One of the key factors regarding the robustness of the pressurised black liquor gasification process is an optimal design of the burner nozzle. In the present paper initial measurements of droplet sizes and droplet velocities generated from an atomiser designed for use in a black liquor gasifier have been performed using PDA. The atomisation performance was studied for water and an air-assisted stream for atomisation. The results were well reproduced and gave a clear indication of an unsymmetrical spray pattern. Information about the droplet sizes showed the SMD to be in the range ~40-80 µm.