Enhanced efficiency atomizing and spray nozzle

• US 5,868,321 A
• Filed: 01/10/1995
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spraying Systems Company
• Original Assignee: Spraying Systems Company
• Inventors: Haruch, James
• Primary Examiner(s): WELDON, KEVIN P
• Application Number:
  US08/371,087
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 239/492, 239/493, 239/432, 239/434, 239/427, 239/399
• US Class Current: 239/399
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/265 the liquid or other fluent material being symmetrically deflected about the axis of the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3436 the interface being a plane perpendicular to the outlet axis
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0466 with means for deflecting the central liquid flow towards the peripheral gas flow

Abstract

A cap is disposed internally of a spray nozzle and effects active atomization of pressurized liquid flowing through the nozzle by mixing with compressed air and creating turbulence in the liquid during the flow. The nozzle includes an internal cap which cap which imparts significant turbulence on the flow through the nozzle serving to help atomize the liquid using a reduced amount of air energy. Different caps may be used to create various selected spray patterns.

Claims

1. A nozzle for atomizing and spraying pressurized liquid into the atmosphere comprising a body having an annular side wall, an open upstream end and a downstream end, a discharge opening in the downstream end of said body, an atomizing cap disposed in said body and having an inlet located adjacent the upstream end of said body, said cap having an annular side wall spaced radially inwardly from the side wall of said body for defining an annular chamber between said side walls, said cap having an axially facing intermediate wall perpendicular to said side wall and spaced downstream of said inlet and upstream of said discharge opening for defining a cylindrical chamber on a downstream side of said intermediate wall, said discharge opening being sized sufficiently large in relation to the diameter of said cylindrical chamber that pre-atomized liquid in said cylindrical chamber may proceed through said discharge opening with substantial radial restriction, a first set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through the side wall of said cap upstream of said intermediate wall for conducting liquid from said inlet to said annular chamber, a second set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through said side wall of said cap downstream of said intermediate wall for conducting liquid from said annular chamber to said cylindrical chamber and discharge opening, said second set of passages including at least five equally spaced passages extending tangentially of said cap whereby liquid is caused to flow outwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said inlet to said chamber, to flow axially downstream of said annular chamber, and then to flow inwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said annular chamber to said cylindrical chamber and discharge opening for producing a wide angle spray pattern.

2. A spray nozzle assembly comprising a body having a liquid inlet through which a pressurized liquid stream is introduced from a pressurized liquid source and an air inlet through which a pressurized air stream is introduced from a pressurized air source, a mixing chamber in said body within which said pressurized liquid and air streams are intermixed and said liquid is pre-atomized into liquid droplets, said body having an annular side wall and a downstream end formed with a discharge opening, an atomizing cap disposed in said body and having an upstream inlet for receiving said pre-atomized liquid, said cap having an annular side wall spaced radially inwardly from the side wall of said body for defining an annular chamber between said side walls, said cap having an axially facing intermediate wall spaced downstream of said inlet and upstream of said discharge opening, said intermediate wall extending generally perpendicular to the side wall of said cap, a first set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through the side wall of said cap upstream of said intermediate wall for conducting pre-atomized liquid from said inlet to said chamber, a second set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through said side wall of said cap downstream of said intermediate wall for conducting pre-atomized liquid from said chamber to said discharge opening, said second set of passages consisting of four equally spaced passages located along radii of said cap whereby said pre-atomized liquid is caused to flow outwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said inlet to said chamber, to flow axially downstream of said chamber, and to then flow inwardly from said four equally spaced passages as circumferentially spaced jets from said chamber to said discharge opening for producing a narrow angled and substantially round spray pattern.

3. A spray nozzle assembly comprising a body having a liquid inlet through which a pressurized liquid stream is introduced from a pressurized liquid source and an air inlet through which a pressurized air stream is introduced from a pressurized air source, a mixing chamber in said body within which said pressurized liquid and air streams are intermixed and said liquid is pre-atomized into liquid droplets, said body having an annular side wall and a downstream end formed with a discharge opening, an atomizing cap disposed in said body and having an upstream inlet for receiving said pre-atomized liquid, a downstream end formed with a discharge opening, an atomizing cap disposed in said body and having an inlet located adjacent an upstream end thereof, said cap having an annular side wall spaced radially inwardly from the side wall of said body for defining an annular chamber between said side walls, said cap having an axially facing intermediate wall perpendicular to said side wall spaced downstream of said inlet and upstream of said discharge opening for defining a cylindrical chamber on a downstream side of said intermediate wall, said discharge opening being sized sufficiently large in relation to the diameter of said cylindrical chamber that pre-atomized liquid in said cylindrical chamber may proceed through said discharge opening with substantial radial restriction, a first set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through the side wall of said cap upstream of said intermediate wall for conducting pre-atomized liquid from said inlet to said annular chamber, a second set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through said side wall of said cap downstream of said intermediate wall for conducting pre-atomized liquid from said annular chamber to said cylindrical chamber and discharge opening, said second set of passages consisting of only two passages extending tangentially of said cap circumferentially spaced 180°

apart from each other whereby said pre-atomized liquid is caused to flow outwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said inlet to said annular chamber, to flow axially downstream of said annular chamber, and to then flow inwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said annular chamber to said cylindrical chamber and discharge opening for producing a substantially flat spray pattern.

