BETE SPRAY LABORATORY

Nozzle Design, Analysis, & Testing


BETE’s spray laboratory engineers research and analyze sprays and their behaviors in a process. We measure common spray characteristics, including flow rate and pressure, liquid distribution, droplet size, and droplet velocity. We can also build physical models of your process to help diagnose problems or select the best nozzle.

Indoor Spray Area


  • 50' X 30' X 22' high (15 m X 9 m X 6.5 m high)
  • Water recirculates from a 4,500-gallon (17 m^3) reservoir.
  • Waterproof concrete, metal walls, and waterproof light fixtures allow us to test large experiments, like far-reaching tank cleaning nozzles.
  • Nozzles and fixtures are on a remote-controlled hydraulic boom for height adjustment.
  • An XY traverser carries other specialized instrumentation, such as the Patternator.
  • Can also be used to set up special piping or models such as the one shown here.
Image

Outdoor Spray Area


  • Ample outdoor space available near the laboratory for testing that requires vast areas.
    • Examples: Testing wind drift or the reach of fire protection nozzles.

Pumping Capacity


  • Allows for 1,800 gal/min (7,000 L/min) at low to moderate pressures and can pump up to 40 gal/min @ 1,740 psi (150 L/min @ 120 bar).
  • Shop air is available at up to 100 psi and 600 SCFM (7 bar and 1,000 Nm3/h).
  • For more extensive water or air flows, we use rental equipment. We have run tests to 7,000 GPM (25,000 L/min) of water and 3,000 SCFM (5,000 Nm3/h) of air.
Detail of Physical Model.

Data Acquisition & Control


A data acquisition system links instruments with our control elements for automatic control of test conditions and data recording. In-house programming provides rapid flexibility to accommodate diverse test setups.

Standard instrumentation includes electronic pressure transducers and magnetic, Coriolis, and turbine flow meters.

We work with other instrumentation as necessary. For example, strain gauges evaluate stresses in a pressure component or vibration of a lance, and thermocouples monitor temperatures in a life cycle test.


Alternative Fluid Testing With Analogs


While we usually work with water, we can accommodate testing with non-toxic, non-hazardous liquids. If a liquid is particularly hazardous or expensive, we may utilize an analog with similar properties. Glycerin, for example, is an option to simulate liquids more viscous than water.

Spraying with liquids other than water is done in the 10 ft X 8 ft X 8 ft (3 m X 2.5 m X 3 m) containment chamber. This chamber features a ceiling and viewing windows. It is equipped with a 250 gallon (950 liters) stainless steel tank on its floor to contain the liquid completely. Exhaust through a mist eliminator keeps sprayed liquid out of the general area.


Specialized Measurements


Analysis of sprays involves some unique instruments. If your problem requires a special evaluation technique, we can work with you to develop one tailored to your application. For example, a customer interested in coating bottles needed a way to determine if the sprayed coating was reaching the areas between bottles on a conveyor belt. We treated the bottles with a moisture-revealing coating that would show areas wetted by the mist. We've evaluated tank cleaning effectiveness by coating stainless steel panels with relevant contaminants and measuring the mass loss of contaminants with various sprays at various distances.

High-speed photography may be used for applications such as visualization of particle flow in a fluidized bed or to measure the speed of unatomized fluid structures.


Contact Us


Are you ready to see how BETE can help? Let us know what you need by contacting Daniel deLesdernier. We'll work with you to plan a project that meets your needs and budget.



While, as a matter of course, we maintain confidentiality, we are always willing to negotiate special confidentiality agreements if necessary.