Equipment Maintenance
Maximize
the Performance of
Spray Nozzle Systems
Christine Pagcatipunan Use these techniques to select,
Rudi Schick
Spraying Systems Co. troubleshoot and maintain spray nozzles
systems for optimum performance.
S
pray nozzles are carefully engineered to deliver specific
performance under certain operating conditions. Their
performance is affected by the nozzle type, spray pattern,
capacity, operating pressure, material of construction, droplet
velocity, and spray distribution, angle and impact. This article
provides an overview of nozzle selection considerations and
discusses troubleshooting options and maintenance techniques
to help engineers maximize the productivity of their spray sys-
tems. Table 1 (p. 39) summarizes the different nozzle types and
the spray performance characteristics.
In the chemical process industries, droplet size is often the
most critical performance parameter. For instance, in gas cooling
applications, droplets must be small enough so that complete
evaporation occurs quickly without wetting the walls and duct-
work. For gas absorption and chemical injection, the surface area
of the droplet controls the rate and extent of the reaction, and
must be optimized for the given process. Application of a coat-
ing to a substrate is another area where spray nozzles are used.
Coatings are created when individual droplets coalesce and build
up in layers on a substrate. To achieve a uniform coating, the
droplet size and distribution must be exact. In spray drying, noz-
zles must produce droplets of a consistent size and surface area,
otherwise, the quality of the powder will be poor.
Table 2 (see p. 40) illustrates the wide range of droplet sizes
produced by different spray nozzles at various pressures and
capacities. Droplet sizes are expressed in terms of the volume
median diameter (VMD), a widely accepted reference parameter
defined as the value where 50% of the total volume (or mass) of
the liquid sprayed is made up of droplets with diameters larger
than the median value and 50% smaller than the median value.
Another term used when referring to the VMD is DV0 . 5.
Specific droplet size information, such as DV0 . 1, D32, DV0.9,
Dmax, droplet size distributions, etc., should be obtained from the
nozzle manufacturer. DV0 . 1 is where 10% of the total volume (or
mass) of the liquid sprayed is made up of drops with diameters
38 www.cepmagazine.org December 2005 CEP
smaller or equal to this value. D32 or the Sauter mean diameter
expresses the fineness of a spray in terms of the surface area it
produces. Dmax denotes the maximum droplet size by volume
or mass present in the spray. This diameter is used when com-
plete evaporation of the spray is required. The same drop size
measurement should be used when comparing different nozzles
(e . g ., DV0 . 5 from one nozzle should not be compared with D32
from another nozzle).
Nozzle selection for gas conditioning
A comprehensive explanation of performance standards and
nozzle selection considerations for all chemical spray applications
is beyond the scope of this article. Instead, the focus is on the sig-
nificance of nozzle selection in gas-conditioning applications.
Although it is a broad term, gas conditioning generally refers to
controlling the properties of a gas by injecting water and/or
reagents to cool the gas to certain temperatures, change its humid-
ity or scrub the gas of unacceptable components. Gases that
reside in cooling towers, ductwork and dryers are conditioned
using desuperheating, gas absorption and chemical injection.
Desuperheating involves spraying water into superheated
steam. The water evaporates by absorbing heat, reduces the tem-
perature of the steam and restores it to its saturated state. Fine-
spray hydraulic nozzles, air-atomizing nozzles and special desu-
perheating lances are used because of the small droplets they
generate. If the droplets are too large, the saturated steam
becomes excessively wet and additional drying through a separa-
tor is required.
Absorption is the process by which contaminants are
removed from a gas via vigorous gas-liquid interaction. T h e
Environmental Protection Agency has identified many extremely
hazardous air pollutants that must be controlled to emission lim-
its. Gas absorption, or scrubbing, provides an efficient means for
compliance. The scrubbing liquid, which exhibits a high solubili-
ty for the gas contaminants, absorbs target components from the
 Table 1. Basic nozzle and spray characteristics.

