Study on rheological, atomization, and transport properties of particle-laden gels

This study investigates the rheological, transport, and atomization properties of particle-laden gels through combined experimental and numerical approaches. Hydroxyethyl cellulose-based gels incorporating ceramic microspheres (10 μm) were prepared. Their rheological properties were characterized using a rotational rheometer to obtain viscosity curves. A rheological model for particle-laden gels was established based on the Krieger–Dougherty model. A variable-diameter pipeline was designed to study transport pressure drops under varying flow rates and flow directions. Y-jet injectors were employed to analyze atomization characteristics, including Sauter mean diameter), injector pressure drop, spray patterns, spray cone angles, and spray velocity fields. The measured viscosity curves (for both particle-laden and particle-free gels) were successfully simulated, demonstrating good agreement between experimental and computational results. Transport results reveal that, at identical flow rates, the pressure drop for particle-laden gel flowing from the small-diameter to the large-diameter section exceeds that observed in the reverse direction. For Y-jet injectors, structural parameters significantly influence atomization performance: an increased gas–liquid ratio notably reduces the SMD within the spray field. However, an excessively long mixing section hinders complete gel atomization. When successful atomization occurs, a longer mixing section yields a larger spray cone angle and higher injection velocity, albeit with a slight increase in SMD. In the spray field, a longer mixing section facilitates a more concentrated droplet size distribution. Furthermore, the influence of a Venturi tube on the injector's atomization characteristics was investigated.