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US 5,490,633 AGranted
Apparatus for ligament made electrostatic spraying
AssigneeImperial Chemical Industries PLC
InventorsAndrew Jeffries, Michael L. Green, Timothy J. Noakes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Relatively low resistivity liquids are formed into sprays under the influence of an applied electric field acting between a nozzle and the nozzle surroundings which may be at earth potential. The liquid issues from the nozzle as a ligament which undergoes necking to a diameter smaller than that of the nozzle orifice, thereby producing droplets with a volume median diameter less than the orifice diameter.
Claims4
A ligament mode electrostatic spraying device for spraying liquid, the device comprising:
- a nozzle of pointed configuration defining a tip portion, the tip portion having an orifice;
- means for supplying liquid having a resistivity less than about 1.times.10.sup.7 Ohm-cm to the nozzle so as to be discharged through the orifice;
- means for applying a high electrical potential to the liquid so that liquid supplied to the nozzle is projected from the orifice under the influence of electrostatic forces created by the potential applying means;
- and
- potential gradient attenuating means encircling the orifice for establishing a potential having the same polarity as that applied to the liquid,
- whereby the potential gradient in the immediate vicinity of the nozzle tip is attenuated and the liquid discharging from the orifice undergoes necking under the influence of the attenuated potential gradient to form a ligament having a cross-sectional diameter which is substantially smaller than the dimension of the orifice.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.