Atomizing Spray Nozzles

Air-atomizing nozzles produce finer, more uniform droplets and let you independently adjust flow rate and droplet size via air pressure, making them the right choice when fine mist or precise coating control matters. Hydraulic nozzles rely on liquid pressure alone, need no compressed air supply, and are simpler and often less expensive — well suited to higher-flow, coarser-droplet applications like dust suppression where the finest possible mist isn't required.

A full cone pattern distributes liquid evenly across a circular coverage area, useful for area cooling or washdown. A hollow cone concentrates more liquid toward the outer edge of the pattern with less in the center. A flat fan produces a linear band of coverage, commonly used for coating a moving web, conveyor, or strip material where a circular pattern would waste liquid outside the target width.

For air-atomizing nozzles, droplet size is controlled largely by the ratio of air pressure to liquid pressure and flow — more air relative to liquid produces finer droplets. For hydraulic nozzles, droplet size is determined mainly by the liquid pressure and orifice geometry, with higher pressure generally producing finer droplets up to the nozzle's design limits.

It depends on the nozzle design — internal-mix air atomizing nozzles that combine air and liquid inside the nozzle body give the finest atomization but are more prone to clogging with particulate-laden liquids. External-mix nozzles, which combine air and liquid just outside the orifice, and larger-orifice hydraulic nozzles tolerate higher viscosity and suspended solids better, at the cost of coarser atomization.

Stainless steel nozzles resist corrosion from most process chemicals and are the standard choice for anything beyond plain water. For abrasive slurries or particulate-laden liquids that would erode a standard orifice, a ceramic-lined or ceramic-orifice nozzle holds its spray pattern and flow rate significantly longer than metal alone.