Viscous flow through the swirl chamber of a pressure-swirl atomizer

► Viscous liquid flow through a pressure-swirl atomizer was modelled and computed. ► At given pressure difference, higher liquid viscosity results in higher flow rate. ► Liquid film thickening at the orifice is the dominant reason for this phenomenon. ► Mass flow rates computed and measured agree very well. ► Air core radii computed agree very well with results from other sources.