Flow characteristics of nozzles for high-pressure water atomization of FeSiCr soft magnetic powders

Under the ongoing trend of miniaturization and rising operating frequencies in electronic components, the performance requirements for soft magnetic composite materials are becoming increasingly rigorous. FeSiCr alloy powder has gained prominence as a key material due to its excellent high-frequency characteristics, including high magnetic permeability and low core loss. Although water atomization is a cost-effective and scalable production method, the fundamental mechanisms governing atomization remain inadequately characterized. Computational fluid dynamics simulations and experimental validation are combined to systematically analyze the effects of fan-shaped nozzle geometry and process parameters on the atomization of FeSiCr powder. The results show that the type 1503 nozzle, featuring an elliptical outlet design, attained a maximum water jet velocity of 930.37 m/s at 27.5 MPa. Moreover, a cruciform symmetric multinozzle configuration significantly improved energy distribution and atomization efficiency, increasing the fine powder yield from 30.00% to 41.94%.