What Factors Affect Nozzle Selection?

A nozzle is a device designed to control the rate of flow, speed, direction, mass, shape, and the pressure of the stream of fluid flow that emerges.
To optimize your spray application, many of the following application aspects should be considered:

1.Spray medium

What kind of liquid you spray determines which material you need to use for the nozzle.

2.Viscosity

Viscosity is a measure of the resistance to flow. Spraying fluids with a higher viscosity result in reduced atomization, reduced impact and reduced spray angle. Higher viscosities slow down the turbulent action inside a nozzle and increase capacity.

3.Available Pressure

What is the fluid pressure at the nozzles, not at the pump? Consider the pressure loss through your piping system and from the number and locations of your nozzle system. Greater pressures produce finer spray droplet sizes and greater spray impact and greater spraying distance.

4.Specific Gravity

Fluids with a different specific gravity than water will yield different flow rates than what is published in our catalog. The greater the specific gravity of the fluid, the slower the velocity (or capacity) through the nozzle.

5.Temperature

As the fluid temperature increases, the viscosity, specific gravity, and surface tension decrease. Capacity may increase.

6.Surface Tension

Surface tension effects spray angle and droplet size. Higher surface tension results in less atomization and reduced spray angle and requires a higher operating pressure.

7.Impingement

The force of spray impact/in². High impingement nozzles are used for cleaning and removing debris.

8.Spray Pattern

Select flat fan, full cone, hollow cone, solid stream, high impact, flooding, square, rotating, CIP (clean in place) or atomized.

9. Spray Angle

Select from 0 to 360°. At low pressures, the sides may curve in because of the acceleration due to gravity. To find the width of a spray (W) at any distance (D), multiply the W/D ratio by the distance.

10.Flow Rate

Capacity in gallons/minute, liters/minute or liter/hour.

11.Velocity

The speed of the spray is dependent on the operating pressure and the degree of spray straightness as well as the specific gravity, surface tension temperature, etc. of the fluid.

12.Nozzle Configuration

Select nozzle construction material for compatibility to the fluid and environment, dimensions, pipe connection, assembly configuration.