Next generation of consumer aerosol valve design using inert gases

Nourian, A; Nasr, GG; Yule, AJ; Goldberg, T; Tulloch, G

Abstract

The current global consumer aerosol products such as deodorants, hairsprays, air-fresheners, polish, insecticide, disinfectant
are primarily utilised unfriendly environmental propellant of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for over three decades.
The advantages of the new innovative technology described in this paper are: (i) no butane or other liquefied
hydrocarbon gas; (ii) compressed air, nitrogen or other safe gas propellant; (iii) customer acceptable spray quality and
consistency during can lifetime; (iv) conventional cans and filling technology. Volatile organic compounds and greenhouse
gases must be avoided but there are no flashing propellants replacements that would provide the good atomisation and
spray reach. On the basis of the energy source for atomising, the only feasible source is inert gas (i.e. compressed air),
which improves atomisation by gas bubbles and turbulence inside the atomiser insert of the actuator. This research
concentrates on using ‘bubbly flow’ in the valve stem, with injection of compressed gas into the passing flow, thus also
generating turbulence. Using a vapour phase tap in conventional aerosol valves allows the propellant gas into the liquid
flow upstream of the valve. However, forcing bubbly flow through a valve is not ideal. The novel valves designed here,
using compressed gas, thus achieved the following objectives when the correct combination of gas and liquid inlets to the
valve, and the type and size of atomiser ‘insert’ were derived:
1. Produced a consistent flow rate and drop size of spray throughout the life of the can, compatible with the current
conventional aerosols that use LPG: a new ‘constancy’ parameter is defined and used to this end.
2. Obtained a discharge flow rate suited to the product to be sprayed; typically between 0.4 g/s and 2.5 g/s.
3. Attained the spray droplets size suited to the product to be sprayed; typically between 40 mm and 120 mm.

Citation

Nourian, A., Nasr, G., Yule, A., Goldberg, T., & Tulloch, G. (2015). Next generation of consumer aerosol valve design using inert gases. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 229(16), 2952-5976. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954406214559998

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 12, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Nov 17, 2014
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: May 12, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 30, 2019
• Journal: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science
• Print ISSN: 0954-4062
• Electronic ISSN: 2041-2983
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 229
• Issue: 16
• Pages: 2952-5976
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0954406214559998
• Keywords: Aerosol valve, compressed gas, bubbly flow, effervescent, continuous spray
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0954406214559998
• Related Public URLs: http://www.uk.sagepub.com/journals/Journal202017
• Additional Information: Corporate Creators : Salford Valve Company Ltd. (Salvalco)