Numerical study and experimental validation: A portioned calculation method for a large atomization field

Atomization and sprays are widely used in industry and agriculture. An appropriate atomization simulation method is essential in analyzing the liquid film-breaking process and atomization performance, especially in large-scale atomization field calculations. This study innovatively proposes a portioned method that combines existing fundamental atomization calculation models to balance computational accuracy and speed, finally achieving a full-scale numerical study of large atomization fields. This study employs the volume of fluid (VOF) model to measure the two-phase flow in the inner flow field and applies the discrete particle model (DPM) to analyze droplet behavior in the far-atomization field. In the near-atomization field, the VOF-to-DPM method connects the nozzle with the jet space, providing an effective numerical simulation of the liquid film formation and droplet breakup processes. Additionally, experiments on atomization using a pressure-swirl nozzle at different flow rates were conducted. Experimental data, such as atomization cone angle, flow distribution, and droplet particle size distribution, were obtained, and numerical calculations were performed using the large atomization field partitioned calculation model. The simulation results are utilized to explain the mechanisms of liquid film disintegration, while the experimental results are employed to validate the accuracy of the numerical model. The comparison revealed that the calculated results of the partitioned simulation approach align well with the experimental data. The maximum error in flow characteristics is 9.53%, in atomization cone angle is 6.16%, and in flow distribution is 3.67%, and there is a good agreement in particle size distribution with a maximum error of 17.58% in Sauter mean diameter, validating the accuracy of the portioned calculation method for large atomization fields.