Droplet size viscosity effect

Studies of flow-induced coalescence are possible with the methods described here. Effects of flow conditions and emulsion properties, such as shear rate, initial droplet size, viscosity and type of surfactant can be investigated in detail. Recently developed, fast (3-10 s) [82, 83] PFG NMR methods of measuring droplet size distributions have provided nearly real-time droplet distribution curves during evolving flows such as emulsification [83], Studies of other destabilization mechanisms in emulsions such as creaming and flocculation can also be performed. 

The energetics and kinetics of film formation appear to be especially important when two or more solutes are present, since now the matter of monolayer penetration or complex formation enters the picture (see Section IV-7). Schul-man and co-workers [77, 78], in particular, noted that especially stable emulsions result when the adsorbed film of surfactant material forms strong penetration complexes with a species present in the oil phase. The stabilizing effect of such mixed films may lie in their slow desorption or elevated viscosity. The dynamic effects of surfactant transport have been investigated by Shah and coworkers [22] who show the correlation between micellar lifetime and droplet size. More stable micelles are unable to rapidly transport surfactant from the bulk to the surface, and hence they support emulsions containing larger droplets. 

Equation 14 indicates that Hquid pressure has a dominant effect in controlling the mean droplet sizes for pressure atomizers. The higher the Hquid pressure, the finer the droplets are. An increase in Hquid viscosity generally results in a coarser spray. The effect of Hquid surface tension usually diminishes with an increase in Hquid pressure. At a given Hquid pressure, the mean droplet size typically increases with an increase in flow capacity. High capacity atomizers require larger orifices and therefore produce larger droplets. 

The principal parameters affecting the size of droplets produced by twin-fluid atomizers have also been discussed (34). These parameters include Hquid viscosity, surface tension, initial jet diameter (or film thickness), air density, relative velocity, and air—Hquid ratio. However, these parameters may have an insignificant effect on droplet size if atomization occurs very rapidly near the atomizer exit. 

Both effects can produce coarser atomization. However, the influence of Hquid viscosity on atomization appears to diminish for high Reynolds or Weber numbers. Liquid surface tension appears to be the only parameter independent of the mode of atomization. Mean droplet size increases with increasing surface tension in twin-fluid atomizers (34). is proportional to CJ, where the exponent n varies between 0.25 and 0.5. At high values of Weber number, however, drop size is nearly proportional to surface tension. 

Droplet size, particularly at high velocities, is controlled primarily by the relative velocity between liquid and air and in part by fuel viscosity and density (7). Surface tension has a minor effect. Minimum droplet size is achieved when the nozzle is designed to provide maximum physical contact between air and fuel. Hence primary air is introduced within the nozzle to provide both swid and shearing forces. Vaporization time is characteristically related to the square of droplet diameter and is inversely proportional to pressure drop across the atomizer (7). 

Effect of Physical Properties on Drop Size Because of the extreme variety of available geometries, no attempt to encompass this variable is made here. The suggested predictive route starts with air-water droplet size data from the manulac turer at the chosen flow rate. This drop size is then corrected by Eq. (14-195) for different viscosity and surface tension ... 

Diffusivities in liquids are comparatively low, a factor of 10 lower than in gases, so it is probable in most industrial examples that they are diffusion rate controlled. One consequence is that L-L. reactions are not as temperature sensitive as ordinary chemical reactions, although the effect of temperature rise on viscosity and droplet size sometimes can result in substantial rate increase. On the whole, in the presnt state of the art, the design of L-L reactors must depend on scale-up from laboratory or pilot plant work. 

The liquid properties of primary importance are density, viscosity and surface tension. Unfortunately, there is no incontrovertible evidence for the effects of liquid viscosity and surface tension on droplet sizes, and in some cases the effects are conflicting. Gas density is generally considered to be the only thermophysical property of importance for the atomization of liquids in a gaseous medium. Gas density shows different influences in different atomization processes. For example, in a fan spray, or a swirl jet atomization process, an increase in the gas density can generally improve... 

In fan spray atomization, the effects of process parameters on the mean droplet size are similar to those in pressure-swirl atomization. In general, the mean droplet size increases with an increase in liquid viscosity, surface tension, and/or liquid sheet thickness and length. It decreases with increasing liquid velocity, liquid density, gas density, spray angle, and/or relative velocity between liquid and surrounding air. 

Derived from spray data for high-viscosity liquids (mixtures of glycerine and water) of 50flows through discharge slots and impacts both sides of a flat liquid sheet from a discharge slot inbetween the air slots) Droplet size measured by Malvern 2600HSD Spray Analyzer Effects of air slot thickness included... 

