fluid velocity gradient, as measured from said guide surface, above what would normally be obtained without said diverting means; said diverting means including a projection from said guide surface downstream of said liquid ejecting means for changing the direction of the fluid boundary layer moving along said surface to direct it toward the main gas flow to be broken up thereby and to decrease the angle between the fluid boundary layer flow and the direction of flow for the liquid ejected by said liquid ejecting means; said gas directing means including an annular array of blades forming an annular flow of main gas, and said liquid ejecting means being annular and projecting said liquid in an annular path having an axis of symmetry substantially concentric with the axis of symmetry of the main gas flow annular path; and said projection means having an annular surface generally parallel to said axes, and at its upstream end angularly joining said guide surface.

Claim 18

An atomizing nozzle for atomizing liquid within a gas, comprising: a fluid flow guide surface; means for directing a high velocity flow of gas along said guide surface; means for ejecting liquid under pressure through said guide surface into the gas flow at a substantial angle with respect to the gas flow direction for atomizing the liquid within the gas; means for divering the fluid boundary layer that is along said guide surface to increase the fluid velocity gradient, as measured from said guide surface, above what would normally be obtained without said diverting means; said diverting means including a projection from said guide surface downstream of said liquid ejecting means for changing the direction of the fluid boundary layer moving along said surface to direct it toward the main gas flow to be broken up thereby and to decrease the angle between the fluid boundary layer flow and the direction of flow for the liquid ejected by said liquid ejecting means; said gas directing means including an annular array of blades forming an annular flow of main gas, and said liquid ejecting means being annular and projecting said liquid in an annular path having an axis of symmetry substantially concentric with the axis of symmetry of the main gas flow annular path; and said projection means having an annular surface generally parallel to said axes, and at its upstream end angularly joining said guide surface.