Nozzles and Diffusers

Nozzles and diffusers are commonly utilized in jet engines, rockets, and
spacecrafts. Any fluid-mechanical device designed to accelerate a flow is called a
nozzle and any fluid-mechanical device designed to decelerate a flow is called a
diffuser. For subsonic flow (velocity under the speed of sound), a converging duct
is a nozzle and a diverging duct is a diffuser.

Nozzle and diffuser are single-stream (one-inlet-one-exit) systems. If the inlet is

denoted by subscript 1 and exit is denoted by subscript 2, the mass balance and
energy balance for single-stream steady-flow systems become

There are several common assumptions that are made in the energy analysis of
nozzles and diffusers:

The fluid has high velocity and thus not spending enough time in the device
for any significant heat transfer to take place.

Nozzles and diffusers are properly shaped ducts and no shaft or electric
work can be transferred in or out.

As a fluid passes through a nozzle or diffuser, it experiences a large change
in its velocity. Hence, the kinetic energy change must be accounted for.

The fluid experiences small or no change in its elevation as it flows through
the nozzle or diffuser.

Summarizing the above analysis, the energy balance for nozzles and diffusers is:

(h2 - h1) + ( v22 - v12)/2 = 0

NOZZLE & DIFFUSER OPERATION

The pressurized fuel from the injection pump enters the top of the nozzle body
and flows through a passage in the body and nozzle spring retainer. An
annular groove in the top face of the nozzle valve body tills with fuel, and two
passages in the nozzle valve body direct fuel around the nozzle valve. When the
fuel in the pressure chamber reaches are determined pressure, the
spring force (adjusted by shims) is overcome and injection occurs.
Atomized fuel sprays from the orifice holes in the nozzle tip as the nozzle valve is
opened inward by pressurized fuel. When injection ends, spring pressure
snaps the valve in its seat. During each injection, a small quantity of high
pressured fuel passes between the nozzle valve stem and the nozzle valve
body to lubricate and to cool the nozzle valve. A manifold that connects to all
of the nozzles returns this fuel to the tank. This is the operation of nozzle and
diffuser its inverse

Types of Nozzles:
1. Jet
2. High velocity
3. Propelling
4. Magnetic
5. Spray
6. Vacuum
7. Shaping

Application of Nozzles:
An important tool for firefighters to successfully do their job is a nozzle.
Firefighters arrive at emergency location on a truck equipped with a water filled
tank. They attach a hose at the tank where the water will flow to put out fire. The
nozzle tip affixed to the hose is responsible for the release of high pressure of
water capable of extinguishing huge fire. It can also stretch out the release of water
at a long distance making it possible to reach elevated parts of the building.
Nozzles are applied on fire detectors found on the ceiling of buildings. It sets out
liquid once it detected a fire or smoke. In this case, water are sprinkled unlike the
firefighter hose that discharges in a pointed pattern but provides the strongest
pressure since the substance is concentrated in a single direction.

Supersonic Diffusers:

A supersonic diffuser is a duct that decreases in size in the direction of flow.

As the duct decreases in size, fluid temperature, pressure, and density increase,
while velocity decreases. Compressible flow is responsible for these changes in
pressure, velocity, density, and temperature. Shock waves may also play an
important role in a supersonic diffuser.

Application of diffusers:

Diffusers are very common in heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems.

Diffusers are used on both all-air and air-water HVAC systems, as part of room
[3]

air distribution subsystems, and serve several purposes:

To deliver both conditioning and ventilating air

Evenly distribute the flow of air, in the desired directions
To enhance mixing of room air into the primary air being discharged
Often to cause the air jet(s) to attach to a ceiling or other surface, taking
advantage of the Coand effect
To create low-velocity air movement in the occupied portion of room
Accomplish the above while producing the minimum amount of noise