# US 2023/0053695 A1 · Array of electrified wicks for production of aqueous droplets > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0053695 A1 - Document ID: US20230053695A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/404,216 - Filed: 2021-08-17 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-17 - Assignees: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated - Applicants: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated - Inventors: Kathryn F. Murphy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230053695A1 ## CPC - B05B 5/0533: {Electrodes specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of electrodes} - B05B 5/0255: {spraying and depositing by electrostatic forces only} - B05B 5/03: characterised by the use of gas {, e.g. electrostatically assisted pneumatic spraying (B05B5/04, B05B5/043, B05B5/047 take precedence)} - B05B 5/057: Arrangements for discharging liquids or other fluent material without using a gun or nozzle - H01J 49/167: {Capillaries and nozzles specially adapted therefor; (electrostatic spraying per se B05B5/00)} - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract An electrospray generator includes a first electrode, a reservoir of liquid adjacent the first electrode, at least one wick having one end in the reservoir in contact with the liquid, a second electrode spaced a distance away from the wick, and a power source connected to one or more of the first and second electrodes. A method of generating a spray including inserting first ends of one or more wicks into a reservoir of liquid, the reservoir having a base electrode adjacent the liquid, positioning one or more offset electrodes at distance from second ends of the one or more wicks, and applying a voltage to at least one of the base electrode and the one or more offset electrodes to create an electric field, the electric field causing the liquid to move through the one or more wicks and form droplets in a spray. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrospray generator, comprising: a first electrode; a reservoir of liquid adjacent the first electrode; at least one wick having a one end in the reservoir in contact with the liquid; a second electrode spaced a distance away from the wick; and a power source connected to one or more of the first and second electrodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an air flow source located adjacent to the at least one wick. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a liquid-tight seal around an outside of the at least one wick. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reservoir is pressurized. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one wick comprises a two-dimensional array of wicks. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one non-metallic wick comprises a three-dimensional array of wicks. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one wick comprises a plurality of wicks with at least two wicks have different diameters. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wick comprises a non-metallic material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the non-metallic material comprises one of cotton, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, open-pore aerogels, and porous polymers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one wick comprises two parts, a porous material, and a metallic wire in the porous material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one wick has a shape of one of cylindrical, conical, rounded, rectangular, or square. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power source is connected to the first electrode and the second electrode is grounded. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power source is connected to the second electrode and the first electrode is grounded. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power source is capable of generating voltages in a range of 1 kV to 70 kV. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electrospray generator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a third electrode located on an opposite side of the second electrode from the reservoir, and the second electrode has at least one hole aligned with the at least one wick to allow droplets of the liquid to pass through the second electrode towards the third electrode. ### Claim 16 A method of generating a spray, comprising: inserting first ends of one or more wicks into a reservoir of liquid, the reservoir having a base electrode adjacent the liquid; positioning one or more offset electrodes at distance from second ends of the one or more wicks; and applying a voltage to at least one of the base electrode and the one or more offset electrodes to create an electric field, the electric field causing the liquid to move through the one or more wicks and form droplets in a spray. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising using an air source to direct the droplets in a desired direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein positioning one or more offset electrode comprises positioning one offset electrode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein positioning one or more offset electrodes comprises positioning two offset electrodes such that a first offset electrode is positioned between the one or more wicks and a second offset electrode, the first offset electrode having holes to allow the droplets to pass through. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising holding the second offset electrode at a different voltage than the first offset electrode.