LIQUID ATOMIZER AND METHOD

An atomizer (16), comprising: a housing (40) having a liquid inlet (44); at least one primary orifice positioned at the liquid inlet (44), the at least one primary orifice configured to disperse a stream of liquid into a plurality of liquid droplets; an impingement surface (46) against which the plurality of liquid droplets contact to break up the plurality of liquid droplets into a plurality of smaller secondary liquid droplets and create a thin film of secondary liquid droplets on the impingement surface (46), a portion of the impingement surface (46) being arranged at an angle in the range of about 0º to about 60º relative to a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (72) of the housing (40); at least one pressurized air channel (48) configured to deliver an airflow into contact with the secondary liquid droplets; a plurality of secondary orifices (52) through which the secondary liquid droplets pass to exit the housing (40), wherein a size of the plurality of secondary liquid droplets is reduced when passing through the plurality of secondary orifices (52).