Nozzle Type Spray Spray Characteristics Spray Angle, deg Typical Applications
Pattern

Hollow cone: Provides a good interface between 40–165 • Air, gas and water cooling
whirl-chamber air and droplet surfaces; large, • Flue-gas desulfurization (FGD)
type open passages resist clogging • Gas absorption, scrubbing and stripping

Hollow cone: Provides small droplet sizes, 100–180 • Water curtain

deflected type but is prone to clogging and • Dust suppression
erosion of deflector surface • Tube, pipe and small tank cleaning

Hollow cone: Droplets are slightly coarser 50–180 • FGD

spiral type than other hollow-cone sprays; • Gas cooling
high flowrate for a given pipe size; • Evaporative cooling
large, open passages resist clogging

Full cone Uniform coverage with medium- 15–125 • Washing and rinsing
to-large droplets; most flexible • Chemical injection
and widely used in industry; • Dust suppression
free passage of droplets limited
by internal vane

Full cone: Coarse droplets; minimal flow 50–170 • Gas absorption, scrubbing and stripping
spiral type obstruction due to lack of internal • FGD
vanes; coverage is not as uniform as • Dust suppression
internal vane-type nozzles

Flat: Designed for use on a spray 15–110 • Conveyor coating

tapered edge manifold or header section for • Product cooling
uniform overall coverage across the
impact area

Flat: Even distribution; medium-sized 25–65 • High-pressure washing

even edge droplets; high-impact spray

Flat: Medium-sized droplets; large, free 15–150 • Product washing

deflected type openings reduce clogging

Solid stream High-impact spray effectively 0 • Tank washing

removes persistent residue

Atomizing: Low-capacity flow; hollow-cone spray 35–165 • Evaporative cooling

hydraulic, is used when compressed air • Spray drying
fine mist is not desirable • Humidification
• Desuperheating

Air-atomizing: • Gas cooling and conditioning

internal mixing Produces smallest, most-uniformly Wide variety • Spray drying
sized droplets; high turndown ratios • Humidification
• Desuperheating
• Chemical injection

