[Linas]

I’m using the pressure swirl atomizer injection to simulate atomization of water. This is an unsteady state simulation. I have specified the injection pressure and flowrate for water, while air is stagnant. During the simulation, I sample droplets exiting the outlet and the droplets present in the air volume. The Sauter mean, diameter for both samples are similar. I also generate a summary of the injection after stopping the simulation. This summary generates particle size distribution data for the current particles in the simulation. The saucer mean diameter obtained at this sample is smaller than what I get from the sampling at the outlet and the air volume.

Is this difference to be expected from the physics of the flow due to depressurization as the fluid is sprayed out of the nozzle? Or is there some error in my simulation?