Influence of operating parameters on jet breakup characteristics of low-pressure rotary sprinklers

What is it about?

This paper employs high-speed photography to investigate the process of water jet breakup into droplets in the air after ejection from the water splitter tray of low-pressure rotary sprinklers, focusing on varying operating pressures and nozzle diameters. Key findings include the identification of dependencies of jet breakup length, jet velocity, and droplet characteristics (size and velocity) on operating pressure and nozzle diameter. Three types of water jet breakup are categorized: split jet breakup, column jet breakup, and liquid-film jet breakup. A linear regression model correlates jet breakup length with working pressure and nozzle diameter, indicating that breakup length increases as working pressure decreases or nozzle diameter increases. An increase in working pressure or nozzle diameter enhances flow rate, leading to a power-law increase in characteristic jet velocity. A quantitative nonlinear model defines the relationship between breakup droplet velocity, droplet size, and operating parameters, showing that droplet velocity increases in a power-law fashion with pressure and nozzle diameter, and logarithmically with droplet size. The findings provide a quantitative understanding of jet breakup dynamics in relation to operational parameters, serving as a foundation for optimizing industrial spray system designs.

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Photo by Gerard Cos on Unsplash

Photo by Gerard Cos on Unsplash