Electrospray Head with Movable Wall for Liquid Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrospraying techniques face challenges in reliably creating a plume across a wide range of liquids due to variations in liquid properties, requiring adjustments in equipment settings and nozzles, making it difficult to consistently produce an electrospray.
Innovation Solution
An electrospray head with a movable wall that can constrict or dilate the conduit, controlled by an actuator, allowing for variable exit diameter and fluid dynamics, enabling more consistent plume formation across different liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed diameter conduit is used in conventional electrospray heads, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to adapt to different liquid properties is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing the fixed diameter conduit with a movable wall that can dynamically adjust the conduit diameter. The movable wall is actuated by a actuator (such as a piston or inflatable diaphragm) to change the exit diameter of the conduit, enabling adaptation to different liquid viscosities and conductivities without changing the physical nozzle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the physical parameter of conduit diameter through the movable wall mechanism. This allows the system to change the geometric parameter (exit diameter) to match different liquid properties, thereby maintaining consistent electrospray formation across a wide range of liquids while using a single device structure.
2Reliability
If multiple nozzles and settings are used to accommodate different liquids, then the electrospray reliability is improved, but the ease of operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single electrospray head with a movable wall that can perform the function of multiple fixed nozzles. The movable wall can be adjusted to different positions to accommodate various liquid properties, making one device capable of replacing multiple specialized nozzles and settings, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic movable wall allows real-time adjustment of the conduit diameter to match the properties of different liquids being processed. This dynamic adaptation enables consistent electrospray formation across diverse liquids without requiring manual replacement of nozzles or reconfiguration of settings, thus improving both reliability and ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If the conduit exit diameter is fixed, then the manufacturing precision is easier to achieve, but the control over fluid dynamics is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by introducing a movable wall that can dynamically adjust the conduit exit diameter. This dynamic control mechanism allows precise regulation of fluid dynamics parameters (flow rate, jet diameter, plume formation) for different liquids, providing superior control over the electrospray process while accepting increased device structure complexity.
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
This solution provides additional control over fluid dynamics, allowing for reliable electrospray creation with a single electrospray head across various liquids, reducing the need for multiple nozzles and settings, and enabling precise delivery of agents in applications like bronchoscopy and cell treatment.
Implementation Method 1
a movable wall forming a portion of said internal surface defining the conduit; wherein said movable wall is arranged to co-operate with said actuator to constrict or dilate said conduit upon operation of the actuator
Implementation Method 2
Electrospraying employs electrostatic repulsion and acceleration resulting from a high voltage to create an aerosol or plume of droplets
Implementation Method 3
Evaporation of the solvent from the drop surface causes the space charge effects on an ever-decreasing droplet to make the droplet unstable, disintegrating into smaller, highly charged droplets
Data Source
AI summary
An electrospray head for use in an electrospraying apparatus comprises a body with an internal surface defining a conduit having an inlet for receiving a fluid to be sprayed and an outlet for emitting the fluid. A movable wall forms a part of the internal surface defining the conduit, the movable wall being arranged to constrict or dilate the conduit upon operation of the actuator. The movable wall can thus control the delivery of fluid through the outlet from the conduit.