Energy Aspects in Spray Formation by Homogenous Flash Boiling Process

Abstract

[EN] When a pressurized bubbly mixture is driven out through an orifice, the mixture pressure abruptly drops and the bubbles undergo a rapid expansion process, which under some circumstances results in a rapid disintegration of the liquid bulk into small droplets (atomization). Depending on the initial conditions, heterogeneous or homogeneous nucleation of vapor bubbles may occur. For homogeneous nucleation, the vapor bubbles grow rapidly one towards the other, and when they touch each other the bubbles “explode”. In this stage, the liquid around the bubbles is teared, and a spray with small and uniform droplets is formed. In the literature, it seems that the efficiency of the homogenous flash boiling process is very low. In this work, we analyse this process and analyse it for possible energy losses.