Electrostatic spray drying nozzle assembly

An electrostatic sprayer comprising:

• a high voltage 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 high voltage cable input section in electrical contact with said liquid feed tube and for connection to a high voltage 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 internal mix spray nozzle assembly mounted at a downstream end of said elongated nozzle body;
• said spray nozzle assembly including a dome configured spray tip mounted at a downstream end of said elongated nozzle body that defines a mixing chamber downstream of said liquid feed tube communicating with a discharge orifice of the spray tip;
• said liquid feed tube including an end section having a reduced diameter liquid passage for accelerating electrically charged liquid directed through said liquid feed tube;
• said end section having a plurality of cross slots for directing electrically charged liquid flow streams radially outward of said liquid feed tube into said mixing chamber;
• and
• an air guide mounted upstream of said spray tip in surrounding relation to said liquid feed tube for defining an inwardly converging gas passage in communication with said nozzle body annular atomizing gas passage for channeling and converging pressurized atomizing gas from said annular atomizing gas passage through an annular gas passage surrounding the liquid feed tube defined between said air guide and liquid feed tube end section directly across said cross slots for interaction and atomization of the electrically charged liquid discharging from said cross slots and the direction of the atomized liquid into said spray tip mixing chamber for subsequent discharge from said spray tip discharge orifice.