Electrostatic Atomizer Cooling Control for Stable Nano Mist
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrostatically atomizing devices require frequent water replenishment and take several minutes to condense and supply water to the emitter electrode, disrupting stable discharging conditions for generating nano-meter sized mist.
Innovation Solution
An electrostatically atomizing device with a controller that monitors discharge current to regulate cooling rate, ensuring a stable amount of charged minute water particles is produced by controlling the cooling means based on discharge current variations and environmental conditions, eliminating the need for continuous water supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a water tank with capillary effect is used to supply water to the emitter electrode, then the device structure is simple, but frequent water replenishment is required and discharging condition becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The emitter electrode automatically condenses water from the surrounding air through its cooling structure, eliminating the need for external water tank replenishment. The system serves itself by continuously absorbing moisture from the environment and converting it to liquid water on the electrode surface through condensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical water supply system (water tank and capillary wick) is replaced with a physical field-based system using electrostatic field and cooling field. The emitter electrode uses its cooling structure to create a temperature difference that condenses water vapor from air, substituting mechanical water transport with field-based water condensation.
2Reliability
If a heat exchanger is used to condense water from surrounding air, then water replenishment is eliminated, but it takes several minutes to obtain and supply condensed water
Solution Approach 1:
The emitter electrode is pre-cooled to a temperature below the dew point before operation, so that water condensation can occur immediately when the device starts. The cooling structure is integrated into the electrode itself, preparing the surface in advance to rapidly condense water vapor from the surrounding air without delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The emitter electrode is divided into multiple cooling structures (such as multiple cooling fins or segmented cooling zones) that increase the total condensation surface area. This segmentation allows parallel water condensation across multiple zones, significantly reducing the time required to accumulate sufficient condensed water.
3Productivity
If the cooling rate is increased to accelerate water condensation, then water supply speed improves, but atomization stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A control system monitors the condensation state and discharge current of the emitter electrode, and automatically adjusts the cooling rate to maintain optimal atomization conditions. When condensation is insufficient, the cooling rate is increased; when atomization stability decreases, the cooling rate is reduced, creating a closed-loop control system that balances productivity and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling rate is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the system to adapt to different operating conditions. The cooling structure can vary its cooling intensity in real-time based on environmental humidity, temperature, and the current atomization performance, optimizing both condensation speed and atomization stability under different conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device maintains a constant discharge current and optimal atomization of nano-meter sized mist, ensuring continuous operation without water replenishment and maintaining stable discharging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling means configured to condense the water on the emitter electrode from within the surrounding air
Implementation Method 2
a high voltage source configured to apply a high voltage across said emitter electrode and said opposed electrode to electrostatically charge the water on the emitter electrode for atomizing charged minute water particles
Implementation Method 3
apply a high voltage across an emitter electrode supplied with the water and an opposed electrode to induce Rayleigh disintegration of the water carried on the emitter electrode, thereby atomizing the water
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatically atomizing device includes an emitter electrode, an opposed electrode opposed to the emitter electrode, and a cooling means which condenses the water on the emitter electrode from within the surrounding air, and a high voltage source applying a high voltage across the emitter electrode and the opposed electrode to electrostatically charge the water for atomizing charged minute water particles from a discharge end of the emitter electrode. The device further includes a controller for discharging the charged minute water particles in a stable manner. The controller monitors a discharge current flowing between the two electrodes to control the cooling means for keeping the discharge current at a predetermined level, thereby regulating the atomizing amount of the charged minute particles from the emitter electrode.