Air-atomizing: Most often used when Wide variety • Product coating

external mixing spraying viscous liquids

CEP www.cepmagazine.org December 2005 39

Equipment Maintenance

face area and contact between the liquid and gas. The gas enters
Nomenclature through the bottom of the column and flows through the packing
where it contacts the liquid. The liquid is sprayed through noz-
A = cross sectional area of tower or duct, ft2 zles at the top of the column countercurrently to the gas. Full-
D = diameter of the droplet, µm cone nozzles provide good spray coverage and distribute the liq-
f = fraction of liquid evaporated, dimensionless uid evenly through the packing.
h = specific enthalpy, Btu/lb°F Venturi scrubbers entrain large volumes of gas. Scrubbing
Hv = latent heat of vaporization of the liquid, Btu/lb liquid is sprayed through a nozzle and creates a draft that draws
K = thermal conductivity, Btu/h-ft-°F the gas into the moving stream. Because droplets will be
Qgas = volumetric flowrate of gas, ft3/min (actual) entrained with the gas, different types of nozzles can be used.
Qliq = volumetric flowrate of liquid, gal/min Hollow-cone nozzles are preferred because of the droplet size
t = residence time, s and resistance to clogging.
T = temperature of the gas, °F Open-spray towers contain several levels of spray nozzles,
Twb = wet bulb temperature of the system, °F which should be strategically placed so that they uniformly
u = fluid velocity into or out of the duct, ft/s cover the tower cross-sectional area while creating dense spray
zones though which the gas must pass. Hollow-cone nozzles are
Greek Letters typically used because the droplets are small enough to create
ρ = density, lb/ft3 adequate surface area, but large enough so that they will not
λ = evaporation constant, ft2/h become entrained in the gas stream. Their clog-resistant design
can be manufactured in custom sizes to meet specific liquid
Subscripts flowrate and spray angle requirements. Special materials, such as
gas = process gas to be cooled abrasion-resistant silicon carbide for lime slurry injection, are
in = point at inlet of duct or spray tower often available for difficult applications.
liq = cooling liquid During chemical injection, a chemical is sprayed into a gas
out = point at outlet of duct or spray tower to induce a reaction. One example is NOx control, where urea or
vap = vapor produced when liquid evaporates upon cooling aqueous ammonia is injected into a gas stream to limit the
the process gas amount of NOx that is emitted into the atmosphere. Aqueous
ammonia or urea can be injected directly into the flame by utiliz-
ing full-cone nozzle injectors. Selective catalytic reduction
Table 2. Spray droplet size during atomization. (SCR) typically uses two-fluid nozzles because of the demand
for very small droplets. Complete evaporation of the droplets
Spray Pattern 10 psi 40 psi 100 psi within a defined reaction zone is necessary to avoid damaging
Qliq*, VMD,** Qliq, VMD, Qliq, VMD, the catalyst and gas mixer. If droplets are too large, then unreact-
gal/min µm gal/min µm gal/min µm ed ammonia will accumulate. If they are too small, the ammonia
will not be carried far enough to evenly distribute with the gas.
Air Atomizing 0.005 20 0.008 15 — — In gas cooling, or “quenching,” the temperature of the gas is
0.02 100 8 200 12 400 reduced by spraying liquid to induce heat transfer. In the petro-
Hydraulic — — 0.03 110 0.05 110 chemical and power industries, gas is quenched as it exits a
Fine Spray 0.22 375 0.43 330 0.69 290
process through a duct.
Hollow cone 0.05 360 0.10 300 0.16 200
12 3,400 24 1,900 38 1,260 Nozzle selection for gas cooling
Flat Fan 0.05 260 0.10 220 0.16 190 Since gas cooling is used widely in the process industries, the
5 4,300 10 2,500 15.8 1,400 authors have chosen to present a step-by-step approach to nozzle
Full Cone 0.10 1,140 0.19 850 0.30 500 selection for such applications.
12 4,300 23 2,800 35 1,720 Step 1. Gather accurate process data for critical variables.
* Q = volumetric flowrate of liquid • Evaluate the composition of the gas to calculate its
liq
**VMD = volume median diameter molecular weight.
• Measure the gas inlet flowrate at a specified inlet tempera-
ture. Check the accuracy of the thermocouples and other meas-
gas, solubilizes them, and then disposes of them or converts
uring devices. Accurate readings must be obtained for the tem-
them into useful byproducts. For example, ammonia gas, hydro-
perature of the gas at the inlet and outlet. Temperature affects
gen chloride and hydrogen fluoride can be scrubbed by water.
the density of the gas at the inlet, which in turn affects the vol-
Chlorine, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide can be scrubbed
ume of cooling water and the droplet size required for sufficient
by caustic solution. In flue-gas desulfurization, limestone is used
heat removal.
to scrub sulfur dioxide.
• Determine the temperature of the cooling liquid being
Absorption is usually performed in packed-bed scrubbers,
sprayed. Do not assume that the temperature is ambient; some-
Venturi scrubbers or open-spray towers. The type of scrubber
times the liquid that cools the gas is taken from another process
dictates the nozzle selection and performance considerations.
stream in the plant.
Packing that is contained in bed scrubbers increases the sur-

