Electrostatic atomizer, and method for electrostatically atomizing by use of the same

An electrostatic atomizer comprising:

• a spray site for electrostatically atomizing matter by electrically affecting the matter;
• a spray electrode electrically connectable to the spray site;
• a reference electrode being arranged such that when a voltage is applied between the spray electrode and the reference electrode, the matter to be electrostatically atomized is atomized from the spray site;
• and
• a power supply applying a voltage between the spray electrode and the reference electrode, monitoring an electrical property of the spray site, and adjusting the voltage to be applied between the spray electrode and the reference electrode according to a monitored electrical property of the spray site,
• wherein the spray electrode and the reference electrode are further arranged that an electrical charge of the matter to be atomized from the spray site is counterbalanced by at least equal amount of opposite electrical charge at the reference electrode, and
• the power supply monitors current at the spray site by measuring current at the reference electrode.

An electrostatic atomizer comprising:

• a first spray site and a second spray site from each of which matter is to be atomized;
• a first electrode electrically connected to the first spray site;
• a second electrode electrically connected to the second spray site;
• and
• a power supply for applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode,
• the first spray site and the second spray site being arranged to, during atomization, electrically affect the matter to be atomized, which is stored in respective first and second reservoirs,
• when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the matter stored in the first reservoir being atomized from the first spray site, and the matter stored in the second reservoir being atomized from the second spray site, and
• the first electrode and second electrode being arranged such that an electrical charge of the matter to be atomized from the first spray site or the second spray site is counterbalanced by at least equal amount of opposite electrical charge to be produced at the first spray site or the second spray site, respectively.