Methods for an electrostatic atomizer of moderately conductive fluids
AssigneeFouRy, Inc.
InventorArnold James Kelly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrostatic atomizer electrostatically atomizes a fluid into a charged spray, wherein the charged spray includes a plurality of charged droplets. The electrostatic atomizer includes a chamber forming an inlet and an exit aperture, wherein the chamber is configured for fluid to flow into the chamber from the inlet and to flow out of the chamber from the aperture. An emitter electrode is in liquid contact with the fluid in the chamber and injects an electrical charge into the fluid in the chamber. An impedance circuit is coupled to the chamber and configured to obtain a voltage difference between the emitter electrode and the exit aperture, wherein the voltage difference is at least a minimum voltage threshold.
Claims19
A method by an electrostatic atomizer for electrostatically atomizing a fluid, comprising:
- monitoring one or more of:
- an emitter voltage Va of an emitter electrode in liquid contact with the fluid in a chamber of the electrostatic atomizer;
- or an aperture voltage Vb of the chamber;
- or an emitter to aperture voltage (Va-Vb);
- determining one or more of:
- the emitter to aperture voltage (Va-Vb);
- the emitter voltage Va;
- or the aperture voltage Vb are not within respective predetermined thresholds;
- adjusting the emitter voltage Va and/or the aperture voltage Vb;
- and
- electrostatically atomizing the fluid into a charged spray, wherein the charged spray includes a plurality of charged droplets;
- wherein droplets in the plurality of charged droplets are characterized by a K factor;
- wherein the K factor is a ratio of electrostatic energy of surface charges (We) of the droplets in the plurality of charged droplets and surface energy (Ws) of the droplets in the plurality of charged droplets;
- and
- wherein the K factor is less than one (K<1).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.