When to Use Spray Testing & Modeling
In operations where spray performance is critical, you can’t afford a trial-and-error approach to optimization. Specialized equipment or advanced modeling tools are required to ensure your spray systems operate properly.
Critical Spray Applications
Spray operations are especially vital for applications in which problems can result in process failure, danger and significant loss of production time or excessive cost. These applications typically involve:
- Chemical reactions
- Gas cooling
- Precision coating
- Spray drying
- And more
In these operations, spray testing and modeling may be the only way to feel confident in your spray performance.
Spray Characterization Studies
Conducted in a laboratory, spray characterization studies are widely used for optimizing performance, as well as for troubleshooting problems and concept validation. They involve equipment such as:
- Spray nozzle patternators to measure liquid distribution.
- Laser diffraction equipment for measuring drop size of small capacity air atomizing and fine spray nozzles.
- Devices which measure impact variations throughout the spray pattern.
- Wind tunnels to test spray evaporation and spray performance in conditions that simulate a gas stream.
- Air and liquid flow instrumentation for metering flow and pressure.
- Phase Doppler Particle Analyzers for complete drop size evaluation, particularly where spray velocities are required.
- Laser imaging analyzers for measuring drop size of large capacity nozzles and dense/opaque sprays.
Advanced Computer Modeling Tools
When it isn’t possible to simulate the operating environment of the spray system, advanced computer modeling tools allow for in-depth analysis. Computer modeling tools include:
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze and solve problems involving the flow of fluid and gas in your spray operations. We offer both standard and custom CFD models. Learn more >
- Fluid structure interaction (FSI) to ensure that nozzles, lances, injectors and headers are not subjected to extreme forces that may result in hardware failure. Learn more >