40 www.cepmagazine.org December 2005 CEP

 • Determine the gas velocity and residence time using the
duct or tower diameter and length. A dimensional drawing of the
duct or tower should be referenced to determine the most eff i-
cient placement of the nozzles.
Step 2. Determine the volumetric flowrate of liquid, Q,
required to cool the gas. To calculate Q, assume the following:
the duct walls are adiabatic; all heat lost by the gas is absorbed
by the liquid; and liquid volume is negligible compared with
vapor volume.
The equations used to calculate Q are based on the laws of
conservation of mass and energy. For the process gas, the law of
conservation of mass is:
(ρgasAugas)in = (ρgasAugas)out
where A is the cross-sectional area of the duct or tower in ft2,
ρgas is the density of the gas to be cooled in lb/ft3 and ugas is the
velocity of the gas in ft/s. All parameters are measured at the
system inlet and outlet, as denoted by the subscripts.
For the cooling liquid, the law of conservation of mass is:
fQliq = (ρvapAuvap)out
where f is the fraction of liquid that evaporates, dimensionless,
Qliq is the volumetric flowrate of the cooling liquid in gal/min,
and ρvap and uvap are, respectively, the density and velocity of
the vapor that is produced when the liquid evaporates upon cool-
ing the gas, measured at the outlet of the system.
The law of conservation of energy states:
(ρgasAugashgas + 0.5(ρgasugas2) + Qliqhliq)in =
((ρgasAugas(hgas + hvap)+ 0.5(ρvapuvap2))out
where h is the specific enthalpy in Btu/lb°F.
Step 3. Determine the optimal droplet size required for
complete evaporation. Droplet size is a function of the resi-
dence time and should be very small so that evaporation occurs
quickly. Smaller droplets provide more total surface area for the
gas and liquid molecules to interact and effect heat transfer. If
droplet sizes are too large, they may not completely evaporate,
thereby resulting in wall wetting, sludge buildup and problems
downstream with the refractory lining. The process of determin-
ing the maximum allowable droplet size is governed by the fol-
lowing equation, which calculates D, the droplet diameter, as a
function of residence time, t, in seconds:
D(t) = (D02 – λt)1/2 (4)
where λ is the evaporation constant in ft2/h:
λ = 8K(T – Twb)/(Hvρliq) (5)
and D0 is the initial diameter of the droplet in µm, K is the
thermal conductivity of the gas in Btu/h-ft-°F, T is the temper-
ature of the gas in °F, Twb is the wet bulb temperature of the sys-
tem in °F, and Hv is the latent heat of vaporization of the sys-
tem in Btu/lb.
(1)
■ Figure 1. Two-fluid atomizer operating principle.
Step 4. Select nozzles and lances based on the specific gas-
cooling application. Fine-spray hydraulic nozzles and air- a t o m-
(2) izing nozzles are recommended due to their small droplet sizes.
Although fine-spray hydraulic nozzles produce very small
droplets, large-volume, two-fluid atomizers are preferred
because the droplet sizes are even smaller. Air-atomizing noz-
zles break-up the fluid in multiple stages as it passes through
the nozzle body and then use additional energy from com-
pressed air to break-up the droplets even further as they exit
the air cap (Figure 1).
Step 5. Material selection is key when choosing the optimal
nozzles and lances. Unwanted reactions can take place between
(3) high-temperature gases and nozzle materials. Thus, material
selection should be based on the temperature and composition of
the gas. Common materials are high-temperature and corrosion-
resistant 310SS and Hastelloy C, or abrasion-resistant materials,
like silicon carbide and Stellite. Lances are integral spray-system
components that determine the efficiency of liquid delivery to
the nozzles. Custom lances can be manufactured to specified
lengths, materials, and connections. Recirculating lances, air
purge and water-cooling jackets can improve the process.
Step 6. Locate optimal positioning for nozzles and lances.
Consider these factors:
• Lance spacing. Make sure the cooling liquid sprayed is dis-
tributed evenly with the gas flow. Special lances can be made to
specific lengths.
• Direction of gas flow. Position nozzles to spray co-current
with the gas flow. Counter-current systems create a spray pattern
that is less predictable.
• Duct orientation. Vertical orientation is preferred.
Horizontal ducts have the added problem of gravity. The spray
will reach the bottom wall if droplet sizes are too large or if gas
velocity is not sufficient to carry off the spray.
• Spray angle. The spray angle must be small enough to
prevent the spray from touching the walls and causing
sludge buildup.
Step 7. After completing the calculations for Q and D use
computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to validate the results.
The following CFD example, illustrated in Figures 2–5, simu-
CEP www.cepmagazine.org December 2005 41
Equipment Maintenance

■ Figure 2 (far left). Temperature profile for inlet gas

based on location in the duct.

■ Figure 3 (center). Trajectories in the duct for 36-

and 74-µm droplets.

■ Figure 4 (below). Trajectories in the duct for 135-,

154- and 174-µm droplets.

