Electrostatic spray drying nozzle assembly

An electrostatic spray drying system for drying liquid into powder comprising:

• an elongated body having closure arrangements at opposite ends for forming a drying chamber within said elongated body:
• a drying gas inlet supported by said elongated body for coupling to a drying gas source for directing drying gas into said drying chamber;
• an external mix electrostatic spray dryer supported by said elongated body for directing liquid into the drying chamber to be dried into powder;
• said external mix electrostatic spray dryer having an input head;
• an elongated nozzle body supported in downstream relation to said input head;
• a liquid feed tube made of electrically conductive material disposed within said nozzle body and extending in downstream relation to said input head;
• said liquid feed tube being connectable to a pressurized liquid supply for directing liquid through said feed tube;
• said nozzle body and liquid feed tube defining an annular atomizing gas passage within said nozzle body;
• said input head having a cable input section in electrical contact with said liquid feed tube and for connection to an electrical source for electrically charging said liquid feed tube and liquid directed through said feed tube;
• said input head having a pressurized gas inlet in communication with said annular atomizing gas passage and for connection to a pressurized atomizing gas supply for directing pressurized atomizing gas through said annular atomizing gas passage;
• an external mix cluster head spray nozzle assembly mounted at a downstream end of said elongated nozzle body;
• said external mix cluster head spray nozzle assembly including a cluster head body comprising a liquid manifold and an air cap;
• said liquid manifold having a plurality of circumferentially spaced liquid passages each communicating with said liquid feed tube for receiving electrically charged liquid from said liquid feed tube;
• a plurality of circumferentially spaced spray tips each removably mounted in a respective opening of said liquid manifold in communication with a respective liquid passage of said liquid manifold;
• said spray tips each being made of electrically conductive material and having a liquid flow passage with an upstream end for receiving electrically charged liquid directed through said liquid feed tube and a respective one of said liquid passages for discharge from a discharge orifice of said spray tip as an electrically charged liquid spray;
• said air cap defining an air passage about each spray tip that communicates with said annular atomizing gas passage for directing atomizing gas about each discharge orifice for atomizing the electrically charged liquid discharging from each spray tip external to said cluster head body for facilitating drying of the electrically charged atomized liquid into powder form within the drying chamber.