Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A pressure swirl atomizer has a swirl chamber with an exit orifice and a plurality of tangential swirl channels disposed around the circumference of the swirl chamber. A pintle bearing surrounds a pintle. The pintle has a body portion and a nose portion that is narrower than the body portion. The nose portion has a tip that opens and closes the exit orifice and a side that is movable in the pintle bearing. In one embodiment, a return path formed between the nose portion of the pintle and the pintle bearing drains fluid from the swirl chamber when the exit orifice is closed. The nose portion positions the return path closer to a centerline of the atomizer, forcing fluid to swirl in the swirl chamber before draining. Since the fluid does not remain static in the chamber, less energy is needed to increase the fluid velocity and quickly form a desired spray pattern when the exit orifice is opened.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim