Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R21349/01
Title:	An Experimental & Theoretical Analysis of Rotating Jet Breakup
Principal Investigator:	Decent, Professor S P
Other Investigators:	King, Professor A Simmons, Professor M Burbidge, Professor A
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Chemical Engineering
Organisation:	University of Birmingham
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 September 2001	Ends:	29 February 2004	Value (£):	213,104
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Continuum Mechanics Fluid Dynamics Reactor Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Chemicals Food and Drink
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
For straight liquid jets, much work has been done in recent years on breakup dynamics and drop sizes after breakup, both theoretically and experimentally. However, this work does not transfer directly to more complex jet configurations where the trajectory of the jet is curved liquid jets can be curved by the action of gravity, wind drag or if the orifice from which the jet emerges is rotating. One application of the breakup of a curved jet is in the manufacture of fertilizer and magnesium pellets. A common method used to create these pellets is to let urea or magnesium melt flow into a rotating container which contains perforations in its wall near to its base. Due to centrifugal forces, the melt is flung outwards to the walls and flows through the perforations. On emerging from the perforations, a spiralling liquid jet is formed, which, due to flow instability, breaks up into drops. It is commercially important to be able to produce pellets which are of a closely defined size and shape range. Careful control of jet breakup could also lead to better distribution and consequent reductions in chemical quantities in airborne spraying. The overall aim of this project is therefore to understand which factors influence drop size in curved jet configurations. These will be determined both experimentally and theoretically. We will consider various applications of our findings including the manufacture of fertilizer and magnesium pellets, irrigation, ground level and airborne spraying.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.bham.ac.uk