Nozzle device and nozzle for atomisation and/or filtration and methods for using the same

A nozzle device having a nozzle (2) for atomization of a fluid, comprising:

• a nozzle plate support body (12) with a first main surface and a second main surface, a first main surface side and a second main surface side;
• a nozzle cavity (13) extending between the first main surface and the second main surface of the nozzle plate support body;
• a nozzle plate (10, 40, 50, 220, 276, 340) at the first main surface side of said support body, said nozzle plate having at least one nozzle orifice (11, 41, 51, 61, 130, 170, 180) in fluid communication with said nozzle cavity (13);
• and
• a filtration means (3) at the second main surface side of said support body, said filtration means comprising a filtration plate (15) having at least one filtration orifice (16) in fluid communication with said nozzle cavity (13),
• wherein said nozzle cavity (13) is an etched cavity in said support body (12) formed by etching directly through at least one of said nozzle orifice (11) and said filtration orifice (16),
• wherein the nozzle plate support body (12) is formed of a silicon wafer, and
• wherein a glass substrate (272) is anodically bonded to the nozzle plate (276) and nozzle plate support body assembly, the glass substrate comprising at least one flow channel (270, 284) at a surface thereof which is in open communication with the cavity of said nozzle plate support body.

A nozzle device comprising:

• atomization means for atomization of a fluid, said atomization means comprising
• a support body with a main surface,
• a nozzle plate with a substantial uniform thickness of less than 2 microns, said support body carrying said nozzle plate at the main surface,
• a cavity within said support body,
• at least one nozzle orifice located in a part of said nozzle plate, said at least one nozzle orifice located downstream of said cavity, said cavity in open fluid communication with said at least one nozzle orifice, said at least one nozzle orifice having a length which is less than six times a diameter thereof and is shorter than said diameter, and
• a filtration means provided in said support body upstream of said cavity, said filtration means in fluid communication with said cavity, said filtration means comprising a filtration plate, said filtration plate comprising at least one filter orifice located upstream of said cavity,
• wherein said support body carries said filtration plate at a second main surface, and
• wherein a glass substrate is bonded to at least one of said nozzle plate and said filtration plate and wherein said glass substrate comprises at least one flow channel which is in fluid communication with said cavity in said support body.