"Backhole" is a new geometric parameter and is defined as an extra empty volume which is located behind the tangential entries at the rear part of the vortex chamber in the swirl injector. Backhole makes a difference to the spray characteristics of swirl injectors such as the spray angle, SMD, the mixing characteristics and so on. To find its characteristics, experiments are conducted by using a stroboscopic photography, a PDPA apparatus and a mechanical patternator. With the backhole, the mass flow rate of the swirl injector is increased and the center region of the injected flow has more large volume than that of without the backhole. Also the cone angle can be controlled by the backhole, so that the mixing efficiencies of swirl injectors are changed. Based on cold-flow tests, the swirl injector with the backhole may improve its performance.rformance.