Patent ID: 8857740

Claim:
A two-fluid nozzle defining a fluid flow direction and comprising: a liquid supply inlet connected to and in communication with a liquid supply; a main nozzle component defining a longitudinal axis; a mixing chamber component defining a mixing chamber therein and having an upstream entrance end in communication with said liquid supply inlet and a downstream exit end adjacent to said main nozzle component, the main nozzle component defining an outflow channel downstream of and in communication with the mixing chamber, the liquid supply inlet supplying the mixing chamber with liquid; a secondary nozzle component disposed in facing relation with said main nozzle component; a nozzle orifice disposed downstream of the outflow channel and in communication therewith, the nozzle orifice being defined partially by the secondary nozzle component; air nozzles disposed in an annular manner adjacent said main nozzle component, the air nozzles being formed between said main and secondary nozzle components, the air nozzles being formed by recesses disposed in at least one of the main nozzle component and the secondary nozzle component, the air nozzles being supplied with pressurized gas, the air nozzles being positioned upstream of the nozzle orifice and opening adjacent the outflow channel downstream from the mixing chamber and immediately axially adjacent the nozzle orifice; and a pressurized gas inlet connected to and in communication with a pressurized gas supply, the pressurized gas inlet communicating with the mixing chamber and supplying the mixing chamber with pressurized gas which mixes with liquid in the mixing chamber upstream of the air nozzles; the upstream entrance end of the mixing chamber having a first diameter and a portion of the mixing chamber between the upstream entrance end and the outflow channel of the main nozzle component having a second diameter, the outflow channel of the main nozzle component having a diameter, the first diameter of the upstream entrance end of the mixing chamber and the diameter of the outflow channel being less than the second diameter of said portion of the mixing chamber.