US 11,919,028 B2
Fluid atomizer
Neal Thomson, West Des Moines, IA (US); and Christopher Walters, Birmingham (GB)
Assigned to ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, Indianapolis, IN (US); and ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, London (GB)
Filed by Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Rolls-Royce plc, London (GB)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/204,519.
Application 17/204,519 is a division of application No. 16/178,046, filed on Nov. 1, 2018, granted, now 10,967,394.
Prior Publication US 2021/0197218 A1, Jul. 1, 2021
Int. Cl. B05B 7/24 (2006.01); B05B 1/34 (2006.01); F02M 61/16 (2006.01)
CPC B05B 7/2489 (2013.01) [B05B 1/3431 (2013.01); F02M 61/162 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of atomizing a fluid, the method comprising:
coupling an inner member having an axis and defining an interior first-fluid flowpath to a first outer member defining a second-fluid supply conduit;
coupling the inner member to a second outer member, the second outer member positioned radially inward from a portion of the first outer member and radially outward of the inner member, the second outer member extending axially from the first outer member to a downstream end of the inner member, wherein
the inner member, the first outer member, and the second outer member define a second-fluid flowpath, and
the second-fluid flowpath comprising a tangential conduit spiraling along said axis from said second-fluid supply conduit to a terminal end, an annulus downstream from and in fluid communication with the tangential conduit, and a discharge plenum downstream from and in fluid communication with said annulus, the annulus extending axially between the inner member and the second outer member from the terminal end to the discharge plenum; and
directing the fluid from the second-fluid supply conduit through the second-fluid flowpath; and
directing the fluid from an entry plenum in fluid communication with an outlet of the second-fluid supply conduit to an exit plenum spaced circumferentially from and axially downstream of said entry plenum via a conduit, the entry plenum disposed between (1) a downstream end of the first outer member and (2) the inner member, wherein
the downstream end of the first outer member is coupled to an upstream end of the second outer member.