Pesticide atomization modelling for hollow-cone nozzle

International audienceAtomization is a phenomenon of high importance for many practical devices where it is expedient to increase the contact surface between a liquid and a surrounding gas. One of them is the agricultural sprayer used for crop protection. Improper spray characteristics can result in the loss of chemicals to the ground or to the air. In order to reduce environmental impacts, the present study investigates the atomization of a liquid sheet issued from a hollow-cone nozzle used for pesticide spraying. Our model is based on an Eulerian approach and describes the flow inside the nozzle and the spray droplet characteristics just outside the nozzle. We use the same set of constants as in automotive and rocket engine fields. The results in terms of liquid dispersion and mean droplet size are in good agreement with experimental data, provided that the Reynolds stress model is used for the turbulence