lates the flow field in the vicinity of the atomizer and at vari- on the duct geometry and the actual gas flowrate.
ous locations in the duct. The gas is air and the cooling liquid The CFD-based trajectories for 36- and 74-µm droplets are
is water. Information is predicted for the gas temperature, shown in Figure 3. In both cases, the model predicts a velocity
vapor-concentration variations, droplet concentration in the within the required velocity for the residence time. Further, all
duct and droplet trajectory in the duct. droplets are fully evaporated within the length of the duct. With
The general flow field is simulated as a multiphase flow prob- increasing droplet size, the model predicts higher droplet veloci-
lem. The cooling liquid is supplied to the atomizer at a set pres- ties, which causes droplets to exit the duct prior to their evapo-
sure. The surroundings of the atomizer are introduced to a mov- ration. This results in inadequate cooling of the gas (Figure 4).
ing gas at the process gas velocity (uin_gas). The pressure in the Figure 5 models the droplet concentration as a function of
duct is 17.4 psi. The duct length and area are 25 ft and 50 ft2, location in the duct for the 74-µm droplets. These droplets are
respectively. Qgas = 234,560 ft3/min (actual), Tin_gas = 500°F, closest to the size required for full evaporation (or 80 µm). The
Tout_gas (desired) = 350°F, ρin_gas = 0.0143 lb/ft3, ρout_gas = concentration for the 74-µm droplets is heaviest at the injection
0.0572 lb/ft3, Qliq = 75.2 gal/min, Tin_liq = 68°F, D0 = 80 µm, point. In addition, these droplets are concentrated at the center
of the duct. As the gas moves though the duct, the spray evapo-
t = 0.4 s. The initial vapor mass in the duct is zero. The gas veloc-
rates quickly and the droplet concentration is reduced.
ity is uin_gas = 66 ft/s.
At the injection point (Figure 2, Section 1), the gas tem- In the last section of the duct,
perature is 500º F. As the gas moves upward through the duct, the model predicts a slight con-
its temperature is quickly reduced to the desired outlet tempera- centration of droplets around the
ture of 350ºF. CFD simulation predicts a non-uniform tempera- edges of the duct. This is not
ture distribution in the duct, with slightly higher temperatures at considered to be a major con- ■ Figure 6. Good spray tip pattern.
the center of the duct due to the higher mass fraction ratio of cern and can be remedied by
H2O at that location. realigning the atomizers at the
injection point.
The droplet size distribution is used by the CFD software to
model the trajectory of droplet size (i . e . , predict the path and Step 8. Implement control
velocity of droplets of various sizes), which enables one to vali- systems for precise control of
date the evaporation rate as a function of residence time. The temperature. If the gas-cooling
residence time calculation predicts that t = 0.4 s for a droplet spray system is manually con-
size of 80 µm at a gas velocity of 66 ft/s. This data was based trolled, automation may be the ■ Figure 7. Worn spray tip pattern.
best strategy for optimizing the