For prefilming type of atomizers, minimum droplet sizes are obtained with nozzle designs that spread liquid into thinnest sheet before subjecting its both sides to air-blast action 86] and provide maximum contact between liquid and air. 468 From experimental data obtained over a wide range of process conditions and material properties, it was found 469 that the effect of liquid viscosity on the mean droplet size is independent of that of surface tension and air velocity. Therefore, the mean droplet size can be expressed as a sum of two terms one dominated by surface tension, air velocity and air density, and the other by liquid viscosity, as suggested by Lefebvre 4691... 

The model system used by Mabille et al. [149, 150] was a set of monodisperse dilute (2.5 wt% of dispersed oil) emulsions of identical composition, whose mean size ranged from 4 p.m to 11 p.m. A sudden shear of 500 s was applied by means of a strain-controlled rheometer for durations ranging from 1 to 1500 s. All the resulting emulsions were also monodisperse. At such low oil droplet fraction, the emulsion viscosity was mainly determined by that of the continuous phase (it was checked that the droplet size had no effect on the emulsion viscosity). The viscosity ratio p = t]a/t]c = 0.4 and the interfacial tension yi t = 6 mN/m remained constant. 

The observed flame features indicated that changing the atomization gas (normal or preheated air) to steam has a dramatic effect on the entire spray characteristics, including the near-nozzle exit region. Results were obtained for the droplet Sauter mean diameter (D32), number density, and velocity as a function of the radial position (from the burner centerline) with steam as the atomization fluid, under burning conditions, and are shown in Figs. 16.3 and 16.4, respectively, at axial positions of z = 10 mm, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 mm downstream of the nozzle exit. Results are also included for preheated and normal air at z = 10 and 50 mm to determine the effect of enthalpy associated with the preheated air on fuel atomization in near and far regions of the nozzle exit. Smaller droplet sizes were obtained with steam than with both air cases, near to the nozzle exit at all radial positions see Fig. 16.3. Droplet mean size with steam at z = 10 mm on the central axis of the spray was found to be about 58 /xm as compared to 81 pm with preheated air and 96 pm with normal unheated air. Near the spray boundary the mean droplet sizes were 42, 53, and 73 pm for steam, preheated air, and normal air, respectively. The enthalpy associated with preheated air, therefore, provides smaller droplet sizes as compared to the normal (unheated) air case near the nozzle exit. Smallest droplet mean size (with steam) is attributed to decreased viscosity of the fuel and increased viscosity of the gas. 

These results indicate that the enthalpy associated with air (and also steam) has an effect on the resulting droplet size. A larger droplet size with preheated air than steam reveals that there must be effects other than just the enthalpy associated with steam. Some of the possible factors include viscosity and density differences between the gases, and that water contained in steam may become miscible under these conditions. In this case, the large differences in the boiling points between the two fluids (water and kerosene) may lead to disruptive breakup of the liquid fuel, even at 10 mm, via rapid heat transfer from the flame. 

Other researchers have also observed an increase in HIPE viscosity with increasing phase volume ratio [77] however, the effects of droplet size, polydis-persity or continuous phase viscosity were not investigated. Further studies [78] revealed that the viscosity increased for smaller mean droplet radii this effect was found to be greater at higher internal phase ratios. The total interfacial area increases as droplet size decreases, so viscosity also increases as more energy is required to deform the larger network of thin films [79]. 

Nozzle port size is selected to accomodate spray liquid viscosity and delivery rate and may influence droplet size because it affects the velocity of liquid at a given spray rate. At low atomizing air pressures and volumes, a low liquid velocity allows more complete atomization of liquid. Using a smaller nozzle port at the same spray rate generally results in a larger mean droplet size due to the higher liquid delivery velocity. At high atomization air pressures and volumes, this effect is minimized. 

For electrostatically or sterically interacting drops, emulsion viscosity will be higher when droplets are smaller. The viscosity will also be higher when the droplet sizes are relatively homogeneous, that is, when the drop size distribution is narrow rather than wide. The nature of the emulsifier can influence not just emulsion stability but also the size distribution, mean droplet size, and therefore the viscosity. To describe the effect of emulsifiers on emulsion viscosity Sherman [215] has suggested a modification of the Richardson Equation to the following form ... 

Several practical formulae have been developed for estimating the effect on emulsion viscosity of changes in key variables such as temperature, water content, and droplet size distribution, in which adjusting factors for each property are obtained from empirical correlations. An illustration is provided by Rimmer et al. [763]. Such formulae may also contain a term representing changes in emulsion droplet size due to droplet coalescence that occurs with time as the emulsion moves through the pipeline ( ageing ). 

---