A DROPLET GENERATOR PRODUCING NARROW DROP SIZE SPECTRA

A new droplet generator producing sprays with a narrow drop size spectrum is described. It operates on the principle of the controlled breakup of liquid jets. In the laboratory, droplet coalescence is largely controlled by emitting the jets from a rotating cylinder. Operational calibration curves are presented and the calibration technique described. Under laboratory conditions, volume median diameters from 135 to 235 microns were obtained and drop size distributions had relative spans averaging 0.15 with a standard deviation of 0.03. Under field conditions, the relative spans averaged 0.53 with a standard deviation of 0.06.