42 www.cepmagazine.org December 2005 CEP


■ Figure 5. Droplet concentration based on the location in
a duct for the 74-µm droplets.
system. Spray controllers monitor an array of criti-
cal system variables and adjust components to
compensate for fluctuations accordingly (see the
sidebar for further details).
Troubleshooting spray nozzles
Just because a nozzle is spraying, one
should not assume it is spraying properly.
Monitoring, evaluating and maintaining spray
systems should be a part of the system’s regular
maintenance schedule.
Some spray nozzle problems, like corrosion,
caking and bearding, can be easily detected dur-
ing a visual inspection. However, a worn nozzle
is nearly impossible to spot with the human eye.
Spray patterns are much more revealing. T h e
spray tip used to create the profile in Figure 6 is
new and sprays properly. The spray tip used to create the pro-
file in Figure 7 is worn and sprays 30% over its capacity.
To troubleshoot spray nozzle problems that are not visually
obvious, look for these process-related changes:
Quality control issues and increased scrap. Worn, clogged
and damaged spray nozzles will not perform per specifica-
tion, and can result in uneven coating, cooling, cleaning,
humidifying and drying.
Increased maintenance time. Unscheduled spray system
downtime, or an increase in cleaning frequency, is an indication
of spray nozzle wear.
Flowrate change. The flowrate of a spray nozzle will
Advantages of Automated Gas Cooling Technology
Automated gas-cooling systems can eliminate unnecessary costs by constantly monitoring
gas temperatures in scrubbers, ducts and towers, and then adjusting the liquid and air
flowrates to the nozzles to maintain the desired droplet size and achieve efficient cooling.While
many plants automate their gas-cooling applications by integrating components from numer-
ous manufacturers, purchasing a turnkey system can save on programming and labor costs.
In a typical automated gas-cooling setup, multiple temperature sensors provide gas inlet
and outlet temperature data to a dedicated spray controller that uses closed-loop PID control
to maintain gas temperatures within very tight tolerances (Figure 8). In addition, the spray
controller continually monitors the atomizing-air pressure, nozzle/lance activation, and system
integrity and error handling. If a problem is detected that the controller cannot resolve auto-
matically, alarms will notify an operator of a system fault.
Liquid lines should feature redundant pumps and double filtration to decrease nozzle wear.
Pumps with variable frequency drive (VFD) control provide proportional liquid regulation and
significant electricity savings by adjusting the speed of the motor to run at the minimum
requirement rather than at a fixed rate.
Air lines should include air filtration and either manual regulation with bypass or propor-
tional regulation. Proportional regulation enables a higher turndown ratio and can save energy
by monitoring the air flowrate.
A reputable gas-cooling
system manufacturer will
begin by reviewing a dimen-
sional drawing of your duct or
tower along with key system
performance data (gas vol-
ume, temperature and veloci-
ty, for example). This informa-
tion will enable the supplier to
provide recommendations
regarding optimal droplet size
■ Figure 8. Automated gas-cooling system equipped with closed-
and flowrate, the number of
loop temperature control.
nozzles required and the best
possible lance positioning to ensure sufficient cooling of the gas. Systems can be configured
with multiple lance zones to allow increased turndown of flowrate under variable conditions.
Because droplet size is a critical consideration in gas cooling, the manufacturer should be
able to provide comprehensive droplet size data and information about how the droplet size
was obtained, including data measurement techniques, type of size analyzer used and the
reporting methodology (i . e., V M D, Sauter mean diameter or number mean diameter).
increase as the surfaces of the orifice and/or the internal core
begin to deteriorate. In applications using positive-displacement
pumps, the spraying pressure will decrease as the spray nozzle
orifice enlarges. Even small changes in flowrate can have a neg-
ative impact on quality.
Deterioration of spray pattern quality. When a nozzle ori-
fice wears, spray pattern uniformity is destroyed. Streaks
develop and flowrate will increase in the center or at the edges,
depending on the nozzle type. Effective spray angle coverage
will decrease.
Droplet size increase. As nozzles wear, liquid flow will
increase or spraying pressure will decrease, resulting in larger
droplets and less total liquid surface area. If you suspect a prob-
CEP www.cepmagazine.org December 2005 43
Equipment Maintenance
lem, arrange for droplet size testing with your nozzle manufac-
turer. A phase-doppler particle analyzer uses the principle of
light-scattering interferometry to measure the size and velocity
of droplets.
Lowered spray impact. Worn spray nozzles operate at lower
pressures, generally resulting in lower spray impact. Ironically, in
applications with centrifugal-type pumps, the impact may actual-
ly increase because of increased flow through the spray nozzle.
Common nozzle problems
Spray nozzles are carefully-engineered instruments that erode
over time and may suffer damage during normal operations and
cleaning procedures. The seven most common problems that
cause sub-standard spray performance are:
Erosion. Gradual wear on the nozzle material causes the
spray nozzle orifice and the internal flow passages to enlarge
and/or become distorted. As a result, flow usually increases,
pressure may decrease, the spray pattern becomes irregular and
droplets become larger. Erosion of spray nozzles is a significant
concern in coating applications. A nozzle spraying even slightly
