Department Gasification Technology

Working Group: Liquid Fuels / Atomization

The aim of the research work is the optimization of gas-assisted nozzles with regard to the requirements of the respective process (e. g. spray angle and resulting droplet size), depending on the operating conditions and the nozzle geometry.

To investigate the atomization process in the context of entrained flow gasification, three test facilities are operated (Pressurized Atomization Test Rig (PAT), ATMOsperic Spray Test Rig (ATMO) and the Burner Test Rig (BTR)). These enable: (i) the investigation of the primary jet breakup, (ii) the quantification of the prevailing instabilities and breakup-mechanisms, (iii) the determination of the resulting droplet size and (iv) the determination of the flow field. Optical and laser-based measurement techniques (HS camera, PIV, LDA, PDA, LBS, SpraySpy) are available for the investigation of the whole spray cone. The raw data from the measuring devices can be converted into data for quantifying the spray quality, via an in house code for post processing (SprayCat), e. g. mass flow weighted integral Sauter mean diameter to describe the droplet size at a distinct distance to the nozzle orifice.