ID 198

Simulation of Primary Breakup in Planar Close-coupled Gas Atomization

 

Abstract:

The disruption of liquid-metal jets in close-coupled gas atomizers is studied numerically employing a two-dimensions, multiphase, explicit, viscous, compressible flow solver, where the volume tracking of interfaces is performed using the M-rho-THINC approach. Argon gas is introduced with small incident angles to promote open-wake flow and molten nickel is poured from a flat-tip nozzle. Wake configuration and primary breakup are analyzed qualitatively for liquid Weber and Reynolds numbers in the range of 0.8-25 and 800-6000, respectively, and for gas-to-liquid momentum flux ratios within 20-300. Gas-only wakes are observed to be closed and highly transient, but tend to open in the presence of liquid sheets and fragments. The disruption occurs according to the fountain, the fiber-type and the acceleration wave models.

Work funded by USDOE-Advanced Manufacturing Office through Ames Lab contract DE-AC02-07CH11358.