4. A spray nozzle assembly comprising a body having a liquid inlet through which a pressurized liquid stream is introduced and an air inlet through which a pressurized air stream is introduced, a mixing chamber in said body within which said pressurized liquid and air streams are intermixed and said liquid is pre-atomized into liquid droplets, said body having an annular side wall and a downstream end formed with a discharge opening, an atomizing cap disposed in said body and having an upstream inlet for receiving said pre-atomized liquid, a downstream end formed with a discharge opening, an atomizing cap disposed in said body and having an inlet located adjacent an upstream end thereof, said cap having an annular side wall spaced radially inwardly from the side wall of said body for defining an annular chamber between said side walls, said cap having an axially facing intermediate wall spaced downstream of said inlet and upstream of said discharge opening, said intermediate wall extending generally perpendicular to the side wall of said cap, a first set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through the side wall of said cap upstream of said intermediate wall for conducting pre-atomized liquid from said inlet to said chamber, a second set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through said side wall of said cap downstream of said intermediate wall for conducting pre-atomized liquid from said chamber to said discharge opening, said second set of passages consisting of two sets of equally spaced passages extending tangentially of said cap whereby said pre-atomized liquid is caused to flow outwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said inlet to said chamber, to flow axially downstream of said chamber, and to then flow inwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said chamber to said discharge opening for producing a substantially square spray pattern.

5. A spray nozzle assembly comprising a body having a liquid inlet through which a pressurized liquid stream is introduced and an air inlet through which a pressurized air stream is introduced, a mixing chamber in said body within which said pressurized liquid and air streams are intermixed and said liquid is pre-atomized into liquid droplets, said body having an annular side wall and a downstream end formed with a discharge opening, an atomizing cap disposed in said body and having an upstream inlet for receiving said pre-atomized liquid, a downstream end formed with a discharge opening, an atomizing cap disposed in said body and having an inlet located adjacent an upstream end thereof, said cap having an annular side wall spaced radially inwardly from the side wall of said body for defining an annular chamber between said side walls, said cap having an axially facing intermediate wall spaced downstream of said inlet and upstream of said discharge opening, said intermediate wall extending generally perpendicular to the side wall of said cap, a first set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through the side wall of said cap upstream of said intermediate wall for conducting pre-atomized liquid from said inlet to said chamber, a second set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through said side wall of said cap downstream of said intermediate wall for conducting pre-atomized liquid from said chamber to said discharge opening, said second set of passages consisting of first, second, third and fourth passages extending tangentially of said cap, said first and third passages being spaced 180 degrees from one another, said second and fourth passages being spaced 180 degrees from one another, the spacing between said first passages and said second passages being less than the spacing between said second passage and said third passage whereby said pre-atomized liquid is caused to flow outwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said inlet to said chamber, to flow axially downstream of said chamber, and to then flow inwardly as circumferentially spaced jets from said chamber to said discharge opening for producing a substantially rectangular spray pattern.

6. A nozzle for atomizing and spraying pressurized liquid into the atmosphere comprising a body having an annular side wall, an open upstream end and a downstream end, the downstream end of said body being defined by an annular flange projecting generally radially inwardly from said side wall, said flange having an inner edge defining a centrally located discharge opening in said body, an atomizing cap located in said body, said cap having an annular side wall and an axially facing intermediate wall, said intermediate wall being spaced downstream from said inlet and being spaced upstream from said discharge opening, said cap side wall defining a first cylindrical mixing chamber having an open upstream end for receiving said pre-atomized liquid, said cap defining a second cylindrical mixing chamber downstream of said intermediate wall smaller in diameter than said first chamber, said second annular chamber communicating with said discharge orifice, said discharge opening being sized sufficiently large in relation to the diameter of said second annular chamber that pre-atomized liquid in said second annular chamber may proceed through said discharge orifice without substantial radial restriction, said cap side wall being spaced radially inwardly from the side wall of said body for defining an annular chamber between said side walls, a first set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through said side wall of said cap upstream of said intermediate wall whereby pre-atomized liquid flowing into said first mixing chamber impinges against said intermediate wall and flows into said annular chamber via the passages of said first set, and a second set of circumferentially spaced passages extending through said side wall of said cap downstream of said intermediate wall communicating between said annular chamber and said second cylindrical mixing chamber whereby liquid in said annular chamber flows through said second set of passages into said second mixing chamber and then out of said nozzle via said discharge opening in a spray pattern determined by the arrangement of said second set of passages.

7. A nozzle as defined in claim 6 in which said discharge opening is about the same diameter as said second mixing chamber.

8. A nozzle for atomizing and spraying pressurized liquid into the atmosphere comprising a body having an annular side wall, an open upstream end and a downstream end, the downstream end of said body being defined by an annular flange projecting generally radially inwardly from said side wall, said flange having an inner edge defining a centrally located discharge opening in said body, an atomizing cap located in said body, said cap having an annular side wall and an axially facing intermediate wall, said intermediate wall being spaced downstream from said inlet and being spaced upstream from said discharge opening, said cap side wall defining a cylindrical mixing chamber having an open upstream end for receiving said pre-atomized liquid, said cap defining a second cylindrical mixing chamber downstream of said intermediate wall, said second cylindrical mixing chamber communicating with said discharge orifice, said discharge opening being sized sufficiently large in relation to the diameter of said second annular chamber that pre-atomized liquid in said second annular chamber may proceed through said discharge orifice without substantial radial restriction, said cap side wall being spaced radially inwardly from the side wall of said body for defining an annular chamber between said side walls, a first set of circumferentially spaced passages formed through said side wall of said cap upstream of said intermediate wall whereby pre-atomized liquid flowing into said mixing chamber impinges against said intermediate wall and flows into said annular chamber via the passages of said first set, and a second set of circumferentially spaced passages downstream of said intermediate wall including axially open holes in said side wall and with said body flange being disposed in abutting relation to an axial end of said cap side wall for closing the downstream ends of said holes whereby liquid in said annular chamber flows through said second set of passages and then out of said nozzle via said second cylindrical mixing chamber and discharge opening in a spray pattern determined by the arrangement of said second set of circumferentially spaced passages.