Undergrad Atomization and Evaporation: Understanding the Energy Exchange

[russellsh2]

Oh, also, I know that it takes a lot of energy to phase change a liquid to a gas, but what if you force the liquid through a small hole that atomizes the liquid. Does the atomized liquid draw the same amount of heat from the surrounding area as its forced to become steam?

 

[Baluncore]

When you have a volume of liquid flow through a hole, with a pressure drop across the hole, heat is released in the fluid. The volume in metres cubed per second, multiplied by the pressure drop in pascals, gives the power in watts, or joules per second.

The heat that passes to, and boils the liquid, comes from the power supply to the pump that raised the pressure.

 

[Tom.G]

The volume in metres cubed per second,

Just a clarification please: Is that the volume of the liquid before passing thru the hole? It seems to be the only way that statement makes sense.

 

[Baluncore]

Is that the volume of the liquid before passing thru the hole?

Yes, the volume of liquid.
That is a fundamental of hydraulics.
The pressure in the liquid is potential energy, which is converted to kinetic energy in the orifice, to become a hotter liquid and/or a vapour.