over capacity due to erosion may cause product defects and an
increased scrap rate.
Corrosion. Spray nozzle material can break down due to
cleaning agents, the chemical qualities of a sprayed material or
the environment. The effect is similar to that caused by erosion
and wear, with possible additional damage to the outside sur-
faces of the spray nozzle. Corrosion around the nozzle orifices is
a common challenge in tank washing, spray drying and chemical
injection applications.
High temperatures. Certain liquids must be sprayed at ele-
vated temperatures or in high-temperature environments. Spray
nozzles may soften and break down unless special temperature-
resistant materials are used. This is a particular concern for spray
drying applications where ambient temperatures in the dryer can
reach up to 500°F (260°C).
Caking/bearding. Build-up of material on the inside, on the
outer edges or near the orifice is caused by liquid evaporation. A
layer of dried solids remains and obstructs the orifice or internal
flow passages. This is a common problem in coating applica-
tions and can often lead to maintenance challenges that cause
significant downtime and decreased productivity.
Clogging. Unwanted solid particles can block the inside of
the orifice. Flow is restricted and the spray-pattern uniformity is
disturbed. Tank-cleaning nozzles and spray balls can become
easily clogged by particles in the liquid, which leads to inade-
quate tank washing and potentially contaminated batches.
Improper re-assembly. Some spray nozzles require careful
re-assembly after cleaning, so that internal gaskets, O-rings and
valves are properly aligned. Improper re-assembly causes leak-
ing and inefficient spray performance.
Accidental damage. Damage can occur if a spray nozzle is
dropped or scratched during installation, operation or cleaning.
Preventative measures
The checklist that follows should become the foundation of
your nozzle maintenance program. Consistent evaluation of
these factors will enable you to detect wear and other problems
before they interrupt production. Each application will determine
44 www.cepmagazine.org December 2005 CEP
how often the individual factor should be checked. The proper
frequency could range from every few months, for a gas-cooling
application, to between shifts, for coating and spray drying.
• Flowrate. For centrifugal pumps, monitor flowmeter read-
ings to detect flow increases. Or, collect and measure the spray
from the nozzle for a given period of time at a specific pressure.
Compare these readings to the flowrates listed in the manufac-
turer’s catalog or compare them to flowrate readings from new,
unused spray nozzles. For positive-displacement pumps, monitor
the liquid line pressure for pressure decreases. The flowrate
should remain constant.
• Spray pressure (in nozzle manifold). For centrifugal
pumps, monitor for increases in the liquid volume sprayed. The
spraying pressure is likely to remain the same. This is particu-
larly important for coating applications that rely on consistent
spray pressures to maintain uniform coverage. For positive-dis-
placement pumps, monitor the pressure gauge for decreases in
pressure and a reduction in the impact of the spray on the sub-
strate. The liquid volume sprayed is likely to remain the same.
Look for increases in pressure due to clogged spray nozzles.
• Spray pattern. Visually inspect the spray pattern for
changes. Check the spray angle with a protractor. Measure the
width of the spray pattern on the sprayed surface. If the spray
nozzle orifice is wearing gradually, you may not detect changes
until there is a significant increase in flowrate. If uniform spray
coverage is critical in your application, request special testing
from your spray nozzle manufacturer.
• Droplet size. Droplet size increases cannot be visually
detected in most applications. An increase in flowrate or
decrease in spraying pressure will affect droplet size.
• Nozzle alignment. With regard to nozzle alignment, check
the uniformity of spray coverage of flat spray nozzles on a mani-
fold. Spray patterns should be parallel to each other. Spray tips
should be rotated 5 deg to 10 deg from the manifold centerline.
• Product quality. With regard to product quality/application
results, check for uneven coating, cooling, drying, cleaning and
changes in temperature, dust content and humidity. CEP
RUDI SCHICK is the vice president of Sp ray Analysis and Re s e a rch Services, the
consulting, testing and re s e a rch division of Sp raying Systems Co. (P.O. Box
7900, Wheaton, IL 60189; Phone: (630) 665-5000; Email: rudi.schick@spra y.
com; Website: www.spra yconsultants.com). Schick serves on the Board of
D i rectors for the Institute of Liquid Atomization and Sp ray Systems (ILASS )
and is active in the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). Wi t h
over 15 years of experience in the area of spray characterization and
research, he is a frequent speaker at technical conferences and an invited
l e c t u rer at Carnegie Mellon Univ.’s course on atomization and sprays. He
has also authored numerous white papers and articles on spray
c h a racterization. Schick received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical
engineering from Bradley Univ. and an MBA from DePaul Univ.
CHRISTINE PAGCATIPUNAN is an applications engineer at Sp raying Systems
C o. (P.O. Box 7900, Wheaton, IL 60189; Phone: 630-665-5000; Email:
pagcatch@spray.com; Website: www.spray.com). As the company’s
chemical market expert, she analyzes and customizes spray solutions for
gas conditioning, tank washing, spray drying and other chemical process
industry applications. Pagcatipunan is an experienced author and speaker
in these areas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering
f rom Illinois Institute of Technology (II T) and a master’s degree in marketing
communications from the II T Stuart Graduate School of Business.