Original use of a direct injection high efficiency nebulizer for the standardization of liquid fuels spray flames

It is of practical importance to lead laboratory-scale experiments allowing a better understanding of the impact of commercial fuels composition on the formation of combustion residues such as soot particles. To this end, a hybrid burner has been designed recently to burn high-speed sprays of small liquid fuel droplets. It consists of a Holthuis (previously McKenna) burner originally equipped with a direct injection high efficiency nebulizer for the atomization of liquid hydrocarbons. A detailed description of this original setup is given in this paper. A priori estimations of atomization and evaporation times and length scales are then proposed and compared with experimental data. Droplet-size distribution measurements obtained in nonreacting conditions using a Malvern Spraytec particle sizer are presented and compared with values estimated by calculation. Cold sprays contours and liquid jet lengths in flames determined by Mie scattering at 532 and 1064 nm, respectively, are also presented. The results d...