Optical Measurement Method for Monitoring Slurry Sprays

In this study, we present an optical measurement method for monitoring the composition of suspensions in slurry sprays. The proposed method utilizes light scattering characterization of individual suspension droplets as they pass through an elliptical Gaussian beam. This optical setup, combined with the analysis of the resulting light scattering signals, enables the determination of particle concentration and the size of suspended particles within the suspension droplets, providing crucial insights into the suspension composition. The slurry sprays were generated using a gas-assisted coaxial nozzle operated at constant atomization parameters dV/dt = 7.5m3/h and dM/dt = 12.56kg/h. Suspensions with three different concentrations, C = 5%, 10%, 20%, and three sizes of suspended particles, D32 = 4.0µm, 9.4µm, 18.7µm, were atomized. The experimental results reveal a strong correlation between the droplet size and the relative droplet rate of semi-transparent droplets with both the suspension concentration and the average size of suspended particles. This study highlights the potential of the proposed measurement method for monitoring slurry sprays while acknowledging its limitations. The results contribute to the development of real-time process monitoring techniques, for all kind of suspension spray applications.