The method of introducing black liquor into a recovery boiler is critical to a successful operation. The nozzle spray has an effect on the furnace bed size and shape, bed and furnace outlet gas temperatures, fuming rate and carryover. The selection of the type of nozzle and its operating parameters has traditionally been based on a combination of calculations and experience. To better understand the performance of a particular nozzle, the determination of the droplet size distribution is critical. In the past, this particle size distribution has been determined by physical simulations in a spray booth, using either black liquor or corn syrup. A computer program is being developed to properly simulate the impingement of black liquor on the plate of the nozzle, and the formation of the liquid sheet and subsequent droplets. This paper will present the initial results of the development of this computer program. The governing parameters will be reviewed and the results of the validation will be shown. Also, the effect of some of the main parameters on the spray pattern, such as jet velocity, will be illustrated.

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