Numerical investigation of vibrational and misaligned effects on atomization characteristics of impinging jets

To investigate the individual and combined influences of vibration and misalignment on the atomization characteristics of the impingement, this study employs the polyhedral mesh adaptive refinement algorithm and volume of fluid to discrete phase model (VOF-to-DPM) method to simulate impinging jet atomization. The numerical simulation results are validated through comparison with experimental data, ensuring calculation accuracy. The findings indicate that increased vibration frequency deteriorates atomization performance, with the back-splash phenomenon becoming particularly pronounced at a vibration frequency of 1000 Hz. In contrast to previous research, which typically addresses vibration and misalignment independently, this research concurrently evaluates their combined effects in a single numerical framework, and the results demonstrate that when the misaligned degree is small, low-frequency vibrations can mitigate the adverse effects of misaligned impingement, enhancing atomization performance. However, when the degree of misalignment is large, low-frequency vibrations amplify the deflection angle of the liquid film, shortening breakup length and degrading atomization performance. Consequently, this research provides novel insights into the dynamics of impinging jet atomization and contributes valuable implications for propulsion system design.