Analysis of pneumatic nozzle operation with the stochastic Euler-Lagrange model.

Highlights • The CFD model is used for the description of liquid atomization. • Impact of the model parameters on the calculated droplets velocity is investigated. • The secondary phenomena have the greatest impact on the droplets velocity. • The results are compared with our own experimental data. • The calibrated model is used to describe the plasticizer atomization. Abstract The aim of this study was to develop a CFD model for initial qualitative analysis of the operation of the pneumatic nozzle used for dry coating. The calibration consisted in comparing the droplets velocity yielded by the model with our own experimental data. The impact of the sheet and ligament constants as well as of the application of secondary coalescence and breakup models on dispersed phase velocity were taken into consideration. It turned out that the secondary phenomena had the largest impact on the dispersed phase velocity. Only after they had been taken into consideration was the agreement between the computation results and empirical data satisfactory. Afterwards, the best set-up of the model was used for describing the plasticizer atomization in a draft tube of a spout-fluid bed apparatus. It was concluded that this process should be carried out with the atomizing gas at a pressure of 2 ∙ 105 Pa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]