Effect of geometric and operating parameters on the spray characteristics of an open-end swirl injector

To study the influence of geometric and operating parameters on the spray characteristics of an open-end swirl injector, seven injectors with different tangential inlet diameters (D _p ) and injector length to injector orifice diameter (L/D) ratios were tested and simulated. Using high-speed backlight, the evolution laws of liquid film thickness, discharge coefficient, spray cone angle, breakup length, and velocity distribution in the swirl chamber under different geometric and operating parameters were captured after unified image processing. Low-injection pressure drop is directly proportional to the discharge coefficient and the spray cone angle. When the injection pressure drop approaches or reaches a critical value of 0.4 MPa, the discharge coefficient and spray cone angle remain nearly constant with maximum fluctuations of 1% and 5%, respectively. With an increase in the geometric characteristic constant A, the liquid film thickness, discharge coefficient, breakup length, and velocity in the swirl chamber decrease, whereas the spray cone angle increases. As the viscous effect increases for increasing L/D, the discharge coefficient and breakup length increase, whereas the spray cone angle decreases. Based on experiment results, empirical formulas for the discharge coefficient, spray angle, and breakup length were put forward as reference for engineering applications, including the effect of the geometric and operating parameters.